Aerosmith’s I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.
“One Week” by Barenaked Ladies. Sort of representative of some of their fun live-show improv, but nothing like the rest of the rest of their catalog.
B-52’s - Love Shack
Beck - Loser
Beastie Boys - Fight For Your Right
Depeche Mode - People Are People
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under The Bridge
Agree with Radiohead’s Creep.
Several of my choices (Take My Breath Away, Every Breath You Take, Don’t Want To Miss a Thing) have already been posted. Part of the problem is the suits in the music biz that decide which song will finally become a group’s “breakout single”, and it invariably is some putrid pop pap throwaway song unworthy of the artist’s talent.
One that hasn’t been mentioned yet: U2’s “With or Without You”. On a list of U2’s 50 best songs, this would rank about 75th, IMHO.
But the ultimate example: Stairway to Heaven! The only good thing about this song is that they never released it as a single, so people were forced to buy the album to hear it, exposing them to all the actual good songs on it. Now maybe it’s just the overexposure factor, but compared with Communication Breakdown, Kashmir, When the Levee Breaks, or even Hot Dog, Stairway is an absolutely execrable hunk of shite.
I’ve never liked Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” much. Their other hits like “Lithium” and “All Apologies” were superior.
I agree with that. That is supposed to be my generation’s song and to this day I do not understand what’s so special about it. I could name a dozen better Nirvana songs off the top of my head, and I’m not even really much of a Nirvana fan.
You might not like it so much, but calling Smells like Teen Spirit, critics #4 song of all time (acclaimedmusic.net) a worse song than, say Endless, Nameless or Hairspray Queen is totally ridiculous.
Good suggestion
The Police - “Roxanne”
Jane’s Addiction - “Jane Says”
Yep, I mean that album. I’ve never actually heard the original version.
I’m actually not the one who called “Silence” bad teenage poetry. I’m not a big fan of the lyrics (I see it as a little overwrought and a touch patronizing), but I also find it dull musically.
In my opinion, the other tracks on that album tend to either have a more interesting lyrics (especially “Leaves That Are Green” and “April Come She Will,” two of my favorites) or more interesting musically.
Perhaps I’m hard on “Sounds of Silence” due to overexposure, but I’ve just always thought it was much less interesting than much of their other work.
gotta submit “Casey Jones” for consideration. Just heard it too freaklin much on what used to be called AOR radio back in the 80’s. It was pretty much the only Dead song you’d ever hear on the radio before “Touch of Grey” came along.
I would nominate Frank Zappa. One of the greatest musical geniuses ever, wrote so many amazing songs in a wide variety of genres…and most people know him, if at all, for “Valley Girl”?:smack: Or if not, “I’m the Slime”:smack::smack: or “Dancin’ Fool”?:smack::smack::smack:
As far as the above, I think “Touch of Grey” is a perfectly respectable Dead tune. I wouldn’t say it’s one of their best, but it’s way better than, say, “Pride of Cucamonga” or (shudder) “Sunrise”. As far as songs which showed up in the setlist a lot, I would take it over “Liberty”.
The studio version of “Rock the Casbah” is indeed a strong contender for suckiest Clash song, but I was surprised to hear the recently released live version from Shea Stadium 1982. It actually sounded like punk rock!
You forgot “Don’t Eat the Yellow Snow.”
And you couldn’t have let me remain in that blissful state?
Hanson, “Mmmbop.”
You see, this is the thing about the guests not having their location up. I’m from NZ. Fernando was a big hit here. I wikied & see it only made 13 in the USA.
This thread demonstrates two things:
“Talking (writing) about music is like dancing about architecture.”
and
“90% of everything is shit.”
The Grateful Dead’s best known song is 'Truckin".
“Do It Again” is a great song. 
“Muskrat Love” was written by Willis Allen Ramsey (and actually fits the OP).
Ya’ll forgot FZ’s “Montana”.
A lot of the examples given here sound more like songs that are more “atypical of their respective bands style” than actual “bad songs”.
“I loved Extreme, but then they pulled that “More Than Words” crap out of their ass.” Sorry, that doesn’t make it a bad song.
“Queensryche was a great band!! So what the hell was that “Silent Lucidity” bullshit??!!” God forbid that a band try something different or new.
(just two random examples, not meant to single out any particular post or poster)
Personally I feel that very few songs will fit both elements of the OP; “best known song” AND “among worst songs the band recorded”. The first requirement means using some kind of chart position or other “sales-based” criteria (and, because of the second quote above, means fuck-all to me.) The second requirement is pure subjectivity (and means even less to me).
Another point; while record company executives (suits) may determine which song a new act will release as a single (and almost always retains some right to decide what constitutes a “greatest hit” on a compilation release), nobody tells an Aerosmith or a U2 or a Led Zeppelin which song to release. Not after they have proven themselves to be money-makers (or unless they have really stupid management).
I know what you mean - many of the songs nominated are tiresome from over-exposure, but not “bad” songs by any measure. Except for Todd Rundgren’s “Bang On The Drum All Day”. It really is a moronic song. Trite, with stupid lyrics from a truly great lyricist, a simplistic beat from an artist known for odd time signatures.
It really does suck, and the thought that it’s the only thing many people know him for really galls.
You’re right; it was another doper two posts above yours who seconded the “bad teenage poetry” remark, and I conflated that response with yours. I beg your puddin’.
Until very recently, Muse’s biggest hit and best-selling single was “Starlight” (and it may yet remain that), which is also one of the most divisive songs in their catalogue amongst the fans on Muse.mu, and that’s saying something. 
While some fans love it (as you would expect for a #1 hit on several European/other international charts), probably most of the fans who’ve loved Muse since their Showbiz and Origin of Symmetry days dislike it with an intensity ranging from “wretchedly imitative of Coldplay at their most milquetoast” to “we gotta beef up NASA’s/ESA’s budgets and get serious about conquering space so that we can reach the nearest supermassive black hole and pitch all copies of this song into it”.*
As for the caveat above, Muse may have a bigger hit with their latest album’s first single, the Dr. Who-, Gary Glitter-, and soccer hooligan-referencing “Uprising,” which has already hit #1 on a chart measuring radio play in the USA (a precedent for them in this country). “Uprising” isn’t as divisive a track as “Starlight,” but according to a song poll, about one in four fans aren’t exactly crazy about it, either.
Personally, I think “Uprising” is pretty good, if not great, but I usually skip past “Starlight” with a speed approaching 300 million meters per second.
- Fan quotes are simulated, but the sentiments are real enough.
Green Day- Good Riddance (Time of your Life).