30 Songs Crushed by Bad Mastering That Audiophiles Still Defend

They’re iconic, they’re beloved… and they sound kind of awful.

You’ve probably listened to these songs a hundred times. But if they ever felt weirdly tiring, harsh, or just off, the mastering might be why.

Here’s a rundown of great tracks that fell victim to the loudness war:

1. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Californication” (1999) – DR4

The Californication album, mastered by Vlado Meller, is a prime example of brickwall limiting gone wrong.

The DR4 rating means there’s barely any dynamic range, and yes, you can hear the crackling and clipping. It’s so loud that everything feels squashed together, and the mix becomes tiring fast.

Fans on differentforums have called it “a clipping squashed mess of misery.”

Still, people love the song. It’s one of RHCP’s biggest hits, and fans defend it for the songwriting and mood.

Some even go out of their way to find the 2012 vinyl version, which has a much more forgiving DR11. That version gives the song space to breathe and reminds you why it became such a classic in the first place, even if the original CD is a mess.

2. Metallica – “All Nightmare Long” (2008) – DR3

“All Nightmare Long” got buried (literally) under a brickwall.

From the Death Magnetic album, this track’s DR3 score made it infamous. The waveform looks like a flat bar, and it sounds just as harsh.

Fans were so upset that they hunted down the Guitar Hero version, which kept the original dynamics. There’s no denying that that version sounds dramatically better.

Forum users even joked that the CD version made them think their speakers were broken.

Despite all that, many listeners hang onto the track for its raw energy and riffs. It’s a loudness war cautionary tale that still manages to punch through.

3. Iggy & The Stooges – “Search and Destroy” (1997 Iggy Pop Remix) – DR1

The 1997 Iggy Pop remix of Raw Power hits a terrifying DR1, with some sections hitting DR0.

This remix was Iggy’s attempt to make the album sound raw and aggressive. But it came at the cost of listenability. The distortion is baked in, and there’s no headroom left.

At least we got what “the artist intended”… right?

That’s why most audiophiles stick with David Bowie’s 1973 original mix, which retains punch without destroying your ears.

4. Rush – “One Little Victory” (2002) – DR5

Rush’s Vapor Trails album was supposed to be a comeback. Instead, it turned into a mastering disaster.

The original CD was hyper-compressed (DR5 average), making tracks like “One Little Victory” feel loud and muddy. What’s worse is that the mix was already dense, and the mastering just left no breathing room.

Of course, fans noticed this right away. Some even said could never make it through the entire album

The good news? Rush listened.

In 2013, they released a remix handled by David Bottrill that gave the songs their dynamics back. And suddenly, everything made more sense. You could hear the details, the contrast, the power that was previously buried under bad mastering.

5. Oasis – “Some Might Say” (1995) – ~DR7

On (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, producer Owen Morris deliberately used heavy compression to make the album feel huge. So, Some Might Say clocked in around DR7, which was already pushing it for 1995.

The result? Loud and punchy, sure, but also kind of flat and congested, especially in the choruses.

Compared to Definitely Maybe, this one doesn’t breathe.

Still, fans didn’t care. The record became one of Britpop’s defining releases, and even now, most wouldn’t change a thing.

It’s a perfect example of how mastering can be technically flawed, but still work emotionally.

6. Queens of the Stone Age – “No One Knows” (2002) – DR5–6

Songs for the Deaf was made to sound like it was blasting from a car radio—and “No One Knows” delivers that punch. But the downside is its mastering: loud, dense, and relentless.

DR5–6 means there’s barely any contrast between quiet and loud parts. Everything is in your face from the first beat.

Fans describe the experience as “harsh and fatiguing over time,” especially on headphones.

7. Audioslave – “Cochise” (2002) – DR5

Rick Rubin’s production style is no stranger to criticism, and “Cochise” shows why.

The debut Audioslave track starts loud and doesn’t let up. And, the DR5 rating just explains why.

Its waveforms are slammed against the ceiling, making everything from drums to vocals fight for space. So much so that even at moderate volumes, it sounds like it’s clipping.

It’s so bad some have even said the mastering engineer “should be shot” (hopefully in jest).

Despite this, many fans still love the energy and Chris Cornell’s performance. But it’s definitely a track that wears you down over time.

8. Sleater-Kinney – “Entertain” (2005) – DR3

From the album The Woods, “Entertain” is loud… on purpose.

Produced by Dave Fridmann, the track clocks in around DR3. Guitars and drums are blown out, with intentional fuzzy distortion baked right into the mix.

In fact, on forums, it’s often used as a case study in “how far is too far” when it comes to compression. However, some say it’s an artistic choice that fits the raw vibe.

9. The Flaming Lips – “The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song” (2006) – DR5

This track from At War with the Mystics is colorful, chaotic, and mastered like a sonic firehose.

With a DR5, it’s loud from start to finish, and the mix is dense with clipping and distortion.

One user described it as “super loud…very compressed…I can hear it fragmenting and clipping frequently.” And many agreed.

The weird thing is, the ymbals and vocals break apart during loud sections. But as with other Flaming Lips projects, it walks the line between psychedelic art and audio overload.

10. Paul McCartney – “Gratitude” (2007) – DR6

You’d expect better from a legend like McCartney, but “Gratitude” from Memory Almost Full is… rough.

Mastered to the max (DR6), the track suffers from harshness, boomy bass, and even vocal distortion.

The waveform analysis shows it’s pinned at 0 dBFS nearly all the way through. So, even McCartney’s voice, which is usually a safe zone, gets muddy in the loud sections.

Sure, there are slightly better vinyl and hi-res versions (around DR8). But even they fall short of the quality you’d expect.

11. Paul Simon – “Outrageous” (2006) – DR5–6

On “Outrageous,” from his Surprise album (produced by Brian Eno), the production overwhelms the songwriting.

DR5–6 means constant limiting, and it shows. The cymbals sound harsh, the mix feels glossy but congested, and there’s little space for Simon’s subtle vocals.

That’s why many fans prefer his older recordings for their gentler, more open dynamics.

This one? It’s slick, but exhausting. And there’s no widely available remaster with better dynamics, so you either live with it or dig through older CDs to cleanse the palate.

12. Lily Allen – “Smile” (2006) – DR5

With a DR5, the track from Alright, Still, this song sounds bright and punchy, but the mix is so squashed that it feels edgy.

The vocals can get sibilant, and the snare hits sometimes feel like they’re stabbing your ears. It’s simply a classic case of pop mastering gone too far.

However, there’s no denying it worked commercially. That aggressive sound made it perfect for radio, where dynamics don’t matter as much as making an instant impression.

13. Los Lonely Boys – “Oye Mamacita” (2006) – DR5

“Oye Mamacita” hits DR5, with barely any difference between verse and chorus. It’s a wall of sound that makes the track feel louder than it needs to be.

Compared to their more dynamic debut album, this one comes off as congested.

In fact, forums often point to this album as proof that loud mastering wasn’t just a rock or pop problem—it hit Latin rock too.

14. Miranda Lambert – “White Liar” (2009) – DR4–5

From Lambert’s Revolution album, White Liar sits around DR4–5.

The vocals are strong, the drums punchy, but it’s pushed so hard that clarity takes a dive. And, during the chorus, you can hear compression “pumping,” which is a telltale sign of over-limiting.

15. Led Zeppelin – “Whole Lotta Love” (2007 remaster from Mothership) – DR7

The 2007 Mothership remaster of “Whole Lotta Love” cranked up the volume, at the expense of depth.

Sure, the DR7 rating isn’t awful on paper. But you can hear the difference. The drums and guitar riffs hit a ceiling fast, and the track loses some of its natural punch. O

Fans compared it to the 1994 remasters and said Mothership was even more compressed. They may be quieter, but they let the music breathe—something the loud remaster forgot to do.

16. Duran Duran – “Girls on Film” (2010 Remaster) – DR6

The original “Girls on Film” had this stylish, clean polish—tight rhythm section, shimmering guitars, and enough space to breathe. Then the 2010 remaster barges in with bloated bass, screechy highs, and a modern loudness that bulldozes the charm.

Long story short, the track became compressed, hashy, fatiguing.

You could argue it’s louder, but not better. So, if you’re after the real deal, the original ’81 pressing or Mobile Fidelity’s release still wipe the floor with this overcooked redo.

17. Duran Duran – “The Reflex” (2010 Remaster)

If Girls on Film was a warning sign, The Reflex confirmed the 2010 remaster campaign had gone off the rails.

The mix already leans bright, but this version turns the chorus into a wall of glass. No nuance, just volume. And the hook, which used to pop out with flair, now smacks you in the face and refuses to let go.

It’s not that the song changed. It’s that the mastering stripped out the air between the sounds, and that space used to matter.

What was once an exciting pop anthem now feels overwhelming.

18. The Cure – “The Only One” (2008) – DR5

This was supposed to be a return to form. Instead, it felt like The Cure lost control of the faders.

“The Only One” could’ve been a breezy, bittersweet jam (think jangly guitar, classic Robert Smith croon) but everything’s crammed into the same loud lane. No rise, no fall. Just a wall.

Compared to Disintegration, which breathes like a living thing, this track barely moves. Treble edges into harsh territory. And that dreamy atmosphere? Squeezed out by heavy compression.

There’s no alternate studio mix, but oddly, some of the live performances from the tour felt more balanced. That says it all.

19. Christina Aguilera – “Candyman” (2006) – DR6

On paper, “Candyman” had everything going for it. Besides, a retro big-band vibe, bold vocals, and swagger for days! But then someone slammed the volume knob to the max.

Christina belts like her life depends on it, but the mastering squashes the horns and makes the top end practically spit sparks.

Fans have called it “sizzly” or “too hot,” likely due to limiting and bright EQ used to make it radio-loud.

It’s the kind of track that sounds fun at first, then starts to physically wear you out after a minute or two. Just a throwback that forgot to dial it back.

20. Black Sabbath – “God Is Dead?” (2013) – DR5

Black Sabbath’s big reunion track should’ve been massive, and musically, it is. But the mastering steamrolls everything: Ozzy’s vocals, Iommi’s riffs, even the pauses.

It’s just loud. All. The. Time.

Rick Rubin produced it (which explains a lot). And, critics called it “fatiguing,” to say the least.

Sabbath built their legacy on tension and release. Here, it’s all tension, no payoff. The riffs are still killer, but they definitely deserve better treatment than this.

21. The White Stripes – “Icky Thump” (2007) – DR6

This track already had a gritty, chaotic edge, but the CD mastering pushed it too far. Around the 2:13 mark, there’s a kick drum hit that sounds like your speaker’s about to give out.

In fact, it frustrated a lot of fans who thought something was wrong with their setup. The levels were just so high that they clipped, and the result is distortion that wasn’t part of the performance.

Fortunately, the vinyl version, which was mastered separately, doesn’t have this issue, and that’s the one most people recommend if you actually want to hear the track clean.

22. System of a Down – “B.Y.O.B.” (2005) – DR5

B.Y.O.B was always meant to be jarring. It flips from chill to chaos in seconds, and that contrast is part of what makes it work. But on the CD version, that contrast basically disappears.

The drums, especially, sound crushed. It’s not unlistenable, but it feels like something’s missing, like the song’s shape got flattened out in mastering. No remastered fix for it either, unfortunately.

23. Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (2011 Remaster) – DR6

The 1991 version of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” had real punch with its quiet intro, explosive chorus, that soft-loud-soft structure that defined grunge. The 2011 remaster, however, levels everything out.

Its intro isn’t really quiet anymore, and the chorus doesn’t hit the same way. It just feels flatter.

24. Pearl Jam – “Even Flow” (2009 Remix/Remaster) – DR6

The Ten reissue in 2009 came with a new mix that was supposed to modernize the album.

“Even Flow”, for instance, definitely sounds different, but not always in a good way.

The original had this gritty looseness with space between the notes. But, the remix tightens things up, adds clarity, but also makes everything louder and more compressed. And, it has less bass punch and micro-dynamics because of added compression.

25. Green Day – “American Idiot” (2004) – DR5

This album was everywhere in 2004, but if you’ve ever felt weirdly tired after listening to it straight through, you’re not alone.

“American Idiot” pushes everything to the top—guitars, vocals, drums, all fighting for space at full volume. The original CD is harsh in spots, and there’s audible distortion baked right into it.

That fuzz on the power chords? Not intentional.

The good thing is, in 2012, a remaster added a few decibels of headroom and instantly made the album more listenable. It added ~3 dB of headroom made the album sound much better and confirmed suspicions that the 2004 mastering sacrificed fidelity for loudness.

26. U2 – “Vertigo” (2004) – DR5

“Vertigo” was meant to hit hard right out of the gate. And it does! But the mastering doesn’t let up after that.

The whole thing is loud from start to finish, and it doesn’t give your ears a break. The snare hits and guitar peaks are all jammed right up against the limit.

Compared to U2’s slightly more dynamic 2000 album (All That You Can’t Leave Behind), the 2004 sound is flat-out loud and fatiguing, yet remains a staple of the band’s catalog.

Some listeners have said they literally have to turn the volume down as soon as a song starts. It’s energetic, sure, but also kind of exhausting.

27. Keane – “Is It Any Wonder?” (2006) – DR5

“Is It Any Wonder?” is an anthemic rock track with layered synths. Unfortunately, the mastering is so loud and compressed that when the full band kicks in, the mix becomes a wall of sound.

Everything’s so crammed together that the detail disappears. The low end distorts slightly, the highs start to blur, and the energy that should feel powerful ends up feeling stiff.

28. The Killers – “Mr. Brightside” (2004) – DR5

Hot Fuss by The Killers was a mid-2000s indie-rock smash, but it’s mastered extremely hot even by the standards of its era.

“Mr. Brightside” has a driving rhythm and urgent vocal. On the CD, however, the entire song is nearly at max level.

It still works, especially in a car or on the radio, but over headphones, the mix wears thin. Cymbals blur into the guitars, and after a few listens, the fatigue sets in.

It was so obvious that fans think it was done intentionally for the style.

29. Muse – “Starlight” (2006) – DR5

Muse’s Black Holes and Revelations album is notoriously dynamically compressed.

The drums, synth, and bass all fight for the same space, and it ends up feeling flat. There’s no buildup or release. Just a constant loudness that makes the chorus hit the same as the verse, because everything is already loud.

30. Arctic Monkeys – “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” (2006): DR5–6

“I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” came out swinging and became an instant indie-rock anthem. But the CD version sounds like it was mastered for a different genre.

The energy is there, but the mix is so loud and compressed that the edges start to smear. Cymbals, fuzzed guitars, and vocals all sort of pile on top of each other.

So, the rawness of the performance gets lost in the volume.

A later vinyl release softened things a bit. But the original CD was definitely mixed to compete in the loudness race, not to showcase dynamics.