I Hate Boys
"I Hate Boys" | ||||
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Single by Christina Aguilera | ||||
from the album Bionic | ||||
Released | June 28, 2010 | |||
Format | Digital download | |||
Recorded |
2010; No Excuses (Los Angeles); The Red Lips Room (Beverly Hills) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 2:24 | |||
Label | RCA | |||
Writer(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Christina Aguilera singles chronology | ||||
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"I Hate Boys" is a song recorded by American recording artist Christina Aguilera for her sixth studio album, Bionic (2010). The song was written by Aguilera, Ester Dean, William Tyler, Bill Wellings, J. J. Hunter and Jamal "Polow da Don" Jones, who also handled the production of the track. "I Hate Boys" is a glam rock and pop song, containing elements of urban pop and synthpop. Lyrically, it is a hate-driven song about ridiculing bad boys.
"I Hate Boys" was released as the second and final single from Bionic in New Zealand and Australia. It was serviced to Australian radio on June 28, 2010, and released as a digital single in Australia and New Zealand on September 3. The song received mixed to favorable response from music critics; some of them called it a "girl anthem", but others felt it has too adolescent lyrics and called it a "filler". Upon the release of Bionic, "I Hate Boys" debuted at number 51 on the Gaon International Singles Chart during the week of June 6, 2010.
Background
Initially, "I Hate Boys" was supposed to be produced by Le Tigre.[1] Group member Johanna Fateman wrote about working with Aguilera on their official website:
"… While the giant sound of her stacked vocals and the pop sheen she lends to the tracks might seem at odds with Le Tigre's aesthetic roots, it really works. The songs have a lot of elements we're known for, like a garage guitar sound, schoolyard chants, new wave-y synths, electro beats, and somehow it all sounds crazily right with Christina's unbelievable voice."[1]
However, it was later revealed that the song was produced by Polow da Don and that Le Tigre only produced the song "My Girls".[2] Polow da Don talked about working with Aguilera in a Billboard interview, stating: "There's two things you need to know about Christina Aguilera: The first is that, as far as her singing goes, she's a professionally trained animal. And the other is that she knows exactly, absolutely what she wants."[3]
After "Not Myself Tonight", the song was released as the second single of the album in Australia and New Zealand.[4][5] A digital single was released on the iTunes Store on September 3, 2010.[4][5]
Composition
"I Hate Boys"
A 14 second sample of "I Hate Boys" | |
Problems playing this file? See media help. |
"I Hate Boys" was written by Aguilera, Jamal Jones, Ester Dean, William Tyler, Bill Wellings and J. J. Hunter, while production was handled by William Tyler & Polow da Don.[6] Don has worked with Aguilera on the previous singles "Not Myself Tonight" and "Woohoo".[2] "I Hate Boys" contains a sample from the 1973 track "Jungle Juice", by UK electronic act Elektrik Cokernut from their album Go Moog!.[7] It is an uptempo glam rock[8] and pop song with elements of synthpop and urban pop, featuring gang chants in the background.[2] Lyrically, "I Hate Boys" is a hate-driven song about ridiculing and insulting all bad boys.[9] It begins with a drum beat similar to Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl" (2008), according to Idolator's Becky Bain, which also wrote that "it sounds almost directly inspired by the trash-talk obnoxiousness found in Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend."[9]
Critical reception
"I Hate Boys" received mixed reviews from music critics. In a positive way, Leslie Simon of MTV Buzzworthy wrote that the track is "a fun, highly synth-pop gum-smacking, girls-night-out rally anthem."[2] Melinda Newman of HitFix called it a "pure pop infectious silliness."[10] Daily Star described the song as "a glam-rock stomp with a deceptively simple chorus that will have schoolgirls singing at the top of their lungs."[8] Mesfin Fekadu from Boston Globe praised the song, writing, "The male-bashing 'I Hate Boys' has the right mix of energy and sass that Aguilera somewhat lacks throughout the album."[11] The Scotsman wrote that the song is an "electro glam" that "throwaway fun."[12] Allison Stewart from The Washington Post referred to it as a "tame, hand-clappy pop song" and compared the track to Gwen Stefani's songs.[13]
TJ of Neon Limelight gave a mixed review, calling it "sassy" but "would work better for an artist at least a decade younger than Aguilera", with its "painfully adolescent lyrics".[14] Becky Bain of Idolator wrote, "It's one of those pandering songs that will no doubt have young girls singing along, particularly the chorus, but it's a lazy one that leaves rubs us the wrong way."[9] Brad Steirn from MuuMuse named it a "filler, including the noisy, childish chant."[15] Greg Kot of Chicago Tribune commented that "it's the kind of trite glitter-disco might've dispensed", while comparing it to Spice Girls' songs.[16] Eric Henderson gave to the song a negative review, writing, "Considering 'I Hate Boys' is closer than I ever thought Christina would ever come to recording a Daphne Aguilera track, it's ironically also one of many tracks on Bionic that sound tailor-made to accompany the opening credits of Johnny Weir's forthcoming reality show."[17]
Track listing
- Digital download[4]
- "I Hate Boys" – 2:24
- "Not Myself Tonight" (Laidback Luke Radio Edit) – 3:39
Credits and personnel
- Recording locations
- Recording – No Excuses, Los Angeles, California
- Vocal recording – The Red Lips Room, Beverly Hills, California
- Personnel
- Songwriting – Christina Aguilera, Jamal Jones, Ester Dean, William Tyler, Bill Wellings, J. J. Hunter
- Production – Polow da Don
- Mixing – Jaycen Joshua
Source:[18]
Charts
Upon the release of the album Bionic, "I Hate Boys" debuted at number 51 on the Gaon International Downloads Chart on the chart issue of June 6, 2010.[19]
Chart (2010) | Peak position |
---|---|
Gaon International Downloads Chart[19] | 51 |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
Australia[20] | June 28, 2010 | Contemporary hit radio | Sony Music Entertainment |
New Zealand[5] | September 3, 2010 | Digital download | RCA Records |
Australia[4] |
References
- 1 2 "Christina Aguilera & Le Tigre – 'I Hate Boys' 'My Girls' – Stereogum". Stereogum. May 25, 2010. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 Simon, Leslie (May 27, 2010). "Song You Need To Know: Christina Aguilera, 'I Hate Boys'". MTV Buzzworthy. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- ↑ Wood, Mikael (May 14, 2010). "Christina Aguilera: 'Bionic' Billboard Cover Story And Video". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 "iTunes – Music – I Hate Boys – Single by Christina Aguilera". iTunes Store (AU). Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- 1 2 3 "iTunes – Music – I Hate Boys – Single by Christina Aguilera". iTunes Store (NZ). Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- ↑ "I Hate Boys". AllMusic. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- ↑ "I Hate Boys by Christina Aguilera Songfacts". Songfacts. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- 1 2 "First Listen: Christina Aguilera's New Album Bionic". Daily Star. May 6, 2010. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- 1 2 3 Bain, Becky (May 25, 2010). "Xtina's 'Elastic Love' Rocks—But You'll Have To Wait To See It Live". Idolator. SpinMedia. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- ↑ Newman, Melinda (June 7, 2010). "Review: Christina Aguilera's 'Bionic' shows a machine-like workmanship". HitFix. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- ↑ Fekadu, Mesfin (June 7, 2010). "Review: Aguilera has an identity crisis on new CD". The Boston Globe (The New York Times Company). Retrieved May 15, 2012.
- ↑ "Album review: Christina Aguilera, Bionic". The Scotsman (Johnston Press). June 6, 2010. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- ↑ Stewart, Allison (June 7, 2010). "Christina Aguilera's new album 'Bionic' is a mish-mash of Gaga and blah". The Washington Post (The Washington Post Company). Retrieved June 7, 2010.
- ↑ TJ (May 17, 2010). "New Music: Christina Aguilera Declares "I Hate Boys" On New 'Bionic' Track". Neon Limelight. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- ↑ Stern, Bradley (June 7, 2012). "Christina Aguilera: Bionic (Album Review)". MuuMuse. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
- ↑ Kot, Greg (June 7, 2010). "Turn It Up: Album review: Christina Aguilera, 'Bionic'". Chicago Tribune (Tribune Company). Retrieved May 15, 2012.
- ↑ "Christina Aguilera: Bionic | Music Review". Slant Magazine. June 2, 2010. Retrieved June 6, 2010.
- ↑ (2010) Liner notes of Bionic by Christina Aguilera. RCA Records.
- 1 2 "Search: Gaon International Download Chart - Issue date: June 06, 2010 - June 13, 2010" (To access the applicable chart, change "년 (Year)" to "2010" and select the week "June 06 - June 12, 2010"). Gaon Chart. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
- ↑ "Christina Aguilera – I Hate Boys – Issue 793". The Music Network. June 28, 2010. Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2012.