| "I Hate the Music" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byJohn Paul Young | ||||
| from the albumJ.P.Y. | ||||
| Released | March 1976 (1976-3) | |||
| Recorded | 1975 | |||
| Studio | Albert | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Label | Albert/Ariola | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Harry Vanda,George Young | |||
| Producer(s) | Harry Vanda,George Young | |||
| John Paul Young singles chronology | ||||
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"I Hate the Music" is a pop song written byGeorge Young andHarry Vanda and recorded by Australian pop singerJohn Paul Young. The song was released in March 1976 as the lead single from the singer's second studio album,J.P.Y. (1976). It peaked at number 2 on theKent Music Report in Australia, remaining on the chart for 20 weeks. It was certified gold in Australia.[1] It reached number 1 on the South African singles chart.[2]
In 1998, the song was covered byRatcat andJohn Paul Young for theOccasional Coarse Language soundtrack.
The song was inspired by a conversation with George Young and Harry Vanda in the Boomerang House elevator after a day in the studio. The conversation involved George's general frustration with a song that he couldn't get to sound right. The song originally had a banjo introduction but was changed to a piano.[3]
Cash Box magazine said "The song is about a man who 'hates the music' because it reminds him of an old love. The melody is fresh and attractive. The chorus is a hook."[4]
7" (AP 11037) (Ariola – 17 220)
| Chart (1976–77) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian (Kent Music Report)[5] | 2 |
| South Africa[2] | 1 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[6] | 18 |
| Chart (1976) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian (Kent Music Report)[7][8] | 18 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[1] | Gold | 50,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||