Most annoying ringtones

[roadman]

The current thread about smartphones got me thinking about ringtones, and how some of them can be downright annoying.

I'll start the list off with my top three personal 'favorites':

The 'cuckoo' sound many people use to alert them to texts

The 'clown horn' sound a person I work with uses to alert them to texts

The 'rock star' melody (yes, that's how it's labeled on ringtone menus) that is default on most phones (and which most people don't bother to change).

Anybody else out there want to add to this list

[1995hoo]

I don't use any of the default ringtones, in part because of how ubiquitous they are. You know how when you're at a game (hockey, baseball, whatever, doesn't matter) and the men's room is crowded and you're standing on line for the urinals and someone's phone sounds the default ringtone, half the guys in there start checking to see if it's their phone? That will never happen to me!

Some people might find some of my ringtones rather annoying, though. The one I set as the default is the beginning of a rock version of the Russian national anthem as performed by a Russian band whose name is usually transliterated as "Lubeh" or "Lyubeh."

I also have John Walton's radio play-by-play call of the Capitals scoring the series-clinching goal in overtime of Game 7 against the Bruins a few years ago, Charlie Slowes and Dave Jaegler's calls of Jayson Werth's walk-off home run in the 2012 NLDS and this past year's final catch of Jordan Zimmermann's no-hitter, the Ipana Toothpaste jingle, the Hartford Whalers' "Brass Bonanza, and some other stuff.

On the whole, I'd wager some people would probably find my custom ringtones more annoying than the default ones. I should note I am extremely careful to put my phone into Airplane Mode if we're at the movies or Mass or the Kennedy Center or the like. Having your phone ring at the Kennedy Center is a faux pas. Having it start blasting "Heavy Action" (the Monday Night Football music) would be unforgivably rude!

[roadman]

I go one step further when I'm at some place where I don't want my phone ringing - I just shut it off completely.

As for the men's room, I used to work with a guy who would keep talking on his phone while doing his business at the urinal.  While I am normally tolerant of folks on cell phones - no matter how irritating they can be - if I was within earshot, I would manage to flush a toilet.  Was always curious about how the person on the other end felt about that.

As a sidebar - cellphones have ruined what IMO was one of the funniest scenes during a television show - the opening scene in the pilot episode of Get Smart, where Max's shoe phone starts ringing in the middle of the opera and he can't shut it off.  I'm sure the current generation's reaction to that is simply "Oh, he's being rude." with no appreciation for the context.

[admtrap]

Since I don't really like most of the people who call me, any ringtone I use becomes cringeworthy after a while.  I've tried using songs I like - they turn into songs I hate.   My new strategy is to use songs I already hate.

[1995hoo]

....

As for the men's room, I used to work with a guy who would keep talking on his phone while doing his business at the urinal.  While I am normally tolerant of folks on cell phones - no matter how irritating they can be - if I was within earshot, I would manage to flush a toilet.  Was always curious about how the person on the other end felt about that.

....

I also make a point of flushing. Or, depending on the restroom design and the reason for my visit, I will go in a booth, stand on my tiptoes, and piss as loudly as I possibly can directly into the water. 

[agentsteel53]

the only time I've ever had a phone louder than "vibrate" is when I get a new one and forget that, out of the factory, they are loud.

[hotdogPi]

The most annoying one is the one that is your own ringtone, but not your own phone.

[Alps]

[hbelkins]

My ringtone for my wife's cell and for the home phone is "I Was Made For Lovin' You" by Kiss.

For my mother-in-law, it's "Tie Your Mother Down" by Queen.

For some unknown reason, for my brother it's the iPhone iOS 6 default (the marimba). I guess I should change that but at least I know it's him when he calls.

For everyone else, it's "Master of Puppets" by Metallica.

All of mine, I've created on my own by editing snippets of MP3s. I've used portions of "Aire" by Chicago, "Highway Star" by Deep Purple, "Heading Out To The Highway" by Judas Priest, "By-Tor And The Snow Dog" by Rush.

[cjk374]

My phone stays on vibrate.  I have to turn it off when I am at work by federal law.  When I did use ringtones, I had Darth Vader's marching music anytime my ex-wife called.  She gave it to me and I told her I would use it for her.  She didn't care, but everyone else gets a laugh.

[Tom958]

The most annoying ringtone ever was the one from the movie "Brazil." Hear it at 0:40-41.

[briantroutman]

I always found the "Nokia Tune"  annoying.

[Roadrunner75]

Being from South Jersey, my ringtone is of course:

[ZLoth]

"Annoying" is a very subjective opinion. Around the office, the "Old Spice" whistle and a ring dying have been used to annoyance.

I uploaded the themes to Doctor Who, Amazing Race, and Game of Thrones to my cell phone and use those as ringtones. And, to think the cell phone carriers want us to PAY for them.

[Zeffy]

the only time I've ever had a phone louder than "vibrate" is when I get a new one and forget that, out of the factory, they are loud.

Oh good, I thought I was the only one who will never turn their phone off vibrate unless it was new.

[GCrites]

For everyone else, it's "Master of Puppets" by Metallica.

What part? "Chop your breakfast on a mirror"? 

[hotdogPi]

How often have you heard your own ringtone, checked your phone, and then realized that it was someone else's phone that was ringing?

[Pete from Boston]

None.  My phone vibrates.  Ringtones are as bad as non-urgent car horn use–the user helps him/herself to everyone else's ears for something of importance to only that person.

[The Nature Boy]

None.  My phone vibrates.  Ringtones are as bad as non-urgent car horn use–the user helps him/herself to everyone else's ears for something of importance to only that person.

This might be the first time I've ever seen someone from Boston decry car horn usage in any fashion.

In any event, I couldn't tell you what my ringtone is. I keep my phone on vibrate because I don't like disturbing other people while in public.

[Pete from Boston]

We have a lot of pedestrian traffic, and a lot of backed-up automobile traffic on streets.  People yell fron the sidewalk at drivers who lean on their horns. 

[SSOWorld]

We have a lot of pedestrian traffic, and a lot of backed-up automobile traffic on streets.  People yell fron the sidewalk at drivers who lean on their horns. 

Keep honking, I'm reloading

[kurumi]

Being from South Jersey, my ringtone is of course:

Semi-threadjack, but here's a cool site with hundreds of TV news theme songs going back to the 70s; you can search by region: http://www.southernmedia-nmsa.com/

Probably the worst ringtone I had (in retrospect) was a hand-composed version of "The Autumn Wind" back when the Raiders were good (this predates smartphones by many years).

[hbelkins]

For everyone else, it's "Master of Puppets" by Metallica.

What part? "Chop your breakfast on a mirror"? 

No, where it goes "master, master" and then the chorus.

How often have you heard your own ringtone, checked your phone, and then realized that it was someone else's phone that was ringing?

For awhile, I used the intro to Rush's "The Spirit of Radio" as my ringtone. More than once, I would hear the song come on (either on the radio or when used as bumper music for Rush Limbaugh's show) and would instinctively reach for my phone.

[Jardine]

I have a psychotic Droid RazrM and I'm lucky if it rings at all when I get a call.

New phone this month !!!

I'm looking at 2 soup cans and a piece of string, I should be able to keep that level of technology working.

[cl94]

During my freshman year of college, somebody recorded the fire alarm and used it as their ringtone for a few months