36 Popular Songs That Artists Regret Creating (4 of 7)

Shiny Happy People – R.E.M.

Lead singer Michael Stipe reflected on this hit in an interview with Andrew Marr in 2016:

“It’s a fruity pop song written for children…if there was one song that was sent into outer space to represent R.E.M. for the rest of time, I would not want it to be ‘Shiny Happy People.’”

Wonderwall – Oasis

This song was an international hit and that is both a good thing and a bad thing if you’re Liam Gallagher – the head of the Oasis band. Over the years he has been clear about his disdain for this song and resent for the success it has gotten.

“I can’t f-king stand that f–king song. Every time I have to sing it I want to gag. Problem is, it was a big, big tune for us. You go to America and they’re like, ‘Are you Mr. Wonderwall?’ You want to chin someone.”

Strangers in the Night – Frank Sinatra

Despite his cheery demeanor, one thing that set off Sinatra was revolving around this song.

Any request of this song and you often could hear him muttering things live to his audience both before and after the track was performed. He often called this song “the worst f–king song I’ve ever heard” to the point that he uttered this at a Dominican Republic audience in the early ‘80s.

Years later, his contempt hasn’t waned for it:

“The first time I heard Don Costa played it for me was some years ago. I hated it! I hated this goddamn song the first I heard it. And I still hate it! So sue me, shoot bullets through me. Shoot.”

(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party) – The Beastie Boys

Originally written as a sarcastic take on frat boy revelry, this big hit song was quickly misinterpreted as sincere and not at all what the band expected.

“The only thing that upsets me is that we might have reinforced certain values of some people in our audience when our own values were actually totally different. There were tons of guys singing along to ‘Fight for Your Right’ who were oblivious to the fact it was a total goof on them.”

To further drive home they regret this song and they commented in the notes of the 1999 greatest hits album that this song “sucks.”

Wrecking Ball – Miley Cyrus

While the song itself isn’t the main point of regret, the song did bring forth naked Miley riding a wrecking ball. And that is something she regrets doing in 2013.

“I’m never living that down. I will always be the naked girl on a wrecking ball. No matter how much I just frolic with Emu, I’m always the naked girl on the wrecking ball … I should have thought how long that was going to have to follow me around.”