Vote NOW for the 2018 Dennis DeYoung Award for Most ANNOYING song of ALL TIME.

[Miles Archer]

I created and named this award in honor of Dennis DeYoung, formerly of Styx, surely a world-class purveyor of the most amusing songs ever to enter an ear canal.

"Babe."

"Come Sail Away."

"Mr. Roboto."

So your vote in the 2018 Dennis DeYoung Awards for Most ANNOYING song of ALL TIME is not limited to Mr. DeYoung, although you are obviously free to vote for any of his fine compositions.

Which song annoys YOU the most?

[LonePirate]

1. White Lion - When the Children Cry

Back in the 1980s, rock and metal bands were pretty much required to put one or two ballads on their albums. Unsurprisingly, almost all of these ballads were horrendous because these were rock bands, not crooners or pop singers. It just was not in their wheelhouse. Not only that but the songs were typically cringe-inducing examples of the worst maudlin lyrics imaginable. “When the Children Cry” is perhaps the most egregious example of one of these awful ballads from a rock band. Everything about it is horrible.

[kmla]

2. Abracadabra - Steve Miller Band

The worst song ever, with the distinction of also being one of the worst videos ever created as well.

Everytime I hear the riff, I throw up in my mouth a little bit.

[Miles Archer]

4. I'm with you on that one

I recently got a copy of his "Ultimate Hits Deluxe Edition"...40 tracks, 2-1/2 hours of music. I always found his first three albums, 1968-1969 (Children of the Future, Sailor, Brave New World) to be his strongest, especially with Boz Scaggs on the first two. When I listened to the "Ultimate Hits" album, the song that remained strongest to me was "Baby's Callin' Me Home" (lead vocals by Scaggs, he also wrote it)

[Dave Starsky]

13. He claimed to have written that song in about 10 minutes...

While riding on a ski lift in Sun Valley.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. I like Styx.

About, gee, twenty years ago, a local radio had one of those battle of the bands on the air. The contestants were Styx and Rush. They would play a few songs from each group, and listeners were to call in and vote for which group they liked more. "Not much of a contest," I thought, anticipating that Rush would mop the floor with Styx. Then they started playing the songs by Styx. One after another great hit from the 70s, a decade that had much better music than it gets credit for. All those chart-topping songs. I recalled how much I enjoyed Styx tunes. The contest was not, for me at least, as easy as I thought it would be.

But, for the purposes of the contest, my answer is, anything Autotuned.

[Miles Archer]

5. I got into Rush late in the game

Geddy Lee's vocals were a bit much for me. They smoothed out over time so I tend to listen to the live albums and everything from Moving Pictures onward.

DeYoung was what kept me away from Styx. I did enjoy the "Paradise Theater" album, primarily because it didn't spawn any hits like the ones I named in my OP. The Allmusic Website calls them "one of America's best commercial progressive rock bands of the late '70s with albums like The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight," and the turn to more pop-oriented songs which followed was a love it or hate it proposition.

[hurl]

6. Muskrat Love

[kmla]

7. What do you have against Muskrat Susie and Muskrat Sam?

Are they not allowed to do the jitterbug down in Muskrat Land?

[Beausoleil]

17. The original was soooo much better

[hurl]

18. Wow

Never heard this.... You made me reconsider. Obviously the difference is whoever thought that synthesizer sound was cool... That bonehead had too many connections in the recording industrty.

[Beausoleil]

19. I just hope that Mr. Ramsey made a ton of money off of their hit. n/t

[Major Nikon]

8. ...

[Miles Archer]

9. I actually enjoyed that more than "Come Sail Away."

[Generic Brad]

10. Lorelei

I feel that is the worst in the Styx catalogue.

[Leith]

11. Shame on You for Making Me Think of It

But it's The Name Game. Inane, repetitive, nonsensical without being clever, an absolute monstrosity of noise.

[Glorfindel]

12. I started to post "Cut the Cake" by the Average White Band; then I thought of this one

It makes me want to kick someone.

[Dave Starsky]

14. No Rain - Blind Melon

Like nails on a goddamn chalkboard. I want to rip the stereo out of the dash whenever our local classic rock station plays it, which is about twice a week.

[Initech]

16. I see your Blind Melon and raise you Lit - My Own Worst Enemy

Good lord - that song has the worst possible combination of annoying chords and frat boy douchebag lyrics that anyone could possibly come up with! I cringe every time this song comes up on the modern rock station.

[Initech]

15. Oh come on nothing holds a candle to this!

Or maybe this.

Or maybe this.

I've got plenty more where that came from!

[TheSmarterDog]

20. C'mon guys. Not even close.