The chart topping single is a force of nature but some of them just haven’t aged well. Here are 15 stinkers from the eighties!!! And no, there is no Phil Collins on the list...
Interesting video, but man, over in the 'eccentric' UK we churned out bucket-loads of insane one-hit wonders in the 1980s. Bucks-Fizz "Land of Make Believe" was written by *Peter Sinfield* for Christ's sake. Don't under any circumstances google it.
@@TheProgCorner Yeah, our chart buyers has a liking for novelty songs then. Joe Dolce? Means nothing to me, Oh Vienna! Then you have the whole Shakings Stevens wave of rock 'n' roll revivalists.
I went on holiday around that time to the Playa da las Americas in Tenerife (a place now infamous because it's where that young lad who turned up dead in a ravine was partying away the night before) with my family and it was a tourist hell whole and they played that bloody song every damn night. I didn't like it before I went there by the end of that I effing hated that song and it took me years to understand that Stevie was actually pretty great apart from that song.
@@alexnejako777 Well I’ve given Disney the idea, now all they have to do is make the movie about the singing pigeon with flatulence, use the same song in the soundtrack, and then it won’t seem so nauseating any longer because we will associate it with a farting pigeon.
One of my friends used to constantly sing “Don’t Worry Be Happy” and it started to grind on my nerves. “We are the World” is absolutely inexcusably horrible. Nobody knows where the money when that song was fundraising for but considering who was involved… Never Gonna Give You Up causes me to rage just thinking about it. What a terrible song. Only Satan could inspire a song that terrible!
Got a minor disagreement on the Rick Astley song because I went to Mexico for the first time in March 1988 and as a young single lady had a great time dancing with the other men at all the bars to this one. Great memories.
I hated this when it came out, but now It sounds good...great production and he does have a good voice, he is also a drummer and plays guitar. I watched parts of a recent live show and he and the band were very good...go figure?
I love this series! Your contempt for these songs brings a smile to my face. Don’t ever lose your uniqueness, Scot. You’re a unicorn in the absolute best sense of the word. Looking forward to when you unsheathe your metaphorical sword on the 1990s. Cheers from The Big, Bog of an Apple, ova heyah. Rock Out, Prog On and Pogo! Your clone and mine, ~ The Dreaded, Shredded and Unleaded Doppelgänger of Davey Cretin, from CRETIN CLASSICS.
Great list and all those deserve to be on it. I would insert my personal most hated in there somewhere.... "We Built This City", by Jefferson Starship. I really detest that awful song!
"Jesse's Girl" is the worst hit song of the 80s. Horrible earworm I can't get out of my brain when I hear it and just the stupidest, most casually misogynistic lyrics.
Great episode, I personally never cared for the 80s hits, but there was some brilliant metal, birth of hip-hop and of course a lot of my beloved rock in opposition and jazz fusion.
Yes our UK stuff can produce some weird numbers 1s. Trust me there are worse numbers 1s in more recent decades. I've heard all the UK number 1s and there's only a few which are utter crap imo....there's a Peter Kay charity single which I think has no redeemable qualities
Funny story about Debbie Gibson - Shake Your Love... I was going to work at a local vet clinic and stopped at the grocery store up the street on the way to grab a breakfast sandwich. Playing over the P.A. is, you guessed it, Shake Your Love. I'm walking through the store and I see this guy in deli who looks at me over the top of his glasses with a pained look, nodded towards the closest speaker in the ceiling and said "song's called Shake Your Love". I fell out laughing. Maybe ya had to be there
Scot,this is hilarious😂😂, words like 'Terrible" 'awfullness' 'awful' ' Ridiculous' 'avoid it at all costs' 'really bad song' 'vile' 'terrible song' :i.couldn't cate less if i never heard it again in my life" 'insane' ' terrible movie 'horrible song' brilliant😂😢😮😂😂😂😂😂😂
OK! I'm gonna give you my UK version, believe me... some of these? ESPECIALLY the top 2?? You've been warned... 1) The Firm - Star Trekkin’ (1987) 2) St Winifred's School Choir - There’s No One Quite Like Grandma (1980) 3) Spitting Image - The Chicken Song (1986) 4) The Timelords - Doctorin’ the Tardis (1988) 5) Starship - Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now (1987) 6) Cliff Richard - Living Doll (1986) 7) Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind (1987) 8) Europe - The Final Countdown (1986) 9) Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (1987) 10) Bucks Fizz - Makin’ Your Mind Up (1981)
@@TheProgCorner Star Trekkin' is the most turgid, vile, reprehensible pile of garbage ever committed to tape, and the British public in their infinite wisdom, put it at number 1 for two whole sodding weeks????
The one surprise I had looking though the list is I never realized Vangelis' Chariots of Fire hit number one. That's pretty awesome. It's such a great piece of music. My picks: Roxette's Listen to Your Heart, Culture Club's Karma Chameleon, The Bangles' Eternal Flame gives me hives and any of those godawful cover hits from UB40. Red Red Wine has to be the biggest killing of a Neil Diamond song ever.
Dude, I agree with the majority of your list, but Huey Lewis? Even without Back to the Future to give it timeless context, that's a solid rocking tune. You need to replace that with one of the worst songs ever excreted: "We Built This Shitty" by Jefferson Fartship. Then your list of pain is complete.
I'm surprised you left out New Kids on the Block from this list and didn't give them an dishonorable mention and same for Shake You Down by Gregory Abbott. Also I felt Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley should have made the list. To each their own but I'll take Don't Worry Be Happy over any of those songs
I used to mimick and impersonate the various singers / big stars ( We Are The World ) with their inflections.. I would do it when I was generally high, and it was.. Very funny ! LOL !! Dylan, MJ , Bruce, and others. Im usually not a jokster.. But I nailed this one ! Very entertaining video, BTW 🎵
My rogues gallery from Billboard in the Eighties has a few in common with yours (in chronological order): 1. Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love 2. Stars On 45 - Stars On 45 3. David Bowie - Let's Dance 4. The Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (are Made Of This) 5. John Waite - Missing You 6. USA For Africa - We Are The World 7. Paul Young - Everytime You Go Away 8. Whitney Houston - Saving All Your Love For You 9. Prince - Kiss 10. Bananarama - Venus 11. Janet Jackson - When I Think Of You 12. Billy Idol - Mony Mony 13. Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up 14. Bette Midler - Wind Between My Wings 15. New Kind On The Block - I'll Be Loving You (Forever)
Hi Scot Over here in the UK a lot of those British artists are still playing and touring with those songs. Daytime TV appearances as well lol. Charlie boy opened our Parliament yesterday and it was Queen Camillas birthday yesterday ❤️. Have a fantastic day
Great video idea. I kinda liked all the songs listed; the only ones that I'm not crazy about (but wouldn't call them awful) are: - the Peter Cetera and Amy Grant duet - the Deniece Williams song - the Billy Ocean song - the Bette Midler tune
There's a really harsh PSA video about wearing seat belts with a bloke smashing into his gf repeatedly to Do That To Me One More Time which hopefully has ruined that song for the next generations.
If you think 'Don't Worry; Be Happy' is terribe, then listen to his acappela cover of 'Sunshine of Your Love'. He sings the guitar solos on his version.
I love Burt Bacharach, but man, "That's What Friends Are For" is abominable. What's even sadder is that in an interview, Burt ranked it among the top three songs he wrote.
Hiya, Scott! Excellent! But two points . . . . 1) "We are the World" was for charity. African famine I think. But it wasn't meant to compete in the commercial music market. 2) "Power of Love" is excellent. Commercial, but excellent.
I remember seeing an interview with Phil Collins talking about how easy it was for him to keep getting hit after hit back then, he added, "But when I recorded 'A Groovy Kind of Love' and it went to #1 in both the US and UK, it was starting to be laughable. It was getting way too easy!" ha!
Your list is spot on man! It's because of songs like this that I really hated the 80's! OK, there still was some good music back then but it was very scarce compared to what came before it. So Chicago wasn't Peter Cetera's kind of music huh? Why did he stick around with them for so long? I seem to recall him saying that he wasn't into "horn rock". I reckon those horns finally got to him!
Hilarious as always, Scot, but you missed the #1 worst song by a mile: The Ghostbusters Theme. Absolute yuckety-yuck. Gag! Barf! Your Top 5 I can agree with as long as you put Ghostbusters first and number down the others by one. I don't recall you mentioning "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," another one that should be in the "top" 15. And I don't think there's a Beatles/Paul McCartney fan out there who doesn't feel some embarrassment over "Ebony and Ivory." Paul must have totally steamrolled George Martin to get that on wax.
Ugh!!! The 1980s! I prefer the worst songs of the 70s any day over the 80s. I can't even bring myself to make a list (yes, that's how bad it is). Trust me, I know the 80s but I can barely stomach hearing you talk about these abominations that polluted the airwaves and made a lot of us really queasy. Thank God for the underground! I hid behind a Wall of Voodoo and did my best not to pay attention. Hmmm...even some of the artists I love produced some very plasticy and upsetting tunes. I love Tug of War but Ebony and Ivory, c'mon now guys! Anyways Scot I think I gotta go vomit a little. Take care brother. Wait a sec...I'll defend Bobby McFerrin. The dude is actually a serious musician. He's more of a "classical" guy as well as some jazz. He has made some great albums...never mind the "hit" It's not representative of what he actually does. Check out his album Vocabularies, it's stellar and would appeal to proggy types. I kid you not.
The ones I know, like The Power Of Love, Ebony and Ivory, Don't Worry Be Happy, That's What Friends Are For, (also on my Diamonds 3 CD set by Elton John) and Never Gonna Give You Up, I don't agree with on this list and they're actually good songs in my opinion. I also think that rickrolls are funny. I also see some ELO albums in the background.
'89 was definitely the year pop music started going to shit. Some of the songs you mention from the early 80's I kind of liked because I was still just a young teen that liked anything catchy. Some of those mid 80's duets were just plain awful and We Are The World definitely would have been my number1 bad song of the 80's. The 80's had a odd combination of really great music and really bad music. Once R&B pop hit it was all downhill. Groups like DeBarge or any group that recorded a Diane Warren composition, Starship was pure crap though I loved 70's Jefferson Starship.Cher made me want to vomit.
The song itself is utter cheese but the pornographic synth solo on muskrat love itself is a redeeming aspect of that song... I mean they decided, hey it's the 70's, we are gonna take you there. It's pretty out there. The 80's got far more corporate... Which is why i got deep into Zappa by then.. btw did you ever go to the exclusive company?
I like to think that Bobby McFerrin received a lifetime achievement award because he's actually a well-respected jazz artist who has worked in classical music as well. Oh, and he had a no. 1 pop hit that he himself has tried to separate himself from pretty much since it came out. Ha. There's a YT video that Todd In The Shadows did about the song that you might be interested in. If only for the Kurt Vonnegut reference in it. ;)
Fun video! Lots to denigrate in the 80's. But was surprised at how you dissed Bobby McFerrin. Sure, can understand that song can be annoying, but McFerrin is a great jazz musician, wonderful performer, and an all-time great vocalist. He's worked with Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and Joe Zawinul, among others. An innovative jazz vocalist that invigorated, energized, and popularized scat and multi-dimensional acapella vocals. He's highly respected and had a great career, and shouldn't be judged solely by that 1 silly hit record. I know that this was just in fun, but McFerrin is a world-class musician that happened to record this novelty song that took off. Good for him (and certainly not the worst #1 song of the 80's).
At least the '70s stinkers list consisted of a lot of novelty songs, some of which had a certain charm. But this '80s list...these weren't novelty songs, they were attempts to make serious music, which I think makes them even worse. The '80s had some great songs and albums, but the charts were heavily influenced by MTV music videos. That's not a knock on MTV, because they promoted a lot of good stuff as well, but I think that a lot of turd music became popular with the unwashed masses simply because of the music videos.
I only survived late '80s early '90s radio in L.A. because we had a couple of good college stations (KXLU and Pomona) and Public Radio (KPCC when they had music). Commercially, KROQ started out with a bang and played great stuff, but by '85 they sank into craptown.
I won't argue with your top 15's (although most of them I don't really mind.) However, I have to strongly disagree with your "honorable mention" Sailing. That is a beautiful song, one of the best soft-rock tunes ever. Long live Yacht Rock!
All the artists you criticized are crying on their way to the bank! And the rest of us are not! Btw, i agree with you on "Say, say, say." Both P.M. and M.J. could have done better.
I already have a nomination for the worst song of the 90's: Livin' La Vida Loca. It sounds like a parody of Ricky Ricardo type music. It's way too over the top.
Love Prince I believe he is one of the most talented artists ever. But I think batdance could be on this list. Walk like an Egyptian was alright, but the number one song of the year?
For the 90s "Roll The Bones." would be in my top5, maybe top3. It's horrible, I hate it. I don't think putting hands on it and having prayer warriors standing by could help. Not enough rattlers in the state of Texas to help. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@@TheProgCorner Me either. Could never understand his popularity, just so uninspired, musically AND lyrically. He had an album called Sports! Why, because he likes sports? What kind of name is that for a rock album?
The 80s had some movies with great songs on the soundtrack- even movies that were b grade- F/X, Better off Dead, The Principal, Nightmare on Elm Street 2 and 3. Even Maniac Cop 2 has a great song by Buddy Miles!
Do that! I still sing it often! Endless love a great slow dance back when we had Juke Box Dancing Night! Power of love has one of the great Stevie Ray type solos ever!!!! Ever! John Denver is a god! We are the World I like so I can impersonate all the singers. Willie Nelson-"as God has shown us by turning stone to bread"! Wind Beneath my wings-Gary Morris!
Very funny, but there are many more....I don't know if these were #1's, but "Arthur's Theme" (Christopher Cross) , Anything by the Thompson Twins, and Bon Jovi , "Careless Whisper"(George Michael, and anything by Wham) , anything by Whitney Houston....the nausea continues...
Yes, I agree with you, there are many annoying songs that are very well written, produced, performed etc. that unfortunately get overplayed and you tend to hate them after awhile. Back in the 80's and 90's ,I was a pro musician, and had to play many different songs (top 40, standards, classic rock, etc, and some originals) one of the top 40 bands that I was in ('86) Carless W. was in our setlist, and people liked it, so it , and many other songs have their "merits", they are effective...but we all have our personal tastes , there are many artists that are good at what they do, and sometimes you like, or don't...."It's all good"....@@user-qs6xd3rk9z
I'm from San Francisco, and Huey Lewis was a really big deal around here. I could never stand him or his old band, Clover, which ruined Elvis Costello's 'My Aim Is True' album for me.
Chicago hard to say i am sorry sucks i hated 80s Chicago Chicago was great between 1969 until 1979 when they got til the 80s they weren't the same never recovered from terry kaths death
Thankfully there were a couple of those turds on the list I wasn't familiar with. To change the subject slightly (because many on your list were duets) - Greatest Duet of the 80's: "Please Don't Touch" by Motorhead/Girlschool. Cheers Scott!!
the "Me" decade exhibited a cultural decadence that reflected the general nihilism and excess of a consumer society that liked to watch "The Rich and Famous". That is my opinion.
Hello by Lionel Ritchie passes because its guitar solo is one of the greatest, in one take by session legend Louie Shelton, ex Wrecking Crew, who also did Last Train to Clarksville, Valerie, Jackson 5 ABC, Lowdown, Seals and Crofts Diamond Gilr etc. Louie has lived in Australia for many years now. I think he has a youtube channel where you can see him play those iconic guitar parts.
In the UK I Want to Wake Up with You was no.1 - awful song we also got Glen Mederos Nothing's Going To Change My Love for You - massive sclocky cringfest. I also hate When the Going Gets Tough the Tough Get Going. Stars on 45 are also awful but i raise you Jive Bunny too.
@@TheProgCorner We did have some great post punk/modern ska no.1s too like Too Much Too Young, Ghost Town, Going Underground, House of Fun, Town Called Malice etc. So it wasn't all bad plus Duran Duran twice.
The mainstream radio in the 80s was really bad. Some great underground/college radio bands. Otherwise awful. Still, I was a teen in the 80s so I can listen and laugh, thinking of people I knew and other memories.
I'm surprised Rick Rolling is still a thing. My first brush with it was in about '08 or '09 when I had just discovered RUclips. More like Don't worry be CRAPPY! Even 'Owner' is better than many of the songs on this list. Even if I had an 80s thing going many years ago.
Great show lots of fun. If you don’t like Huey Lewis’ Power of Love, try the one by Jennifer Rush (different song). No.1 in the UK & top 10 in most of the World. Only the US showed good taste in this case.
Great fun post 80s did have some turds And you hit most but im going to say Susudio : Phil Collins We Built this City : Starship Oh how the mighty had fallen
I won't say if this is either good or bad , but a number 1 in the UK by Bucks Fizz " The Land of make believe " features lyrics from a certain legendary lyricist from a certain legendary Prog band. Definitely some abysmal singles there Scot , but great fun nonetheless. And how about The Bangles... Eternal Flame too. It was a great time to be an Iron Maiden fan. 😍🎵🎵🤘🤘
Well, I beg room to disagree - most of these are at least hummable, man. Harmonically rich, like most of the chart-topping 70s/80s music. I can't say that about very much of the popular music in the 21st century, and in that I sadly must include miss mega-starlet herself, Tay Swift. Can't get into her stuff at all, musically speaking. But at least we agree on a hell a lot of your prog best-of lists!
Interesting video, but man, over in the 'eccentric' UK we churned out bucket-loads of insane one-hit wonders in the 1980s. Bucks-Fizz "Land of Make Believe" was written by *Peter Sinfield* for Christ's sake. Don't under any circumstances google it.
The UK charts are a WHOLE different matter!!!!!!
And they still tour the country and appear on daytime TV or rerecord their songs with a swing band lol
OK tastes vary. OK, as a kid at the time I liked it, as an adult into romantic whimsey, still kind of OK if a bit sappy.
@@TheProgCorner Yeah, our chart buyers has a liking for novelty songs then. Joe Dolce? Means nothing to me, Oh Vienna!
Then you have the whole Shakings Stevens wave of rock 'n' roll revivalists.
I love Stevie Wonder but the 80s weren’t kind to him (nor to many big 70s acts). “I Just Called to Say I Love You” is an abomination.
So many artists could not “cross over” into the new decade. We mock Collins era Genesis but…
@@TheProgCorner totally agree. Three members of Genesis (one formerly of) were very successful I would say.
@@TheProgCorner Chicago was probably the worst example.
I went on holiday around that time to the Playa da las Americas in Tenerife (a place now infamous because it's where that young lad who turned up dead in a ravine was partying away the night before) with my family and it was a tourist hell whole and they played that bloody song every damn night. I didn't like it before I went there by the end of that I effing hated that song and it took me years to understand that Stevie was actually pretty great apart from that song.
I always thought ‘You are the Wind Beneath my Wings’ was about a singing pigeon with flatulence.
Nice.
That thing was on the charts forever and it was untouchable because of the sad movie
Bobby McFerrin had a nice follow up with Medicine music. It's faster and not as goofy.
One song was used on pbs but other than that no charts.
@@alexnejako777 Well I’ve given Disney the idea, now all they have to do is make the movie about the singing pigeon with flatulence, use the same song in the soundtrack, and then it won’t seem so nauseating any longer because we will associate it with a farting pigeon.
One of my friends used to constantly sing “Don’t Worry Be Happy” and it started to grind on my nerves. “We are the World” is absolutely inexcusably horrible. Nobody knows where the money when that song was fundraising for but considering who was involved… Never Gonna Give You Up causes me to rage just thinking about it. What a terrible song. Only Satan could inspire a song that terrible!
Next week on the channel: Satan’s Favorite Songs
The funny thing about "Don't Worry Be Happy" is that even Bobby McFerrin doesn't like it, refuses to play it live.
I like him better already!!!!
It is a terribly awful song.
You missed the worst song of them all: “We Built This City” by Starship. It hit number one in November 1985.
Knee deep in the hoopla. Gross.
Who would have ever guessed that a band of resolute crazies like Jefferson Airplane would have degenerated into an MTV coiffure band? Yikes.
Everyone says that's the worst but I really don't agree.
Come on now, the song isn’t bad at all.
It's not the best song in the world, but it's definitely better than the 10 mentioned in this video.
Phil Collin’s rendition of “You can’t hurry love “, is abominable. Just awful. Thanks, Scot.
His first number one!!!!
@simpleman5688 I love his rendition almost as much as the original. There's way too much Phil hate out there, if you ask me...
All of PC. Exept his work where he shuts up his mouth.
Got a minor disagreement on the Rick Astley song because I went to Mexico for the first time in March 1988 and as a young single lady had a great time dancing with the other men at all the bars to this one. Great memories.
Sounds like some amazing memories!!!! I’ll concede!!!
I hated this when it came out, but now It sounds good...great production and he does have a good voice, he is also a drummer and plays guitar. I watched parts of a recent live show and he and the band were very good...go figure?
I love this series! Your contempt for these songs brings a smile to my face. Don’t ever lose your uniqueness, Scot. You’re a unicorn in the absolute best sense of the word.
Looking forward to when you unsheathe your metaphorical sword on the 1990s.
Cheers from The Big, Bog of an Apple, ova heyah.
Rock Out, Prog On and Pogo!
Your clone and mine,
~ The Dreaded, Shredded and Unleaded Doppelgänger of Davey Cretin, from CRETIN CLASSICS.
Oh there are some terrible songs yet to come!!!!!
Careless Whisper tops the list for me
@@antigrant That's about the only George Michael song I actually like.
Great list and all those deserve to be on it. I would insert my personal most hated in there somewhere.... "We Built This City", by Jefferson Starship. I really detest that awful song!
If only for the lyric (and album title) “Knee Deep In The Hoopla.” Um, just no!!!
"Jesse's Girl" is the worst hit song of the 80s. Horrible earworm I can't get out of my brain when I hear it and just the stupidest, most casually misogynistic lyrics.
👍👍👍
Great episode, I personally never cared for the 80s hits, but there was some brilliant metal, birth of hip-hop and of course a lot of my beloved rock in opposition and jazz fusion.
That’s right!!!!
In the UK we had There’s No-one Quite Like Grandma by St Winifred’s School Choir, and the re-release of Never Been To Me by Charlene.
Yikes!!!
Agadoo?
@@lemming9984 Oh definitely, but I think it only got to No2.
Yes our UK stuff can produce some weird numbers 1s. Trust me there are worse numbers 1s in more recent decades. I've heard all the UK number 1s and there's only a few which are utter crap imo....there's a Peter Kay charity single which I think has no redeemable qualities
Crazy Frog and Mr. Blobby as well. Surely either of those could be contenders for our version of Disco Duck.
Funny story about Debbie Gibson - Shake Your Love...
I was going to work at a local vet clinic and stopped at the grocery store up the street on the way to grab a breakfast sandwich. Playing over the P.A. is, you guessed it, Shake Your Love. I'm walking through the store and I see this guy in deli who looks at me over the top of his glasses with a pained look, nodded towards the closest speaker in the ceiling and said "song's called Shake Your Love". I fell out laughing. Maybe ya had to be there
People are just weird!!!
You got my morning going. Cheers Scot!
👍👍👍
Scot,this is hilarious😂😂, words like 'Terrible" 'awfullness' 'awful' ' Ridiculous' 'avoid it at all costs' 'really bad song' 'vile' 'terrible song' :i.couldn't cate less if i never heard it again in my life" 'insane' ' terrible movie 'horrible song' brilliant😂😢😮😂😂😂😂😂😂
I need to write down some more adjectives…
Zakly 👍🏿
Thesaurus..
But the worst is yet to come. The 90s and beyond.
Oh yeah. Just wait!!! The 90’s pop charts were abysmal!!!!!
OK! I'm gonna give you my UK version, believe me... some of these? ESPECIALLY the top 2?? You've been warned...
1) The Firm - Star Trekkin’ (1987)
2) St Winifred's School Choir - There’s No One Quite Like Grandma (1980)
3) Spitting Image - The Chicken Song (1986)
4) The Timelords - Doctorin’ the Tardis (1988)
5) Starship - Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now (1987)
6) Cliff Richard - Living Doll (1986)
7) Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind (1987)
8) Europe - The Final Countdown (1986)
9) Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (1987)
10) Bucks Fizz - Makin’ Your Mind Up (1981)
Wow!!!! 🤮🤮🤮
@@TheProgCorner Star Trekkin' is the most turgid, vile, reprehensible pile of garbage ever committed to tape, and the British public in their infinite wisdom, put it at number 1 for two whole sodding weeks????
@@RhymeSignatures I guess the Cliff one was with the Young Ones right kids!
But The Timelords was the KLF. The Firm is not the Page/Rogers project.
Pet Shop Boys cover is great...and The Chicken Song name checks Keith (perhaps the ONLY song in pop history) so it's a good thing
The one surprise I had looking though the list is I never realized Vangelis' Chariots of Fire hit number one. That's pretty awesome. It's such a great piece of music. My picks: Roxette's Listen to Your Heart, Culture Club's Karma Chameleon, The Bangles' Eternal Flame gives me hives and any of those godawful cover hits from UB40. Red Red Wine has to be the biggest killing of a Neil Diamond song ever.
All terrible songs!!!
Dude, I agree with the majority of your list, but Huey Lewis? Even without Back to the Future to give it timeless context, that's a solid rocking tune. You need to replace that with one of the worst songs ever excreted: "We Built This Shitty" by Jefferson Fartship. Then your list of pain is complete.
So bad. From Jefferson Airplane to Starship. Painful.
You're number 1 is absolutely right on spot. What a horrible song. I love the attitude here - fun stuff.
This was a lot of fun!!!!
I'm surprised you left out New Kids on the Block from this list and didn't give them an dishonorable mention and same for Shake You Down by Gregory Abbott. Also I felt Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley should have made the list. To each their own but I'll take Don't Worry Be Happy over any of those songs
That medley was terrible!!!!!
Many people are happy
Many people are sad
This one's for the children
And I'm so glad
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I used to mimick and impersonate the various singers / big stars ( We Are The World ) with their inflections.. I would do it when I was generally high, and it was.. Very funny ! LOL !! Dylan, MJ , Bruce, and others. Im usually not a jokster.. But I nailed this one ! Very entertaining video, BTW 🎵
Thank you!!!!!
Arrrrgggghhhhh!
Never gonna give you up.
Arrrrggggghhhh!
So bad.
Hilarious list :) you really had me with that Rick Astley horribility that even my daughter loves...
Thank you!!! I enjoy a good roast.
My rogues gallery from Billboard in the Eighties has a few in common with yours (in chronological order):
1. Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love
2. Stars On 45 - Stars On 45
3. David Bowie - Let's Dance
4. The Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (are Made Of This)
5. John Waite - Missing You
6. USA For Africa - We Are The World
7. Paul Young - Everytime You Go Away
8. Whitney Houston - Saving All Your Love For You
9. Prince - Kiss
10. Bananarama - Venus
11. Janet Jackson - When I Think Of You
12. Billy Idol - Mony Mony
13. Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up
14. Bette Midler - Wind Between My Wings
15. New Kind On The Block - I'll Be Loving You (Forever)
Just awful!!!!! Terrible. Disgusting!!!!
that is an awful list indeed LOL The only one I ever liked of these was Sweet Dreams :) But not anymore..
Great show Scot.Their are more worst songs from the eighties no doubt. I did enjoy the Sunday show ranking ELO's best songs.
The 80s were insufferable.
@@TheProgCorner 👍
Hi Scot
Over here in the UK a lot of those British artists are still playing and touring with those songs.
Daytime TV appearances as well lol.
Charlie boy opened our Parliament yesterday and it was Queen Camillas birthday yesterday ❤️.
Have a fantastic day
Say hi to the King!!!
Great video idea. I kinda liked all the songs listed; the only ones that I'm not crazy about (but wouldn't call them awful) are:
- the Peter Cetera and Amy Grant duet
- the Deniece Williams song
- the Billy Ocean song
- the Bette Midler tune
There's a really harsh PSA video about wearing seat belts with a bloke smashing into his gf repeatedly to Do That To Me One More Time which hopefully has ruined that song for the next generations.
Yikes!!!
No Star-Artist-Collaboration-Charity-Project-Save-The-World-song has ever impressed me at all.
Yep.
If you think 'Don't Worry; Be Happy' is terribe, then listen to his acappela cover of 'Sunshine of Your Love'. He sings the guitar solos on his version.
Yikes!!! No thank you.
I love Burt Bacharach, but man, "That's What Friends Are For" is abominable. What's even sadder is that in an interview, Burt ranked it among the top three songs he wrote.
No way!!!! He knows better.
Hiya, Scott! Excellent! But two points . . . .
1) "We are the World" was for charity. African famine I think. But it wasn't meant to compete in the commercial music market.
2) "Power of Love" is excellent. Commercial, but excellent.
It WAS for a good cause, at least!!!!
I remember seeing an interview with Phil Collins talking about how easy it was for him to keep getting hit after hit back then, he added, "But when I recorded 'A Groovy Kind of Love' and it went to #1 in both the US and UK, it was starting to be laughable. It was getting way too easy!" ha!
He wasn’t wrong!!!
Your list is spot on man! It's because of songs like this that I really hated the 80's! OK, there still was some good music back then but it was very scarce compared to what came before it. So Chicago wasn't Peter Cetera's kind of music huh? Why did he stick around with them for so long? I seem to recall him saying that he wasn't into "horn rock". I reckon those horns finally got to him!
“That kind of music” made him rich and famous. The nerve!!!!
Hilarious as always, Scot, but you missed the #1 worst song by a mile: The Ghostbusters Theme. Absolute yuckety-yuck. Gag! Barf!
Your Top 5 I can agree with as long as you put Ghostbusters first and number down the others by one. I don't recall you mentioning "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," another one that should be in the "top" 15.
And I don't think there's a Beatles/Paul McCartney fan out there who doesn't feel some embarrassment over "Ebony and Ivory." Paul must have totally steamrolled George Martin to get that on wax.
Things were going off the rails…
Ugh!!! The 1980s! I prefer the worst songs of the 70s any day over the 80s. I can't even bring myself to make a list (yes, that's how bad it is). Trust me, I know the 80s but I can barely stomach hearing you talk about these abominations that polluted the airwaves and made a lot of us really queasy. Thank God for the underground! I hid behind a Wall of Voodoo and did my best not to pay attention. Hmmm...even some of the artists I love produced some very plasticy and upsetting tunes. I love Tug of War but Ebony and Ivory, c'mon now guys! Anyways Scot I think I gotta go vomit a little. Take care brother.
Wait a sec...I'll defend Bobby McFerrin. The dude is actually a serious musician. He's more of a "classical" guy as well as some jazz. He has made some great albums...never mind the "hit" It's not representative of what he actually does. Check out his album Vocabularies, it's stellar and would appeal to proggy types. I kid you not.
I’m sure Bobby is a great musician…
I’m not a McFerrin freak or anything but he is the real deal. He’s a cool guy too if you watch his interviews.👍
The ones I know, like The Power Of Love, Ebony and Ivory, Don't Worry Be Happy, That's What Friends Are For, (also on my Diamonds 3 CD set by Elton John) and Never Gonna Give You Up, I don't agree with on this list and they're actually good songs in my opinion. I also think that rickrolls are funny.
I also see some ELO albums in the background.
'89 was definitely the year pop music started going to shit. Some of the songs you mention from the early 80's I kind of liked because I was still just a young teen that liked anything catchy. Some of those mid 80's duets were just plain awful and We Are The World definitely would have been my number1 bad song of the 80's. The 80's had a odd combination of really great music and really bad music. Once R&B pop hit it was all downhill. Groups like DeBarge or any group that recorded a Diane Warren composition, Starship was pure crap though I loved 70's Jefferson Starship.Cher made me want to vomit.
Wait till I tackle the nineties!!! Yuck!!!!
Seeing Rick at #3 makes me want to see this comment section flooded with Rick Rolls
The song itself is utter cheese but the pornographic synth solo on muskrat love itself is a redeeming aspect of that song... I mean they decided, hey it's the 70's, we are gonna take you there. It's pretty out there. The 80's got far more corporate... Which is why i got deep into Zappa by then.. btw did you ever go to the exclusive company?
What’s that?
@@TheProgCorner record stores in Milwaukee area. They no longer exist.
Scott! I am surprised there wasn't a favourite French artists list given it was Bastille Day recently!
I was unaware!!!
I like to think that Bobby McFerrin received a lifetime achievement award because he's actually a well-respected jazz artist who has worked in classical music as well. Oh, and he had a no. 1 pop hit that he himself has tried to separate himself from pretty much since it came out. Ha. There's a YT video that Todd In The Shadows did about the song that you might be interested in. If only for the Kurt Vonnegut reference in it. ;)
I need to check that out!!!!!!
Fun video! Lots to denigrate in the 80's. But was surprised at how you dissed Bobby McFerrin. Sure, can understand that song can be annoying, but McFerrin is a great jazz musician, wonderful performer, and an all-time great vocalist. He's worked with Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and Joe Zawinul, among others. An innovative jazz vocalist that invigorated, energized, and popularized scat and multi-dimensional acapella vocals. He's highly respected and had a great career, and shouldn't be judged solely by that 1 silly hit record. I know that this was just in fun, but McFerrin is a world-class musician that happened to record this novelty song that took off. Good for him (and certainly not the worst #1 song of the 80's).
I’m sure he’s a fabulous musician but that song. Oh no!!!!
That list is a nightmare 😂
Terrible.
There were quite a lot of awful chart toppers in the 1970s and 1980s. Fair enough. Every number 1 since 1990 should be binned!
We shall see just HOW bad soon!!!
At least the '70s stinkers list consisted of a lot of novelty songs, some of which had a certain charm. But this '80s list...these weren't novelty songs, they were attempts to make serious music, which I think makes them even worse. The '80s had some great songs and albums, but the charts were heavily influenced by MTV music videos. That's not a knock on MTV, because they promoted a lot of good stuff as well, but I think that a lot of turd music became popular with the unwashed masses simply because of the music videos.
I only survived late '80s early '90s radio in L.A. because we had a couple of good college stations (KXLU and Pomona) and Public Radio (KPCC when they had music). Commercially, KROQ started out with a bang and played great stuff, but by '85 they sank into craptown.
KROQ was legendary!!!
Let us never speak of this again.
Agreed. Speak of what again?
I won't argue with your top 15's (although most of them I don't really mind.) However, I have to strongly disagree with your "honorable mention" Sailing. That is a beautiful song, one of the best soft-rock tunes ever. Long live Yacht Rock!
Hey, at least it didn’t make the main list!!!
Anything from Aerosmith in the 80s suck I prefer 70s Aerosmith
All the artists you criticized are crying on their way to the bank! And the rest of us are not! Btw, i agree with you on "Say, say, say." Both P.M. and M.J. could have done better.
Exactly right!!!
I already have a nomination for the worst song of the 90's: Livin' La Vida Loca. It sounds like a parody of Ricky Ricardo type music. It's way too over the top.
You know it will be featured!!!
Rush Signals.
Love Prince I believe he is one of the most talented artists ever. But I think batdance could be on this list. Walk like an Egyptian was alright, but the number one song of the year?
Yeah, batdance was not great but I still love Prince!!!
I like Olivia Newton John “Let’s Get Physical”
It’s okay…
For the 90s "Roll The Bones." would be in my top5, maybe top3. It's horrible, I hate it. I don't think putting hands on it and having prayer warriors standing by could help. Not enough rattlers in the state of Texas to help. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Hey, Say Say Say is a banger (in the modern definition).
👍👍👍
I would've also included "Kokomo" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart." both are pure rubbish.
Awful!!!! I should have included Kokomo but I didn’t want two songs from Cocktail….
Shaddap Ya Face - Jim Dolce say no more
And even worse it kept Vienna by Ultravox off the top - un-bel-eff-liev-able.
@@EmoBearRights Yeah, some of us are STILL sore about that.
Groovy kind of love, Take on me, I don't want your freedom, Don't tell me you love me
Yuck!!!🤢
Another GREAT list Scot! I agree! All Crap!!!
Just awful!!!!!
The Power of Love was My Wife and I''s 1st Dance song at our Wedding.
'Nuff Said.
How sweet!!!!!! 👍👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for calling out the bland Huey Lewis!
I was never a fan!!!!
@@TheProgCorner Me either. Could never understand his popularity, just so uninspired, musically AND lyrically. He had an album called Sports! Why, because he likes sports? What kind of name is that for a rock album?
A terrible one.
The 80s had some movies with great songs on the soundtrack- even movies that were b grade- F/X, Better off Dead, The Principal, Nightmare on Elm Street 2 and 3. Even Maniac Cop 2 has a great song by Buddy Miles!
Two dollars………………
Do that! I still sing it often! Endless love a great slow dance back when we had Juke Box Dancing Night! Power of love has one of the great Stevie Ray type solos ever!!!! Ever! John Denver is a god! We are the World I like so I can impersonate all the singers. Willie Nelson-"as God has shown us by turning stone to bread"! Wind Beneath my wings-Gary Morris!
regarding your challenge: McFerrin did a fun interpretation of "Blues Connotations" with Corea.
I’m sure he’s awesome but that song haunts my dreams…
The 80S gave us that snare sound and huge ballads....cant hate it
👍👍👍
Very funny, but there are many more....I don't know if these were #1's, but "Arthur's Theme" (Christopher Cross) , Anything by the Thompson Twins, and Bon Jovi , "Careless Whisper"(George Michael, and anything by Wham) , anything by Whitney Houston....the nausea continues...
All hit #1. And all were terrible (except Bon Jovi’s Living On A Prayer. That one I actually like.)
Don't hate careless whisper that is a great song George Michael has a great voice
Yes, I agree with you, there are many annoying songs that are very well written, produced, performed etc. that unfortunately get overplayed and you tend to hate them after awhile. Back in the 80's and 90's ,I was a pro musician, and had to play many different songs (top 40, standards, classic rock, etc, and some originals) one of the top 40 bands that I was in ('86) Carless W. was in our setlist, and people liked it, so it , and many other songs have their "merits", they are effective...but we all have our personal tastes , there are many artists that are good at what they do, and sometimes you like, or don't...."It's all good"....@@user-qs6xd3rk9z
I'm from San Francisco, and Huey Lewis was a really big deal around here. I could never stand him or his old band, Clover, which ruined Elvis Costello's 'My Aim Is True' album for me.
Gimme The Attractions!!! Imagine that debut in less prodding hands…
Huey is a better actor than singer.
But not by much.
89 - was good if you were in Europe and you liked dance music or early Britpop like The Stone Roses or REM.
It’s gets worse from there…
Chicago hard to say i am sorry sucks i hated 80s Chicago Chicago was great between 1969 until 1979 when they got til the 80s they weren't the same never recovered from terry kaths death
As soon as I saw the title I said "this is gonna be a sh1tshow."
Oh yeah!!!!!👍
I don't like particularly "Don't Worry Be Happy" but I like Bobby McFerrin in general !
What band are you gonna rank next
A good question!!!! Maybe Peter Gabriel?
Thankfully there were a couple of those turds on the list I wasn't familiar with. To change the subject slightly (because many on your list were duets) - Greatest Duet of the 80's: "Please Don't Touch" by Motorhead/Girlschool. Cheers Scott!!
Nice!
I'm not sure if this was in the 80s but Thin Lizzy and The Sex Pistols as The Greedies doing We Wish You A Merry Christmas was cool
the "Me" decade exhibited a cultural decadence that reflected the general nihilism and excess of a consumer society that liked to watch "The Rich and Famous". That is my opinion.
A good opinion too.
Hello by Lionel Ritchie passes because its guitar solo is one of the greatest, in one take by session legend Louie Shelton, ex Wrecking Crew, who also did Last Train to Clarksville, Valerie, Jackson 5 ABC, Lowdown, Seals and Crofts Diamond Gilr etc. Louie has lived in Australia for many years now. I think he has a youtube channel where you can see him play those iconic guitar parts.
For years I thought Valerie was Clapton…
@@TheProgCorner Eric never had that much technique. But of course he has a few iconic guitar parts of his own.
Can't stand 1980's Peter Cetera .
Me neither!!!
worst songs of the 80s. number 1. all of them the 80s was when music was first made for money rather than passion
I think its always happened with record labels getting obvious commercial hits where they used to subsidise non commercial acts
In the UK I Want to Wake Up with You was no.1 - awful song we also got Glen Mederos Nothing's Going To Change My Love for You - massive sclocky cringfest.
I also hate When the Going Gets Tough the Tough Get Going.
Stars on 45 are also awful but i raise you Jive Bunny too.
Oh, those crazy UK charts!!!
@@TheProgCorner We did have some great post punk/modern ska no.1s too like Too Much Too Young, Ghost Town, Going Underground, House of Fun, Town Called Malice etc. So it wasn't all bad plus Duran Duran twice.
Every breath you take my most hated police song i love the police but hated this song
Terrible.
I particularly dislike “That’s What Friends Are For” for keeping “Burning Heart” by Survivor out of the number one slot, which fully deserved it.
A good point.
Yeah, those are all pretty bad. Yet, "Let's hear for the Boy" actually has a pretty good bass riff.
Okay. Why not?!!!!
I don't mind "Power Of Love" by Huey Lewis. However, I think "Stuck With You" is an atrocity.
The Heart Of Rock And Roll. Like he knows anything about that…
Not a US Nomber 1,but was in
Austria,new zealand,south africa and switzerland,the
Most terrible song of all time:
Da da da by Trio.from 1982
I don’t love you
You don’t love me
Da da da
Your No.1..... I can't even say it out loud!
Don't say it. Be happy.
The mainstream radio in the 80s was really bad. Some great underground/college radio bands. Otherwise awful. Still, I was a teen in the 80s so I can listen and laugh, thinking of people I knew and other memories.
College radio was king!!!!
I'm surprised Rick Rolling is still a thing. My first brush with it was in about '08 or '09 when I had just discovered RUclips.
More like Don't worry be CRAPPY! Even 'Owner' is better than many of the songs on this list. Even if I had an 80s thing going many years ago.
❤️❤️❤️
Have to disagree with number 9 because I was in love with Amy Grant. The rest of the list, I couldn't agree more.🤩
Amy was cute!!!
@@TheProgCorner She was a toots!🤩
Great show lots of fun. If you don’t like Huey Lewis’ Power of Love, try the one by Jennifer Rush (different song). No.1 in the UK & top 10 in most of the World. Only the US showed good taste in this case.
Even worse!!!!!
By the way Bobby McFerrin is an incredible singer.
Check out his amazing duets with Chick Corea!
I’m sure he’s a terrific musician and human being. But that song sucks.
@@TheProgCorner sure
Oh, these best of the worst lists...sometimes makes you laugh, sometimes makes you cry....but you know, don't worry, be happy.
😢👍❤️
Great fun post
80s did have some turds
And you hit most but im going to say
Susudio : Phil Collins
We Built this City : Starship
Oh how the mighty had fallen
Indeed.
Fun show Scott.
Thank you!!! I appreciate that. 👍👍👍
I have nothing against We Are the World. Who don't like cheese!
Cheese is awesome.
The risk in consuming blue cheese, is you can never tell if the mold is growing more moldy.
We are the world would be my #1 Just plain sickening to listen to. Was shocked to see Steve Perry singing on that.
Horrible. Awful garbage!!!
I won't say if this is either good or bad , but a number 1 in the UK by Bucks Fizz " The Land of make believe " features lyrics from a certain legendary lyricist from a certain legendary Prog band.
Definitely some abysmal singles there Scot , but great fun nonetheless. And how about The Bangles... Eternal Flame too. It was a great time to be an Iron Maiden fan. 😍🎵🎵🤘🤘
I need to do a UK chart episode!!!!
Oh yeah, these songs all suck. But disco duck from the 70s still has my top of all time. Worst songs in history.
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Well, I beg room to disagree - most of these are at least hummable, man. Harmonically rich, like most of the chart-topping 70s/80s music. I can't say that about very much of the popular music in the 21st century, and in that I sadly must include miss mega-starlet herself, Tay Swift. Can't get into her stuff at all, musically speaking.
But at least we agree on a hell a lot of your prog best-of lists!
Well, we are going to continue this series and see just how bad things got!!!
@@TheProgCorner haha 😄 yeah any decade you can name has some truly terrible music. That much is true. Will keep watching!