20. Vengaboys: Boom Boom Boom Boom (1999)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llyiQ4I-mcQ I do like a gimmick song every now and then, dont get me wrong. But this is one of the worst. The vocals are quite weak, and the lyrics are very... plain. The production is quite catchy and easy to dance to; a regular feature in my middle school discos. But then again, the reason this is on here is for its sheer lack of creativity. How many words actually feature in this song? Im willing to hazard a guess at thirty. The song could be cut in half and youve pretty much heard it all, and then some. But what did you exactly expect from a song with the title Boom Boom Boom Boom. 19. The Black Eyed Peas: The Time (Dirty Bit) (2010)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwQZQygg3Lk One of the biggest mistakes in music, without a doubt. Sampling Dirty Dancing is a cheeky marketing move, but then to tear it apart and layer it underneath an obscene amount of auto tune, Im surprised petitions werent set up to remove it from the radio. What is Dirty Bit anyway? This is on the list purely for the epic disaster of a chorus, but then on further listening, the verses are equally as offensive. This is definitely not Fergies brightest moment, as her vocal has pretty much been replaced by a computer. I thought things couldnt get worse with Boom Boom Pow, but trust Will.I.Am to have a trick up his sleeve. 18. Another Level: Freak Me (1998)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3qDESAvzh0 Sultry. Sexy. Sizzling. Everything this song wasnt. It works much better ironically, or perhaps in the background of two people seductively licking a corn on the cob. None of them can really sing to be honest. The outro to the chorus is incredibly jarring, and the breathe-heavy vocal performance only highlights their weaknesses further. And then youve got random band members chipping in with an array of weird, apparently sexy noises over the course of the song. The execution is horrible. This reached number one probably because of its sexual nature, but even then, I struggle to see how people could take it seriously. 17. Will Young & Gareth Gates: The Long And Winding Road / Suspicious Minds (2002)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh0w4YZeFrA When Will Young won Pop Idol, it was considered one of the biggest upsets in reality TV, as most people thought Gareth Gates, with his endearing stutter and pretty boy looks, was a shoe in. Young was the more credible singer of the two, but this is reality TV. That doesnt necessarily translate into the win. And then some way down the line they teamed up. Surely a recipe for success? Well, not really. They dont blend well together as a double act, and Youngs vocal is much stronger. Also, they spend too long showcasing their vocal tricks and holding absurdly long notes. Once or twice is fine. Three and half minutes of it? No thanks. 16. Steve Brookstein: Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) (2005)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOGaX2W9lJk This song is so bad, it doesnt even feature on iTunes. Granted, thats probably due to Brooksteins dodgy relationship with Simon Cowell and his X-Factor empire, but still, the songs not great. Brookstein can sing, fine. But he sounds awfully karaoke. He doesnt even attempt to add any emotion to the song whatsoever, and its clear that its some cheap cover that fell off the back of a wagon. Im not surprised that Brookstein has distanced himself from this shambles of a song, because for someone who can actually hold a note or two, this song does not do him any favours.