2025’s Shows Shock Fans with One of the Most Hated Songs in History!

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The use of an old ’80s rock tune, commonly employed as a creative tool by showrunners, can be a crucial element. However, some productions like “Daredevil: Born Again” and “Paradise” have overstepped the mark by employing a clichéd tactic – using a cover of an absurd song. To make matters worse, they added lyrics that are too obvious, causing fans to feel a subtle letdown. But it doesn’t end there; these popular shows also repeated this mistake by incorporating one of the most disliked ’80s songs, “We Built This City” by Starship. Despite being over 40 years old and having received mixed reactions throughout its history, it has found a place in both a superhero series and a sci-fi drama.

The selection of background music in a series can offer insights into its context. For instance, Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy frequently incorporated diverse tracks across most episodes, creating varying impacts. On the other hand, shows like Breaking Bad are more subtle, yet powerful with songs such as “Baby Blue.” Historical series may employ modern music to establish a setting or use unexpected tunes to intrigue viewers. The least imaginative examples merely remind us of past tracks, but a skillful showrunner can strike the ideal harmony.

Is Starship’s “We Built This City” the Worst Song Ever?

Written By Martin Page and Bernie Taupin
Performed By Starship
Album Knee Deep in the Hoopla
Release Date August 26, 1985
Billboard Hot 100 Chart Peak #1

Over four decades have passed since the release of “We Built This City,” a song that initially received accolades from notable music platforms such as Billboard. The track quickly became a hit, reaching number one in the U.S. and enjoying high chart positions in Europe. However, with time, critics and commentators have criticized the song heavily, labeling it as a musical flop. Common complaints center around the perceived absurdity of the lyrics, particularly the line “knee deep in the hoopla,” which also served as the album’s title. Additionally, some critics question the song’s anti-corporate message, given its commercial success and its radio-friendly arena rock sound.

The defunct music magazine Blender was one of the pioneers in widely criticizing songs, placing Starship’s “We Built This City” at the top of their list titled “The 50 Worst Songs Ever” in 2004. Their then editor, Craig Marks, stated that this choice was a unanimous result from several polls. Seven years later, Rolling Stone allowed readers to vote for the worst song of the 1980s, and their audience predominantly chose “We Built This City.” Starship’s classic beat Europe’s “The Final Countdown” by an unusually large margin in this poll. Later, GQ labeled “We Built This City” as the worst song of all time, even going as far as to claim it as “the most despised song in human history.” Today, although many still dislike the song, it has its fair share of fans, much like other controversial yet enjoyed things.

How did Daredevil: Born Again use “We Built This City?”

The series “Daredevil: Born Again” frequently employs “We Built This City,” wittily referencing its less-than-favorable contemporary image. The narrative alternates between Matt Murdock, a lawyer and former vigilante, and Wilson Fisk, a criminal turned mayor. While Matt tirelessly works to uphold his client’s image, Fisk grapples with the complexities of politics. As Kingpin, Fisk was never required to be polished for public consumption, but now he finds himself more focused on appearances due to his advisors. In the fourth episode titled “Sic Semper Systema,” the show delves into some of Fisk’s appointments, one being a school visit where a choir sings “We Built This City.” It was necessary to re-shoot this scene because the initial group of young performers were too harmonious. Fisk clearly shows displeasure listening to the children’s performance, and his irritation deepens when he attends a Latvian heritage festival and hears another version of the song from another choir. Both performances are sung without accompaniment and serve only to underscore Fisk’s disdain for the mundane aspects of his new role.

How did Paradise use “We Built This City?”

The sci-fi political thriller titled “Paradise” unfolds within an underground shelter post-apocalypse, with Dan Fogelman, known for his comedy and Disney film writing, serving as its creator and producer. Previously acclaimed by This Is Us, the show revolves around Sterling K. Brown’s character, Xavier, a Secret Service agent on a mission to unravel the enigma behind the inexplicable assassination of the President of the United States.

In a world shrouded by nostalgia, reminiscent of a beacon of familiarity amidst the bleakness of life beneath the surface, the show delves into the 80s and 90s rock anthems, including “We Built This City.” However, its rendition of this song is both ironic and brutal, offering a critique of the world that produced it. In one scene, Xavier’s son plays the track for his daughter, who humorously argues that any civilization deserving such a song was destined to perish. Interestingly, the show uses a slower, more poignant cover of “We Built This City” later in the second episode, both mocking and sincerely employing the song as background music for a more heartfelt scene.

2025 shows, particularly Daredevil and Paradise, employed the song “We Built This City” in a way that highlighted its contrasting popularity and unpopularity. The song, which is often ridiculously hated by many listeners, was used humorously in Daredevil, while Paradise attempted to satirize its influence and add depth to their narrative. Although the song isn’t central to either storyline, it’s evident that its inclusion makes a significant commentary. In essence, “We Built This City” has demonstrated an uncanny ability to fit seamlessly into virtually any context.

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2025-03-23 18:40