11 Most Embarrassing Singles of All Time

Jason PJason P Posts: 19,138
edited July 2013 in Other Music
Today, we revisit the database to pull the most embarrassing best-selling standalone singles of all time.
Two quick notes:
You'll notice the list is front-loaded with one-hit wonder rap songs from the early '90s.
We have nothing against the genre per se.
It just so happened these particular songs sold incredibly well, and we think you'll agree you will ask what business they had doing thus.
Secondly, the top-three all earned their spots through digital sales. We're convinced that if they'd come out pre-Internet they would not have sold nearly as well.
And now, prepare to be ashamed.

11) "Baby Got Back" by Sir-Mix-A-Lot
2x platinum. Oh. My God. Becky. This is definitely embarrassing, but it will also crack you up no matter how many times you listen to it.

10) "I Wanna Sex You Up" by Color Me Badd
2x platinum. Oh it's badd alright.

9) "Wild Thing" by Tone Loc (1988)
2x platinum. A patently awful song lacking a single original bone in its body. Can anyone who was sentient in 1988 explain why this was so popular?

8) "Rump Shaker" by Wreckx N Effect (1992)
2x platinum. No way!? YES WAY.

7) "O.P.P." by Naughty By Nature (1991)
2x platinum. A legitimately great hook wasted by some of the dumbest lyrics ever put in a rap song.

6) "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)" by Bryan Adams (1991)
3x platinum. One hopes the border agents who first ever let Bryan Adams in from Canada were eventually fired.

5) "Whoomp! (There It Is)" by Tag Team (1993)
4x platinum. 4x platinum?!?! YGTBKM. But for real the video is also completely insane.

4) "Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)" by Los Del Rio (1995)
4x platinum. We've previously described this song as the most embarrassing photo on America's Facebook page. You might also call it the "Gangnam Style" of its day: an admittedly catchy hook with a ridiculous dance.
And now we enter the digital phase of the proceedings...

3) "Hey Soul Sister" by Train (2009)
6x platinum. Maudlin garbage. Train should have never left 1998.

2) "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz (2008)
6x platinum. Did Train and Mraz cover each other? Someone's ripping someone off here.

1) "Baby" by Justin Bieber
12x platinum. Well, congratulations America, this is literally the best-selling single of all time (surpassing "Candle In The Wind" by Elton John, which has sold 11 million copies). And you wonder why the rest of the world thinks we've lost it...

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/most-emb ... z2aX6DKkqC
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Allow me to introduce you to a couple of singles that reached number 1 in the UK.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h37KQu64RY4

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8YWZm_YKoo

    :lol::lol::lol:
  • curmudgeonesscurmudgeoness Posts: 3,988
    Jason P wrote:
    Today, we revisit the database to pull the most embarrassing best-selling standalone singles of all time.

    11) "Baby Got Back" by Sir-Mix-A-Lot
    2x platinum. Oh. My God. Becky. This is definitely embarrassing, but it will also crack you up no matter how many times you listen to it.

    I missed most of those, thanks to PJ, Nirvana, Priest=Aura and Achtung Baby. :D

    But I will say that "Baby Got Back" is, for me, an insidious earworm. I hope that the fact that I am listening to "The Magnificent Seven" while typing this will be enough to dispense with Sir Mix-A-Lot, otherwise it's going to be an interesting day. :?
    All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
  • curmudgeonesscurmudgeoness Posts: 3,988
    Allow me to introduce you to a couple of singles that reached number 1 in the UK.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h37KQu64RY4

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8YWZm_YKoo

    :lol::lol::lol:

    Seriously, what is up with UK pop charts?? I remember when this was number 1 for a day or two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk30a0qsVIk
    All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.
  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,138
    I forgot about "Obama" making a cameo in the Whoomp There it is! video.

    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ9jpfrA9q2mL1sCL1yIT-BxKkWAvaA5LyVXQV1J_OX_cIQvwpO

    :lol:
  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,138
    I'm proud to say I have never heard the top 3 singles.
  • facepollutionfacepollution Posts: 6,834
    Jason P wrote:
    I'm proud to say I have never heard the top 3 singles.

    I bet you have and you just don't know it!

    It makes me laugh cause Hey Soul Sister is such a blatant attempt at copying the success of I'm Yours - and it fucking worked!
  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,138
    Jason P wrote:
    I'm proud to say I have never heard the top 3 singles.

    I bet you have and you just don't know it!

    It makes me laugh cause Hey Soul Sister is such a blatant attempt at copying the success of I'm Yours - and it fucking worked!
    possibly ... probably at a supermarket or some place like that.
  • elvistheking44elvistheking44 Posts: 4,410
    Jason P wrote:
    I'm proud to say I have never heard the top 3 singles.
    That's not possible.
  • Jason P wrote:
    I'm proud to say I have never heard the top 3 singles.
    That's not possible.

    I've never either, at least not by name. But then again I don't watch TV or listen to the radio so where am I going to hear them?
  • elvistheking44elvistheking44 Posts: 4,410
    Jason P wrote:
    I'm proud to say I have never heard the top 3 singles.
    That's not possible.

    I've never either, at least not by name. But then again I don't watch TV or listen to the radio so where am I going to hear them?
    Go to iTunes or YouTube and search the titles, I'd be shocked if you hadn't heard at least one.
  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,138
    Jason P wrote:
    I'm proud to say I have never heard the top 3 singles.
    That's not possible.
    I've managed to limit myself to a total of 84 seconds of exposure to American idol. I'll do a shoulder roll out of a room if it comes on.

    :geek:

  • I've never either, at least not by name. But then again I don't watch TV or listen to the radio so where am I going to hear them?
    Go to iTunes or YouTube and search the titles, I'd be shocked if you hadn't heard at least one.

    I did just that and I genuinely have never heard them before. I'm surprised 2 of those had instruments in them to be honest and Justin Beiber sounds a bit like a girl (just an observation).
  • Jason PJason P Posts: 19,138
    I didn't even know that Train still existed until I saw that list

    That was like finding out that Sammy Sosa hit 58 homers in 2010 for the Marlins.

    :fp:
  • Of The AggieOf The Aggie Posts: 1,531
    I can also say I've never heard of the top 3 songs either. I don't listen to the radio or watch Glee or AI so I might have heard them in passing at the gym since they typically play terrible music there but I don't think I'd recognize them at all.

    As for the 90s rap songs, some of those are guilty pleasures that just never get old!
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