The internet loves to make us hate things, and pop songs are no exception. Everyone has an opinion, but there are some songs that serve as pop culture time capsules and they should be respected. Here are four songs that we’ve been told to hate, but I just can’t bring myself to do it.
Videos by American Songwriter
Pop Songs We’ve Been Convinced to Hate
“Truly Madly Deeply”— Savage Garden
Released in 1997, “Truly Madly Deeply” has the reputation of being a little cheesy by today’s standards. However, the reality of this pop song is anything but lame. The international version of this song featured a drum machine track instead of the acoustic guitar of the Australian version, which could explain why some believe it’s cheesy. Still, the lyrics and vocal performances were born out of homesickness, as Savage Garden member Darren Hayes found himself away from his family in Brisbane, Australia for the first time while he and Daniel Jones recorded the album in Sydney. “Truly Madly Deeply” may be a little cheesy now, but in the 90s it was a soft-hearted, chart-topping hit.
“Barbie Girl” — Aqua
This novelty pop song has long been held as one of the worst songs of the 90s. However, with the immense popularity of the Barbie movie from 2023, Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” has been offered new life. Now, people love this song, flip-flopping as soon as Margot Robbie set her weird Barbie doll foot on screen. Again, this isn’t a great song, but it holds an important place in pop culture that should be appreciated more.
When Pop Songs Become Time Capsules
“My Humps” — Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas’ club banger “My Humps” was released in 2005, and it immediately garnered a ton of hate. Critics from all different publications were dismissing this song, with a 2006 archived report from the East Bay Times summarizing that the song is “considered by most critics as either the worst song of this decade or in all of recorded music history.” Still, “My Humps” remains a cult classic with the music video serving as a time capsule of 2005. When the DJ starts spinning “My Humps,” you know the girlies are going to go crazy.
“Shake It” — Metro Station
Metro Station was a band featuring the older brothers of two Hannah Montana stars. Trace Cyrus and Mason Musso formed the band in 2005 after meeting on the set of their siblings’ Disney Channel show, and went on to find success on MySpace. “Shake It” was one of their biggest hits, released in 2008, and the music video also serves as a piece of 2008 history forever frozen in time. This was the era of emo-pop and scene culture, encapsulated in skinny jeans and long side-swept bangs. Metro Station were like the ambassadors of scene for a while, and “Shake It” was the national anthem. It’s not a great song, but it remains a nostalgic cult favorite for anyone who was an emo teen in 2008.
Featured Image by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.