13 Artists Who Hate Performing Their Biggest Hits

You might assume artists love performing the songs that made them famous, but that’s not always the case. Despite their popularity with fans, these tracks have sparked mixed feelings for the stars behind them. Here are 13 artists who have opened up about their complicated relationships with their biggest hits.

Oasis

Despite being one of Oasis’ most beloved and recognizable songs, “Wonderwall” hasn’t always been a favorite of the band members themselves. Noel Gallagher has described it as one of his least favorite tracks in the band’s catalog, even saying that the song felt unfinished, as reported by Ultimate Classic Rock. Meanwhile, frontman Liam Gallagher has been even more outspoken about his frustration with the hit, once reportedly telling MTV News (per Parade). “Every time I have to sing it, I want to gag.”

Guns N’ Roses

Despite the soaring riffs and electric energy of “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash has publicly said he was never a fan of the track. He once admitted to  WEBN radio host Kidd Chris (per Loudwire),  “I didn’t hate it, but I wasn’t fond of ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine,'” explaining that the song “just did not fit in with the rest of our, sort of, schtick.” The song appeared on the band’s debut album, Appetite for Destruction, and remains Guns N’ Roses’ only number-one single in the United States.

Radiohead

“Creep” may be Radiohead’s most famous song, but Thom Yorke has had mixed feelings about it for years. While the hit helped launch the band to international fame, it often overshadowed the rest of their catalog, and according to Far Out, some fans would leave concerts after hearing it. Radiohead performed the song 361 times, with the vast majority of those performances taking place between 1992 and 1998.

Led Zeppelin

Few songs are as iconic as Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” but for Robert Plant, its constant requests became a creative albatross.

Plant once felt such strong disdain for the song that he donated $10,000 to Portland, Oregon’s KBOO radio station after a DJ said they would never play the Led Zeppelin ballad again if the station reached its fundraising target, as reported by American Songwriter.

Nirvana

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” became the defining anthem of grunge, but Kurt Cobain soon grew uncomfortable with its overwhelming popularity. Around the time of Nevermind‘s success, Cobain reportedly soured on the track. When asked why Nirvana didn’t perform “Smells Like Teen Spirit” at a 1993 show in Chicago, Cobain said the level of attention the song received was “embarrassing,” according Dangerous Minds.

Lorde

“Royals” made Lorde a global star almost overnight, but she later became critical of the song that launched her career. Released when she was still a teenager, the hit helped define her public image and was seen as a commentary on wealth and celebrity culture. Lorde has since reflected on the track’s lyrics, noting that they were inspired by hip-hop’s portrayal of luxury and success — a world she felt disconnected from at the time, per Far Out Magazine.

Charli XCX

Charli XCX‘s “Break the Rules” became one of her biggest early hits, but it’s also a song she has openly criticized. The singer has said she disliked the track from the start, feeling it pushed her further away from the kind of music she actually wanted to make, according to Far Out Magazine. Charli was frustrated that her label believed the song would be a hit despite her reservations, and she later bluntly admitted to Q magazine, (per iHeart) , “I hate it,” recalling that she originally thought, “Whoever sings this song is an idiot.”

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran has broken countless records throughout his career, but even he has grown tired of hearing one of his biggest hits. Despite the enormous success of “Shape of You,” Sheeran admitted that he turns the song down whenever it comes on the radio because he’s “heard it so many times,” per The Jakarta Post.

Harry Styles

“Watermelon Sugar” became one of Harry Styles‘ biggest solo hits, but he wasn’t always a fan of the song. During an appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert, Styles revealed that he initially liked the track, then “really hated it for a long time” before eventually coming back around to it.

He also said it took longer to finish than any other song he had written, making its journey from idea to chart-topping hit a complicated one.

Kelly Clarkson

“A Moment Like This” may have introduced the world to Kelly Clarkson, but the American Idol winner has admitted to a complicated relationship with her debut single. Clarkson dropped the song from her setlist, and in 2011 told Entertainment Weekly that the song “wasn’t written for me” and that “someone would have to be dying in front of me, saying, ‘My last wish is for you to sing that song!’ for me to sing that song.”

Selena Gomez

“Come & Get It” helped Selena Gomez reach a new level of pop success and played a major role in making Stars Dance her first No. 1 album. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly in 2016, Gomez admitted it is “very difficult for me to perform live,” saying plainly, “It’s not my song. To me, it sounds like a Rihanna reject.”

Billy Joel

When “We Didn’t Start the Fire” became a staple sing-along, Billy Joel was quick to call it one of his least favorite songs he’s written. In 2023, Joel told Howard Stern that “We Didn’t Start the Fire” tops his list of least favorites, calling it “the worst musical thing I’ve ever written,” largely because the lyrics came before the melody and he finds it tedious to recall the lengthy lyrics when performing it live, as reported by Mental Floss.

P!nk

“Don’t Let Me Get Me” became one of Pink‘s signature songs, thanks to its honest lyrics about insecurity and self-doubt. While the track resonated with fans, she later admitted that it’s the song she hates performing the most, telling the Los Angeles Times, “I wish I could burn that song and never sing it again.”