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Ever hate a song so much you'd risk being fired?
- Thread starter malthumb
- Start date
I grew up in the 60's and play in an oldies band. I suppose you could have speculated the same thing about any number of bubble gum tunes that were popular back in the day. So-called musician dismissed much of these tunes back then and now are all too happy to play them for a very appreciative crowd for whom the song brings back lots of good memories about their youth.
Your opinion. I happen to like the song and I'm 51.
Sometimes the vitriol spewed at pop music by some here just seems like nothing more than jealousy. I can't imagine why someone would hate a popular song so much, unless it's just because more people like the pop songs than like their songs... nothing else makes much sense.
"I don't like it." Sure. Makes sense. There are plenty of songs I don't like. But "aural diarrhea"... whatever that is... doesn't...
And, why is a song bad merely because it's a pop song? Why is a catchy beat and fun lyrics wrong? You guys and your artistic hoity-toitiness... lol...
If all you could play was songs that make women stop dancing, you'd be salty too.
Your opinion. I happen to like the song and I'm 51.
Sometimes the vitriol spewed at pop music by some here just seems like nothing more than jealousy. I can't imagine why someone would hate a popular song so much, unless it's just because more people like the pop songs than like their songs... nothing else makes much sense.
"I don't like it." Sure. Makes sense. There are plenty of songs I don't like. But "aural diarrhea"... whatever that is... doesn't...
And, why is a song bad merely because it's a pop song? Why is a catchy beat and fun lyrics wrong? You guys and your artistic hoity-toitiness... lol...
Maybe their tastes are simply more specific than yours? Nah, you guys are right, personal insults are definitely the way to go.
Your opinion. I happen to like the song and I'm 51.
Sometimes the vitriol spewed at pop music by some here just seems like nothing more than jealousy. I can't imagine why someone would hate a popular song so much, unless it's just because more people like the pop songs than like their songs... nothing else makes much sense.
"I don't like it." Sure. Makes sense. There are plenty of songs I don't like. But "aural diarrhea"... whatever that is... doesn't...
And, why is a song bad merely because it's a pop song? Why is a catchy beat and fun lyrics wrong? You guys and your artistic hoity-toitiness... lol...
Ditto.
Your opinion. I happen to like the song and I'm 51.
Sometimes the vitriol spewed at pop music by some here just seems like nothing more than jealousy. I can't imagine why someone would hate a popular song so much, unless it's just because more people like the pop songs than like their songs... nothing else makes much sense.
"I don't like it." Sure. Makes sense. There are plenty of songs I don't like. But "aural diarrhea"... whatever that is... doesn't...
And, why is a song bad merely because it's a pop song? Why is a catchy beat and fun lyrics wrong? You guys and your artistic hoity-toitiness... lol...
Please show me where I said a song is bad merely because it's a pop song.
The artistry of pop music in general has been on a decline for the past 10-15 years. Sure there were bubblegum type songs all the way back to the 50's or maybe even before, but nowadays you have 6 producers involved just to get "baby, baby, baby oh" out of some douchey Canadian kid.
I know that probably sounds like typical generational stuff, but I truly believe there was more skill involved in pop music of the last millennium. For example the rise of the synthesizer had a lot of bands creating some interesting and new sounds while still producing solid and catchy 3-4 minute songs. Now it's all ready made. That goes for a lot of genres too, not just pop. Just a lot more lazy songwriting these days IMO.
Stuff like Hanson, Bieber and Carly Rae Jepsen are no different than Tiffany, NKOTB or Debbie Gibson before them. There is undoubtedly better pop music available. It's just that the garbage seems to get pushed the most. Or maybe that goes to show what the lowest common denominator is for what people will listen to.
This.
You know, some people are happy to eat at Taco Bell and McDonalds every day. Some like it once in a while, and some won't eat there at all.
Same with music. Some truly like "everything". Some have very specific tastes. Music can be a very personal thing, and it's not wrong or unusual to have a strong negative reaction to something you don't like. You might serve someone blue cheese, and when they try it they gag and say "ewww gross", while the next person loves it. Would you tell the person who didn't like the blue cheese to just suck it up and eat it?
No. You don't get to have "more specific" tastes. We're supposed to be the narrow-minded ones who only listen to one kind of music.
The argument I always make when people suggest "today's pop music" is lacking musicality or is lazy etc is..
Ok - then make one.
Sure the chord progressions are predictable, the hooks are redundant and simple and the blah blah blah...
but be honest with yourself - could you make something just as catchy? It's super simple, shouldn't require 6 producers and is musically lazy so someone with that critique should be able to make a quick buck and finance the rest of their more worthwhile musical aspirations, right?
BTW - I know and used to work for a producer that did exactly what I am questioning so it's not like I'm being ridiculous here. About twice a year he makes a pop hit to finance his other endeavors and he's well respected by purists in his genre as well as mainstream audiences.
My point is - it's not as easy as it looks to make booty's shake and keep them shaking around the world. So maybe give the 6 producers a tiny bit of respect.
Ok - then make one.
Sure the chord progressions are predictable, the hooks are redundant and simple and the blah blah blah...
but be honest with yourself - could you make something just as catchy? It's super simple, shouldn't require 6 producers and is musically lazy so someone with that critique should be able to make a quick buck and finance the rest of their more worthwhile musical aspirations, right?
BTW - I know and used to work for a producer that did exactly what I am questioning so it's not like I'm being ridiculous here. About twice a year he makes a pop hit to finance his other endeavors and he's well respected by purists in his genre as well as mainstream audiences.
My point is - it's not as easy as it looks to make booty's shake and keep them shaking around the world. So maybe give the 6 producers a tiny bit of respect.
Musical Truth #2: there are only 2 kinds of music: originals and covers
Musical Truth #416: one person's aural diarrhea is another person's aural fertilizer
Musical Truth #416: one person's aural diarrhea is another person's aural fertilizer
Truthfully, I have written hooks and choruses that people who heard it said they couldn't get out of their head - for better or worse. I take that as a massive compliment. So while I might not be a Grammy winning songwriter, I do know something about writing a catchy song. No it's not easy, but that's because I try to do a little more with the lyrics than the usual assortment of babies, y'know's, yeah's, and so forth.
I think we all know there's much more to making a buck off pop music than just having a good catchy tune. I'm sure iTunes is littered with catchy little tunes, but the ones that break big are the ones that have the right "image" attached to them. Of course it's always been that way with mainstream acts to a certain extent.
Your producer friend is already in the industry, so I would assume that goes a long way towards being able to produce a throwaway song every 6 months to keep revenue flowing. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with doing that to finance more personal and interesting endeavors. But just because a song is financially successful doesn't make it good.
I watched a documentary on the Wailers last night that confirmed both sides of this coin. It's on Netflix, I would advise all that record music to watch it...I forget the exact title but it's a documentary on the making of the Catch a Fire album.
In it the producers - in UK are discussing the different records on the album and their contribution to it behind the scenes etc and one part in particular stood out. They said that Stir It Up had the most post production on the album - not by the Wailers, but by session players in the UK and the producers etc - as they were trying to bring purists reggae to an American public that didn't have the appetite for pure reggae, yet. So - in their attempts to do so they added tons of familiar sounding passages and tones etc to appeal to the masses and obviously it worked...
Then the other side of the coin flips later in the documentary when the same producers admit that they (now) prefer the original cut sent over from Jamaica before they touched it.
My point is - you have to know your audience 1) and you have to know what baby baby and what ooo wee to put where 2...but you're right - once you have a foot in the door people will appreciate your music at the level with which you choose to deliver it to them.
The difference between breaking a pop record and having one sit on your hard drive is that people that break pop records are trying - first and foremost - to break a pop record. To disrespect their artistry for that fact is shortsighted and somewhat narrow, imho.
Well to reiterate what I said before, I do not dismiss all pop music. I just debate whether some of it has any artistry.
I wouldn't be surprised if some of the pop music I like the most over the decades is music that wasn't trying to break a pop record.
Yeah, I work in a wedding band every weekend
and every year there is a hit song that becomes
the women's anthem where they all rush to the
dance floor and scream the lyrics at their boyfriend/husbands. Last year it was the male-
bashing hit Adele song "Rolling In The Deep".
I have a problem with that song. It seems lately
that every song written by a man sings about how they wanna be with the woman, in some
way. Every recent song written by a woman is
singing about how the man done them wrong.
and every year there is a hit song that becomes
the women's anthem where they all rush to the
dance floor and scream the lyrics at their boyfriend/husbands. Last year it was the male-
bashing hit Adele song "Rolling In The Deep".
I have a problem with that song. It seems lately
that every song written by a man sings about how they wanna be with the woman, in some
way. Every recent song written by a woman is
singing about how the man done them wrong.
