These 2025 Hits Scored Highest on the “Annoyingness” Scale
Pop music is built to stick: a chorus repeats, a hook loops, and a beat is simple enough to remember after one listen.
That’s how songs become hits.
But, sometimes, what makes a song catchy also makes it exhausting.
This year, a data team from SeatPick tried to measure that feeling using something they called an “annoyingness index.”
They looked at popular chart songs and viral tracks, then scored them based on repetition, filler lyrics, the brightness of the sound, and how musically flat or dull a song feels over time.
The result was a ranking of the most annoying songs of 2025, based not on taste, but on patterns that tend to wear us down over time.
The Most Annoying Songs of 2025, According to Science
Instead of asking people how they felt, the researchers looked at how songs behaved. They analyzed things like:
How often lyrics repeat
How frequently filler sounds like “yeah,” “la,” or “uh” show up
How sharp or shrill the sound feels
How musically varied or flat the song stays
Each song received a score that placed it somewhere on the irritation scale.
These annoyingness index songs weren’t necessarily bad. Many were wildly successful. They were just… overworked by our ears.
Sabrina Carpenter Showed Up More Than Once
One of the biggest surprises was how often Sabrina Carpenter appeared near the top of the irritation rankings.
Two of her songs were tied as the most tiring for listeners, based on how many people reported feeling worn out by them.
That doesn’t mean her year wasn’t successful. It very much was, including awards, multiple streams, viral moments, and more.
But, when people talk about Sabrina Carpenter's most annoying songs, what they’re really reacting to is the exposure.
When a track is everywhere, even fans can reach a limit. Catchy works, but overplayed tests our patience.
Other Big Names That Popped Up
Sabrina wasn’t alone. Several other major artists appeared near the top of the annoying songs 2025 list, including:
Lady Gaga
Jimin
Ed Sheeran
David Guetta
Sia
What they had in common wasn’t genre, but structure.
Many relied on tight loops, heavy repetition, and hooks that sound great at first, but then slowly lose their charm.
That pattern showed up clearly among songs with repetitive lyrics in 2025, where choruses repeated so often, they started to feel like they were chasing us down.
Why Repetition Both Works and Fails
Repetition isn’t the enemy. It’s how songs become memorable.
But, there’s a tipping point.
When a song leans too hard on the same phrase, the same melody, and the same rhythm without enough variation, our brains stop feeling stimulated.
Instead of enjoying it, we start noticing how predictable it is.
That’s when catchy turns into tiring.
So, when people complain about “that song that won’t stop,” they’re often reacting to structure, not taste.
TikTok Made Some Songs Impossible to Escape
Social media made this effect stronger.
Some songs were splashed all across social media.
On short video platforms, the same 10 seconds of a song might’ve played hundreds of times a day across your feed.
That kind of exposure can turn even a good song into background noise.
According to the data from SeatPick, several tracks labeled as TikTok's most annoying songs in 2025 weren’t hated at first. They were simply heard too often, too quickly, with too little variety.
Repetition plus overexposure is a powerful combination.
Least Annoying Does Not Mean Boring
Not every pop song scored high on the irritation list.
Some tracks stayed lower on the scale because they:
Changed melody more often
Used fewer filler words
Varied their structure
Avoided looping the same phrase endlessly
These songs might not scream for attention, but they do seem to age better.
Sometimes, subtlety lasts longer than a hook.
Annoying Does Not Mean Bad
Here’s the part we can’t forget: most of the songs that ranked as annoying were also extremely successful.
Their streams were high; their shares were massive; and their fans were loyal.
Irritation usually means overfamiliar, not unskilled.
So, when people search for the most annoying songs of 2025, what they’re often really asking is: which songs did I hear so much that my brain asked for a break?
That answer is different for everyone.
Why This List Is Still Subjective
While this study used math, music is still emotional.
One person’s exhausting loop is another person’s comfort song. What feels repetitive to you might feel soothing to someone else.
So, treat any annoying songs 2025 list as a snapshot, not a verdict. It reveals patterns, not personal taste.
The Real Takeaway
Catchy is powerful. But, variety keeps people listening longer.
When songs balance repetition with change, they age better. On the other hand, when they lean too hard on one idea, they burn bright and burn out fast.
And, if your favorite song made the list, that probably just means it had a very big year.