Do What U Want by Lady Gaga ft. R. Kelly
Despite lyrics that have raised some eyebrows, Lady Gaga does not regret "Do What U Want" because of the song itself but because of her choice of associates. Gaga's 2013 collab with R. Kelly came shortly after he was acquitted of the allegations he has become infamous for. Early on, she defended her decision to work with him because they had both had "very untrue" accusations made against them, and she considered him a friend.
However, after the release of Surviving R.Kelly, Gaga publicly apologized. She said that her judgment was poor and promised never to work with the singer again. Shortly thereafter, Gaga had the version of the song featuring R. Kelly scrubbed from streaming services, and only the version with Christina Aguilera remains.
Come and Get It by Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez is a huge star by now, but “Come and Get It” was the one that shot her to super-stardom on the charts. It was her first major hit, but it doesn’t align with her tastes nowadays. Gomez is on record describing the hit as a “Rihanna reject.” There’s a little bit of tea spill in that comment, no?
While Selena Gomez is appreciative that the song got popular, she admits that artistically, it wasn’t the best. She went onto say that she was in the middle of trying to figure out what she wanted to sound like. That’s not too odd considering how far Lady Gaga came from “Poker Face” to “Million Reasons.”
Party in the U.S.A by Miley Cyrus
This 2009 hit "Party in the US.A." is one of Cyrus's most recognizable songs from her early days. The song dropped in Cyrus's lap when she was looking for a song to help endorse her Hannah Montana themed clothing line. However, she's not actually a major fan of this massive hit.
In an Instagram video of her husband, Liam Hemsworth, singing the song, you can see a straight-faced Miley saying, "I hate it, but for some reason, the people love it." In an interview with MileyWorld, Cyrus revealed that "Honestly, I picked that song because I needed something to go with my clothing line."
I Kissed a Girl by Katy Perry
Okay, so Katy Perry doesn't hate her 2008 hit, but she does regret a line or two. This song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a total of seven consecutive weeks and sold over 4.7 million digital copies alone. However, in a 2018 interview with Glamour, Katy Perry said that she wished she could change some of the lyrics and rework the piece.
In the same Glamour interview, she explained, "Lyrically, it has a couple of stereotypes on it. Your mind changes so much in 10 years, and you grow so much. What's true for you can evolve."
Sometimes by Britney Spears
Britney Spears was the Pop princess back in the ‘90s, and she dominated the charts for a while. Apparently, she didn’t love her songs as much as we did. Her persona may have been all smiles, but Britney allegedly couldn’t stand her 1999 hit, “Sometimes.”
During a tour in the 2000s, a hot mic picked up Spears' voice backstage telling someone, "I never liked that song anyway," in reference to "Sometimes." But that obviously didn't stop her from giving the people what they wanted. At least she’s a trooper!
Let it Be by The Beatles
This might actually come as a shock for Beatles fans out there, but John Lennon wasn't a fan of this 1968 hit song. At the time of its release, "Let it Be," started its Billboard Hot 100 run at the number six slot on the list. This song also marked the final single before Paul McCartney announced he was leaving the band.
"Let it Be," which was written and sung by Paul McCartney, and John Lennon absolutely despised it. As a matter of fact, in an interview with David Sheff in 1980, Lennon said, "It has nothing to do with The Beatles" and "I don't know what [Paul's] thinking when he writes 'Let It Be.'" In a 1969 interview with Village Voice journalist Howard Smith, Lennon revealed that working on this song and its album was miserable for The Beatles.
Beauty and a Beat by Justin Bieber ft. Nicki Minaj
Love him or hate him, you probably know the name Justin Bieber. Bieber is currently one of the most successful pop music artists in the world, and he's got an army of fans that adore his music. Though, even Bieber isn't a fan of all his own songs.
Back in 2016, Bieber revealed that he actually didn't like his 2012 hit "Beauty and a Beat," which he collaborated with rapper Nicki Minaj to create. It wasn't Minaj who fueled Bieber's dislike of the song, he just didn't really like it. In an interview with The Bert Show, Bieber said, "It was music that was popular at that time, but I was never really a huge fan of that song."
Picture to Burn by Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift has seen massive success since she burst onto the scene in 2004, and dozens of her songs have become international sensations. However, some of her earliest works (such as those from her self-titled debut album) has seen some backlash over the years. In particular, a set of lyrics from her song "Picture to Burn" have been called into question.
The lyrics said: "So go and tell all your friends that I'm obsessive and crazy /That's fine, I'll tell mine you're [LGBTQ], by the way." In a 2011 MTV interview, Swift said, "Now, the way that I would say that and the way that I would feel that kind of pain is a lot different."
Telephone by Lady Gaga ft. Beyonce
So people love Lady Gaga, she's known for her wild and controversial style and her fun and entertaining hits. Beyonce is well-loved because she's, well, you know, Beyonce. Put those together, and you'd think their 2009 collab "Telephone" would be an instant hit. Well, it was to the fans, but Gaga definitely couldn't stand it!
In a 2011 interview with Pop Justice, Gaga revealed that she absolutely hates "Telephone." She went on to say that it's mostly because of the memories and emotions that were tied with the song rather than the song itself. "Ultimately, the mix and the process of getting the production finished was very stressful for me," Gaga said in the Pop Justice interview. "So when I say it's my worst song, it has nothing to do with the song, just my emotional connection to it." She's also criticized the video and that she hated it more than the song.
Misery Business by Paramore
Hayley Williams, the frontwoman for Paramore, has addressed her disdain for the hit that put Paramore on the pop-punk scene: "Misery Business." The song, which aired on the radio in 2007, peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 26, making it the band's highest-rated single until their 2014 hit "Ain't It Fun," which reached number 10.
The song contained a line that was somewhat derogatory towards women, and Williams expressed regret over those words. In a 2015 post, Williams said, "' Misery Business' is not a set of lyrics that I relate to as a 26-year-old woman. I haven't related to it in a very long time." Since then, the band has retired the song from their live shows.
Gold Digger by Kanye West
Kanye West is now known for a lot of things: being married to Kim K, being politically outspoken and controversial, and for having a lot of great songs over his career. His 2005 hit "Gold Digger" can arguably be called his signature song. The song hit number one in the United States and even bagged him a Grammy Award, but even that doesn't save it for him.
A 2013 BBC Radio interview revealed that West actually isn't a huge fan of the song and never even really liked it in the first place. The only reason he really kept it was because he knew it would be successful.
Put Your Hearts Up by Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande is one of the greatest pop sensations of this generation. Over the past few years, she's completely embraced the fact that she's in full control of her image and music. However, that definitely wasn't the case when she first burst onto the scene.
"Put Your Hearts Up" was Grande's first single, and she released it in 2011 since then she's said she hates the track. In a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone, Grande said, "It was geared toward kids and felt so inauthentic and fake." She hated the music video, too, saying in the same interview that shooting it was "the worst moment of my life."
Royals by Lorde
Similar to a few others on this list, Lorde doesn't necessarily hate her hit single "Royals." The song "Royals" was Lorde's debut song that hit the radio in 2013, it became an almost overnight sensation. Just a few months after its release, "Royals" hit the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. However, while she doesn't hate the song, she does dislike the way it sounds.
Lorde has lamented the fact that her hit song sounds horrible and that none of the melodies are "cool or good." She's even gone so far to say that it was "disastrous!" That may be a harsh review from her, but nothing can compare to her saying, "It sounds like a ringtone from a 2006 Nokia!" Whether that's true or not, somehow, her song worked out, and she's gone on to release several songs she actually does like.
Material Girl by Madonna
Who doesn't love Madonna? One of the biggest and oldest names in music, she's a fashion icon and the Queen of Pop. There aren't many people who have the same claim to fame that Madonna does, but all that fame came with a lot of hard work. Surprisingly though, even Madonna has a few hits that she just couldn't really get behind.
The track she dislikes the most is, surprisingly, one of her greatest: "Material Girl." Everybody knows this song, it's played all the time (especially for anything 80s or 90s themed). In a 2015 interview with Us Weekly, Madonna said that she "never, ever want[s] to hear it again!"
What Makes You Beautiful by One Direction
You probably know about One Direction, the English-Irish boy band that took the world by storm just a few years ago. That completely world-dominating phase started with their break out single "What Makes You Beautiful," which was released in late 2011. It was an instant success and reached number one in several countries across the globe and has been certified as quadruple platinum in the United States. Despite the success, however, there's one member that just couldn't stand it: Liam Payne.
In a 2014 interview, Payne told everyone that he just isn't a fan of their breakout song. In the interview, Payne said, "At the time, they were great songs, but I think for me, I couldn't listen to What Makes You Beautiful." Just a few years later, One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016, and since then, most of the boys have sought solo careers.
Wonderwall by Oasis
This one might come as a shock to fans of the band or the song. After all, a lot of people would argue that "Wonderwall" is one of the greatest songs of all time! However, the band's lead singer, Liam Gallagher, absolutely despises it.
In a 2008 MTV interview, "Every time I have to sing it I want to gag." That wasn't all he said about his mega-hit song, but that's probably one of the tamest things we can actually write.
Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana
Considered one of the most recognizable tracks from the band, Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain actually wasn't a huge fan of "Smells Like Teen Spirit." In an interview with Rolling Stone, Cobain said, "But I can barely, especially on a bad night like tonight, get through 'Teen Spirit.' I literally want to throw my guitar down and walk away. I can't pretend to have a good time playing it."
His view on the song primarily comes from how overplayed it was and said, "The reason it gets a big reaction is people have seen it on MTV a million times."
Creep by Radiohead
"Creep" is the defining song of Radiohead. It's what led the way for them to break into mainstream media where it struck a chord with '90s teenagers. "Creep" shot Radiohead to become an almost overnight success, and it was even named on VH1's Top 100 Songs of the '90s list (specifically, it was #31 on the list). Everyone loved this song, but that was precisely the problem for frontman Thom Yorke.
The worst part about "Creep" was the responses from their fans. People would attend Radiohead concerts just to hear "Creep" and then immediately leave the stadium, frustrating both him and the other band members. Not to mention, in a 1995 interview with Vox magazine, Thom Yorke revealed that convicted felons had written letters "responding to the lyrics on 'Creep'," which he found worrying!
You're Beautiful by James Blunt
Odds are that the only reason you know the name James Blunt is because of his 2005 mega-hit song "You're Beautiful." The sweet and sappy breakup song actually went double platinum, and it's the whole reason Blunt is so well known across the world. But Blunt has actually apologized for this song.
In a 2014 interview with Hello! magazine said that he felt the song was "force-fed down people's throats… and it became annoying." In the same interview, he talked about how he felt that the marketing for this song painted him in a completely wrong light. All-in-all, he just can't get behind the tune anymore.
Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus
Odds are if you had access to a radio or television, you heard Miley Cyrus's mega-hit song "Wrecking Ball." It was a Billboard hit and became her first number-one single after the controversial music video for the song aired. It seems that Cyrus is no longer a fan of one of her biggest hits.
In an interview on the Zach Sang Show, Cyrus revealed that she was actually embarrassed about the song and music video. "I'm never living that down. I will always be [that] girl on a wrecking ball," said Cyrus later in the same interview.
Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin
If you're a rock fan, then you could recognize this song from a mile away. Fans and rock enthusiasts across the generations have loved this song, but it's definitely not frontman Robert Plant's favorite.
In a 1988 interview with the LA Times, Plant said that "I'd break out in hives if I had to sing that song in every show," and, "I wrote those lyrics and found that song to be of some importance and consequence in 1971, but 17 years later, I don't know. It's just not for me."
Creep by TLC
TLC was one of the biggest girl groups of the '90s, and people absolutely loved them. The band's 1994 hit "Creep" was arguably one of their biggest successes in the music industry, and a lot of people still love it today. But, one member of TLC just couldn't get with this song.
"Creep" was a great success, but Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes could not get behind it. Left Eye was completely against the message of the song, which was about a woman cheating on her significant other in retaliation after he cheated on her. In fact, Left Eye was so against the idea that she threatened to wear black tape over her mouth when they filmed the music video.
(Don't You) Forget About Me by Simple Minds
You can't help but think of the cult classic The Breakfast Club when you hear this song. After all, The Breakfast Club was that movie that brought this song so much success. Simple Minds didn't originally write the song, but they took it on after artists like Billy Idol and The Fixx turned it down. Once it aired in the movie, it shot up to number one in the United States.
However, despite the massive success of the song, band members eventually came to resent the song. The group despised that this was the only song they were known for and eventually started refusing to play it at their live shows.
Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice
There's been a lot of controversy around this song as it's known for ripping off Queen and David Bowie's hit song "Under Pressure," and that's probably a good reason why he hates it. In fact, it's said that Vanilla Ice hates this song so much that he went to the MTV headquarters in an attempt to destroy their master copy.
It's kind of wild that Vanilla Ice hates the only song that made him famous, and the first rap song to ever hit #1 on the pop singles chart. After all, since that song made him famous, the only thing he's really done is star in a string of weird reality TV shows and make cameos in movies.
Strangers in the Night by Frank Sinatra
No one can resist the Frank Sinatra's crooning voice and the beautifully enchanting ballads he sings that capture the hearts of the listeners. A lot of listeners have loved his 1966 hit "Strangers in the Night," which helped launch Sinatra's early career. However, that ballad failed to capture the heart of someone: Frank Sinatra himself.
Sinatra didn't bother hiding his disdain and had repeatedly insinuated that it was garbage and called it "the worst... song I have ever heard." He would very begrudgingly perform it at his concerts, and supposedly he would mouth "I hate that song" after he finished a performance of it.
Hello Goodbye by The Beatles
Okay, so John Lennon actually didn't like a lot of the songs that The Beatles created, but "Hello Goodbye" and "Let It Be" seemed to be two he especially disliked. "Hello Goodbye" was released in 1967 and was written by bandmate Paul McCartney. It seems that Lennon just wasn't a fan of McCartney's songs.
Lennon repeatedly denied that he had anything to do with this and that it "wasn't a great piece." He also said that it was McCartney's "attempt to write a single." Honestly, Lennon just didn't seem to have a lot of good things to say about his bandmate's compositions.
Fight for Your Right (To Party) by Beastie Boys
This 1986 tune was a Billboard hit that was actually meant to mock partygoers and their anthems. However, no one seemed to particularly pick up on that sense of irony as partygoers everywhere turned this song into a party anthem. This public response to the song made the band turn against the song, and they eventually grew to despise it.
In an interview, Mike D once said that the partygoers they had been mocking "were oblivious to the fact that it was a goof on them." The band even went a little further, and in their greatest hits album, entitled the Sounds of Silence, the band went on to say that the song "sucks." In 1987, the Beastie Boys publicly denounced the song and have refused to perform it live.
Cherry Pie by Warrant
Okay, let's be real, there's a good chance that this is probably the only Warrant song you know. While writing and producing their second album, executives told the band that it felt like there wasn't a song that stood out as the clear hit single. So, in a bit of a rushed fury, frontman Jani Lani sloppily wrote "Cherry Pie" within 15 minutes. The executives loved every second of it.
In an interview with MTV, Lani said, "I hate that song… And my legacy is 'Cherry Pie,' everything about me is 'Cherry Pie,' I'm the 'Cherry Pie' guy." Apparently it inspired some serious self-hatred!
Heart of Gold by Neil Young
The 1972 release by Neil Young is, so far, Young's only U.S. number-one single, and it was Billboard's number 17 song for the year. It even managed to land on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time, clocking in at number 297. However, he wasn't a major fan of the song itself, no matter what success it brought him.
By the mid-'70s, Young had stopped performing "Heart of Gold," and instead, focused on releasing new tracks of a variety of genres for his listeners. He began assembling his greatest hits collection known as Decade, and he stated that he saw his hit song as a "bore" and that "This song put me in the middle of the road. Traveling there soon became a bore so I headed for the ditch. A rougher ride, but I met more interesting people there."