I Hate Boys
| "I Hate Boys" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| SinglebyChristina Aguilera | ||||
| from the albumBionic | ||||
| Released | June 28, 2010 | |||
| Recorded | 2010; No Excuses (Los Angeles); The Red Lips Room (Beverly Hills) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:24 | |||
| Label | RCA | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Producer(s) |
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| Christina Aguilerasingles chronology | ||||
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| Licensed audio | ||||
| "I Hate Boys"onYouTube | ||||
"I Hate Boys"is a song recorded by American recording artistChristina Aguilerafor her sixth studio album,Bionic(2010). The song was written by Aguilera,Ester Dean,William Tyler, Bill Wellings, J. J. Hunter andJamal Jones,who also handled the production of the track. "I Hate Boys" is aglam rock,pop rockandelectropopsong, containing elements ofurban popandsynth-pop.Lyrically, it is a hate-driven song about ridiculing all boys.
"I Hate Boys" was released as the second and finalsinglefromBionicin 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 divided music critics; while some called it fun and a "girl anthem", others felt its lyrics were too juvenile and regarded it asfiller.Upon the release ofBionic,"I Hate Boys" debuted at number 51 on theGaon International Singles Chartduring the week of June 6, 2010.
Background and release
[edit]Initially, "I Hate Boys" was supposed to be produced byLe Tigre.[1]Group memberJohanna Fatemanwrote 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 byPolow da Donand that Le Tigre only produced the song "My Girls".[2]Polow da Don talked about working with Aguilera in aBillboardinterview, 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 theiTunes Storeon September 3, 2010.[4][5]It reached number twenty-eight on the Australian Airplay Chart.[6]
Composition
[edit]"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.[7]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 actElektrik Cokernutfrom their albumGo Moog!.[8]It is an uptempoglam rock,popandelectropopsong with elements ofsynth-popandurban pop,featuring gang chants in the background.[2][9]Lyrically, "I Hate Boys" is a hate-driven song about ridiculing and insulting all bad boys.[10]It begins with a drum beat similar toKaty Perry's "I Kissed a Girl"(2008), according toIdolator's Becky Bain, who also wrote that "it sounds almost directly inspired by the trash-talk obnoxiousness found inAvril Lavigne's "Girlfriend."[10]
Critical reception
[edit]"I Hate Boys" received mixed reviews frommusic critics.In a positive review, Leslie Simon ofMTV Buzzworthywrote that the track is "a fun, highly synth-pop gum-smacking, girls-night-out rally anthem."[2]Melinda Newman ofHitFixcalled it a "pure pop infectious silliness."[11]Mesfin Fekadu fromThe Boston Globepraised the song, writing, "The male-bashing 'I Hate Boys' has the right mix of energy and sass that Aguilera somewhat lacks throughout the album."[12]The Scotsmanwrote that the song is an "electro glam" that has "throwaway fun."[13]Allison Stewart fromThe Washington Postreferred to it as a "tame, hand-clappy pop song" and compared the track toGwen Stefani's songs.[14]Writing for Canadian music magazineCokemachineglow,Lindsay Zoladz applauded the song for its "bombastic percussions".[15]
TJ ofNeon Limelightgave 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".[16]Becky Bain ofIdolatorwrote, "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."[10]Bradley Stern from MuuMuse named it a "filler, including the noisy, childish chant."[17]Greg Kotof theChicago Tribunecommented that "it's the kind of trite glitter-disco might've dispensed", while comparing it toSpice Girls' songs.[18]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 aDaphne Aguileratrack, it's ironically also one of many tracks onBionicthat sound tailor-made to accompany the opening credits ofJohnny Weir's forthcoming reality show. "[19]
In his retrospective commentary onBionic,Daniel Megarry of theGay Timescalled "I Hate Boys" a tongue-in-cheek post-breakup anthem — a "cult favourite moment" on the album.[20]Idolator's 2020 evaluation of the long play noted that the song "would have been a smash hit at any other time in Aguilera’s career".[21]
Track listing
[edit]- Digital download[4]
- "I Hate Boys" – 2:24
- "Not Myself Tonight"(Laidback Luke Radio Edit) – 3:39
Credits and personnel
[edit]- 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:[22]
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia Airplay (ARIA)[6] | 28 |
| South Korea International (Gaon Download Chart)[23] | 51 |
Release history
[edit]| Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | June 28, 2010 | Contemporary hit radio | Sony | [24] |
| September 3, 2010 | Digital download | [4] | ||
| New Zealand | [5] |
References
[edit]- ^ab"Christina Aguilera & Le Tigre – 'I Hate Boys' 'My Girls' – Stereogum".Stereogum.May 25, 2010.RetrievedMay 17,2012.
- ^abcdSimon, Leslie (May 27, 2010)."Song You Need To Know: Christina Aguilera, 'I Hate Boys'".MTV Buzzworthy.Archived fromthe originalon May 31, 2010.RetrievedMay 17,2012.
- ^Wood, Mikael (May 14, 2010)."Christina Aguilera: 'Bionic' Billboard Cover Story And Video".Billboard.RetrievedMay 17,2012.
- ^abcd"iTunes – Music – I Hate Boys – Single by Christina Aguilera".iTunes Store (AU). 3 September 2010.RetrievedMay 17,2012.
- ^abc"iTunes – Music – I Hate Boys – Single by Christina Aguilera".iTunes Store(NZ).RetrievedMay 17,2012.
- ^ab"Australian Music Report Weekly Hot 100".Aumreport.com. Archived fromthe originalon April 19, 2010.RetrievedJanuary 9,2011.
- ^"I Hate Boys".AllMusic.RetrievedMay 17,2012.
- ^"I Hate Boys by Christina Aguilera Songfacts".Songfacts.RetrievedMay 17,2012.
- ^Rubin, Michael (June 6, 2010)."Attack of the CLones".34th Street Magazine.Archived fromthe originalon August 13, 2014.RetrievedApril 12,2020.
For some reason, Bionic ends with a three-song coda then ventures back to electro-pop.
- ^abcBain, Becky (May 25, 2010)."Xtina's 'Elastic Love' Rocks—But You'll Have To Wait To See It Live".Idolator.SpinMedia.RetrievedMay 17,2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^Newman, Melinda (June 7, 2010)."Review: Christina Aguilera's 'Bionic' shows a machine-like workmanship".HitFix.Archived fromthe originalon October 2, 2013.RetrievedMay 17,2012.
- ^Fekadu, Mesfin (June 7, 2010)."Review: Aguilera has an identity crisis on new CD".The Boston Globe.The New York Times Company.RetrievedMay 15,2012.
- ^"Album review: Christina Aguilera, Bionic".The Scotsman.Johnston Press.June 6, 2010.RetrievedMay 17,2012.
- ^Stewart, Allison (June 7, 2010)."Christina Aguilera's new album 'Bionic' is a mish-mash of Gaga and blah".The Washington Post.RetrievedJune 7,2010.
- ^Zoladz, Lindsay (June 21, 2010)."Record Review: Christina Aguilera – Bionic".Cokemachineglow.CMG. Archived fromthe originalon June 26, 2010.RetrievedOctober 20,2023.
- ^TJ (May 17, 2010)."New Music: Christina Aguilera Declares" I Hate Boys "On New 'Bionic' Track".Neon Limelight. Archived fromthe originalon October 5, 2010.RetrievedMay 17,2012.
- ^Stern, Bradley (June 7, 2012)."Christina Aguilera: Bionic (Album Review)".MuuMuse.RetrievedMay 17,2012.
- ^Kot, Greg (June 7, 2010)."Turn It Up: Album review: Christina Aguilera, 'Bionic'".Chicago Tribune.Tribune Company.Archived fromthe originalon December 3, 2013.RetrievedMay 15,2012.
- ^"Christina Aguilera: Bionic | Music Review".Slant Magazine.June 2, 2010.RetrievedJune 6,2010.
- ^Megarry, Daniel (June 4, 2020)."10 years on, Christina Aguilera's Bionic proves it really was ahead of its time".Gay Times.Gay Times Ltd.Archivedfrom the original on June 9, 2020.RetrievedJune 9,2020.
- ^Wass, Mike (June 8, 2020)."10 Years Of Christina Aguilera's 'Bionic'".Idolator.Hive Media.Archivedfrom the original on June 9, 2020.RetrievedJune 10,2020.
- ^(2010) Liner notes ofBionicbyChristina Aguilera.RCA Records.
- ^"South Korea Gaon International Chart (Week: July 6, 2010 to July 12, 2010)".Gaon Chart.July 12, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon November 13, 2013.RetrievedMay 25,2013.
- ^"Christina Aguilera – I Hate Boys – Issue 793".The Music Network.June 28, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon April 6, 2012.RetrievedSeptember 27,2012.