Feb

There are lists online of the worst songs ever – who knew?!! Wow, what a fun way to waste a few hours, which is what I did this afternoon. It all started because I was making a Valentine’s playlist for Craig – context: he ***HATES*** Valentine’s Day, whereas I do NOT, so this is always a stressful time of year for us! I said I was looking for love songs on iTunes, and he started teasing me about whether or not my songs were on the lists of worst songs ever.

I was skeptical at first, but a little Googling showed me that he was in fact correct – there are TONS of lists of Worst Songs Ever. Here are some that are particularly fun:

1. This year’s “Valentine’s” list from ABC news – why worst songs ever is a news story is a bit beyond me, but the snarky comments make this list very worthwhile (plus, it’s hard to argue with their choices). I guess to balance their “unbiasedness” as a news source, they also include a companion piece on the BEST love songs ever (and that list is MUCH less funny).

2. I had never heard of blender.com before, but this list of the 50 Worst Songs Ever is extremely enjoyable due to their embedded video clips … you don’t have to take their word for it, you can SEE for yourself why the song is so bad. As for the songs themselves … well, it’s a mixed list. While they accurately target things like Clay Aiken’s “Invisible”, Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Achy Breaky Heart”, they also have crazy things like Right Said Fred’ “I’m Too Sexy” and the Beatles’ “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” RIGHT BESIDE EACH OTHER on the list! And “Sound of Silence”?!! Seriously, Simon & Garfinkel, Billy Joel & The Doors, even on a bad day, are NOWHERE NEAR the retch-value of Gerardo’s “Rico Suave”, any song by New Kids on the Block or Lionel Richie, and the many, MANY others left off this list (Richard Marx, Spandau Ballet, ‘Macarena”, Ricky Martin, Vanilla Ice, more Country songs than I can count … I could do on all night)

3. VH1′s Most Awesomely Bad Love Songs – first of all, the name of their list is … well, awesome. Plus, they included several that make you go “Duh, how did I forget THAT song?!!”. Such as NSYNC’s “God Must’ve Spent a Little More Time on You”.

4. Some random Seattle blog – interesting because it asks people to list their best AND worst song. Shows nice interesting individual differences.

5. Dave Barry’s Worst Song List – ’cause he’s Dave Barry, and very, very funny.

One thing to note – I think it is important – VERY important, actually – to distinguish between a truly awful song and a song that becomes a hit and then is (some MASSIVELY) overexposed. A worst song ever needs to be a song that was gag-worthy from the very first spin, NOT somethine you just got sick of hearing after the 1,000th time.

In the end, lists of best and worst music are always destined to be controversial. God bless subjectivity. But, I am TOTALLY RIGHT that Corey Hart’s “Sunglasses at Night” does NOT belong on a list of worst songs ever!

I think one of the commenters on CNN’s call for nominations of the worst song ever sums it up best:

“There has been so much hideous crap released by record companies that choosing the worst song is like choosing the world’s prettiest snowflake. It can’t be done. The competition is too great. Good luck anyway. (Just to make sure it’s represented, I’ll nominate Paul Anka’s “[You're] Having My Baby.”) — Tim W.

  

Related posts:

1. I LOVE THE 80s!!! (Tenika’s Meme #5)
2. Ten on Tuesday: Best Movie Songs
3. iTunes dominates WalMart
4. Ten on Tuesday: Livening up my Blog
5. Bo or Carrie?!! We love Idol!!!

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