Obviously, if you’re into hard rock, there are lots of #1 Country/Western songs you can’t stand, and vice versa.
But what about songs from genres you like, by artists you like, that became mega #1 hits, that you can’t stand?
Like most people who hit puberty in the 60’s, I loved the Beatles. But the first time I heard “Hello, Goodbye” on the radio, I thought it must be by some local band being promoted for a high school dance. When a friend later told me it was Beatles, I literally couldn’t believe it. The music seemed average at best, and the lyrics seemed absolutely stupid.
I pretty much forgot about it for the last 50ish years (and I thought the fact that it got so little play, even on the Oldies stations I listen to, confirmed my opinion of it), but today while I was looking something else up, I found the amazing fact that it was #1 in England for more consecutive weeks (7) than any other Beatles song except “From Me To You.” Longer than “She Loves You.” Longer than “I Wanna Hold Your Hand.” Longer than “A Hard Days Night” and “Hey Jude” combined. And “Something” never even made #1.
IMO, this is a travesty of a sham of a mockery. It’s just not that good even compared to an average song, and it’s certainly not in the same class as almost any other single the Beatles put out. Yet, the charts don’t lie. Do they?
I loved the original bad boys from Boston, Aerosmith. I grew up listening to “Back in the Saddle”, “Toys in the Attic”, “Lord of the Thighs”, “Sick as a Dog” etc. They were the quintessential American rock band for the 70’s. Outstanding!
What in the world were they thinking releasing “Angel”? How embarrassing. Yuck.
No, it wasn’t, although it was their only American #1 hit.
The eventual video for “Leave It” was one of the strangest things I’ve ever seen on MTV, which is saying a lot. 17 versions were shot in one day; I have no idea if any of them ever aired after MTV debuted a new one each day. IIRC, the final cut was version #11.
They were thinking they could make a whole lot more money going from a gritty, garage type band, to a band that puts out bubble gum songs by getting help from songwriters like Desmond Child. They were right.
I’m a huge Todd Rundgren fan. Travel hundreds of miles to see him, keep up with his ever-changing musical styles - arena rock, blues, rap, EDM, bossa nova (I’m completely serious with that list.)
Loved, loved, loved Cheap Trick in the late 70s and early 80s and I still do. I followed them closely as they declined from putting out solid, near-perfect power-pop albums in the 1970s to releasing 1-or-2-amazing-singles-and-a-whole-bunch-of-filler albums in the 80s. In 1988 I was thrilled to hear many insiders predicting the upcoming Lap of Luxury was going to be their comeback album. And then we got the first single, “The Flame”…
…what the fuck was that?..
…wait, it just hit #1?..
And to date it is still their only #1 hit. Luckily, radio programmers seem to be ignoring it these days. Although I do wish they’d play something besides “I Want You To Want Me” and “Surrender”. Great, but way overplayed.
Ben Folds Five’s only real hit was “Brick.” It’s a song about taking your girlfriend to get an abortion. I thought it was ok when I first heard it (before the radio), a powerful song, but just not the kind of song you want to hear over and over again.
But, since it was their one hit song, I had to hear it over again. I was tired of it by the second day it was on the radio. Still am tired of it, I just blew past it on shuffle the other day.
What’s the Frequency, Kenneth? would be my REM example.
I loved Elton John years ago, recently got back into him-but lord he has quite a few singles in his back catalogue that I simply cannot stand-Bennie and the Jets, for example.
The Offspring - why don’t you get a job. The Offspring are one of my favorite bands, but I do not like this hit song at all for multiple reasons. Pretty fly for a white guy isn’t too good either.
However almost everything else they do is excellent.
This was my obvious answer as soon as I saw the thread title. I listen to a lot of classic rock and am very fond of just about everything I’ve heard from Elton John. But Benny and the Jets is just horrible. As soon as those intro notes come across my radio, I switch the station. If I’m having a burger at 5 Guys and I hear B&tJ come on, I leave.
Funny, I was just thinking last night, watching a show about REM, that “Stand” drove me crazy. I think it was the point when REM, a perfectly good alternative band who should have stayed “our little secret” became accepted by the mainstream and WAY overexposed on MTV.
I don’t mind “Bennie”, but “Candle in the Wind” makes me want to throw up.
Agreed. So un-Police-like and, again, too much on the MTV.
I actually came in here to say I love almost all of Prince’s songs (those that I’ve heard; I realize there is much more to be explored). but not “Raspberry Beret.” I don’t know why, but this one is grating to me and I usually have to turn it off.
Tom Petty is my second-favorite singer, and his highest-charting hit is “Free Fallin’”. While I don’t hate it, I find it pretty boring and usually skip past it when it comes on the radio.