Some days, getting a song stuck in your head can be a pleasure, as you hum along to a tune and joyfully go about the world. Other times, the last thing you want is to have an annoyingly repetitive track playing on a loop in your mind. This is especially true if you have a lot on your mind, or if you’re facing some stressful challenges in the day. Pop music is particularly well known for its ability to entrench melodies into the minds of the masses in an addictive, almost scientific manner. Needless to say, these songs can also be overly sappy and romantic, which touches a nerve with people from all corners of the earth. Although there are billions of songs out there in the world, there are a couple that was designed to be able to get stuck in the listener’s head. Our list here looks at 50 of the peskiests tunes of them all, which you should avoid like the plague if you don’t want to be humming them in your head for the rest of the day.
The Proclaimers — “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” (1988)
“I’m Gonna Be Me” is one of the biggest earworms in history, and has become a cultural phenomenon in the time since it was released over thirty years ago. The track is taken from the Proclaimers’ 1988 album ‘Sunshine on Leith’, and the band has never been able to produce another hit as popular. It’s the kind of song that truly gets stuck in your brain right from the first line, and carries you along with it all the way to the end.
The Proclaimers
Axel F — “Crazy Frog” (2005)
No greater storm hit the radio in the early 2000’s as the “Crazy Frog” remix, which was used for many promotional campaigns for cell phone services around the world. The song itself was nothing to write home about, but the remix ignited a fire among the young, and ended up being played in nightclubs everywhere you went at the time. We blame the Swedish group who decided to make the remix for it now being one of the most played songs of all time.
Axel F
Starland Vocal Band — “Afternoon Delight” (1976)
“Afternoon Delight” has got to be one of the most rehashed, overplayed songs in all of history. The track was extremely sexually suggestive for its time when it first hit the airwaves, hence why it captured the imagination of people from all walks of life. On closer inspection, the lyrics don’t seem to make much sense, and we can’t believe that it is still so popular, that it even managed to be used for an opening monologue for SNL back in 2013.
Starland Vocal Band
Europe — “Final Countdown” (1986)
The symbol of the 1980’s, “Final Countdown” has closed down many dancefloors around Europe and is one of those songs that never quite seems to grow old. Watching the music video will certainly drum up some images of the decade it was released in, and it’s impossible not to feel nostalgic about it, even if the song does end up occupying space in your head for a few hours after. We’ve even got the chorus stuck in our heads while writing this.
Europe
Barry Manilow — “Copacabana” (1978)
Our “main man” Barry has a lot of great hits out in the world, but that doesn’t mean he also hasn’t had a few missteps in his career. Released as the final single for his ‘Even Now’ album in 1978, “Copacabana” was a mellow choice according to critics, meant to quietly close out the album cycle. The public disagreed, and it ended up becoming a monster hit, charting in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Needless to say, it still gets extensively shared on playlists on streaming platforms to this very day.
Barry Manilow
Rednex — “Cotton Eye Joe” (1994)
The internet is a funny place, and so many old tracks seem to find their way back into the mainstream a generation after they were released thanks to meme and TikTok culture. We’d like to think that this song should have stayed back in the past, mostly because it lyrically talks about the cotton swab test people do when they get checked for an STI. Sorry if we just burst your bubble about this dastardly catchy little tune!
Rednex
Tom Jones — “What’s New Pussycat” (1965)
Welsh singer Tom Jones might have caught the attention of the world with “Sex Bomb”, another one of his monster pop hits, and we won’t fault the song for its attempts to liberate a generation that mostly wasn’t even allowed to mention the word in public. We do give him a bit of stick, however, for “What’s New Pussycat”, which doesn’t quite translate as well into the modern-day context, and wasn’t always pleasant to hear after a long day.
Tom Jones
Cher — “Believe” (1988)
Cher went full philosophical in her Eurodance hit “Believe”, which essentially asks the listener if they believe in life after love. Over and over again. We can’t fault her for exploring the depths of her soul in the music, but wonder about the heavy autotune use in her voice. Apparently, it was intentional, and it was one of the first times in history that it had been used on a worldwide #1 single. It might have been annoying, but it was groundbreaking nevertheless.
Cher
Eiffel 65 — “Blue” (1988)
“Blue” does not have the most intelligent lyrics in history, but there’s no denying that the melody gets stuck in your head even from first listen. The song was a monster hit for Eiffel 65, who up until then had been completely unknown in the music industry. Years later, Flo Rida sampled the song for “Sugar”, another monster hit, proving that the track even transcends multiple generations of listeners. We’re sure there will be another remix of it coming out in the 2020’s.
Eiffel 65
Baha Men — “Who Let The Dogs Out” (2000)
Where were you when “Who Let The Dogs Out” was playing on radio and TV stations everywhere? If you’re over 30, you’ll definitely remember this. If not, it might be time for a subtle introduction. Once you hear this one, you won’t be able to forget it. This is the case because of its infectious beat, but also because of the fact that “woof, woof” is part of the lyrics. Please don’t shoot the messenger on this one.
Baha Men
James Blunt — “You’re Beautiful” (2005)
James Blunt can’t have imagined that one little pop song was going to make him a household name everywhere. “You’re Beautiful” is often considered the perfect romantic song, and has been used in pop culture more times than we can even count. Let’s not forget that the lyrics reference getting high and trying to steal someone else’s partner. Ouch. Perhaps we’d all do better listening to the lyrics of the song on the list before we add it to our playlists.
James Blunt
Sherman Brothers — “It’s A Small World” (1963)
Disney has spent a lifetime building their brand using this song in particular, which was often heard as a staple across any of their theme parks around the world before the pandemic hit. The song itself might not be as annoyingly catchy as some of the others on the list, but it does creep into the brain, and you’ll find yourself repeating the lyrics over and over again throughout the course of your day, even after just one listen.
Sherman Brothers
Rick Dees — “Disco Duck” (1978)
Although people love to sensationalize the 1970’s, there are a couple of things that are best kept hidden in the depths of the decade. Rick Dees’ “Disco Duck” is one of those things, mostly because of the fact that the song has a duck quacking it’s way through the melody. This might be alluring in the form of a 5 second TikTok, but we can’t see how a couple of minutes of it leaves anybody better off in the long run.
Rick Dees
Nickelback — “Photograph” (2005)
Even though a lot of people will want to avoid it, it’s next to impossible to ignore the nostalgic musings of this song. “Photograph” gave Nickelback one of their last monster hits, and showed the world that there was always more room for a bit of Chad Krueger love on the radio. Critics were quick to call it a parody of a real song, mostly because the first-person narrative is about as cheesy as it gets. We can tolerate it, once or twice a year.
Nickelback
Hanson — “MMMBop” (1997)
Try to listen to this one without getting up and singing along! It’s pretty impossible, which is why “MMMBop” is the perfect addition to our list of pesky earworm tracks. Sung by teen brothers Hanson, this was their first (and only) hit and subsequently led to a string of other young “heartthrobs” entering the market. Stickers of their faces were soon on pencil cases everywhere. Thankfully, some of the other debutantes had better lyrics to share on their debut singles.
Hanson
Justin Bieber — “Baby” (2010)
We’ve just spoken about debut singles, and there can be no bigger teen heartthrob debut than Justin Bieber himself, when he launched into the global market thanks to “Baby”. The track drew him attention for his hair, style and the fact that he looked a little bit like a nine-year-old crooning about a long lost love. These days, it’s still one of the most viewed music videos on YouTube, but Justin has grown a little more into himself and a more mature sound.
Justin Bieber
Aqua — “Barbie Girl” (1997)
It’s easy to see that this is the kind of song that won’t do very well in modern times. The feminist movement would have quashed its lyrics as trashy and detrimental to the cause. Taken in context, the song was bubblegum pop catchy, and ended up being played in clubs all over the world at the time it did its rounds. These days you’re more likely to hear it during a Zumba class, than on the radio or on streaming platforms.
Aqua
Starship — “We Built This City” (1985)
Call it what you want, but this song is one of the biggest references to what the 1980’s music industry was all about. Just by listening to the intro, we can already feel the crimp and frizz, and that’s just talking about the band itself! Lyrically, the song talks about building a city on rock and roll. If that were the case, the city might be long gone by now, given the rise of electronic music among the Gen Z’s.
Starship
The Police — “Message In A Bottle” (1979)
Sending out an SOS yet? You will be after you’ve heard the last minute of this particular song. That’s pretty much all that The Police do during this time, and it leaves the listener wondering where the song took a turn for the worse. There’s no denying that the band is iconic, and that they were groundbreaking in so many different ways, but as they say, sometimes the road to hell is paved with good intentions. “Message In A Bottle” is best left alone to the pesky songs playlist for the time being.
The Police
Ricky Martin — “Livin’ La Vida Loca” (1999)
Before the new millennium struck, and when Ricky Martin was still in the closet, he released arguably the most catchy song of the decade. “Livin’ La Vida Loca” received high rotation on television stations everywhere, and women fell to their knees in excitement at his charmingly good looks. These days the song still does its rounds, and when it creeps into a modern playlist, youngsters are instantly humming the beat thanks to its catchy hook. You have been warned!
Ricky Martin
The Black Eyed Peas — “My Humps” (2005)
At the time of release, nobody batted an eyelid at a song called “My Humps”. Overtly sexual and flaunting lead vocalist Fergie in ways that wouldn’t fly these days, the song catapulted the Peas into further international superstardom and helped them sell a decent amount of their then latest offering Monkey Business. If you’re wondering why it made the list, all you need to do is read the lyrics. We promise that one time will be enough.
The Black Eyed Peas
The Four Seasons — “Sherry” (1962)
Fans of the band will note that The Four Seasons was renowned for bringing some of the weirdest sounds into their music, some of which were made by the members of the group themselves. “Sherry” is no exception, and was exceptionally good at annoying people everytime it played on the radio back in the sixties. We’re just waiting for one of the new kids on the block to try and remix this one for a modern audience.
The Four Seasons
Vanilla Ice — “Ice Ice Baby” (1989)
We’re not even going to try and sugarcoat it. The into of this particular song is nothing short of iconic. Anybody who hears it instantly starts bobbing their heads and tapping their feet. Perhaps that’s why it made it to the top of the U.S. charts back in the late 1980’s, and why it has transcended time to land on a list of some of the peskiests songs that worm their way into the minds of the masses. Regardless, this song is timeless.
Vanilla Ice
Celine Dion — “My Heart Will Go On” (1997)
We challenge you to try to find a more romantic song than this. Ever. “My Heart Will Go On” is one of the best-selling songs of all time, and you could probably walk up to anybody in the street and ask them to sing the chorus, and they’ll be able to. Overplayed? Sure. Can it get annoying when you’re trying to concentrate? Absolutely. But there’s only one Titanic after all. We wonder if Celine still enjoys singing it as much as she did 25 years ago.
Celine Dion
Sisqo — “The Thong Song” (2000)
When the main premise of a song is about a thing, you know we’ve gone wrong. Forgive us waxing lyrical there, but that line is probably better than anything you will hear in “The Thong Song”. We say that confidently knowing that Sisqo used a truck as a metaphor for a part of the female body. Thankfully the world has moved on, and the track has died a relatively quiet death. Now keep it that way please, kids reading this.
Sisqo
Culture Club — “Karma Chameleon” (1983)
Karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon! We bet you didn’t even have to go listen to the song, and now it’s stuck in your head. Culture Club had the hit of their career with this particular song, which took the eighties by storm. Critics suggest that its structure was later used for a conventional style to write theme tunes for television shows for babies. These reports are unconfirmed, but here’s looking at you, Postman Pat.
Culture Club
Rebecca Black — “Friday” (2011)
Who can forget when Rebecca Black splashed onto the scene with one of the cheapest-looking music videos ever recorded. “Friday” became a viral sensation within days of release, and with it, Rebecca became a target for online vitriol. These days, she’s come out of that struggle and is making music again. Thankfully, her new releases are a little less “fun, fun, fun”, and have more depth to them. Power to you, girl. Although it’s hard to recover from a blunder like “Friday”, life carries on.
Rebecca Black
Billy Ray Cyrus — “Achy Breaky Heart” (1992)
When you watch most 90’s movies, the chances are that at some point “Achy Breaky Heart” will come up in a scene or during the credit. The single catapulted Miley Cyrus’ dad to fame in his tender youth, and gave him access to an audience that still follows him to this day. Musically the track is a total cliche, and is often considered ironic in a way, because the melody almost mocks country music in a way.
Billy Ray Cyrus
Los Del Rio — “Macarena” (1995)
If you think dance crazes on TikTok are a big deal these days, you ain’t seen anything yet. The macarena was a cultural phenomenon back in 1995, and considering that the internet was barely around back then, it’s a miracle that people all over the world learned how to do the dance. You still can’t speak to anybody over 30 who doesn’t know how to do the macarena, proving exactly why the song has a rightful place on the list of earworms that never want to leave our brains.
Los Del Rio
Spice Girls — “Wannabe” (1996)
I’ll tell you what I want. What I really really want. Now tell me what you want. What you really really want. If these lyrics didn’t make you sing at the top of your lungs, you’re going to need to check your own pulse to see if you’re alive. “Wannabe” might be one of the most nonsensical pop songs out there, but it is simply a standout catchy tune from the biggest girl group that ever walked the earth.
Spice Girls
Wham! — “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” (1984)
Never before has a song about someone asking someone else to “wake them up before they go” (following what we can only assume to be a one-night stand) crept into the hearts of so many as it did when Wham! dropped this iconic single. Perhaps it was because the sexual revolution was in full force, or because George Michael was simply irresistible to men and women everywhere. Either way, stay away if you don’t want to be humming the tune all day.
Wham
Robin Thicke — “Blurred Lines” feat. Pharrell (2013)
We’re not even going to pretend that this song is relevant to modern times, and lyrically it quite frankly borders on encouraging men that “blurred lines” are allowed when it comes to consent. All you need to know is that this hit was a big learning curve for the entire world, and after everyone realized what it was all about, Robin Thicke quietly disappeared into the background of the industry. Don’t even bother to listen to this one.
Robin Thicke
The Strangeloves — “I Want Candy” (1965)
We can only imagine how many people got more cavities than they bargained for from hearing this tune in conjunction with a television or radio commercial. “I Want Candy” is still one of the most covered songs in the world decades since it was first released, and today there are remixes aplenty to cater to nearly every style of music you can imagine. Repetitive? Sure. Nostalgic? Beyond a shadow of a doubt. We approve, even if just in moderation.
The Strangeloves
The Muppets — “Mahna Mahna” (1993)
This is the kind of song that we can’t claim to have any substantial lyrics. Scratch that! It doesn’t have any lyrics. It just repeats the nonsensical title phrase over and over again, making the children listening to it dumber by the minute. Sure, it might have been popular in big-screen projects at the time of release. But we’re also sure that parents everywhere wanted to kill Kermit and co. for creeping into his brain with such a braindead piece of music.
The Muppets
Omi — “Cheerleader” (Felix Jaehn Remix) (2014)
It’s hard to believe that we’re coming up to seven years since this song first hit the airwaves. Most people might have complained that it was generic, but after a couple of shots in the club, everybody was dancing to it at the time. We can’t give full credit to Omi for creating this catchy tune that had everybody humming all day. Producer Felix Jaehn did his thing on the original to give it widespread mainstream appeal after all.
Omi
The Champs — “Tequila” (1958)
Any song about tequila is going to guarantee you a headache the first time you hear it. The Champs knew that they were creating a karaoke classic when they first released “Tequila” back in 1958, but they probably couldn’t have imagined that people would still be performing it at their birthday parties nearly 65 years later. If you’re wondering why it made the list, try listening to the song while you’re sober. We promise that the earworm effect is a little better when doing this.
The Champs
The Newbeats — “Bread and Butter” (1964)
Three guys screeching? It’s a hard pass from us. Who would have thought that these innocent-looking gentlemen would be comfortable with putting out a song that frustrated the masses endlessly, but sold incredibly well along the way. As if the title hasn’t given it away, the song is literally about basic food we all cook every day. Not exactly a groundbreaking dose of creative expression, you know? We wonder if the guys still play the track to their partners these days, just to annoy them a little bit.
The Newbeats
The Coasters — “Yakety Yak” (1958)
Catchy as all hell, but not necessarily in a good way. “Yakety Yak” (yes, you read that right) is pretty much-encouraging anybody doing their routine chores to shut up, and make sure they don’t share their frustrations. It’s the perfect recipe for creating a serial killer. Baby boomers everywhere are shuddering at the thought of their parents telling them to “listen to the lyrics” when it was playing on the radio on Sunday way back when.
The Coasters
Andy Grammer — “Honey, I’m Good” (2014)
Andy my dear, we dare you to talk to a young woman these days and try to call her “honey” while you do it. We get that it was meant to be endearing, but you may lose your head if you try that kind of thing in 2021. Let’s not even get started on the contents of the song itself. Grammar wants to pick someone up, but resists the urge. Women everywhere, rejoice! You’ve been spared from hearing him sing this song all night.
Andy Grammer
Willow Smith — “Whip My Hair” (2010)
Who can forget when Will and Jada’s youngest sprung onto the scene in 2010 with a song so catchy that it even made its way onto Saturday Night Live. “Whip My Hair” might not have been a lyrically genius track, but it sure showcased just how much talent there is in the Pinket Smith household. Willow repeats that she’s “whipping her hair back and forth” in the song, and these days it’s a powerful statement about empowerment, especially in the black lives matter movement.
Willow Smith
Various Artists — “Baby Shark” (2016)
We had to settle on 2016 for this one, even though there are more than a thousand different covers of it online. We decided to go broad and reference each of these various artists that did their part in making “Baby Shark” one of the most annoyingly popular songs on the planet for a short period. At the time, you couldn’t go anywhere without hearing it, and it was a painful experience for kids and adults alike. We’re totally not humming “doo doo doo doo” right now, promise.
Various Artists
Barney The Dinosaur — “I Love You” (1992)
No list of pesky songs is complete without mentioning the great big purple dinosaur that has penned many an epic hit. No song compares to Barney’s “I Love You”, which he sings at the end of every episode of his show, and is etched into the minds of pretty much every single person on the planet at this stage. While not necessarily a song you’ll be adding to a playlist, it can be fun to hear it for a bit of nostalgia every now and then.
Barney The Dinosaur
Carly Rae Jepsen — Call Me Maybe” (2012)
We’re still wondering if Carly actually wants the guy to call her, or if she’s keen on him just leaving her along. “Call Me Maybe” was a monster hit back in 2012, and it changed the entire life of the young Canadian singer. The track was covered millions of times online, and became an instant party favorite in clubs around the world. We hear Carly is still making good money from the proceeds to this very day.
Carly Rae Jepsen
Gummibär — “I’m A Gummy Bear” (2007)
German pop, anyone? This children’s hit crept into the ears of people from everywhere in the world thanks to its repetitive nature and the fact that the lyrics were almost learned ad nauseum by children even after just a couple of listens. Some might argue that it was brainwashing, we just call it a better alternative to them hearing Elmo sing “tickle me” time and time again. Gummibär should consider it an honor to be in the same company.
Gummibar
Miley Cyrus — “Do My Thang” (2013)
Miley’s rebellious phase had a couple of big hits, including “We Can’t Stop” and the unforgettable “Wrecking Ball”. The Bangerz album also had its fair share of duds, including “Do My Thang”, which was a definite misstep for the young starlet. We get it, she was trying something new. But how many times can we really listen to “I”ma do my thang” before we have to be committed to an insane asylum? We’re sure Miley isn’t all too phased.
Miley Cyrus
Meghan Trainor — “All About That Bass” (2014)
Fifties housewife wannabe Meghan Trainor shocked everyone with the popularity of “All About That Bass”, a song that first started to gain steam for its catchy hook, and later for her curvaceous figure. The great irony was that Meghan herself was promoting just one particular body type in the process, rather than a more inclusive message around all types of bodies and skin tones. We’re sure she sees it as a missed opportunity all these years later.
Meghan Trainor
Pharrell — “Happy” (2013)
Clap along, if this song, is annoying during the pandemic! We digress. Everybody needs a little bit of joy in their lives, but “Happy” seems to make a bit of a joke of it, encouraging everyone to be happy all the time. The track was more popular than a piece of toast on a Sunday morning, but nevertheless, it got a fair amount of shade for its repetitive lyrics. Pharrell wasn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, so no he’s ended up on a pesky songs list. Twice.
Pharrell
Bruno Mars — “Marry You” (2010)
There’s no denying that Bruno Mars has one of the most beautiful voices in the world. His hits have reached millions of ears, but we have a bone to pick about one of them, namely “Marry You”. The song is cheesier than even the cheesiest of his releases, and truly sends the message that getting married should be a life goal for women everywhere. Let’s not forget he calls getting married “dumb” in the song, so we’re not sure anybody should be taking advice from the guy to begin with.
Bruno Mars
Kim Kardashian — “Jam (Turn It Up)” (2011)
Yes, you read that right. Kim Kardashian tried her hands at pop music back in 2011, to dismal failure. It only takes one listen to the song to know that it is one of the worst pieces of music ever recorded, and anybody who thinks it’s catchy should probably go see their doctor to have their hearing checked. Kim has many talents, and is notably a fashion icon, but sometimes you just have to know where to draw the line to earn a buck. Your reputation is more important.
Kim Kardashian
Buckwheat Boyz — “Peanut Butter Jelly Time” (1997)
The title says everything you need to know about this song. Pretty much, that it is one of the most ridiculous pieces of recorded music in the history of the universe. For a once-off novelty listen, sure. But no more than that. Just like every other song on our list, it is bound to get etched into your brain if you do. We hope that as with the other 49 tracks on the list, you’ll go cautiously towards listening to it. You may find yourself putting your head under the pillow to try and get one of them out of your head a few hours later.
Buckwheat Boyz