Danieldrezner.com — the musical!

Blender magazine has compiled a list of the 50 worst songs ever, according to bad melodies, bad performances, or incoherent lyrics. According to the Associated Press: Starship’s “We Built This City,” from 1985 topped the list. “The truly horrible sound of a band taking the corporate dollar while sneering at those who take the corporate ...

By , a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast.

Blender magazine has compiled a list of the 50 worst songs ever, according to bad melodies, bad performances, or incoherent lyrics. According to the Associated Press:

Blender magazine has compiled a list of the 50 worst songs ever, according to bad melodies, bad performances, or incoherent lyrics. According to the Associated Press:

Starship’s “We Built This City,” from 1985 topped the list. “The truly horrible sound of a band taking the corporate dollar while sneering at those who take the corporate dollar,” the magazine said of the tune. Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Achy Breaky Heart” was second, followed by Wang Chung’s “Everybody Have Fun Tonight.” “If this song was a party, you’d lock yourself in a bathroom and cry,” quipped Blender. Rounding out the top ten worst songs ever are Huey Lewis and the News with “The Heart of Rock and Roll,” “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” by Bobby McFerrin, Eddie Murphy’s “Party All the Time,” “American Life,” by Madonna and “Ebony and Ivory,” the duet by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney.

Fine entrants, all [C’mon, admit that you like the Wang Chung song!–ed. Well, yeah, if I’m appropriately liquored up.] However, I’m not sure the folks at Blender have children — in which case there’s a whole new list of galactically cloying songs that make “We Built this City” sound like Beethoven’s Fifth. How ’bout the Barney theme? The Dragon Tales theme? Raffi’s completed works? Readers are invited to submit their worst songs. And, while being in a musical mood, go check out Brad DeLong’s post about songs where the cover version is superior to the original. You can see my contribution in the comments section.

Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and co-host of the Space the Nation podcast. Twitter: @dandrezner

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