Everyone is entitled to their own preference and opinion, but there is a unique level of disdain that takes place when someone displays their hatred towards a specific style of music. We’ve all had a moment in life when a horrible song crosses our ears, and suddenly our blood begins to boil. When we hear something that strikes us as profoundly irritating, it suddenly becomes our mission to clearly articulate why this music is so vile. There aren’t many aspects of society that we can all relate to on the same page, but there is an obvious similarity when reacting to bad music.
The P Word
Pop music is beloved by some and despised by most, but what exactly makes it so excruciating to hear? Well to start, music fans have a tendency to adhere towards rebellion, and popular music is an easy starting point to rebel against. Other genres like hip-hop or even country have a certain soul to the music where people can identify with their own emotions. Pop music is the exact opposite, and is strictly marketed for making lots of money. Once the all mighty dollar becomes your inspiration, things like lyrics and melody tend to lose focus.
Getting Better With Age
When you’re young the mind resembles a sponge soaking in any and all information around it, and this is particularly crucial in building ones personal taste in music. Typically a young music fan will lean towards whatever is popular or current in their favorite genre at the time. This is a great starting point as it usually opens up new doors into the past where older bands get discovered for the first time. Some people thought that over time bands like The Doors or Led Zeppelin wouldn’t last, but talent is talent and good song writing will always stand the test of time.
You Get What You Put In
Music fans are extremely devoted and intelligent people who can spot dishonesty from a mile away. So when you have an artist who pursues a career in music solely for the purpose of getting rich and famous, fans will pick up on this immediately and the artist will become nothing more than an expendable commodity. This explains why bands like The Beatles or The Rolling Stones had such longevity, because their music was saturated with honesty and integrity. When you build music based on truth it becomes something pure that people can respect, and something that can endure any time period despite what trends may stand in its way.
How Does This Equate to Hatred?
Music has always been a form of personal therapy for people throughout history, and just as if you were to visit a licensed therapist, you seek credibility. The same aspect reigns true with music, and fans will not accept someone who appears disingenuous. So when a band comes along that plays pre-processed pop music that we have all heard before, and sings lyrics with no particular meaning beyond trying to be catchy, its almost like a personal insult to our integrity as music fans. As if the musicians in question think we are idiots who would actually swallow the garbage they are trying to force feed right down our throats.
Its difficult to keep bad music at bay in a time where record companies believe in quantity over quality, but thankfully there are more and more independent artists rising up to show record companies they aren’t needed anymore. Your average independent musician will embrace transparency, and open up to the world with no remorse. However, a phony artist will stick out like a snake in the grass, and its important to call them out for it. As fans, its crucial for us to continue weeding out the fakes so that the music we love can hold on to its integrity throughout the future.