Sunday, January 31, 2010


Why do we hate "POP" music?
When was the last time someone asked you "What kind of music do you listen to?" Was it hard for you to answer them? Did the word "pop" come up in their questioning or even in your answer? Most of you would probably say no when asked if you like pop music. We all know that the term pop music really means popular music which leads me to another question. Do we hate it when the bands we listen to become popular? Does that make us like them less? I have to answer for everyone until I get a few comments on this post. Yes and no!
I have a hard time answering someone if they ask me what kind of music I listen to because I listen to so many different kinds. I usually get the most laughs when I answer classical or choir music which i really do like but they're certainly not my first choice. My answer usually goes something like this: "Well . . . I like alot of different kinds of music, alternative (mainly because people that don't listen to alot of music at least understand that term.), indie, punk, etc." I never, ever say the word pop! I never say rock either but that's a whole post in itself.
When I was a teenager I took pride in the fact that I didn't listen to pop music when actually if I would have been honest I would have said I did because half of the stuff I liked was in the top 40 in England but not in America. I thought the bands I listened to were too good to be considered pop. I remember having a favorite band or two and loving them and then their popularity would rise and it would start to bother me. Somehow I had a connection with that particular band, an exclusivity that made them mine and yet at the same time I would wonder why people didn't listen to them when they were so much better than other bands. (Wow, I had a problem back then.) Why shouldn't the bands we like become popular? Isn't that at least a part of the reason they are making music? Shouldn't they be able to make a living at what they love to do?
My whole point to asking these questions is to basically say it's alright for great bands to become popular. I think it's even ok to like pop music. I constantly catch myself saying "This band is too good to be considered a pop band." Now I'm not telling you to run out and buy a Miley Cyrus cd or something crazy like that but don't be afraid to love a band that has a song in the Top 40. Below is a playlist of bands or musicians that I've always considered too good to be pop. Enjoy.



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5 comments:

  1. I like pop, because generally it is "happy" music..When you are in the car and the radio is playing upbeat, easy to sing along with songs...its just fun...I don't buy it either but I find myself enjoying it without even realizing it!

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  2. Lol! "Miley Cyrus"....

    I love all "flavors" of music as well. I'm hardly a musical biggot. Except Rap. Please don't make me go shoot myself. (With the exception of the "cool/alternative "rap"" like Black-Eyed Peas). It's hard for me to answer a question like that, too. I just say, "all types", because it's so true. From Hawaiian/Slack Key to George Winston. From our own church hymns to ska. From punk to psychadelic. I even love some old school techno. I think it's the tune and the beat- those are my two biggest reasons I end up loving a song. Later, I'll really listen to see what the lyrics say, but for the most part- if I can FEEL the beat, or I start singing along with the tune (believe me, this is done privately- nobody wants to hear me sing), then it gets added to my forever long list of songs I love. My life's soundtrack rocks!

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  3. I loved your post! You stated it! We all think that way. I still do. I find myself saying, "I liked them before they became popular." As if to say I was the one who truly discovered them or made them popular. p.s. I'm Trenton's Aunt

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  4. To me, pop music was whatever the radio was playing over and over again 50 times a day. I would never go buy that music, not necessarily because I didn't like it but because if I wanted to listen to it, just turn on the radio and Id hear it more than I could stand. I never had a problem with bands I like getting popular, what would irritate me was when the songs that made them popular were not what I would consider their best music or indicative of their style.

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  5. Great post Howard, it brought me right back to high school. You are so right. I remember loving Simple Minds and U2 and feeling that sense of pride/abandonment when they got popular. I was happy to see that people now understood that I wasn't crazy for liking them, but sad to see that maybe they went a little too main stream. Keep it coming my friend.

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