Popular Music

As I was leaving a restraunt the other night, I saw a group of college girls jump into a car, roll the windows down, and crank up a song I'd never heard.  Though the song wasn't familiar to me, I knew that it was probably a very popular one.  Catchy melody, auto-tuned to hell, and lyrics that seemed to be written on the spot.  As some of my friends scowled at the sound, I had just one thought,

This song was written with a purpose, and we are seeing that purpose here in front of us.

Now, before you assume that you know what I mean, let me say that you probably don't.  These girls were out to have fun.  I'm assuming that they weren't turning on the music for an introspective dialogue with themselves, they wanted to forget about work, school, etc. and just have fun.  This kind of music easily facilitates this need, and in my opinion, is a good thing for us to have.  It fufills a need that I will never be able to meet, and neither will any the music that I listen to.

People will be angry at me for saying all of this.  But think about it.  After a full day of work, maybe you don't want to watch a documentary on the sinking of the Titanic or the Holocaust.  Maybe you want to watch an episode of Seinfeld or The Office instead.  It's not Shakespear, and the script was probably written in a day for many of the episodes.  But you need to turn off your brain for a bit and just laugh a little before you go to sleep.

Is it really so bad that there is music that is just for fun?

I often get accused of being a music snob, because I don't like 99% of the music that I hear.  But if you got to know me, you'd be surprised how much I respect music- even music that I can't stand to listen to.   Just had to get this off my chest.  Thanks for reading.

Jeremy

Comments

[katie maye]

well said sir. You can't help what you like and don't like. Sometimes I use that as an excuse to bomb on some bands, but I like what you said about respect. I need to remember that and try to not be such a jerk.

[Rosie]

i agree with you ~ it's kind of like the equivalent of haribo or chocolate...not much nutritional value at all, but serves a purpose :-)

[Alyssa Bennett Smith]

I agree with the sentiment, although, I I think it's unfair to compare Seinfeld and the Office to the type of music that you're talking about. In my opinion those shows are really quite smart, and I think a bit more than a day goes into writing them. But I totally understand what you're saying.

[Megan]

well said and written!

[chantilly]

i completely agree/ understand this opinion. it's grating when i hear someone say that a song "sucks' but can't tell me why. just because one don't like a song doesn't mean it sucks. just that it's not their style. i guess it's hard do differentiate for some...

also, i hear a lot of musicians say "oh, i could've written a better song than that taylor swift/ katy perry/ justin bieber (etc.)" no. no you can't. there's a very specific art to writing pop music, and it's not as easy as you think. simple doesn't always equal easy...

[Will Chiles]

Good comment about purpose. It'd be an interesting thread to follow.

One has to learn one's craft whereever the clues are hid. I tend to like folk, indie, classical more than other genres, but I enjoy listening to say... Nashville pop because the producers of those songs know what they're doing, and they do it extremely well.

Seinfeld may not be Shakespeare, but Shakespeare may have been Seinfeld : )

[Amy (Peppermint Mocha Mama)]

While I agree and understand your intended sentiment, I find it unfair to compare "bubble gum pop" tunes that the average teenage giggly girl listens to with something as intricate and witty as Seinfeld or The Office. Those scripts are not "written in a day" but, on average, take weeks to perfect and tune into the easy flowing comic genius on screen.

Please Mr. Larson, just because something allows us to shut off our minds and forget the world for a bit doesn't mean that it's mindless in production. It simply means that those who created it did a phenomenal job and accomplished their goal.

[Jeremy Larson]

Amy, wow! Sorry to push your buttons. As a huge Seinfeld fan, I'm sure you know that the writers wrote their own scripts and brought them in after they were finished (as opposed to by committee). Some of these writers have mentioned in interviews that they wrote and turned some of them in very quickly. So... maybe relax a little. I don't know all the ins and outs of the process, just as I would guess you don't know the ins and outs of the multi-band compression, linear EQ, or the mastering that goes into making a hit single. It's a science, and the people that write hits are good at what they do. I believe the comparison is fair. You don't have to:) If you take a step back, you'd see that the point of this post was not "Seinfeld was thoughtless, mindless crap", it was "Different kinds of music can serve different purposes". Have a nice weekend!
Jeremy

[Shesh]

This is very open-minded of you. While I think pop music can be quite, well, uninspiring, it's always good to respect other people's choices - in life, in music. Just because we don't like it doesn't mean another person can't.

On that note, I really like your music Jeremy, I discovered you through Elsie's blog and consequently YouTube. Hoping I can buy your album somewhere in Sydney, Australia (I like having the hard copies)

Have a great week Jeremy! :-)

[Shesh]

Hi Jeremy,

This is a very open-minded post. I agree that, despite finding some pop music uninspiring, it's always good to respect people's choices - in life, and in music. If that's what people like, well, who are we to judge?

Also, I'm falling in love with your music - I discovered you through Elsie's blog & consequently on YouTube. Hoping I can get my hands on your album somewhere in Sydney, Australia (I like having hard copies)

Have a great week Jeremy! :-)

[:)]

I will bump Candy by Mandy Moore in my car and think of this post. Thanks.

[chelsea]

That last comment made me LOL.

I agree completely, and I have had to explain this to some of my "music snob" boyfriends in the past. Yes, not all music out there necessarily demonstrates musical talent, but I think that most of it at least serves a purpose or tells a story. Teen girl party music is going to be way different than a meaningful song someone writes about their relationship or an orchestral piece for a film score.

Well said, sir!

[Missy]

Liked this one... trying to decide what it says about me if after a full day of work I'd still rather watch a documentary about the sinking of Titanic or the holocaust.

[wess]

justin timberlake is a fucking genius! seinfield might be the most annoying person ever born! i much prefer larry david, the office went in the shitter somewhere around season 5... but its all personal opinion then isnt it. i like this post.

[Claudia]

Hi,
thanks for this post.
In my opinion many people think that "to have fun" it's the same as "don't think". I believe that we can have fun and enjoy our time reading a book, listen to good music and watching a film that are light but interesting at the same time.
I think there is lot of music around and most of it (or lot of it) it's completely "empty" of meaning or passion, it's just written and singed to don't think about our life: I want to think 'bout my life! Thinking about our life we can improve ourselves and the world. Talking about our life, talking to people close to us (and not only them) we can compare our existences and know the world and people who live in it.
It's just that very often musicians, writers and film makers think that to make us laugh, they must give us stupidity or emptiness! I can't stand it!

Sorry if I wrote something completely out of the context O_o Arrgh, I'm Italian and I don't speak English very well, I hope to have written what I really mean :)

Claudia

[michael]

i agree and relate with everything in this entry.

i view listening to music kinda like eating. just cause it's good for you and healthy doesn't mean you always want it, and just cause it's junk doesn't mean you don't crave it.