The Music We Love But Won’t Admit To

Everyone has those particular songs which are hidden deep within their music library inside a seemingly harmless playlist or inside a folder named “Random.” We might feel ashamed to admit ownership of these tracks but we must acknowledge that these songs still bring us enjoyment.

Why Are We Embarrassed?
Music serves as a profound personal expression that becomes an integral part of who many people are. Our playlist selections reveal our aspirational self-image because we want people to see us as trendy, cultured, or knowledgeable. The embarrassing boy band anthem from the early 2000s or the overly dramatic movie soundtrack stands out as the music piece that doesn’t match our projected image.

The root of embarrassment stems from the concern that others will judge us. We fear that others will doubt our musical taste if we confess to loving a cheesy 80s song or a youthful pop hit. People should not feel embarrassed about enjoying music since its purpose is to bring joy to listeners.

The Songs We Hide (But Never Delete)
You might find yourself unknowingly singing an old boy band song in your vehicle. A 90s one-hit wonder triggers an immediate lift in your mood. You might hide a silly novelty song that causes laughter every time it plays. Despite our attempts to hide these songs from others we find ourselves unable to delete them.

Own Your Musical Guilty Pleasures
Music ultimately brings happiness to our lives. Your happiness with a song is what really matters so never worry about other people's opinions. Our favorite playlists reveal our true selves rather than the personas we choose to present to others. Play that embarrassing song at full volume and have fun without feeling bad about it!

Sure! People's musical guilty pleasures change based on their personal preferences, cultural background and social circles yet here are some artists and bands individuals might find embarrassing to openly admit they listen to, see below.

Get our free mobile app

THE RIGHT SONG CAN MAKE YOU GET A SPEEDING TICKET, READ ON!

Pop & Mainstream Artists
Nickelback
Creed
Imagine Dragons
Coldplay (especially post-early 2000s)
Maroon 5 (especially later albums)
Ed Sheeran
Justin Bieber
One Direction
The Jonas Brothers
Shawn Mendes

Cheesy or Over-the-Top Rock/Metal
Limp Bizkit
Kid Rock
Bon Jovi
Poison
Def Leppard
Europe ("The Final Countdown")
KISS receives mixed reactions from fans who either cherish their music or dismiss it as excessive.
Fans who have moved past their emo years enjoy listening to My Chemical Romance.

Teen Pop & Bubblegum Pop
Britney Spears
Backstreet Boys
NSYNC
Spice Girls
Hanson ("MMMBop")
Aqua ("Barbie Girl")
Miley Cyrus (early Hannah Montana era)
The Vengaboys

Electronic/Dance & Eurotrash
Eiffel 65 ("Blue (Da Ba Dee)")
Cascada
Basshunter
Crazy Frog
Darude ("Sandstorm")

Country & Bro-Country
Florida Georgia Line
Luke Bryan
Blake Shelton
Kenny Chesney

Hip-hop musicians frequently draw criticism for their repetitive nature and cringe-inducing performances.
Pitbull
Flo Rida
Macklemore
Post Malone (divisive, depending on the crowd)
Vanilla Ice
MC Hammer

Miscellaneous & Meme Artists
Smash Mouth ("All Star")
Rick Astley ("Never Gonna Give You Up")
William Hung ("She Bangs")
Crazy Town ("Butterfly")
Corey Feldman
Rebecca Black ("Friday")