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We Must Stop Rebecca Black From Destroying Music as We Know it
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Post by
Orranis
Seriously, my main problem with most mainstream music today is that it has a blatant lack of depth. And promotes an anti-intellectual ^&*!@#-filled culture.
I get where you're coming from, but I don't necessarily believe that depth should be a prerequisite for music to be considered 'good'. A song needn't be profound or rife with philosophical meaning to be enjoyable.
Sure, there's tons of songs that aren't deep at all that I like, and I might say "I like that song" but never "I like that band."
The problem is now that it's the ONLY thing pop culture likes. But the again, thinking is for homos right?
Post by
Adamsm
Think Face is angry again for some reason. The homo comment wasn't needed there.
Post by
Orranis
Think Face is angry again for some reason. The homo comment wasn't needed there.
I'm not saying that's what he thinks or that's what I think, I just think that there's a direct correlation with the death of literacy in popular music and the death of literacy in popular culture.
Post by
Adamsm
No, that's because of the Internet.
On topic for the music discussion: I don't really care what other people like at this point, as long as I have access to the music I enjoy, which is a fairly varied amount. Yes, I'm vocal about some types and the artists I dislike, but I try to not mock those who listen to them....well, unless they are my actual friends or family. Or it's on the internet; my comments about Fall Out Boy in the actual music discussion thread for example.
Post by
Orranis
No, that's because of the Internet.
On topic for the music discussion: I don't really care what other people like at this point, as long as I have access to the music I enjoy, which is a fairly varied amount. Yes, I'm vocal about some types and the artists I dislike, but I try to not mock those who listen to them....well, unless they are my actual friends or family. Or it's on the internet; my comments about Fall Out Boy in the actual music discussion thread for example.
Not really. In fact, the opposite, for me in fact. If I was ever to publish a book one of my thank-you's might be to this forum. It's definitely helped, but it isn't the sole factor.
And I said correlation, not causation. It's a chicken-egg scenario, because while it did at first take an illiterate crowd to form an anti-intellectual society, which in turn probably caused literacy to die off in music, music definitely helps make one think and it's death has subsequently helped create the society that killed it.
Edit: I think the internet can swing both ways, but there are some things I definitely think have gone one way only. Jersey Shore, for one.
Post by
variable303
The problem is now that it's the ONLY thing pop culture likes. But the again, thinking is for homos right?
Maybe I'm being a bit naive here, but I do think you may be underestimating the general public. When a song gains traction on a wide scale and becomes popular, it does so not because it appeals to a specific homogeneous demographic, but because it's able to push beyond rigid demographic lines and resonate with a wider group of people.
In short, I'm saying that certain songs become popular because they represent a confluence in musical taste. People that like a popular song might still have great 'taste' in the rest of the music they enjoy.
Post by
Orranis
The problem is now that it's the ONLY thing pop culture likes. But the again, thinking is for homos right?
Maybe I'm being a bit naive here, but I do think you may be underestimating the general public. When a song gains traction on a wide scale and becomes popular, it does so not because it appeals to a specific homogeneous demographic, but because it's able to push beyond rigid demographic lines and resonate with a wider group of people.
In short, I'm saying that certain songs become popular because they represent a confluence in musical taste. People that like a popular song might still have great 'taste' in the rest of the music they enjoy.
I know what you mean in the form of cult hits and one-hit wonders (Cee-Lo Green as an example, though I actually prefer that to most as it's slightly deeper then your average break up song), but when it comes to something like Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers (the squeeling fangirls idea types) can't really be explained away.
Post by
160546
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
pezz
Music quality hasn't been the main drive behind the evolution of music this last century. Rebellion has. I didn't start listening to punk rock as a kid because of any inherent musical quality (regarless of whether there is any or not), I started listening to it because my parents didn't like it. People embraced metal because it pushed the limits. People listen to pop because it sets them apart from the previous generations that look down on this music. Rap, hip-hp, indie music -- the story is all the same.
That is the fundamental difference of music then and today. It is drifting toward appealing to the most superficial desires of the masses. In the case of Justin Bieber, he is attractive and they eat it up. This is where the evolution of music stops, because there is no rebellion.
So, as long as my mom explicitly tells me not to listen to the song you linked in the first post, I'm cool if I listen to it? I think that's where this is going.
Which leads me to an alternative solution: Rather than trying to find more meaningful/better quality/whatever music for people to listen to, let's just have the president issue an official statement that says anyone that listens to any music at all is dangerous and a bad ass and hella cool and never ever wears too much Axe body spray even when he goes on a chaperoned date and is really really nervous
but is also a trouble maker and a rapscallion
. That way all music will always be good forever and your problem goes away!
Post by
variable303
I know what you mean in the form of cult hits and one-hit wonders (Cee-Lo Green as an example, though I actually prefer that to most as it's slightly deeper then your average break up song), but when it comes to something like Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers (the squeeling fangirls idea types) can't really be explained away.
I guess I have a wider view of what constitutes pop music. If you're defining pop music strictly in terms of teeny bopper pop, then sure. However, I'd put artists like Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, and Taylor Swift in the pop music category, and I know plenty of extremely normal, grounded, intelligent people that like some of the songs they put out.
Post by
Adamsm
The hell is with the name change?
Post by
Orranis
I know what you mean in the form of cult hits and one-hit wonders (Cee-Lo Green as an example, though I actually prefer that to most as it's slightly deeper then your average break up song), but when it comes to something like Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers (the squeeling fangirls idea types) can't really be explained away.
I guess I have a wider view of what constitutes pop music. If you're defining pop music strictly in terms of teeny bopper pop, then sure. However, I'd put artists like Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, and Taylor Swift in the pop music category, and I know plenty of extremely normal, grounded, intelligent people that like some of the songs they put out.
I guess. My problem isn't that intelligent people happen to like some pop, I find that fine, it's that the majority of society doesn't listen to anything that isn't. Or that pop-artists are being considered the voices of our generation. Which I really don't want to be associated with.
Post by
Orranis
The hell is with the name change?
Haha, I saw that too.
Edit: And again!
Post by
Hyperspacerebel
I am not saying Justin Bieber is the source of popularity of auto-tune, I am saying he is the reason for the proliferation of auto-tune. He is the multi-million dollar product record labels are trying to emulate.
And I'm saying you have no idea what you're talking about. Bieber's musical style is a product of the current musical trends, not the other way around
Wanting to listen to newer younger artists isn't a rebellion. Rebellions that made music good in the past were against wars, rejecting the values of their parents, etc. Where is the rebellion in singing about having your heart broken when you're 13?
It's standing up and saying that 'I have feelings too, and I want to express them.' I'm not saying that it's some sort of existential/philosophical movement, I'm saying it's a movement away from one value or set of values to another standard.
Just because you say it's trolling doesn't make it so. I am saying that allowing music like this to exist lowers standards, hurts my enjoyment of music in the long run, and it must be killed with fire. In fact I think you are just arguing for the sake of arguing, since it's what you do in every single one of my threads. As such, I am no longer responding to you. Go ahead and get the last word in if it makes you feel good.
It hurts your enjoyment maybe. But you're not the center of the universe, fortunately.
Post by
Hyperspacerebel
Music quality hasn't been the main drive behind the evolution of music this last century. Rebellion has. I didn't start listening to punk rock as a kid because of any inherent musical quality (regarless of whether there is any or not), I started listening to it because my parents didn't like it. People embraced metal because it pushed the limits. People listen to pop because it sets them apart from the previous generations that look down on this music. Rap, hip-hp, indie music -- the story is all the same.
That is the fundamental difference of music then and today. It is drifting toward appealing to the most superficial desires of the masses. In the case of Justin Bieber, he is attractive and they eat it up. This is where the evolution of music stops, because there is no rebellion.
So, as long as my mom explicitly tells me not to listen to the song you linked in the first post, I'm cool if I listen to it? I think that's where this is going.
Which leads me to an alternative solution: Rather than trying to find more meaningful/better quality/whatever music for people to listen to, let's just have the president issue an official statement that says anyone that listens to any music at all is dangerous and a bad ass and hella cool and never ever wears too much Axe body spray even when he goes on a chaperoned date and is really really nervous
but is also a trouble maker and a rapscallion
. That way all music will always be good forever and your problem goes away!
Are you responding to Elaus or me? The sarcasm could go either way :P
Post by
138638
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
pezz
Are you responding to Elaus or me? The sarcasm could go either way :P
You know I didn't check before I wrote that post. :P It was more a response to the point of view that rebellion should be an important part of music and the evaluation thereof. But that could just be my point of view; I was always, deep down, the cold, calculating capitalist my parents dreamed of.
Post by
Hyperspacerebel
Are you responding to Elaus or me? The sarcasm could go either way :P
You know I didn't check before I wrote that post. :P It was more a response to the point of view that rebellion should be an important part of music and the evaluation thereof. But that could just be my point of view; I was always, deep down, the cold, calculating capitalist my parents dreamed of.
Well, I wasn't making a
should
claim. I was just pointing out what I see as a historical fact, that music evolution over the last century has been about rebellion. You can disagree with that I guess, but just know I'm not saying that's how music should develop.
Post by
Monday
Meh. If somebody wants to listen to the song linked (cba to listen to it) then that is their right. I may highly dislike their music choice, but since liking a band isn't based on how "good" it is, I won't say anything.
Unless it is Justin Bieber or the Black Eyed Peas.
Post by
variable303
Meh. If somebody wants to listen to the song linked (cba to listen to it) then that is their right. I may highly dislike their music choice, but since liking a band isn't based on how "good" it is, I won't say anything.
Again, in regards to Rebecca Black, people 'like' the song for its comedic value, not for the music itself.
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