I recently stumbled on the r/DJ subreddit and found a fascinating thread of DJ's sharing the tunes that are so annoying or overplayed to them, they've been banned from their libraries. Remind me to never request any of these...
1. "'Cha Cha Slide' has been officially retired from my library as of about four years ago."
In case you need a refresher on what the song sounds like:
View this video on YouTube
2. "'Drunk in Love' by Beyoncé. Hard no."
In case you need a refresher on what the song sounds like:
View this video on YouTube
3. "Who Let the Dogs Out."
In case you need a refresher on what the song sounds like:
View this video on YouTube
4. "Wedding DJ here. The only songs I don't touch are 'YMCA' and 'Chicken Dance.' Unless someone asks. Lots of times, I'm thrown into a position when I have to play something I don't agree with. When I'm really embarrassed, I'll hop on the mic and announce the song is a request before playing it. And when guests request music, I make them promise me they'll dance if I play it."
In case you need a refresher on what the song sounds like:
View this video on YouTube
I assume you know the Chicken Dance.
5. "I had a client ask for the worst song ever called 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' by Deep Blue Something during the cocktail hour. I 'forgot' to add it, and no one noticed. LOL."
In case you need a refresher on what the song sounds like:
View this video on YouTube
6. "Darude's 'Sandstorm.' I've been yelled at by drunk women for refusing to play it, hahaha."
In case you need a refresher on what the song sounds like:
View this video on YouTube
7. "'Tubthumping' by Chumbawamba."
In case you need a refresher on what the song sounds like:
View this video on YouTube
8. "I refused to play Cher's 'Believe' at a wedding once (it was the right call) and ended a friendship over it. It was still the right call."
In case you need a refresher on what the song sounds like:
View this video on YouTube
9. "I get requests for Alice Deejay's 'Better Off Alone' at weddings. I’m like, don't think so."
In case you need a refresher on what the song sounds like:
View this video on YouTube
10. "I won’t play 'Blue' by Eiffel 65."
In case you need a refresher on what the song sounds like:
View this video on YouTube
11. "I try to stay away from overplayed songs, like 'Mirror Dance' by Afefe Iku, which is played heavily in the Chicago area. I love the song, but it is played a lot here, and I try not to play overplayed songs like that when I playing."
In case you need a refresher on what the song sounds like:
View this video on YouTube
12. "Easy. Billy Ocean’s 'When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going.' I was playing an alumni ball at the Savoy Hotel in London back around 2004. Mainly vinyl (had a couple of basic CD players, too, but had no idea how to mix on them). Was doing some '80s music and had plenty of people on the dance floor. I still don’t know what possessed me to think it was a good idea to play that song. From the moment it started, I could see the crowd looking up, and then, suddenly wooooosh. Literally everyone went to the bar (or for a smoke). Took me a good while to build the dance floor back up, and I was sweating for every minute of it. I vowed there and then never to play it again."
In case you need a refresher on what the song sounds like:
View this video on YouTube
13. "'Mambo No. 5' and 'Jump in the Line' 🙄."
In case you need a refresher on what the song sounds like:
View this video on YouTube
I don't want to overwhelm you with videos, so you can check out "Jump in the Line" here.
14. "I Gotta Feeling"
In case you need a refresher on what the song sounds like:
View this video on YouTube
15. "I draw the line at the 'Macarena,' 'Nutbush City Limits,' Bee Gees, and anything ABBA aside from 'Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!'"
In case you need a refresher on what "Nutbush City Limits" sounds like:
View this video on YouTube
Here's "Macarena" and "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!"
16. "'Sweet Caroline' is a no-fly zone for me."
In case you need a refresher on what the song sounds like:
View this video on YouTube
17. Finally, "'Barbie Girl' is just an odd song. I would only play it if it was requested. I did a wedding a few weeks ago where they wanted that song, and everyone lost their shit to it, so it works for some people."
In case you need a refresher on what the song sounds like:
View this video on YouTube
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and clarity.