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They say that sometimes the artist is the most critical of their own work — and in these cases, that definitely applies!
Even though these pop acts hit it big with these tunes, they do not hold a special place in their heart. Whether it is due to the quality, the content, or emotions brought on by re-listening to their old material, these 10 artists are not at all feeling the warm fuzzies. Sometimes, their opinion may make sense, but in some cases, fans are left scratching their heads.
Read on to find out which famous pop stars hate their old tunes despite them being mega successful.
Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes: 'Creep'
TLC’s 1994 smash “Creep” embodied female empowerment to some, but band member Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes did not see it that way.
The song creates a narrative of a man cheating on his girlfriend, who then decides to also be unfaithful without telling her lover. Referring to the lyrics, Lopes said, “Is this the message we should be sending people… instead of telling her to cheat back, why don’t we tell her to just leave?” She fought to include lyrics in the tune subtly decrying the behavior, but they did not make the cut.
Simple Minds: 'Don’t You (Forget About Me)'
Though the band has since come around to the tune, Scottish band Simple Minds once wished to forget their hit “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” that was recorded especially for the classic John Hughes film The Breakfast Club.
Songwriter Jim Kerr was not so keen to record the tune since the band did not write it for themselves, but his band members ended up convincing him to do it anyway. The song was recorded in three hours and was Simple Minds’ only number one hit in the United States. Still, Kerr supposedly told a Rolling Stone reporter he “wanted to vomit” every time he played the song live. Yikes!
Kanye West: 'Gold Digger'
Kanye West is known to many to be a musical perfectionist, but he dropped a bombshell in 2013 when he admitted in an interview with BBC that he “never liked” the song.
The record, which features actor and singer Jamie Foxx and a prominent sample of legend Ray Charles, ended up winning Best Rap Solo Performance at the Grammys and sitting atop the Billboard Chart for ten weeks in 2005. Still, West claimed that he only recorded the classic track because he knew that he was going to get paid for it. Say it ain’t so, Ye.
A Flock of Seagulls: 'I Ran (So Far Away)'
“I Ran” had eighties new wave act A Flock of Seagulls running away in the charts in the United States, but frontman Mike Score would rather not play it live. Though he will do so if fans ask, he is definitely less than cheery about it!
“Every time I perform live, everyone just wants to hear 'I Ran,'" Score said in a VH1 interview. “I’m sick of it.” Though the song is well-remembered in the US, where it landed at number nine on the 1982 Billboard Hot 100, it failed to chart in the band’s native United Kingdom.
Lorde: 'Royals'
Lorde’s hit “Royals” was an anomaly in its genre for years…or so some thought. An insanely catchy record notable for criticizing and critiquing the vapid nature of mainstream pop, “Royals” topped the charts in 2012, dethroning “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus.
The then 16-year-old artist shared her thoughts on the song back in 2013, stating, “I feel like I’m late to the party saying it, but actually, I’m not…all these people started telling me that what I’m saying is, like, profound. Are you serious? No, it’s not. It’s hugely concerning for me.” Though Lorde may not feel the song that won her a Grammy is her best work, it’s still one of her most well-recognized tunes nearly seven years later.
Madonna: 'Like a Virgin'
Madonna is an industry pop princess, racking up hit after hit in her nearly 40-year career. Though it’s probably fairly common to hear pop music in public spaces, there’s one song that makes the star cringe every time.
“For some reason, people think that when you go to a restaurant or you are going shopping that you want to hear one of your own songs,” Madonna says in an interview with New York’s Z100 radio. “It’s usually ‘Like a Virgin’ and that is the one I don’t want to hear.” The pop diva even went as far to say that people would have to pay her $30 million before she considers singing the song again, though she ultimately did on her 2016 Rebel Hearts tour.
Miley Cyrus: 'Party in the USA'
Miley Cyrus is one of the biggest hit machines of our generation. However, that doesn’t mean she is in love with every one of her successful songs!
As the story goes, Cyrus was asked at a Chicago party by a DJ if she’d like any of her own music to be played for the crowd. She requested “Can’t Be Tamed” but forbade him from blasting “Party in the USA.” Though it is still her biggest charting single to date, Cyrus doesn’t understand its appeal to the masses, as she reportedly quipped, “I hate it, but for some reason, the people love it.” We can’t stop jamming to the popular track, even if Miley doesn’t approve!
Lady Gaga: 'Telephone'
Lady Gaga is one of the best-selling pop acts in recent years, boasting a staggering 27 million records sold as of 2016. However, her memories of her collaboration song with Beyonce are less than stellar.
“I hate ‘Telephone.’ Is that terrible to say? It’s the song I have the most difficult time listening to,” Gaga said in a 2011 interview. “Ultimately the mix and the process of getting the production finished was very stressful for me. So when I say it’s my worst song it has nothing to do with the song, just my emotional connection to it.” She can’t even stand to watch the video, as she feels that the song just isn’t up to par with her other tracks.
Britney Spears: 'Sometimes'
Britney Spears was the OG nineties hitmaker and is still one of the most relevant pop stars of our time. She has repeatedly proved her staying power with tracks like “Oops…I Did It Again!” and “Toxic.”
However, Spears unknowingly revealed to fans that she doesn’t really dig one of the signature ballads from album …Baby One More Time. In 2004, upon hearing that her Onyx Hotel Tour concert was supposed to end, Spears offhandedly remarked, "I have to go? I haven't even sung 'Sometimes'! Oh God! I never liked that song anyway.” Even so, the song peaked at number 21 in the United States, and was Spears’s third-bestselling single in the UK!
Oasis: 'Wonderwall'
Anyway….here’s “Wonderwall.” It’s no secret that Liam and Noel Gallagher have been pretty outspoken on just about everything, including band Oasis’s mega hit. Though “Wonderwall” propelled the brothers and their band to success in the States, it’s pretty safe to say that they regret writing the signature track.
“Every time I have to sing it I want to gag,” Liam Gallagher stated in a 2013 interview promoting their newest album at the time. “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.”
Brother Noel doesn’t feel much more love for the track, telling Absolute Radio in 2017 that he “doesn’t particularly like” the track. The people, however, do not agree. Sitting at 703 million streams on Spotify, it is the band’s most popular song.