Worst Songs of the 2000s

Best-of-an-era lists are always super-subjective: One judge's American Idol might be another's 'American Idiot.' But getting a majority to agree on the worst songs of the past decade should be a safer proposition. Can we assume we've all been aggravated to the point of self-injury by at least a few of the songs that follow? We thought so.

50. 'You're Beautiful,' James Blunt (2004)
Voted the most irritating song of all time in a British newspaper poll. By the same people who gave us Mr. Blunt in the first place.

49. 'Rockstar,' Nickelback (2005)
The band followed up its blockbuster 'How You Remind Me' with a rash of hits, none of which gave us quite the rash of this faux-cowboy anthem.

48. 'Warrior,' Kid Rock (2008)
If we plug our ears, does that mean we don't support the troops?

47. 'Gasolina,' Daddy Yankee (2004)
Pay at the pump. Do not top off.

46. 'Kryptonite,' 3 Doors Down (2000)
It's named, of course, for Superman's weakness. That's assuming the band has strengths.

45. 'Numb,' Linkin Park (2003)
"Can't you see that you're smothering me?" Chester asks. Hey, it's a two-way street.

44. 'La La,' Ashlee Simpson (2005)
Infamously, the pop star's next single after her 'SNL' lip-syncing meltdown. Should we be surprised it tanked?

43. 'Hollaback Girl,' Gwen Stefani (2005)
Dissed as a "cheerleader," Gwen chose the high road, poking fun at herself with this pom-pom anthem. Personally, we're partial to Toni Basil.

42. 'I Kissed a Girl,' Katy Perry (2008)
California voters reversed the right to same-sex marriage the year this song was released. Coincidence?

41. 'The Reason,' Hoobastank (2003)
Ballads and ridiculous band names haven't been this egregiously linked since the Butthole Surfers' 'The Ballad of Naked Man.'

40. 'Bad Day,' Daniel Powter (2005)
Covered by Alvin and the Chipmunks, who did it better.

39. 'Butterfly,' Crazy Town (2001)
"I'll make your legs shake": Are they pulling our leg?

38. 'Laffy Taffy,' D4L (2005)
Kiddie candy hasn't been so inappropriately raunchy since Blow Pops and Atomic Fireballs.

37. 'I Am a Gummy Bear (The Gummy Bear Song),' Gummibar (2007)
Please tell us this one isn't X-rated, too.

36. 'Milkshake,' Kelis (2003)
Seriously, what's next? Now they're going to tell us there's something kinky about cotton candy.

35. 'Fergalicious,' Fergie (2006)
Fergie appears elsewhere on our list with the Black Eyed Peas, making her our sole repeat offender. Not that she's the only one who annoyed us twice.

34. 'Blue (Da Ba Dee),' Eiffel 65 (2000)
Do I look green to you?

33. 'She Bangs,' Ricky Martin (2000)
William Hung covered it. They make a nice couple.

32. 'Stars Are Blind,' Paris Hilton (2006)
Apparently deaf, too.

31. 'Wrestlers,' Hot Chip (2008)
A wan electropop ditty that depicts a domestic dispute in terms of pro wrestling. "Don't hit me with the chair": Only if you put this song down for the count.

30. 'American Life,' Madonna (2003)
With its military theme on the eve of the Iraq War, Madonna pulled her own video from circulation. Madonna, self-censoring: That's not the America we know and love.

29. 'Forever,' Chris Brown (2008)
Rihanna clearly has a different point of view on this one.

28. 'I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman,' Britney Spears (2001)
The waffling was killing us.

27. 'PopoZao,' Kevin Federline (2006)
The unwanted pop star should have taken a new nickname: Force-Fed.

26. 'It Wasn't Me,' Shaggy (2000)
Kicking off an unaccountable decade with an immortal pop denial: "It wasn't me."