These Iconic Musicians Refuse to Perform Their Biggest Hits While On Tour

For some musicians, it doesn't matter how big or successful a song is. When they are tired of it, they stop performing it live.

This can be for a long list of reasons. Sometimes, music styles change, the meaning behind the lyrics might not resonate anymore, or it might bring back painful memories. Quite a few artists stop performing their hits because of how repetitive they are. After a while, it gets boring.

For this slideshow, 24/7 Tempo consulted entertainment sources for interviews and comments by the artists on why they no longer perform their hits.

Song: "Creep"

Radiohead isn't completely against playing "Creep" live, but it's rare they do. While it's their best-known song, the group's gotten away from that sound. Still, you might have a chance to hear it live - keyword being, might.

Song: "Tears In Heaven"

"Tears In Heaven" is a grief-heavy song released in 1992 about the loss of Eric Clapton's four-year-old son. By 2004, though, he stopped performing it as the loss didn't affect him as heavily, and he didn't want to feel the intense grief again.

Song: "Nothing Compares 2 U"

Sinéad O’Connor released the song "Nothing Compares 2 U" in 1990, so it's no surprise that by the 2000s and 2010s, she was tired of it. The song no longer had the same meaning, so she stopped performing it in 2015.

Song: "Hit Me with Your Best Shot"

As a protest against gun violence, specifically school shootings, Pat Benatar is no longer performing her hit song, "Hit Me with Your Best Shot." She doesn't feel like the title or lyrics are currently appropriate.

Song: “(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (to Party!)”

What started as a joke became one of the Beastie Boys' biggest hits. "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (to Party!)" was originally written to be satire, and yet, it's a bop. They stopped playing the song in the early 90s, although they performed it once or twice after.

Song: "Like a Virgin"

Madonna has such a long list of songs, it's understandable that she'd want to retire a few, including "Like a Virgin." Although she hasn't explicitly stated she won't ever sing this song, it's been less and less.

Song: "Echoes"

Grief is a hard thing to go through. After keyboardist Richard Wright passed away in 2008, the song was retired. To David Gilmour, it wouldn't feel the same without Wright, as they mainly wrote the piece together.

Song: "1999"

Prince is one of the best performers of all time. Like others on this list, he grew tired of performing a hit song, in his case, "1999." Apparently, he retired the song because as time went on, the song's meaning was lost.

Song: "Don’t Worry, Be Happy"

Bobby McFerrin's most popular song was not his favorite. In fact, he stopped singing "Don't Worry, Be Happy" because he was tired of it and wanted to explore different songs/music. A 2014 article noted that the successful artist hadn't played the full song in 20 years (at the time of publishing).

Song: "Starships"

According to Nicki Minaj, "Starships" is done. The talented rapper/singer is tired of the song. She told concertgoers in Miami that she didn't even like the song.

Song: "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

It's funny how the most successful songs are the ones artists aren't a fan of. For instance, who doesn't know "Smells Like Teen Spirit?" Well, unfortunately, Nirvana, or more specifically Kurt Cobain, didn't. He was even more upset when the song became successful.

Song: "Stairway to Heaven"

"Stairway to Heaven," one of the biggest songs from Led Zeppelin, was retired in 1990 by the band. The lead singer, Robert Plant, has brought it back a few times since, although not many. The song is emotionally draining, repetitive, and no longer as fun to sing.

Song: "Just the Way You Are"

Imagine writing a love song for your wife only to break up later. Even if it is successful, who would want to sing it? It would bring painful memories. This happened to Billy Joel with the song, "Just the Way You Are." Occasionally, he did substitute the lyrics to the song (when he was still performing it) with "She got the house. She got the car."

Song: "Shiny Happy People"

When "Shiny Happy People" grew popular, this confused R.E.M. They grew tired of the upbeat pop song fast, refusing to play it live except for one performance on Saturday Night Live.

Song: "Cleanin' Out My Closet"

Eminem no longer likes listening to or performing "Cleanin' Out My Closet." He cringes when it's on, as the meaning is no longer true. The song features trauma from his childhood and harsh lyrics about his mother. He even released an apology song to his mother called "Headlights."