As much as we love to listen to music and relate it to current situations, not every song is worth listening to. For every catchy tune that is released, there are dozens of other music pieces that are well worth skipping. Unfortunately, for some artists, some of their music worth skipping has become infamous for how awful these songs are, to the point they are considered some of the worst music ever.
Are These Bad Songs?
What qualifies as a bad song will be a subjective opinion for most listeners. I consider many songs terrible, but I try to avoid espousing opinions. That said, critics generally have a wider pool of knowledge. So, for the people associated with various publications, these may indeed be the worst songs they’ve ever heard.
What Makes a Bad Song?
Honestly, it just depends on the taste of the listener. These were all radio staples at one point or another, so I grew up hearing many of these. I wouldn’t rank these as the worst songs of all time, but I also probably listen to many stuff other folks might consider destructive.
“What’s Up”
Active from 1989 to 1994, the group 4 Non Blondes and its song “What’s Up” has been universally regarded as one of the worst songs people have ever listened to. Calling it everything from insipid to torture is spot on for this song, and it’s one of Reddit’s favorite songs to blame for the world’s most significant issues.
“We Built This City”
Starship has a fascinating history as a band, beginning life in the 1960s as Jefferson Airplane. Many consider their 1985 hit, “We Built This City, ” one of the worst songs ever. However, you could point to many kitschy 80s hits that are arguably cheesier.
“Achy Breaky Heart”
Billy Ray Cyrus is the epitome of a one-hit wonder, flaming out early after his 1992 hit, “Achy Breaky Heart.” Despite the fame this carried, Cyrus is often regarded as having one of the worst songs of all time.
“Everybody Have Fun Tonight”
I was shocked to see people disliked this song. Yes, “Everybody Have Fun Tonight”, a 1986 hit single from Wang Chung, is regarded as one of the worst songs of all time. You could point to so many singles from the 1980s and get a similar corny but jovial feel.
“Rollin”
Alright, I agree with this one. Limp Bizkit was a band that I was really into when they came out, but I was also 11 or 12 when “Rollin” hit the radio. In the 25 or so years since I would safely agree that this is possibly one of the worst songs ever.
“The Heart of Rock & Roll”
Huey Lewis is one of my favorite songwriters of the 1980s. When delivering a message with pop backing, I put him up there with Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen. Oddly, some critics have voted his 1984 single, “The Heart of Rock & Roll, ” one of the worst songs ever.
“Don’t Worry Be Happy”
If you were a child in the early 1990s, you often heard this song. Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry Be Happy” is perhaps the ultimate one-hit wonder. However, some critics consider it one of the worst songs ever made.
“Party All the Time”
For a moment, forget what I said about music being subjective. This vanity hit from Eddie Murphy is everything wrong with the excesses of the 1980s. It’s too kitschy, the vocals are lacking, and it rightly earns a top spot in the worst songs ever. Like this song, Eddie Murphy is arguably well past his prime.
“I’ll Be There for You”
I
t’s a catchy song, The Rembrandts deserve some love.I’m not a Friends fan, and that’s okay. I safely recognize The Rembrandts didn’t churn out one of the worst songs ever. Surprisingly, the theme song to the hit sitcom was a hit song of its own. It’s catchy and memorable, and best of all, it’s a decent song on its own.
“We Didn’t Start the Fire”
Finishing off our list is a song that I will rightly argue isn’t one of the worst songs of all time. “We Didn’t Start the Fire” by Billy Joel is many things, but horrible isn’t one of them. Billy Joel has a catalog of incredible songs, and some clunkers, I would easily put this single in the former camp.
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