10 Classic Songs That Aren’t Suitable To Be Released In 2025

Some songs from way back would never make it past the studio doors today. Call it progress or censorship — either way, times have changed. Some folks appreciate the shift toward more respectful and inclusive lyrics, while others miss the bold, edgy content of the past (even if it crossed some serious lines).

But let’s be real: a lot of old hits haven’t aged well. Some lyrics are so problematic, it’s hard to believe they ever made it onto the radio — let alone became massive chart-toppers. Today, record labels would likely run the other way rather than deal with the backlash these songs would bring.

In this list, we’re looking at 10 once-popular tracks that definitely wouldn’t fly today. Read on, and prepare to cringe. And hey, it makes you wonder — what songs from today will raise eyebrows a few decades from now?

10. “Brown Sugar” – Rolling Stones
When “Brown Sugar” dropped in 1971, it quickly became a Rolling Stones classic. Fans loved the gritty rock sound and catchy hook — but the lyrics? Not so much, especially looking back now. The opening lines talk about slavery and violence in ways that are flat-out disturbing: “Gold coast slave ship bound for cotton fields / Sold in the market down in New Orleans / Scarred old slaver knows he’s doing alright / Hear him whip the women just around midnight.”

It doesn’t stop there. The song includes more language that many consider racist, misogynistic, and shockingly insensitive, especially when it comes to the subjects of slavery and sexual violence. Even Mick Jagger seems to realize it hasn’t aged well. In recent years, he’s changed up the lyrics when performing it live — and honestly, that’s probably for the best. Some songs are better left in the past, or at least rewritten.

9. “Ur So Gay” – Katy Perry
Katy Perry made a big splash in pop music when she first arrived, but not all of her early work has aged well. Sure, “I Kissed a Girl” raised eyebrows for its playful take on same-sex attraction, but “Ur So Gay,” released in 2007, took things a step further — and not in a good way.

The title alone feels outdated now. Back then, using “gay” as an insult was (unfortunately) more common, but today, it’s clearly offensive. The song mocks a man for being too feminine, with cringey lines like: “You’re so gay and you don’t even like boys.” Yikes.

While the song was probably meant to be cheeky or ironic, it ends up sounding tone-deaf and mean-spirited by today’s standards. It’s one of those tracks that reminds us how far we’ve come in terms of LGBTQ+ awareness — and how far pop stars sometimes had to grow, too.

8. “Picture to Burn” – Taylor Swift
Bet you didn’t expect Taylor Swift to show up here, right? But hey — 2008 was a very different time. Back then, Taylor was still breaking into the country scene, and her song “Picture to Burn” was all about post-breakup revenge. It was a huge hit… but one line hasn’t aged well.

The lyric? “So go and tell your friends that I’m obsessive and crazy / That’s fine, I’ll tell mine that you’re gay.” Yikes. Using “gay” as an insult — especially out of spite after a breakup — feels pretty mean-spirited today. It leans into the idea that being gay is something to mock or use against someone, which definitely doesn’t fly now.

To her credit, Taylor seems to agree. In later remastered versions of the song, she quietly swapped that lyric out. Growth matters, and it’s clear she’s come a long way since her early breakup anthems.

7. “Turning Japanese” – The Vapors
The Vapors scored a massive hit in 1980 with “Turning Japanese,” but let’s be real — the lyrics haven’t aged well. On the surface, it might sound like it’s about moving to Japan or embracing Japanese culture. But spoiler alert: it’s not. The song is actually about, well… solo activities. Yep, it’s a metaphor for those lonely moments when someone turns to a little bit of self-love.

Now, using clever metaphors in pop songs isn’t unusual, and in some ways, it was a bold move. But calling that “Turning Japanese”? That’s where it gets problematic. The phrase isn’t just odd — it plays into harmful and racist stereotypes about facial expressions, which makes the metaphor feel way out of line today.

It’s the kind of song that likely wouldn’t make it past a record label’s desk in the modern era — and for good reason.

6. “Indian Outlaw” – Tim McGraw
Back in 1994, Tim McGraw dropped “Indian Outlaw,” and while it became a country hit, it raised a lot of eyebrows — and not in a good way. Right from the start, the song leans hard into Native American stereotypes with lines like: “You can find me in my wigwam / I’ll be beating on my tom-tom / Pull out the pipe and smoke you some / Hey and pass it around.”

McGraw sings from the perspective of someone who claims to be “half Cherokee and Choctaw” — but that’s not true of the real-life Tim at all. Toss in the mention of wigwams and peace pipes, and the whole thing reads like a cartoonish version of Native culture.

These days, folks are a lot more aware that this kind of cultural appropriation isn’t just tone-deaf — it’s disrespectful. Safe to say, this track wouldn’t make it onto a modern playlist without serious backlash.

5. “Island Girl” – Elton John
When Elton John released “Island Girl” in 1975, it soared to the top of the charts — but the lyrics? Yikes. Nearly 50 years later, they read as wildly inappropriate. The song tells the story of a Jamaican sex worker trying to leave her life behind, but it’s filled with racially insensitive lines that definitely wouldn’t fly today.

Take this one: “Island girl, what you wanting with the white man’s world / Island girl, black boy want you in his island world.” Or this wince-worthy gem: “Black as coal but she burn like a fire.” It’s hard not to cringe at the racial fetishization happening here.

Even in the ’70s, it’s hard to believe this didn’t raise a few eyebrows. Today, it’s a prime example of how lyrics that once got a pass would now be met with outrage — and rightfully so.

4. “Tonight’s the Night” – Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart may be known for romantic ballads, but in 1976 he released one that definitely crossed a line. “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)” became a No. 1 hit — but the lyrics? Not so alright. One line in particular has aged terribly: “Don’t say a word, my virgin child, just let your inhibitions run wild.” Yikes.

As if that wasn’t uncomfortable enough, the music video only makes things worse. Stewart is seen romancing a noticeably young woman (whose face is conveniently never shown) and coaxing her up to his bedroom. She hesitates and says in French, “I’m a little scared. What is my mother going to say?”

That should’ve been a major red flag right there. In today’s world, a song like this wouldn’t just get canceled — it probably wouldn’t make it past the demo stage.

3. “One in a Million” – Guns N’ Roses
In 1988, Guns N’ Roses dropped a track called “One in a Million” that shocked just about everyone — and not in a good way. What could’ve been a heartfelt tale about a small-town guy trying to make it big in Los Angeles took a hard turn into offensive territory real fast.

Instead of sharing a personal story, the song spirals into a rant filled with homophobic and xenophobic language. One of the most infamous lines? “Immigrants and fts, they make no sense to me / They come to our country and think they’ll do as they please.” And it doesn’t stop there. Another line takes a jab at immigrants again: “They talk so many f**g ways / it’s all Greek to me.”

This song would never fly today — and honestly, it probably shouldn’t have then either. No way a major label would touch lyrics like that now.

2. “Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number” – Aaliyah
Aaliyah was on her way to becoming one of the biggest names in R&B and hip-hop before her life was tragically cut short in a 2001 plane crash. But even in the early stages of her career, there were some serious red flags — especially surrounding her 1994 debut single “Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number.”

Just the title alone raises eyebrows. But then you hear lyrics like: “Age ain’t nothing but a number / throwing down ain’t nothing but a thang / This lovin’ I have for you, it’ll never change,” and it gets much more uncomfortable. The real issue? Aaliyah was just 14 when she recorded that track — and at the time, she was in a relationship with her 27-year-old mentor and producer, R. Kelly.

They secretly and illegally married not long after. With everything that’s come to light about R. Kelly since then, this song is now viewed as deeply disturbing — and rightfully so.

1. “He Hit Me (and It Felt Like a Kiss)” – The Crystals
Of all the shocking songs from back in the day, “He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)” by The Crystals might just top the list. Released in 1962, the song’s title alone is enough to make you pause — and not in a good way. Then there’s the haunting lyric: “He hit me and it felt like a kiss / he hit me and I knew he loved me.” Now that’s really off!

Promoting or romanticizing abuse isn’t just outdated — it’s dangerous. But the story behind the song is a bit more complicated. It was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King after hearing a real-life story from singer Little Eva. She told them her boyfriend hit her, but she believed it was out of love.

Goffin and King were deeply disturbed by what they heard and meant the song as a sad commentary, not an endorsement. Still, even with that context, this one wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) fly today.