Top 10 Worst Hit Songs of 2022

    So if you can't tell this was written back in 2022. I'm posting this up for completion purposes. But, I will make the best list as well and that will be more up to date with my opinion now because wow 2022 was a weird year for the chart. Okay back to the list proper

   You know, I thought because of the vaccines and opening up again that 2022 would be a better year than the two years before it. Turns out I was wrong because 2022 has been a mess all across the board. And we don't have great music to escape to in this dark time. One word that I would describe 2022 for popular music is either mediocrity or longing. Mediocrity because how most of these songs are either meh or just below par, longing because of how most of the popular hits this year are throwback. I was actually struggle to put ten songs that I hated purely because the bad songs here are either too dull to talk about or just straight up missed the Hot 100 year end list. Which is why for this list and also the best list, I'm going to include songs from Global Excluding US year end that didn't appeared on the Hot 100 YE, as well as songs that missed the year-end because of Christmas songs and repeats, also some songs on Spotify Top 100 Songs of 2022. I will leave a playlist of songs that eligible for the list here: Here! Okay onto the list!

    10. Oh god I'm not making fans with this one am I? Okay let's just get this out of the way...Blackpink's newest album is not good. This felt like a contractual obligations by YG to basically capitalized the success of Rose and Lisa, either that or it's just to keep this group alive which yeah making it sounds convincing guys. But whatever the motivation of making the album was, I think even some of the Blinks would say that this is tiring formula. And I don't think any songs from the album conveyed the dullness quite like Shut Down.

10. Shut Down by Blackpink

    I mean what can you say at this point about Blackpink's rap song that wasn't being talked about before in past songs like How You Like That or even Pink Venom. At the very least Pink Venom has legit production genius with the boom bap 90's rap sound in the second verse. But this song? Yeah no doubt this is the blandest song Teddy Park had ever produced. I mean it's just a stock trap beat with some strings and keys with blown out bass that's it. And I kinda hate how empty the song is overall. But really, the reason why this song was as bad as it is...might be from the performance themselves. It's lifeless and lack any kinds of energy that I know Lisa & co. can do. I guess all I can say to these girls is that please get out of your contracts and go make what you are capable to do. 

    9. If there's any kind of trend that is prevalent in a scattered year like this, it would be blatant sampling. Now sampling is a great tool to use for recontextualized or even enhanced the experience of the song it sampled. But, this year has been a test of how many obvious samples from popular songs we can use. You got some good examples with Betty (Get Money) by Yung Gravy, Last Last by Burna Boy, and After Like by IVE. And then you got the mediocre one with Cold Heart by Elton John ft. Dua Lipa which is basically remaking Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley but with Elton John songs and make it disco, it has enough groove though to leave it out of this worst list entirely. This song on the other hand...yeah it's been a long time coming.

9. Big Energy by Latto

    Now the blatant samples here is Fantasy by Mariah Carey which is probably my favorite Mariah Carey singles, in which also sampled Genius of Love. It has one of the tightest groove courtesy of Dave Hall production and I really love the remix too with the late ODB. Big Energy on the other hand replaced the cool g-funk synth with a bog standard nu-disco beat courtesy of a serial creep Dr. Luke. It's already a very noticeable downgrade, but we have to talk about the content of the song which is...not good. Now let's go back to Fantasy for a second. This song is very self explanatory- a girl has a fantasy of falling in love with a guy. Pretty simple love song all things considered. Big Energy on the other hand got the title from the meme Big Dick Energy. Despite the title being...that, Latto still can't get the meme right. In the song, she wanted a guy with big dick which is not what the phrase is all about. Just like Shut Down, this song reeks of corporate move by Dr. Luke and co to try and capitalized the nu-disco craze that was happening in late 2021. This song is a sign that maybe we should either tone back with the sound or make an actual disco song. 

    8. Let's rewind back to 2019 where TikTok is shaping up music trends and there's a lot of artists that became successful because of TikTok. 2019 might just be three years ago but it might as well be another century in terms of pop music. Even though some of the trends are  still be seen today, This year has shown that the hegemony of TikTok is inevitable and it can be good and bad thing for pop music. On one hand we still get more and more small artists catching a glimmer of success from the TikTok hits to mainstream success, on the other hand just like any streaming sites, the big media corporation will try and co-opting the success of a certain song and giving artists who we thought we left behind another hit. In another word, Chris Brown

8. Under The Influence by Chris Brown

    As I said before, TikTok will make any songs to become a hit and this song is another example of that, even though it's not deserved. This song is a deep cut from an extended version of two hours Chris Brown album from 2019 that only became a hit this year because it was used on TikTok. And of course since this is Chris Brown, it went immediately popular on the radio. This song is very lousy for very obvious reason. To be honest as I am writing this entry, I needed so much help just to get through making it. I even making mini reviews of every number one hits ever on my new Tumblr in which you can click here. I'm currently writing this while listening to 2008 hits for some research and even Chris Brown songs back then were better than this schlog. You know what? fuck it I'm just gonna talk about more interesting bad songs that didn't make the cut.

• Falling Back by Drake : Pathetic attempt at making what would otherwise a decently produced house music with that buzzy synth and just awful lyrics
• Truth About You by Mitchell Tenpenny : What would happened when Treat You Better was direct and mixed with boyfriend country...charming
• Tom's Diner by AnnenMayKantereit & Giant Rooks : A butchered cover of the original acapella and the DNA remix, basically 2022 answers to Put Your Records On

    7. I'm Good by David Guetta ft. Bebe Rexha will not be on this list. I mean I have every right to put that song on the worst list. But I have to admit, this song helped me a lot during my internship period in a government agency. Even if I don't like the song I still won't be putting that song on the list because well...

7. Don't You Worry by Black Eyed Peas, Shakira & David Guetta

    This was barely made it to the Global Excl US year end and the fact that this song became a hit, says a lot about this year as a whole. This song also a prime example of how ideally bankrupt Black Eyed Peas has become ever since Fergie departed from the group. They are looking for trends in pop music worldwide and just making the most barebone sounds they can found of those said trends. This song is a prime example of that. You know, I never thought that you couldn't butchered Shakira presence even more after Girl Like Me, but they somehow managed to do it with the help of David Guetta. David Guetta is probably the least talented DJ around and just like BEP, he made some of the blandest and cookie cutter EDM tracks to have ever come out this decade. He actually have another hit with Ella Henderson past her prime and Becky Hill and I would put that on the list if it wasn't just a typical Head & Heart rip off and at the very least the production isn't as bad as in this. The guitar does sound nice, but that "Better Off Alone" synth doesn't work here against the basic instrument. The vocals sounds like they are being recorded on a different country especially Shakira which is just sad. I'm just hoping that we leave Black Eyed Peas into the early 2010's where they belong.

    6. I've been observing and reviewing music for probably almost a decade, and what I observed is that picking songs for worst list at least since 2016, had been for how the content is divisive or something along those lines. Take 2018 where a lot of people put Freaky Friday by Lil Dicky ft. Chris Brown because the concept of Lil Dicky making a comedy song about swapping body with Chris Brown and didn't punched down on him. That's a pretty egregious stuff there especially what happened before or since. However, I'm glad that these two entries are here because of just how terrible these songs sound. First up...Russell Dickerson.

6. She Likes It by Russell Dickerson ft. Jake Scott

    Russell Dickerson is probably the worst boyfriend country artist I've ever had to listen to. His songs are either douchy or just very saccarine that he puts Dan & Shay to shame. But this song is a different beast entirely. Largely due to how fucking awful this song sounds like. I have heard some minimalist pop songs before but this one took things into uncanney valley for me. Right from that muted guitar at the start and then it piled up with the electric guitar, the claps, the muted bass and all that created these claustrophobic feels to it. It doesn't helped that the melody sounds like it will falls apart at any moment, making this song sounding even more goofy than it is. Both Jake and Russell here are such non entity that you have to focus on the beat. This beat is like my sleep paralysis, It's suffocating and I can't do anything about it beside just skip it.

    5. Now from minimalism nightmarish song to the maximalism nightmarish song which makes it more disappointing coming from Harry Styles

5. Music for A Sushi Restaurant by Harry Styles

    Everything about this song felt gross. The lyrics are gross as Harry remade the same subject matter as Watermelon Sugar but with worse lyrics like how he wanna cook an egg on you...ew, the whole interlude part, and the freaking scatting. The singing is gross as Harry trying to sound so seductive and sensual, but with the scatting and him singing in his lower register most of the times or just yelling with vocal filter which sounds very unnerving, makes it just plain unsexy. The instrumental and the production are gross. The best way I could describe this production is late David Bowie circa Never Let Me Down at its most gaudy and excess. The fake trumpets, the perky bass, the erratic composition, and that background vocals who just doesn't connect with anything. All of these elements amounted to a headache listening experience that it honestly making Harry's House one of the more disappointing big releases of the year. The sushi has gone bad let's buy foods at Lawson let's move on.

    4. I kinda feel bad for Post Malone. I believe what he said that he wanted to make more darker album and a few listens to his newest album Twelve Karat Toothache proved that he can and will go darker. But the execs at Republic seeing the success of Circles can't find any songs for a singles that won't aliniate the silent majority forced Posty to make the lumpiest 80's throwback with One Right Now, A Roddy Ricch past his prime collaboration in Cooped Up, and then the most famous and worst of all...this.

4. I Like You (A Happier Song) by Post Malone ft. Doja Cat

    Believe it or not, this could work but not how you expect it to be. Yeah this song is basically a leftover from Planet Her with the nondescripted melody, some strings, and that muted production, But, I feel like these type of corporate compromises can work and have worked before. Me Myself & I by De La Soul is a prime example of being a corporate compromises because the label wanted a radio hit and they got it. But with the tired tone of the song and also with the most cliche subject matter, I knew it right away that Posty doesn't want to make this. And that's why this song is in the list. This song is the most calculated hit of the year, something that most of the people worked on it are just doing it out of spite. Which of course is becoming his biggest song on the album because the silent majority got what they wanted. Not noticing that these type of songs are just product, not from a place of passion or interest of the artists. I know that there's a certain quality that made those said product to work of course there are, but the biggest driving force for those quality is passion. And I don't see it with this song...sorry.

    3. It's been two years since the pandemic started and I feel like we need to have a conversation surrounding the impact of TikTok in the pop music scene as a whole. On the one hand, TikTok helped smaller artists to become popular overnight even with limited success and that's just good for the indie scene as a whole. On the other hand, those said artists are sometimes amateurs and without the help of the big label and budget, it can be exausting seeing people excusing mediocrity just because the meme is good. That's the conundrum of pop music throughout 2020's so far because you want to root for the underdogs in an increasingly brutal music industry and I could talk about that all day. But when the underdog created slob like this? Yeah no excuse whatsoever

3. Toxic by Boywithuke

    Now for those Americans you might see the name Boywithuke by his godawful collaboration with Blackbear IDGAF, which that title is already taken by Dua Lipa and just the worse version of any Blackbear songs here. Well anyways this is even worse than that song because the production on that song at least have budget compared to this which is the singles that went viral. Yes I am aware that he's still 20 and with his schtick of using ukulele (hence the name), but others have done these sort of styles of alt-pop better and at this point there's no excuse if your song sounds like garbage. You can tell that this song is cheap but my god that buzzing bass slathered around the hook sounds hideous. The ukulele sounds fine enough but it got crushed by the cheap drumset. And that vocal sounds like it was recorded by Blue Yeti mic and not the good one. Again, Billie Eilish and FINNEAS made Ocean Eyes in their bedroom and it sounded better than this shit.

    Now with those alone I would hate this song in a heartbeat, but we have to talk about the main reason as to why this song is high on the list and that's the subject matter and framing. I mean with that title alone, I expected this song to be grade A wastebin. But I didn't expected it to be this bad, let alone to be appaled. This song is basically Boywithuke winging about how all of his friends are fake and that he can be all by himself and all that. So basically he has main character syndrome with the side of alcoholism. Now this could work if the song take on a self reflection route like say Real Friends by Kanye West ft. Ty Dolla $ign (yes I know). But nope, instead he took on incel route especially with the bridge implying that he was the one that were damaged by this person. It reeks of some insecurity bullshit that were churned out by the manosphere these days. And judging by his other singles, yeah we should call it out for what it is. 

    2. So far in this list we have talked about bad sampling, industry meddling, incels, and some disappointment on the list. All of that are to me fun to talk about and bring a lot of entertainment for me and my brain. But these last two entries are very much indicative of how 2022 pop music is such a chore to keep up. First one on the docket is the concept of redemtion arc. Now I believe in rehabilitation over incarceration because of how vengeful a lot of people are nowadays when it comes to people that do crime. I will always say that people deserved a second chance and that's really what bugged me about internet discourse nowadays. But when you need someone who is celebrated in the black community to try and rehabilitate your racism, and then you double down on your shitty behavior. Yeah this song deserved a spot on the list.

2. Broadway Girls by Lil Durk & Morgan Wallen

    Now for those who don't know it yet, I'm not black. And my opinion about the redemption arc for Morgan Wallen is not valid at all in the whole scope of things. But I can say that his behavior in 2022 has not showed that he's feeling remorseful at all culminating with his cameo appearance in a Jason Aldean show after Jason basically mocked Maren Morris for supporting trans rights. As such I'm not gonna held back for saying that the presence of Morgan Wallen is actively making the pop music scene worse. His brand of trap country music has always been badly produced gunk and even his "best song" always held back by his way of writing in which he really wanna make more Whiskey Glasses. This song however is a different beast all together because in the light of racism allegations, what a white man gonna do? Of course just say "Well I have black friends". Now yes Lil Durk has said that he's a fan of Morgan Wallen, but this still feel like Republic trying desperately to rehabilitate Morgan's name while Sony trying to market Lil Durk to more mainstream appeal...as if he didn't have that with Now Laugh, Cry Later but I digress. In conclusion, Morgan Wallen apology tour worked and there's nothing we can do about it...what a mess.

    Before we are going to see what song topped this worst list, some dishonorable mentions. and this one I actually have some songs that missed the cut the last time out but now I can't stand. Starting off with:

Buy Dirt - Jordan Davis ft. Luke Bryan

    Oh cool advice there Jordan and Luke yeah lemme try and buy a patch of land that definitely not very expensive because guys like you drive up the prices of that said land. Yeah that's a good idea. God Jordan Davis traditional Americana lifestyle in the 2020s pissed me off so much.

Bones - Imagine Dragons

    People said that the chorus for "Believer" or "Thunder" were grating. Well I have a good rebuttal and it's this song. It's like he's practically in front of me shouting with a lot of phlegm. Next!

Doja - Central Cee

    This song is on the list alone because the usage of someone's name as the title of the song for SEO purposes. The only reason I didn't put it on the list proper is that it's too dumb to hate really. Sped up that sample from "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" is goofy enough as it is, but then Cench just devolved into British version of Big Sean and that's just too hilarious for me to dislike.

Romantic Homicide - d4vd

    Now this would've been on the list proper if I wrote this list today but hey it's for archival reason so count yourself lucky there d4vd. Probably the only luck he can get because...oof

Miss You - Oliver Tree ft. Robin Schulz

    Nice collaboration you got there Oliver Tree remixing your song with a notable DJ and then it went viral. Good stuff. One question though. How much money do you need to pay for the original artist that actually remixed this song? No money? Okay then...

Super Gremlin - Kodak Black

    The fact that Kendrick cosigning Kodak Black didn't come into your mind when you made your diss tracks Drake is probably because you wanna collaborating with this guy. Y'know the same rapper that can't stay on beat, have more grating voice that Gilbert Gottfried without the intentions (god rest his soul), and saying the r slur on the second verse. Yeah surely you wanna collaborated with that guy would you Drake.

Sweetest Pie - Megan Thee Stallion ft. Dua Lipa

    This song is a perfect example as to why this year was such a slog to go through. A nondescript singles by a rapper and a singer that should know better. A pop rap song that doesn't satisfy both pop and rap audience. Just a dud from both of these artists with horrific music video to boot.

abcdefu - Gayle

    This is just sad. 

    1. Well that was very doozy list so far yeah. Now you are wondering what's gonna be my #1 right. Well for this one I wanna talk about a concept that has been misconstrued and butchered to the dirt. And that is "separate the art from the artist". Now that concept was invented or part of it from Roland Barthes essay called "The Death of the Author" which is a critiques of the literary criticism that relied on the intention of the author. Instead Barthes argued that the literary stands on its own regardless of what the author thinks. This in turn created the idea that you must separate the art from the artists because the art stands on its own. Now it might true that the interpretation of the reader is just as powerful as what the writer intended, it's true that art came from a reflection of the real life of the writer and their surrounding. Now, what if you are that writer and intended to make an anthem about self empowerment and how you can't be stopped in say 2016. But then, in 2021 you decided to make a movie about autistic people and bungled it so bad that your reputation is tarnished because of what you said to those communities. And then, that song from 2016 became a TikTok hit in 2022. Would you in good conscience put that song on the list this high just because of that? The answer is yes because Sia has crossed the line.

1. Unstoppable - Sia

    I think it's kinda telling that even though she got this one became a TikTok hit, she can't capitalized on it. Chris Brown and Kodak Black did better at capitalized on their TikTok success. But there's a reason why really and it's because the general public would rather seeing the villains double down on their vices rather than seeing those trying to repent for their sins. It's something I have been thinking about especially what happened right now. I'm almost feel bad for Sia here. But then I remembered what Sia said about the neurodivergent community and about her movie that supposedly about those community being bastardized to bits. And then remembered this song is supposed to be an empowerment anthem and I just recoiled in disgust. I mean it's hypocritical for her to make a song about being unstoppable while also trying to stop criticism from one of the most vulnerable communities on the planet. And really the argument of "separating the art" is busted here because music is really something that needed the personal experience to make music you wanted. And this now with all the calculation we have felt like a corporate decision to be more inclusive when in reality they just did the bare minimum. That's how I felt about this song and without a doubt, the worst hit song of 2022. A lot of the songs on this list are very dated and badly produced, but none gave me the biggest ick than this one.

    My best list will be here soon after the Spring ranking so stay tuned for that one.