The songs are mired in controversy thanks to the artists who created them. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most beloved songs that have become uncomfortable to revisit due to controversies surrounding the musicians behind them.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most beloved songs
00:11that have become uncomfortable to revisit due to controversies surrounding the musicians
00:17behind them.
00:2510.
00:26New York, New York – Ryan Adams Originally set for release on September 11,
00:392001, this Ryan Adams song was postponed until November following the terrorist attacks.
00:46Despite the delay, New York, New York became an unexpected anthem for the shaken city,
00:50symbolizing its resilience and hope in the face of the tragedy.
00:54But the song has since become harder to enjoy after sexual misconduct allegations surfaced
00:59against Adams.
01:01In 2019, several women, including his ex-wife Mandy Moore, accused him of sexual harassment
01:07and emotionally manipulative behavior.
01:14Although Adams initially denied the allegations, he later admitted wrongdoing and apologized.
01:20Nevertheless, the feel-good New York, New York that once lifted people's spirits now
01:24carries the weight of Adams' tarnished reputation.
01:329.
01:36Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On – Jerry Lee Lewis
01:39After kicking off his career in the early 1950s, Jerry Lee Lewis scored his first major
01:44hit in 1957 with a cover of Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On.
01:53Famous for its energetic piano riffs and Lewis' fiery performance, the song became a rockabilly
01:58classic and catapulted Lewis to international fame.
02:02Just one year later, while on a tour in Britain, it was revealed that Lewis had married his
02:06teenage cousin, Myra Gayle Brown.
02:19This news damaged his rising career and yanked him away from the spotlight.
02:23The song's popularity also waned as many couldn't listen to it without being reminded
02:28of the scandal surrounding the man who breathed new life into it.
02:358.
02:37Stronger – Kanye West
02:43There's no question that Stronger was a massive hit when it dropped in 2007.
02:48Its blend of hip-hop and futuristic electronica beats was groundbreaking and propelled the
02:52song to the top of the Billboard Hot 100.
02:55But what was initially an anthem of self-empowerment and emancipation has now taken on a different
03:01vibe amid Kanye West's erratic behavior, controversial comments, and troubling affiliations.
03:20It's hard to bop to a track that symbolized the future of hip-hop when the artist behind
03:24it now seems to represent divisive rhetoric that only pulls us back to the past.
03:29Don't get us wrong, the song still slaps, but its once-empowering message has been drowned
03:34out by the noise of West's seemingly never-ending scandals.
03:417.
03:44Coming Home – Diddy, Dirty Money Featuring Skylar Grey
03:54In November 2023, Sean Diddy Combs' career essentially crumbled after his former girlfriend,
04:01singer Cassie, filed a lawsuit accusing him of physical and sexual assault.
04:06This opened the floodgates to a deluge of allegations from other women.
04:10Among them was Dawn Richard, a member of the musical trio Diddy, Dirty Money, which also
04:16included Combs and singer Kalena Harper.
04:18The group's most successful single was Coming Home, an uplifting song about returning to
04:23one's roots that was celebrated for its lyrics of triumph and survival.
04:33But those powerful themes have been overshadowed by the serious accusations surrounding Combs.
04:39Richard, in particular, who collaborated with Combs on the song, has claimed that he threatened
04:44and groped her during their time working together.
04:506.
04:54Never Learn Not To Love – The Beach Boys Today, Charles Manson is widely known as the
05:04cult leader who was held responsible for the Tate-LaBianca murders.
05:09But what many do not know is that Manson was also a musician.
05:14In his early attempts to get his career off the ground, Manson penned a song titled Cease
05:18To Exist for the Beach Boys.
05:26The band later tweaked the music and lyrics, releasing it in 1968 as Never Learn Not To
05:31Love.
05:32Less than a year later, Manson and his family would go on to carry out the infamous murders.
05:38While the track itself is a mellow, introspective piece, its association with Manson's disturbing
05:44actions has made it a challenging listen, as it now serves as a reminder of one of history's
05:50darkest chapters.
05:565.
06:00Crazy – Gnarls Barkley The duo of singer-songwriter CeeLo Green and
06:09producer Danger Mouse created the infectious hit Crazy, which captivated listeners worldwide
06:14with its blend of R&B, funk, and psychedelic sounds.
06:23The song's acclaim is undeniable.
06:26It won a Grammy and was the UK's best-selling single of 2006.
06:30However, its achievements have become eclipsed by the controversy surrounding one half of
06:35the duo.
06:36In 2014, Green pleaded no contest to charges related to drugging and sexually assaulting
06:42a woman.
06:43He received even more backlash when he put out a series of tweets attempting to redefine
06:47sexual assault.
06:49This controversy has tainted the song's legacy for some, reflecting the broader issue
06:53of how exactly to engage with art created by problematic figures.
07:034.
07:06California Dreamin' – The Mamas and the Papas Perhaps more than any other song, California
07:20Dreamin' by The Mamas and the Papas captures the longing for sunshine and warmth, a dream
07:25of escaping winter's gloom for the West Coast.
07:28It was written by band members and married couple John and Michelle Phillips.
07:32But while many have that relationship to thank for this tune, John's daughter Mackenzie
07:38has made claims that cast a troubling shadow over her father's work.
07:43In 2009, Mackenzie alleged that she and Phillips shared a 10-year sexual relationship that
07:48began with the sexual assault incident.
08:05Although some family members deny the accusations, the contrast between the dreamy escape the
08:10song offers and Mackenzie's disturbing claims have made it harder for some to separate the
08:15art from the artist.
08:223.
08:26Last Train Home – Lost Prophets Six years after their formation, this Welsh
08:36alt-rock band landed their first bona fide hit in 2003 with Last Train Home.
08:42The track cracked the top 10 in the UK and topped the alternative songs chart in the
08:46US, quickly turning lead singer Ian Watkins into a star.
08:50But Watkins terribly misused his platform, engaging in illegal conduct with minors and
08:55possessing highly inappropriate material.
08:58He was arrested for these crimes and in 2013 was sentenced to 29 years in prison.
09:11For many fans, knowing Watkins co-wrote and performed the song they once held dear has
09:16completely ruined it.
09:17Now, Last Train Home comes with baggage that just makes it hard to enjoy in the same way.
09:262.
09:30Do What You Want – Lady Gaga Featuring R. Kelly
09:38Even back in 2013, when this song was released, Lady Gaga's choice to feature R. Kelly was
09:44already controversial.
09:46Although Kelly had been acquitted of sexual misconduct charges, rumours about him still
09:50persisted.
09:51And for a song about people trying to control and exploit her image, Kelly was clearly the
09:56worst possible collaborator.
10:00Nevertheless, Gaga initially defended her decision, dismissing some of the rumours as
10:09very untrue.
10:11She later acknowledged her error in judgement in 2019, following the release of the Lifetime
10:16documentary, Surviving R. Kelly, and apologised for the collaboration.
10:20Since then, the version featuring Kelly has been pulled from streaming platforms and replaced
10:24by a much more dignified rendition with Christina Aguilera.
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10:501.
10:52Rock and Roll – Gary Glitter Although Glitter had multiple top ten hits
10:57in the UK, his only major success in the US came in 1972 with his two-part single, Rock
11:03and Roll.
11:11Over time, the second part of the song became a staple at sporting events in the US, frequently
11:16playing during NFL and NHL games.
11:19However, beginning in 1999, Glitter was convicted of multiple sex offences involving minors.
11:25Many sporting venues, teams, and broadcasters stopped using Rock and Roll in a bid to distance
11:31themselves from the singer's tarnished image.
11:34Listening to the song now often triggers discomfort among fans, as many associate it not with
11:40nostalgia, but with Glitter's reprehensible actions.
11:49Are there any of your favourite songs you hesitate to revisit due to a controversy involving
11:53the artist?
11:54Let us know in the comments below!