10 Classic Songs That Have Aged Terribly

One Year Older, Another Year Staler.

David Bowie in The Man Who Fell To Earth
British Lion Films

It's impossible to not get sucked into the moment when you hear your new favorite song. Instead of the usual fun track to throw on a playlist, music can sometimes can take ahold of you and lead you on a journey that you weren't fully prepared for in the beginning. However, things tend to take a bit of a different turn once time becomes a factor.

When looking back on these songs with a new lens, it's hard to see them as a bit too dated for their own good. While some artists have managed to use that kind of nostalgia to their advantage in recent years, the amount of cheesiness that we had to sift through even comes from some of the best acts in the business. As much fun as it is to mock the no names who never went anywhere, these artists have no excuse since they're still around to tell the tale.

Across years (if not decades), these songs have aged like milk compared to their counterparts, proving that not even the greatest bands of all time are safe from a little bit of corniness here and there. You might know the name...but just smile and wave when looking back on cuts like this.

10. Having a Blast - Green Day

Over half of Green Day's charm in the early days of their career came from that bratty attitude. Across songs like Longview and Basket Case, it felt like you were having just as much fun yucking it up with tales of masturbation and anxiety attacks as you were singing along to the melodies. There was some edginess hidden in there though, and Having a Blast marks the moment where things turn a corner.

Compared to the more sardonic humor on the other tracks on Dookie, this second song feels a lot more confrontational than everything else around it. Though a lot of songs tackle the lives of down on their luck nobodies, this is sung from the perspective of a man willing to kill himself and everyone around him in one go due to his anger alone. That kind of thing might have been a cheeky pun in its day, but it looks a lot more cringy in the age of terrorism.

Given that the world has dealt with actual suicide bombers in the years since this track, this kind of power fantasy looks a lot creepier for this '90s time capsule. Since Billie Joe Armstrong himself has even called out this kind of star struck violence in Bang Bang from a few years ago, it seems like even he has distanced himself from his angsty beginnings.

In this post: 
David Bowie
 
First Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

I'm just a junkie for all things media. Whether it's music, movies, TV, or just other reviews, I absolutely adore this stuff. But music was my first love, and I love having the opportunity to share it with you good people. Follow Me On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/timcoffman97