one shit wonder - amazing acts that somehow created one of the biggest duds in history

Yeah, "Shades" is great. NickB's right about "African Man," though; it almost ruins an otherwise killer album.

So the thing about "Everybody Hurts," which I do agree basically sucks, is that I don't think it counts for this because I don't think it has the "how did THAT come out of YOU" factor -- e.g. in some ways it is the same KIND of song as e.g. "You Are The Everything," which is great. I don't think it's weird that the band that released "You Are The Everything" also released "Everybody Hurts" -- you take swings, sometimes you hit, sometimes you miss. Now if I thought "Shiny Happy People" were a shit song, that would be a better example, but as it happens "Shiny Happy People" rules.

I like Everybody Hurtz :(

Same. But I never play it by choice.

Agreed on Everybody Hurts, it just feels like music for other people (which is of course fine)

Stairway To Heaven is bad though, I remember many years ago sitting around smoking weed and someone put it on, just felt like the corniest fucking thing ever recorded.

The Rain Song >>> Stairway

And "Ten Years Gone" is better than both.

“Ten Years Gone” is pretty much the greatest song evah, so yeah…

(I also agree with “Stairway” being one of the reasons that I didn’t get into Led Zeppelin until long after first exposure…)

Pet Shop Boys 'Winner' is a great example. Only truly abysmal single they did (under their own name)

Pet Shop Boys also bear responsibility for "Absolutely Fabulous"

This is how I feel about Led Zeppelin - Fool in the Rain. Literally all of their other radio songs, and pretty much all of their other output, is at least pretty good. But that one makes me want to run screaming.

Jay-Z's "Forever Young" needs to be in this convo

Excuse me, "Young Forever"

Jay-Z ft. Rod Stewart

Jay-Z free-styling over "rhythm of my heart" would possibly be world-ending

"The Motown Song (In the Heart of the City)"

For me and me only, apparently, Mysterious Ways is rock bottom U2 material. Still think so, but then Walk On came along and dethroned it.

PSBs - Absolutely Fabulous definitely sprang to mind. shockingly shit.

For me and me only, apparently, Mysterious Ways is rock bottom U2 material. Still think so, but then Walk On came along and dethroned it.

What? No way. That's one of the best songs they ever made in the post-Joshua Tree era.

Yeah, I’m a non U2 fan but really like that song

See I’m a non-U2 fan and love Mysterious Ways

Huh, i thought everyone always agreed that D'yer Maker is the Led Zeppelin one of these.

xp I always thought that was U2's "baggy" song.

I’m a U2 fan generally and I absolutely would put “Hold Me…” as my #1 favourite of their songs

Huh, i thought everyone always agreed that D'yer Maker is the Led Zeppelin one of these.

Tied with "The Crunge".

Wasn't Absolutely Fabulous credited to Absolutely Fabulous though, for the very reason it was terrible

xp agree on "D'yer Maker", but also "Fool In The Rain" is one of these too.

“D’Yer Maker”, like “St Tropez”, is widely cited as “bad” I guess but they are successful novelty songs in my book

The most I’ve ever liked Pink Floyd was when “St Tropez” randomly came on in the pharmacy, it was awesome accompaniment to buying shampoo

Mentally scrolling through Bowie’s precarious shitty period and it’s nice to know that yes, it just gets worse and worse, that yes the “God Only Knows” cover is bad but what about “Tonight”? And then “Too Dizzy” is worse than that? And then have you heard “Baby Universal”? god, it is so so bad. But the deeper into hell you go with Bowie you know that at the very very bottom you won’t find Bowie at all, you’ll find a Sales brother singing “Stateside”

hi, goon!

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

"Shinin' Star" is too confused to be really bad.

I've always said the worst Pink Floyd song is "Dogs of War", but suddenly I thought of "Not Now John" and I don't know.

"Shinin' Star" is too confused to be really bad.

I mean, it doesn't even work for what it seems to be trying to do, so it's ineffective even at being annoying.

PaulTMA at 9:17 11 May 23

Wasn't Absolutely Fabulous credited to Absolutely Fabulous though, for the very reason it was terrible

"Shinin' Star" is too confused to be really bad.

You mean those chord changes and vocal choices and lyrical gaffes and Mickey Rourke rap don't work?

I've always said the worst Pink Floyd song is "Dogs of War", but suddenly I thought of "Not Now John" and I don't know.

I like "Not Now John." The Final Cut's not terrible at all.

Cool thread with lots of good songs.

But the deeper into hell you go with Bowie you know that at the very very bottom you won’t find Bowie at all, you’ll find a Sales brother singing “Sorry”

Fixed.

Chris O'Leary offered a defense of that Tin Machine single.

For me and me only, apparently, Mysterious Ways is rock bottom U2 material.

The Sweetest Thing is easily the nadir of U2. Mysterious Ways rules.

I mean, I was there in '91 and Bono talk-singing ON YOUR KNEES, BOY was a seismic shock.

The Sweetest Thing, Mysterious Ways and Hold Me Kill Me Kiss Me Thrill Me are three of the maybe six U2 songs I like.

Same here; I'd add "Even Better Than the Real Thing" and "Until the End of the World" as two of the others (I was skimming thru that album earlier... it's been a while).

add "Numb," "Lemon," "The Fly," "Stay (Faraway So Close!)" -- what a run.

for context here's rolling stone's 10 best u2 songs, I actively like one or two of these, about five I actively dislike

1. One
2. I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
3. Beautiful Day
4. Sunday Bloody Sunday
5. Bad
6. Where the Streets Have No Name
7. With or Without You
8. Moment of Surrender
9. I Will Follow
10. Even Better Than the Real Thing

Never heard of two of those...

Me liking every U2 song mentioned and even loving quite a few of them

Moment of Surrender is from 2009 and Bad is a live favourite from the 80s

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/u2-band-greatest-songs-bono-the-edge-205104/sunday-bloody-sunday-198195/

Cool, thx (those were indeed the two)

Me liking every U2 song mentioned and even loving quite a few of them

Including "Get on Your Boots"? Sexy Boots!

MoS at 160 on the 2012 Rolling Stone 500 songs list was the peak of their U2 circlejerk. We are poorer for this absurdism being subsumed.