What I find especially nerve-racking about the songs in this week's Bad Music Thursday is their staying power. They're still played on Lite Rock or Jack FM type radio stations, they crop up in advertising, you hear them in the grocery store. WHY...WON'T...THEY...DIE??!!

There are many window-shattering, screeching, soul-destroyingly bad girl bands in recent history; here are a few that sprang to my mind this evening:

Wilson Phillips.



I wanted to choose "Release Me" (Come on baby, Come on baby, 'Cause you're a waste of time to me), but this video will do nicely. I'm glad Carnie is healthier now, but it doesn't make this band sound any better.

Belinda Carlisle.



I admit it: I liked the GoGo's. I still hate this song. I also hate "Mad About You."

The Bangles.



This is the worst song by this band. And keep in mind, they produced both "Manic Monday" AND "Walk Like an Egyptian," so that's saying something.

Bananarama.



It pains me to admit this, but... I listened to Bananarama in Junior High. By the time this stink bomb came out, I was already past them, thankfully. They took a bad song and made it worse, and then Gillette had to put its grating refrain in a TV commercial. That song is so bad, my leg hair falls out by itself, no pink plastic razor required.

I know I've missed some doozies. Mariah Carey? Whitney Houston? Oh, just thinking about it makes my teeth ache.