We here at MadameNoire love a good jam. That’s why we share “Morning” and “Late Night” jams with you every day on social media. But what we don’t love is a good jam that gets worn out. Kicked liked a dead horse. Or, in the words of James Brown, done to death.
While these songs were the beez and the neez when they hit the streets, between fans of the songs and the radio stations that shared them, these jams were and are played way too much. They have reached tired status.
“Happy” by Pharrell
The only time I could listen to this song again is if my 2-year-old nephew sings it. It’s literally his favorite song–but for about a year and some change, it was EVERYONE’S favorite song. And not only that, Pharrell performed the thing from the moment it was released in 2013 all the way until this year’s Grammy awards. We get it. You’re happy and sh*t.
“All of Me” by John Legend
Beautiful song. Beautiful video. I would just prefer not to hear “Aaaaaaaaaaaaall of meeeeee” again unless it’s at someone’s wedding. I don’t need to hear it at every award’s show and while I’m at the friggin’ gym.
“All My Life” by K-Ci & JoJo
It was the biggest hit of this duo’s career, but it was also overplayed on just about every radio station you can think of. At this point, I would rather hear these two sing the very off rendition of “Life” they performed while at The Tom Joyner Morning Show then hear this song again.
“Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here” by Deborah Cox
How. Did. Youuuuuu get here?! Cox can saaaaaang, and we all know that. But not even her pipes could make me jam to this again. It’s tired. With a capital T.
“Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke
This is perhaps the only song on the list I can’t bear to listen to at all. It literally makes my stomach turn. And while I don’t think Thicke and Pharrell ripped off Marvin Gaye’s “Got To Give It Up,” I do believe that this song is quite overrated and in need of a sabbatical from the airwaves (and all lounge/club playlists).
“Too Close” by Next
It was already a creepy jam (“I wonder if she could tell I’m hard right now…”), but now it’s an overplayed one. Don’t get me wrong. I’m still willing to watch the video to see RL’s beautiful self, but I try to do so on mute.
“Where The Party At?” by Jagged Edge
After years of singing about getting married and making promises to love a special someone, Jagged Edge finally tried to do something upbeat. Interesting enough, once the song became their biggest hit thanks to a then-popular Nelly, we ended up wishing that they would go back to the songs about getting married and making promises…
“Open My Heart” by Yolanda Adams
I love a good gospel song (I actually sing in a choir). God knows I do. But when I tell you that while I lived in Chicago they played this song morning, noon and night?! I’m not kidding. This song, and “We Fall Down” by Donnie McClurkin were popular around the same time, and they were both played all the way out.
“Be Without You” by Mary J. Blige
Ah yes, Mary’s great comeback jam. While it drove me to purchase her album The Breakthrough, it also almost drove me crazy. Once I had the album, it didn’t take long for me to skip over “Can’t Be Without You.”
“The Boy Is Mine” by Brandy and Monica
I know I’m one of the individuals who wore this song out. But how fun was it singing it with your friends and doing all the ad libs? I had to be Brandy on this one. I played the song so much I scratched the hell out of my Never Say Never disc– aka, my sister’s album actually — in an attempt to replay it.
“Umbrella” by Rihanna
“Umbrella” is the jam that made Ri Ri a star, and I understand why. It was infectious. But then it went from being infectious in a cute way to being infectious in a whole different way. It spread like some sort of STD and damn near any and everybody was saying “ella, ella, eh eh eh” from 2007 until at least 2009.
“Fallin'” by Alicia Keys
Anytime this song starts, every person who sings it swears they’re Alicia Keys and can actually hit that first high note. It was the song that introduced Keys to the world and changed the R&B game. But it was also an extraordinarily overdone song. It was so played out that the folks behind American Idol banned it as an audition song. The judges (and the viewing public) couldn’t take it anymore.
