The Most Universally Accepted and Liked Song Thread

[Adami]

Right, but that goes for Bohemian Rhapsody as well.

I would argue that BR has found a place in pop culture, even today, that those other songs really haven't.





I feel like a lot of those other songs, while not necessarily disliked, are more likely to be met with apathy by the general population today.

[Train of Naught]

I think (one of) the most universally liked song(s) is Hey Ya! by Outkast, I'm shocked no one has mentioned it yet. Even though the 'biggest fans' of that song might not love them quite as much as the hardcore Bohemian Rhapsody fans, I think it covers a way wider range of people who enjoy - or rather, accept - it.

No one has mentioned it cause no one likes it.... 

Never heard of it...

Same.  Or Outkast at all, for that matter.  I think for it to qualify as "universally accepted and liked," it goes without saying that people have to have actually heard of it. 

It's undoubtedly one of the most widely accepted songs in pop culture of the last 15 years or so. I don't really base my nomination on whether you happen to know it. This thread is not a contest of how many DTF members have heard of a certain song, I'm trying to look at the question fom a more realistic point of view since I have the idea that some seem to narrow it down to just rock music. There are plenty of songs originating from the rock-scene that appear on a list of "most universally accepted/liked songs", but there's a severe lack of mentions of pop music.

Universally liked on a rock forum is a little differant than universally loved.

Basically these are my sentiments

[The Letter M]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q93IT_f0uaQ

-Marc.

[bosk1]

I think (one of) the most universally liked song(s) is Hey Ya! by Outkast, I'm shocked no one has mentioned it yet. Even though the 'biggest fans' of that song might not love them quite as much as the hardcore Bohemian Rhapsody fans, I think it covers a way wider range of people who enjoy - or rather, accept - it.

No one has mentioned it cause no one likes it.... 

Never heard of it...

Same.  Or Outkast at all, for that matter.  I think for it to qualify as "universally accepted and liked," it goes without saying that people have to have actually heard of it. 

It's undoubtedly one of the most widely accepted songs in pop culture of the last 15 years or so.

I understand those words, but I don't think they mean what you think they mean.

[mike099]

We Will Rock You.

Laughed when you mentioned 'We will rock you'.  My 2 year old granddaughter tries to sing to this song and has the drum parts down pretty well with her feet.

[lonestar]

Right, but that goes for Bohemian Rhapsody as well.

As I said in the op, every one at a Kanye West concert knew the words (they had to, Kanye sure as fuck couldn't sing it...)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocCYI7aJ9aw

(come to think of it, I think this video was from a large Euro rock festival)

[Kwyjibo]

I'm not disputing that a lot of people know BR, I just wanted to throw in some songs that might be (or not?) widely known. And it's not that I've listed only rock songs.

We Are The Champions is played at every major sports event. In every bar or pub that I know when Thunderstruck is played everybody goes "ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha THUNDER" and that's not only rock fans.

My old folks know nothing about rock or pop and certainly have never heard of Bohemian Rhapsody but they can sing along to Yesterday.

So maybe these songs aren't as universally known as BR, but they certainly aren't limited to being only liked on a rock forum.

Besides a lot of those songs are still played on mainstream radio, whereas I've never heard BR on the radio, but maybe I'm listening to the wrong stations.

[Logain Ablar]

It got me to thinking that this song has crossed generations and genres like few others, to the point where you'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't have at least passing familiarity with it.

If I understand lonestar's OP properly, I think maybe the bolded bit above is what he's looking for.

I was trying to think of songs that both my parents and my kids would know. As an experiment, I let the kids hear Hound Dog and Singing In The Rain, and they knew both of them straight away. Whether they're universally liked or not is another thing, but it's those kinds of songs that seem to be known across generations.

[DragonAttack]

Having hosted many college age students from across the globe for a day or two over the years via a local university, they have all known 'We Will Rock You', 'We Are The Champions', 'Bohemian Rhapsody', .....and some have sung aloud the 'Ready, Freddie' line during 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'. 

I should test them on 'Hey Jude' and 'She Loves You', as well as 'Thriller'.

(fyi....there are no drums in the slow studio version of WWRY)

[Stadler]

I'm not disputing that a lot of people know BR, I just wanted to throw in some songs that might be (or not?) widely known. And it's not that I've listed only rock songs.

We Are The Champions is played at every major sports event. In every bar or pub that I know when Thunderstruck is played everybody goes "ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha THUNDER" and that's not only rock fans.

My old folks know nothing about rock or pop and certainly have never heard of Bohemian Rhapsody but they can sing along to Yesterday.

So maybe these songs aren't as universally known as BR, but they certainly aren't limited to being only liked on a rock forum.

Besides a lot of those songs are still played on mainstream radio, whereas I've never heard BR on the radio, but maybe I'm listening to the wrong stations.

If sporting events are the criteria, then Gary Glitter's Rock and Roll Part 1 is just as often played as "We Will Rock You". 

[El Barto]

We Will Rock You.

I've always preferred the fast version on Live Killers.

Hell yeah.

[mike099]

Having hosted many college age students from across the globe for a day or two over the years via a local university, they have all known 'We Will Rock You', 'We Are The Champions', 'Bohemian Rhapsody', .....and some have sung aloud the 'Ready, Freddie' line during 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'. 

I should test them on 'Hey Jude' and 'She Loves You', as well as 'Thriller'.

(fyi....there are no drums in the slow studio version of WWRY)

Yes no drums.  I meant the stomping feet sound maybe on hardwood floors.  Was it the roadies that were participating on we will rock you?

[lonestar]

It got me to thinking that this song has crossed generations and genres like few others, to the point where you'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't have at least passing familiarity with it.

If I understand lonestar's OP properly, I think maybe the bolded bit above is what he's looking for.

Pretty much...

[Anguyen92]

I'm not disputing that a lot of people know BR, I just wanted to throw in some songs that might be (or not?) widely known. And it's not that I've listed only rock songs.

We Are The Champions is played at every major sports event. In every bar or pub that I know when Thunderstruck is played everybody goes "ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha THUNDER" and that's not only rock fans.

My old folks know nothing about rock or pop and certainly have never heard of Bohemian Rhapsody but they can sing along to Yesterday.

So maybe these songs aren't as universally known as BR, but they certainly aren't limited to being only liked on a rock forum.

Besides a lot of those songs are still played on mainstream radio, whereas I've never heard BR on the radio, but maybe I'm listening to the wrong stations.

If we are counting sporting events, I have to think that White Stripes' Seven Nation Army has got to be up there.  People may not know the song name or the band, but they got to know that melody and chant along.

[Crow]

I wonder what the most universally hated song is, too 

[Anguyen92]

I wonder what the most universally hated song is, too 

I'm sure Nickelback or Linkin Park or Creed is somehow in the race for it.

[Mosh]

Except most people outside of Rock forums are mostly OK with those bands.

[jakepriest]

I wonder what the most universally hated song is, too 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLzxrzFCyOs

[jingle.boy]

When I saw that video (Green Day crowd), this was one of the first things I thought of - https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=6678.0

As for others that meet RJ's criteria (that haven't been mentioned)

Wild Thing
You Shook Me All Night Long
Hotel California
Livin on a Prayer
In The Air Tonight

[ZKX-2099]

Beat It

[AngelBack]

I wonder what the most universally hated song is, too 

I'm sure Nickelback or Linkin Park or Creed is somehow in the race for it.

Rick Astley might have something to say about that...

[DragonAttack]

 

Well, one can add to the list 'Rock 'n Roll All Night', 'Wipeout', 'Louie, Louie', 'The Chicken Dance' as to recognizable....

Gary Glitter's track used to be played after the IHL's Saginaw Gears scored a goal.  Their 'Gear-illa' mascot would come out onto the ice with this song playing after a goal.  Saginaw's head coach ended up with the LA Kings, and began the tradition of playing that $%@! song after King goals.

As to WWRY....back in the day, we had an acquaintance who thought he was king sh*t on drums and vocals.  We always joked that he'd excel on that track, as well as being far superior to Jeff Beck as a singer......

[bosk1]

When I saw that video (Green Day crowd), this was one of the first things I thought of - https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=6678.0

As for others that meet RJ's criteria (that haven't been mentioned)

Wild Thing
You Shook Me All Night Long
Hotel California
Livin on a Prayer
In The Air Tonight

Yeah, I think most of those are good candidates as well.

[DougMasters]

I was pretty certain that the song that closed out the Lamb Chops show was the most popular and sung song in the universe.

[Zook]

I think (one of) the most universally liked song(s) is Hey Ya! by Outkast, I'm shocked no one has mentioned it yet. Even though the 'biggest fans' of that song might not love them quite as much as the hardcore Bohemian Rhapsody fans, I think it covers a way wider range of people who enjoy - or rather, accept - it.

No one has mentioned it cause no one likes it.... 

Never heard of it...

Same.  Or Outkast at all, for that matter.  I think for it to qualify as "universally accepted and liked," it goes without saying that people have to have actually heard of it. 

It's undoubtedly one of the most widely accepted songs in pop culture of the last 15 years or so. I don't really base my nomination on whether you happen to know it. This thread is not a contest of how many DTF members have heard of a certain song, I'm trying to look at the question fom a more realistic point of view since I have the idea that some seem to narrow it down to just rock music. There are plenty of songs originating from the rock-scene that appear on a list of "most universally accepted/liked songs", but there's a severe lack of mentions of pop music.

I hate that fucking song.

[TAC]

Never heard of it.

[jingle.boy]

Never heard of it.

Me either. 

[DougMasters]

I think (one of) the most universally liked song(s) is Hey Ya! by Outkast, I'm shocked no one has mentioned it yet. Even though the 'biggest fans' of that song might not love them quite as much as the hardcore Bohemian Rhapsody fans, I think it covers a way wider range of people who enjoy - or rather, accept - it.

No one has mentioned it cause no one likes it.... 

Never heard of it...

Same.  Or Outkast at all, for that matter.  I think for it to qualify as "universally accepted and liked," it goes without saying that people have to have actually heard of it. 

It's undoubtedly one of the most widely accepted songs in pop culture of the last 15 years or so. I don't really base my nomination on whether you happen to know it. This thread is not a contest of how many DTF members have heard of a certain song, I'm trying to look at the question fom a more realistic point of view since I have the idea that some seem to narrow it down to just rock music. There are plenty of songs originating from the rock-scene that appear on a list of "most universally accepted/liked songs", but there's a severe lack of mentions of pop music.

I hate that fucking song.

i really like that song. like i wouldnt ever buy one of their albums but i get excited if i hear it on the radio

[lonestar]

I was pretty certain that the song that closed out the Lamb Chops show was the most popular and sung song in the universe.

That better not get stuck in my head bro...

(actually, back when my kid was very young, we would torture my then wife by marching around the house singing it, good times man...)

[BlobVanDam]

I was pretty certain that the song that closed out the Lamb Chops show was the most popular and sung song in the universe.

That better not get stuck in my head bro...

Don't worry about it, I'm sure it will get unstuck once you finish singing it.

[jingle.boy]

Relevant

[MoraWintersoul]

My late dad, bless his soul, always hated Bohemian Rhapsody with a passion, so those people are out there. I think We Are The Champions is much more widely known and loved.

Recently, I think loads of people really liked Uptown Funk. I don't know anyone who heard it and didn't like it.

[bosk1]

Recently, I think loads of people really liked Uptown Funk. I don't know anyone who heard it and didn't like it.

Yeah, good call.  But I think it's still too new to fit what RJ was really getting at.  I think the song has to have been around long enough that it has become a permanent fixture of pop culture across generations, which a lot of the songs mentioned thus far in the thread have.  I mean, I wouldn't be shocked if Uptown Funk eventually achieves that status, in light of its almost-universal appeal.  Not a knock on the song, but I just don't think it's there yet, simply by virtue of when it was released.

[lonestar]

Relevant

Legendary skit.

[KevShmev]

One that I do not think has been mentioned that has to be up there is:

Piano Man