What are rock’s most hated songs and albums? Ultimate Classic Rock has ranked them. It’s their opinion, of course, but you might agree.

First off, there is definitely a difference between rock’s worst records and rock’s most hated records. There could certainly be crossover. As you’ll see in on their list of “Rock’s Most Hated Records,” there’s a whole different place for records that aren’t just bad, but also totally despised!

Terrible records can be ignored, and often they just disappear after their short life span. But hated records are different. They generally represent a beloved artist doing something that is so bad, or contrary to what fans love about them. There’s a different kind of anger there. Sometimes, it’s a song. For example, Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start The Fire” (which even he has said he doesn’t like), or Aerosmith’s Diane Warren-penned hit, “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” (to be fair, it’s their only U.S. #1 hit).

That’s what you’ll find on this list of Rock’s Most Hated Records. Some of these albums and songs were really just dives into ego-inflating excess.  Remember the album Gregg Allman and Cher made together?  They called themselves “Allman And Woman.” And then there’s “Mr. Roboto”!

• Paul McCartney and Wings - "Silly Love Songs"

  The story goes, “Silly Love Songs” was written as a rebuttal to music critics who had criticized McCartney for writing lightweight love songs. McCartney is inviting his audience to have a laugh on him.

• Styx - "Mr. Roboto"

  What was the story behind Mr. Roboto?  In jail, workers have been replaced by robots called “Robotos,” and Kilroy escapes inside a robot costume (thus, Mr. Roboto). <b>This song is about his escape from jail. It makes a statement about the dehumanizing of the working class</b>.

• Starship - "We Built This City"

  What city was Starship talking about in “We Built This City”? Band members said, “Everybody thought we were talking about San Francisco (as the city built by rock and roll).” “First of all, it’s written by a British guy about Los Angeles sung by a San Francisco group. It’s talking about the clubs closing, or being closed down, in Los Angeles.”

• R.E.M. featuring Kate Pierson of The B-52's - "Shiny Happy People"

  R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe hated “Shiny Happy People.” He called it “A really fruity, kind of bubblegum song.” In one interview, he said that he was a bit embarrassed when it became a big hit, but it’s an important song because it shows a different side of him. Stipe said: “Many people’s idea of R.E.M, and me in particular, is very serious, with me being a very serious kind of poet. But I’m also actually quite funny – hey, my bandmates think so, my family thinks so, my boyfriend thinks so, so I must be – but that doesn’t always come through in the music!”

• Billy Joel - "We Didn't Start the Fire"

  What did Billy Joel mean by “we didn’t start the fire?” Billy Joel came up with the idea for the song when he turned 40 years old. A chance meeting with Sean Lennon, son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, made him realize how each subsequent generation feels things are getting worse and worse while ignoring the troubles of the past.

• Phil Collins - "Sussudio"

  Sussudio doesn’t actually have a particular meaning. It was something Phil Collins made up. The song itself is about a crush he had on a girl at school. Is the song annoying? Maybe -but it’s a catchy song to hate!

• The Beach Boys - "Kokomo"

  Kokomo is a city in the middle of Indiana and is also a small resort owned by Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay. The title was made up. It was supposed to represent all the tropical places and images that people think of when wishing to get away to some paradise island to escape the dreary work life. John Phillips thought the name sounded good and wanted to use it for the title.

• Aerosmith - "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing"

  “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” was originally supposed to be a radio-only single from Armageddon: The Album, but due to popular demand, Columbia Records issued the song commercially in August 1998. It subsequently debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Aerosmith their first and only number-one single in their home country.

   

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