Top 20 Annoyingly Catchy Songs
#20: “Party in the U.S.A.” (2009)
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Miley Cyrus Originally written for English singer Jessie J, this pop-rock song about being an out-of-place newbie in Hollywood was an instant hit for the then-teen idol. Detailing Cyrus’ move from Nashville, Tennessee to the “land of fame excess”, this song’s lyrics have just the right combination of relatability, repetition and good ol’ nostalgia to keep it on a constant loop in your head. It peaked at number two and three in the U.S. and Canada respectively, became diamond-certified and also saw a resurgence in the U.S. after the demise of Osama Bin Laden and the 2020 Presidential election. If there’s ever a reason to celebrate, there’s no question what jam we’ll be nodding our heads and moving our hips to.
#19: “Let It Go” (2014)
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Idina Menzel If you had little kids around you when this song was released, it’s understandable if you now have very mixed feelings! This show-tune track from the 2013 Disney animated film, Frozen, became a worldwide sensation, peaking in the top 20 of several countries. With uplifting lyrics about liberation and accepting oneself, it had kids around the world, and adults alike, shooting imaginary ice crystals from the tip of their hands and trying, but often failing, to hit the sky-high notes. This track perfectly blended pop and musical theatre, eventually going on to win a Grammy and an Academy Award. When you got hit by the cold magic of this song, it was pretty hard to let it go.
#18: “Nookie” (1999)
Limp Bizkit This hardcore rap rock song was released as the lead single from the band’s second album, becoming their first song to ever chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Complete with thrashing guitars, hard-hitting drums and fourth-grade level rhyming lyrics that roll off the tongue, this one will get you yelling responses from the top of your lungs before you even know it. Although it still receives bad rep to this day for the chaos that ensued at the 1999 Woodstock festival, the track marked a turning point for the band, bringing them to the forefront of the rock scene. If you ever find out where we can stick that cookie, let us know.
#17: “Hollaback Girl” (2005)
Gwen Stefani Gwen Stefani described her debut solo album “Love. Angel. Music. Baby” as a “silly dance record”. It was certainly very different to the music she made with rock band No Doubt. But it became iconic even so. The third single from the album, “Hollaback Girl” is a call back to 1980s hip hop and dance music, written with Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo. Fans were more enthusiastic than critics, who panned it, despite it becoming the first digital download to sell one million copies. We can’t help but love it, but if someone could let us know what a “Hollaback Girl” is that would be great.
#16: “Never Gonna Give You Up” (1987)
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Rick Astley No, don’t worry, you aren’t being Rick Rolled. The debut single from British singer Rick Astley, “Never Going To Give You Up” quickly became a worldwide number one hit as well as becoming Astley’s signature track. While the song was popular on initial release, it also saw a resurgence of popularity via the “rick roll” meme and spread across the Internet like wildfire. “Never Going To Give You Up” rick rolled its way into our hearts and is not leaving anytime soon.
#15: “What Is Love” (1993)
Top 10 Annoyingly Catchy Songs
Haddaway Trinidadian-German singer Haddaway released this slick Eurodance song as the debut single from his very meta album, The Album. The soulful lead vocals, a groovy synth line and the classic “oontz oontz” beats came together perfectly to elevate this track above the dance singles of its time – and keep us coming back years after. It initially gained massive airplay worldwide, hitting number one in thirteen countries and the top 20 in several others, then got a resurgence after being used in the popular SNL “Roxbury Guys” sketches a few years later. If there’s anything hurting as a result of this song, it’s our legs, from too much dancing.
#14: “The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)” (2002)
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Las Ketchup You can’t talk about worldwide phenomena without mentioning this one. Before the craze of the Harlem Shake and TikTok dance challenges, there was Aserejé. The debut single by the Spanish pop group, this flamenco song had all the makings of an annoying earworm. A repetitive, nonsense chorus? Check. A signature dance routine? Check. A music video with three beautiful women dancing on the beach? Check, check, check. It was the Macarena of the early 2000s, reaching number one in more than twenty countries and selling over seven million copies worldwide. There wasn’t a school party around the world that didn’t have this song blasting through the speakers.
#13: “Surfin’ Bird” (1963)
The Trashmen The bird is most certainly the word. This song was originally released in 1963 by American surf rock group The Trashmen and peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Fun fact, “Bird of the Word” is actually a mash up of two songs by The Rivingtons, “Bird is the Word” and “Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow”. Nonetheless, we can’t help but just keep singing. Whether it’s Peter Griffin’s rendition of the song, or The Ramones’ cover, there’s no way you won’t have this song stuck in your head after just one listen.
#12: “MMMBop” (1997)
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Hanson Admit it, you’re already bobbing your head to this song. Inspired by the popular doo-wop, R&B harmonies of the ‘50s and early ‘60s, this bright-eyed and long-haired band of three teenage brothers put out this track as the lead single from their debut studio album. Its easily chantable lyrics and infectious, candy-coated instrumentation keep it lingering in the back of your head hours after you’ve heard it. Topping the charts in at least twelve countries and being nominated for two Grammys, it remains Hanson’s most successful song to date.
#11: “Sorry For Party Rocking” (2012)
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LMFAO Time for a little bit of party rock. The fourth single off of LMFAO’s second album, the track “Sorry For Party Rocking” is nonstop electronic and dance-pop anarchy. Redfoo, Sky Blu, dancing zebras, YouTubers Rhett and Link, and David Hasselhoff? Pure chaos. “Sorry For Party Rocking” is the perfect excuse for all millennials when someone asks them to turn the music down. Of course, it wasn’t the album’s only earworm, as singles also included “Party Rock Anthem" and "Sexy and I Know It". Unfortunately, LMFAO’s went on hiatus shortly afterwards, so they may have rocked the party a little too hard.
#10: “All About That Bass” (2014)
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Meghan Trainor You don’t get to displace Taylor Swift, the queen of heartbreak, from the number one spot without making an impression. After years working as an independent artist and songwriter, Trainor shot into the limelight with this bubblegum pop track about body positivity and self-acceptance. Expertly fusing retro doo-wop influences with modern hip-hop sounds, this song spread far and wide, connecting with a wide array of audiences and holding their ears hostage. It however received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising its message and others criticizing it for shaming thin women. Regardless of critical reviews, it dominated the charts worldwide, reaching number one in more than fifty countries, and getting a Diamond certification in the US and two Grammy nominations.
#9: “Who Let The Dogs Out” (2000)
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Baha Men Face it, if you were growing up in the 2000s, you’ve heard of this cover song by the Baha Men. “Who Let The Dogs Out” is a bouncy pop track that’s synonymous with the warm weather and fun vibes of summer. The sunshine, the catchy beat, and plenty of dogs – it’s all there! The song was one of the best selling singles of the 2000s, although it never reached #1. It’s also considered by many publications to be one of the most annoying songs of all time, and we would agree, although we would be lying if we said it wasn’t catchy as hell.
#8: “Call Me Maybe” (2011)
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Carly Rae Jepsen We may have just met her at the time, but my God, did we all go crazy for this! Released in the summer of 2011, this upbeat teen pop track initially achieved moderate success in Canada, Jepsen’s home country, but received worldwide attention after Justin Bieber tweeted that it was possibly the catchiest song he’d ever heard. And he was right. This song is structured to get you hitting the repeat button. With its simplistic, rhyming lyrics and an endless layer of musical hooks, you’re bound to find yourself humming to it, no matter how hard you try not to. Bieber’s tweet may have brought attention to it, but it was the ridiculously infectious nature of this tune that made it stick with us.
#7: “Caramelldansen” (2001)
Caramell This was THE internet meme way before internet memes became a thing. Originally released in 2001, this song didn’t gain international recognition until five years later, when a 4chan user made flash loops featuring animated characters from a Japanese visual novel dancing to a sped-up version. Like every other thing we have come to know as an internet craze, this flash loop spread like wildfire as many people created their own versions of it, eventually reaching YouTube and becoming a worldwide phenomenon. The insanely upbeat hook and bubblegum dance production left people doing the Caramelldansen long after the song was over.
#6: “Sandstorm” (1999)
Darude Another song that became re-popularized by the internet, “Sandstorm” showcases some of the best that late 1990s electronic music has to offer. Produced by Finnish DJ Darude, this trance track was a global hit after its release just before the new millennium. With a classic high speed music video and a beat that will have you raving, what “Sandstorm” lacks is lyrics it makes up for in pure nostalgia. Just remember, if you don’t know the name of a song, it’s probably Darude’s “Sandstorm”.
#5: “Axel F” (2005)
Crazy Frog If this wasn’t your ringtone at some point, then you were clearly doing something wrong. Released as a remix of the synthesizer theme music from 1984’s Beverly Hills Cop, this novelty song became an instant summer hit across Europe. Featuring distorted, nonsensical ramblings of the Crazy Frog character interspersed within the synth-heavy production, this tune crept up the charts, reaching number one in more than ten countries. Not bad for a ringtone, huh? It turns out that to make an annoying earworm, all you need is an animated frog, an imitation of engine sounds, the words ‘ring ding’ and you’re good to go!
#4: “Gangnam Style” (2012)
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Psy The most viewed song on Youtube, the world couldn’t get enough of this catchy K-pop tune back when it was released in the summer of 2012. Psy’s 18th single, this song features an infectious beat, hilarious dance moves, and some playful vocals from the Korean superstar himself. We may hate getting this track stuck in our head with a fiery passion, but we still will sing and dance along. Inspiring flash mobs and dancers around the world, “Gangnam Style” is a defining song of the 2010’s all thanks to the power of the internet.
#3: “Barbie Girl” (1997)
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Aqua Love it or hate it, you can’t deny this song is 100% pure fun. Unlike most of the other novelty songs on this list, this Eurodance track by the Danish-Norwegian group received critical acclaim when it was released. The song went on to take the world by storm, topping the charts in several countries. Sadly, it also attracted copyright infringement claims by Mattel, resulting in a controversial lawsuit between Aqua’s record label and the Barbie Doll makers. Legal troubles be damned, this track’s cartoonishly high-pitched vocals and bouncy dance beat made it an instant earworm. Life in plastic may not always be fantastic in these eco-friendly times, but for this song, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
#2: “Blue (Da Ba Dee)” (1998)
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Eiffel 65 We sincerely apologize for reminding you of this one. The Mona Lisa of annoying earworms, this song was released as the debut single from the Italian electronic group. Widely noted for its heavily autotuned vocals layered over pulsating techno beats that are sure to get you tapping your feet, it remains the group’s most popular single to date. It topped the charts in several countries across Europe, peaked at number six in the US and received a Grammy nomination for Best Dance Recording. You may have been singing the wrong lyrics all this while, but who cares? You’re blue, I’m blue, we’re all blue. Da ba dee, da ba die.
#1: “Baby Shark” (2015)
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Pinkfong You’ll need a restraining order against your kids and brain surgery to get this one out of your head. This song originated as a campfire chant in the 20th century, but only saw worldwide popularity after it was uploaded to YouTube by a South Korean entertainment company. Because it’s a children’s song, it possesses repetitive, easy-to-remember lyrics and familial characters that allow them to easily connect with the music. It’s these features that’s helped this tune burrow its way into the heads of kids and adults around the world, cracking the top 40 in the US and becoming the most-viewed YouTube video of all-time. We’d like to have a stern word or two with whomever is responsible for this song.
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