# Is there a non-annoying ringtone? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 21, 2006, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320 "2006-11-21T18:54:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MostlyClueless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@MostlyClueless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyClueless)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/1 "2006-11-21T18:54:48Z")
I just got myself a nice shiny new phone, and it supports MP3-ringtones. Now, I’m all giddy with the prospect of using my own tunes, but folks picking their kind of music can get annoying awfully quick. So, has anyone here found a ringtone that’s mildly less annoying than “hit me baby one more time” on repeat? ---
**Author:** ![MostlyClueless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@MostlyClueless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyClueless)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/2 "2006-11-21T18:58:44Z")
Erm, forgot one thing… after some consideration I picked the intro of ‘Papa was a rolling stone’ by The Temptations. Doesn’t start blaring straight away. However, there’s the possibility that by Pavlovian reaction I will grow to hate this song. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/3 "2006-11-21T19:06:07Z")
In a word, no. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/4 "2006-11-21T19:08:19Z")
Going to second MissyU2 here. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/5 "2006-11-21T19:42:02Z")
No ringtone in existence is non-annoying. I think the generic old-style phone ring I’ve got is only moderately annoying, but it still bugs me. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/6 "2006-11-21T20:00:16Z")
My ringtone is officially a clip from a non-vocal jazz group called The Bad Plus and their song [“Flim”.](http://www.amazon.com/These-Are-Vistas-Bad-Plus/dp/B000087N0V/sr=8-2/qid=1164138830/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/002-0597824-8299239?ie=UTF8&s=music) The thing is, my cell phone is my own only phone and I rarely carry it with me. When I do, I usually have the ringer off unless I’m expecting a phone call and even then it’s usually on vibrate. I just looked this morning and saw that I have over 3600 roll over minutes on my 400 minute a month plan. I’m realizing it’s kind of a waste. ---
**Author:** ![fisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@fisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fisha)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/7 "2006-11-21T20:07:13Z")
Vibrate. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/8 "2006-11-21T20:16:04Z")
My default ring-tone is “Manha de Carnaval” by Astrud Gilberto. Fairly mellow. Started using “Not Ready to Make Nice” after a suite-mate badmouthed the Dixie Chicks. Changed back after the election. For a personal alarm, House of Pain’s “Jump Around” is quite annoying–as it should be! (Yes, I’m a Ring Tone Junkie!) ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/9 "2006-11-21T20:40:57Z")
My phone just rings. Like a phone. Anything else is hugely annoying after the first or second time you (and everyone around you) has heard it. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/10 "2006-11-21T21:39:39Z")
Dude…24 ring tone. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Autumn\_Almanac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d26b3c/32.png) [@Autumn\_Almanac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Almanac)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/11 "2006-11-21T22:31:53Z")
Mine plays the Strokes’ “Reptilia” when I get a call and the Rolling Stones’ “Miss You” when I get a text message. I haven’t tired of either song yet. 🙂 Strangely enough, my Samsung phone did not come equipped with any conventional “ring ring ring” sounds, only a bunch of polyphonic melodies which were all pretty annoying. ---
**Author:** ![FormerMarineGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/65b543/32.png) [@FormerMarineGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FormerMarineGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/12 "2006-11-21T22:51:01Z")
[QUOTE=dahfisheroo] Vibrate. [/QUOTE] Another one who likes vibrations. I don’t even know if the ringer on my phone works. My wife has the most annoying ring. She has it programmed to our kids voices SCREAMING: “Mom, pick up the phone. Pick it up. Pick it up. You have a call. Hurry, pick up the phone. Repeat. Repeat.” Damn, will you answer the phone already, baby? ---
**Author:** ![hawksgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed655f/32.png) [@hawksgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawksgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/13 "2006-11-21T22:55:31Z")
My friend had the Macguyver theme song. Actually not bad and fairly peppy. ---
**Author:** ![JustAnotherGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/58f4c7/32.png) [@JustAnotherGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustAnotherGeek)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/14 "2006-11-21T22:57:59Z")
Another vote for both ‘no’ and ‘vibrate.’ Call me a fuddy-duddy, but I truly believe that all cell phones should only be equipped with a vibrator, and no ring mechanism. ---
**Author:** ![Lips\_Obsession](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bbce88/32.png) [@Lips\_Obsession](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lips_Obsession)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/15 "2006-11-22T00:38:01Z")
Mine has an MP3 of an old-time phone ringing. It’s easy to differentiate from other cell phones in the room, as well as from land-line phones in the room, and it’s not really annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/16 "2006-11-22T01:31:04Z")
Mine plays “Who Are You” by the Who…but it vibrates 4 times first so I don’t usually hear it. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/17 "2006-11-22T01:43:28Z")
No, there is no non-annoying ringtone. I’ve used a couple songs but I can never hear them if there is significant background noise. So I switched to a regular old ringing phone and every single television show and commercial decided to use that ring so I am often checking my phone because I think I hear my ringtone. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/18 "2006-11-22T03:20:21Z")
[QUOTE=bouv] Dude…24 ring tone. 😃 [/QUOTE] Second that. Although it does annoy some of my friends and family. I use it for all rings except for unknown caller ID because it’s hard to find other ringtones that don’t annoy me. ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/19 "2006-11-22T03:44:46Z")
I use the first few bars from _Tainted Love_ by Soft Cell. It’s not annoying to _me_. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2006, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320/20 "2006-11-22T03:47:38Z")
[QUOTE=JustAnotherGeek] Another vote for both ‘no’ and ‘vibrate.’ Call me a fuddy-duddy, but I truly believe that all cell phones should only be equipped with a vibrator, and no ring mechanism. [/QUOTE] Actually, I think cell phones should be equipped with a 9-inch hatpin which rams itself into the ass of the owner to indicate incoming calls. I think I’ve come to hate every aspect of those things’ existence. I feel visceral hatred when I see someone holding one or walking around with it jammed into their ear. Pavlovian, I know. It all started with ringtones. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-non-annoying-ringtone/381320.md?page=2)