John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ has become a timeless staple of sentimentality since it was released in 1971, but now it’s been given another crown - that of ‘the most hated song ever’.
The ex-Beatle’s ode to altruism has become one of the most repeating offenders in a poll conducted on Twitter, sparked by a discussion between British music fan Edward Carter and his friends.
The New York Post reports that, once the discussion moved to social media, people weren’t shy about sharing their own nails-on-a-blackboard bit of music, with Edward Carter receiving thousands of nominations from all over the world - with John Lennon’s peaceful ditty constantly getting a mention.
Other titles that regularly came up included Joni Mitchell’s ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ and the B-52s’ ‘Love Shack’.
Some artists also got regular mentions - ‘Anything by… ‘ offenders included all the usual suspects - Coldplay, Phil Collins, Taylor Swift, etc.
You can click here to see what other songs have got a worthy mention…
But why ‘Imagine’, which, it should be noted, also enjoys a regular slot in the most-played songs of all time?
Edward has his theory. “I think it’s the whole idea of talking about poverty and misery, while John was actually hanging around in his palatial New York townhouse,” he tells the New York Post. “It’s the duplicity of the whole thing.”
‘Imagine’ was the best-selling single of John Lennon’s solo career, its lyrics encouraging the listener to imagine a world at peace without the barriers of borders or the divisions of religion and nationality, and to consider the possibility that the focus of humanity should be living a life unattached to material possessions.
Of course, one thing all the songs on the list have in common - apart from being hated passionately by some, clearly - is their enduring popularity, their timeless position on radio playlists and request-lists. One man’s goose and all that...