Bands become breakout success stories on the strength of their hit songs. However, fans loving a specific track doesn't always mean the band themselves share that affection. Sometimes, after initially disliking a track, an artist will grow fond of it, like David Bowie and his hit "Space Oddity."

Then, there are instances where a band allegedly hates a song so much that they refuse to play it live. For various reasons, bands will fall in and out of love with tracks, whether it be because the lyrics don't hold up, the songs have been overplayed or occasionally because they are too emotional. Either way, there are plenty of tracks that, unless it's a very special night, you will never hear an artist perform, even if they are popular among fans.

8 "(You Gotta) Fight For You Right (To Party!)" - Beastie Boys

The Rap Group Mostly Retired Their Most Famous Song

The lyrics "You gotta fight for your right to party" are etched into the American popular consciousness. Whether it's from seeing Travis Kelce sing it during Kansas City Chiefs celebrations, hearing it at an event or seeing it used in the media, it feels like everyone has heard this song at least once. The Beastie Boys' 1986 "Fight For Your Right" track became a cultural phenomenon, but the band never intended for it to be. The song was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, poking fun at party-themed songs and frat culture.

However, the song became much more well-received than intended, but it didn't mean they were going to give in to popularity, and Michael Diamond confirmed the band's reaction to how it was received:

“The only thing that upsets me is that we might have reinforced certain values of some people in our audience when our own values were actually totally different. There were tons of guys singing along to ‘Fight for Your Right’ who were oblivious to the fact it was a total goof on them.”

According to Far Out, the band made a conscious decision to stop playing it. From 1986 until 2012, the group played the song live fewer than 50 times, with most of those performances coming in the first two years of its release. Unfortunately, since they disbanded after the ing of Adam Yauch (MCA) in 2012, it is unlikely you'll ever hear Ad-Rock or Mike D perform it live, but the song is beloved, so you never know when another artist may break it out at their own show.

7 "Escape" - Metallica

The Song Metallica Never Intended To Record

One of the most famous examples of a band being cold on their own songs comes courtesy of thrash metal royalty Metallica. The band have very rarely played "Escape" live, and when they did in 2012, singer James Hetfield revealed why:

This is groundbreaking, right here. This is historical, for those of you who might know what's coming up next. The song that we never wanted to play live, ever, is now on the setlist.

He previously revealed that Metallica had prepared too few songs for "Ride The Lightning" and were forced to think on the fly. The result was "Escape", and it's fair to say most of the band weren't exactly proud of it:

[Ride the Lightning] was the first time we wrote a song in the studio. I we had all the songs and Lars [Ulrich] said, 'They want us to record one more, they need one more for the album. I was like, 'You didn't tell me that...' So we had to write and it was really last-minute. So 'Escape' was one of those songs that was written in the studio.

As a result, "Escape" was dropped out of consideration to be played live, other than on the special occasion in 2012.

6 "All I Want to Do Is Make Love To You" - Heart

The Song Its Own Singer Calls "Hideous"

When Heart released their album Brigade in 1990, fans were introduced to one of their biggest hits ever, "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You." The song reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and felt like it would be a key part of their concerts going forward. However, that was not the case, and instead of consistently playing it, the band has barely performed it over the years. Instead, they have chosen tracks that resonate with them more closely.

The song reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and felt like it would be a key part of their concerts going forward.

The issue with the song comes from lead singer Ann Wilson. Over the years, Wilson has referred to the message as "hideous" in an interview with Dan Rather, and the band wanted to distance themselves from messages that could be harmful to their reputation. To begin with, Heart felt pressured to record the track in the first place, so it probably wasn't a huge deal to not play it. Occasionally it will be broken out, as Ann Wilson proved in 2017, but more often than not, the song won't be played live.

5 "Shiny Happy People" - R.E.M.

Michael Stipe Sees This Success Story As "Embarrassing"

An upbeat song with a colorful music video and uplifting lyrics, R.E.M. hit "Shiny Happy People" has obvious appeal. While "Losing My Religion" may have been the anchor for the 4x platinum Out of Time album, "Shiny Happy People" contributed significantly to its success. Not only does the video have 86 million views on YouTube, but with over 300 million streams on Spotify, the song is among their best known.

Sadly, impressive numbers were not enough for the band to enjoy this track. Instead, they despised it in many ways, feeling that the song was written for children (R.E.M. also literally recorded a version for children). They had a specific image they were trying to portray, and this track did not align. Lead singer Michael Stipe has referred to it as "fruity pop," and said its success was a little bit embarrassing, and since the band has performed it only twice, both in 1991, it's unlikely they will include it in any potential reunion shows.

4 "Speed Of Sound" - Coldplay

The Song That Didn't Match Chris Martin's High Standards

Throughout their career, Coldplay has been regarded as one of the greatest bands of their generation. They are so great, they even served as the halftime show for Super Bowl 50. The success they have achieved is undeniable, and it should give them unshakable confidence. Unfortunately, the band is its own biggest critic, and one of their harsher criticisms comes at the expense of their hit song, "Speed of Sound."

Although the band has played the song over 300 times, most of that occurred in 2012 or earlier. The song has made only three appearances since then, and Chris Martin revealed why in an interview in 2011 (as well as confirming they don't play "Talk" because one of the band dislikes that one too):

We don’t play it. It used to be a song called Talk, only because Guy (Coldplay’s bassist) doesn’t like it. So, I don’t like playing it because I know he doesn’t like it. Oh, and Speed of Sound because we never got it right.

Martin believed an audience can see through it when played live; therefore, they refrain away from performing it. Of course, they have plenty of other hits to play, but it's a loss for those who hold a close connection to the 2005 hit.

3 "Creep" - Radiohead

The Defining Song Radiohead Came To Resent

When Radiohead released their debut album Pablo Honey in 1993, it may have been hard for the band to imagine that they had created what would be one of the most well-known rock songs of all time, "Creep." Today, the song has over one billion views on YouTube and more than two billion streams on Spotify. Success like that should make the band want to wake up every day and sing the song, but it doesn't.

Although they have played the song hundreds of times, the constant performances led to a burnout within the band. First, lead singer Thom Yorke is not a big fan of the lyrics. Second, the band stated they didn't want to be defined by the song, and found audiences would demand it and leave after it was played. In an interview with Rolling Stone in 1993, Yorke said: "It's like it's not our song any more ... It feels like we're doing a cover." The song can always reappear, but since 2009, it has only shown up a few times, making its appearances sporadic at best.

2 "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" - Pat Benatar

Pat Benatar's Quiet Rebellion Silenced Her Biggest Song

For 42 years, Pat Benatar played her song "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" over 400 times, but in 2022, that all changed. Benatar had stated to USA Today that she could no longer play the song with a smile on her face due to the rise in mass shootings in the United States. She strongly feels that playing it is a celebration of violence, and she can no longer do it. So it's not so much hatred of the song, rather than what it became and a move designed as an act of respect:

And we’re not doing “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” and fans are haviUSA Todayng a heart attack and I’m like, I’m sorry, in deference to the victims of the families of these mass shootings, I’m not singing it. I tell them, if you want to hear the song, go home and listen to it. (The title) is tongue-in-cheek, but you have to draw the line. I can’t say those words out loud with a smile on my face, I just can’t. I’m not going to go on stage and soapbox – I go to my legislators – but that’s my small contribution to protesting. I’m not going to sing it. Tough

The "Love Is a Battlefield" singer decided this was her way to lend a small contribution and protest the issue. Ultimately, her protest has remained strong over the past few years. Benatar did play it once in 2024, but no other performance of it has been reported. For now, there is no guarantee of seeing Benatar sing the song again, but she has told audiences to go home and listen to it if they wish.

1 "Eye Of The Beholder" - Metallica

The Song Lars Ulrich Called "A Square Peg In A Round Hole"

Oftentimes, it is the lead singer who decides if a band will play a song or not, but sometimes another member may be the one to make the decision. In 1989, after Metallica had played "Eye of the Beholder" live over one hundred times, drummer Lars Ulrich decided that the band would no longer play this track. Ulrich was not a fan of the alternating time signatures and said the song was his least favorite of Metallica's lengthy catalog.

Given how many shows Metallica plays, it's surprising they have stuck to this, yet the band continues to honor the request. One way it could change is if they ever perform ...And Justice for All in full. After all, the album is 8x platinum in the United States, and has sold over 11 million copies worldwide. Until then, Lars is in the clear and this is one Metallica song you won't hear no matter how many nights they play in your town.