4 “Cringe” Hit Pop Songs That Aged Like Fine Wine

Not all great pop songs are respected in their day. Just because a tune has an earworm quality, doesn’t mean that it’s thought highly of among music lovers.

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In fact, some tracks that have become classics in time were met with a groan and against-the-will singalongs when they were first released. Looking back, though, there are at least four songs that were mistaken for eye-rolling drivel when they first came out that now find themselves in the top 100 of Billboard‘s list of the best pop songs of all time.

Finally, these tracks are getting the respect they deserve.

“All I Want for Christmas Is You” (Mariah Carey)

Ranking at No. 97 on Billboard‘s list, Mariah Carey‘s Christmas classic is unquestioningly worthy of the love it gets today. Upon its initial release in 1994, the track was dubbed cheesy and over the top. Today, those things remain true, but are good considered a good quality rather than a bad one.

In fact, in 2003, it became synonymous with the hit romcom, Love Actually. That welcomed a whole new set of fans to the track. Respect grew for the song in the ensuing years. It hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts for the first time in 2019.

“Baby” (Justin Bieber)

When a 15-year-old Justin Bieber released “Baby” as one of his first singles, some people weren’t onboard with another teeny bopper hit. While tween and teens flocked to the catchy tune with simple lyrics, the elder generation contained their sighs each time the track came on the radio.

And come on the radio it did, as it hit No. 5 on the Billboard chart upon its release. Now, in retrospect, the fun tune is seen as the 89th best pop song ever, according to the outlet.

“Party in the USA” (Miley Cyrus)

At the height of her Hannah Montana fame, Miley Cyrus dropped “Party in the USA” under her own name. It became impossible not to sing and dance along to the track about a tried and true story—a small town girl moving to the big city to chase her dreams.

The conceit isn’t an original one, but the tune and lyrics managed to permanently engrave themselves in the mind of every millennial around, making it a defining track of its time. The song hit No. 2 on the Billboard chart in 2009. However, it didn’t get the respect it deserved until years later when the outlet named it the 75th best pop song of all time.

“Call Me Maybe” (Carly Rae Jepsen)

While Carly Rae Jepsen‘s “Call Me Maybe” was released in 2011, it quickly became a hit. It rose to No. 1 on the Billboard chart the year after its release, and was played ad nauseam by radio stations across the country.

It wasn’t beloved, though. The track’s lyrics were seen as trite, the beat as annoying, and the whole thing as a three-minute annoyance. Now, it’s a time capsule of a simpler time and a reminder of singing along to a silly tune with ones friends. Billboard agrees, as the outlet named the track the 8th best pop song of all time.

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