2013 Hit Ranked 'Worst Song of the 2010s' Despite 1.5B YouTube Views

A hit song from one of the most successful artists of all time has landed in a surprising place on a music ranking. Even though it was embraced by the masses, Eminem's "Rap God" was named the "worst song of the 2010s."

Why Eminem’s Rap God Was Named the Worst Song of the 2010s

In December 2019, the website Bitter Melodies, which features the extensive and interesting writing of Andrew Cox, published its list of the worst songs of the 2010s. It named "Rap God" as the decade's worst song, arguing that it was "a 6-minute-long parade of fast-rap nonsense."

Interestingly, the article also noted that Eminem had previously written songs that, while problematic, were funny and interesting enough to make you want "to see the world through his words". So, the writer didn't just dislike the celebrated rapper's music. Instead, he argued that the 2010s version of the artist who recorded "Rap God" was trying to "rap like Eminem." He also expressed his belief that the music star had become a "curmudgeon that acts like he’s doing us a service by making music."

Despite the list's extremely negative take on "Rap God," the song was an undeniable hit for Eminem. It reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 20 weeks on the chart. Perhaps the greatest indication of the track's success is that the explicit version of the song has more than 1.5 billion views on YouTube, and that number is still climbing.

In addition to being embraced by listeners to this day, the song also received praise from some powerbrokers in the music industry. In 2015, "Rap God" was nominated for the Best Rap Performance Grammy Award. While Eminem's disdain for the Grammy Awards is well-documented, the fact that he was in the running proves how impactful the song was at the time.

Bitter Melodies' 25 Worst Songs of the 2010s

1. Eminem – “Rap God” (2013)
2. Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton – “Alexander Hamilton” (2015)
3. Lil Dicky (ft. Various Artists) – “Earth” (2019)
4. Charlie Puth (ft. Meghan Trainor) – “Marvin Gaye” (2015)
5. Bruno Mars – “Grenade” (2010)
6. Kanye West – “Lift Yourself” (2018)
7. Rachel Platten – “Fight Song” (2015)
8. 3OH!3 (ft. Ke$ha) – “My First Kiss” (2010)
9. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (ft. Wanz) – “Thrift Shop” (2012)
10. Logic (ft. Alessia Cara & Khalid) – “1-800-273-8255” (2017)
11. DJ Snake & Lil Jon – “Turn Down for What” (2013)
12. The Chainsmokers – “#SELFIE” (2014)
13. Pitbull (ft. Ke$ha) – “Timber” (2012)
14. Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You” (2017)
15. Meghan Trainor – “All About That Bass” (2014)
16. Mark Ronson (ft. Bruno Mars) – “Uptown Funk” (2014)
17. Childish Gambino – “Bonfire” (2011)
18. Imagine Dragons – “Thunder” (2017)
19. LMFAO – “Sexy and I Know It” (2011)
20. Robin Thicke (ft. T.I. & Pharrell Williams) – “Blurred Lines” (2013)
21. Iggy Azalea (ft. Charli XCX) – “Fancy” (2014)
22. Eminem – “Not Afraid” (2010)
23. Lil Dicky (ft. Chris Brown) – “Freaky Friday” (2018)
24. Bruno Mars – “The Lazy Song” (2010)
25. Panic! At the Disco – “High Hopes” (2018)