Why I Love Pop Music

You hate pop because it's lame. You hate pop because it's studio produced fluff. You hate pop because it saturates the radio. You hate pop because it has no depth. You hate pop because, well, it's pop. And me? I love pop music.

Now, don't get me wrong; I am well aware that the aforementioned protestations against pop music are entirely true. But that doesn't mean I can't like it, right? But we don't listen to pop music to hear the latest philosophies on life. Nor do we listen to it to find or relate to some profundity about our emotions or experiences or opinions. We listen to pop music because, for that brief three minute interlude of music by artists so prolific as Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake or Beyonce, we have fun. Admit it. "Sexy Back" bumps the sound system at the dance club or on the radio and you start moving. Some blast from the past hit like "Tubthumping" randomly plays on your iPod and you can't help but smile because, like it or not, songs like that inadvertently attach to our memory. For my generation and those close to it, the influx of cheesy pop in the mid to late 90s seemed like an invasion of de trop TRL trash and one hit wonders. But, I dare you to put on "I Want it That Way" and not remember you and your boys parodicaly singing it to a crowd of screaming girls at a school dance.

To be the resident music snob who can't enjoy anything unless it comes from a band with a pretentious, often times undecipherable name means one thing: you're insecure. Every type of music has it's purpose, and pop music makes no mistake in its intentions. It's there to make you jump up and down. It's there to make you forget all the melodramatic shit in your life. It's there for those drunken 4 a.m. nights when you can finally let go and just fucking have fun.

Pop has seen many faces since its inception and subsequent increase in popularity with artists like--yes, that's right--Elvis and The Beatles. Yet, most of us are quick to leave pop back in the 90s, forgetting that pop is quickly becoming less about bubble gum dance beats and more about sappy guys with pianos and guitars. The Fray looks a little less credible now, huh? But don't let that be your first inclination, because hardly does it matter that more and more bands are being snatched up by major record labels and becoming engulfed in marketing campaigns that would seemingly strip them of their individuality. All I've got to say to that is...who effing cares? If you like their music, you like their music. Screw your image; it's probably not as cool as you think it is anyway.

So, let go of your fucking hang-ups and pop in Britney Spears, Third Eye Blind, Eminem, N* Sync, The Beatles, All Saints, The Rolling Stones, BB Mack, Christina Aguilera, Jay-Z, ABBA, Elton John or any band out there whose songs you know by heart whether you want to or not. You're gonna have fun. I guarantee it.

Seth

Post Birthday Musing

Yesterday's birthday post was a little doleful. A day later and I'm feeling a little jollier.

This little quip was taken from one of two birthday cards I received; but it's absolutely perfect.

dwell happy

dwell hopeful

dwell on something meaningless

dwell on something meaningful

dwell beautiful

dwell on thursday

dwell thoughtfully

dwell purposefully

dwell on


Said perfectly. Dwell on everyone.

Seth

Happy 23rd, Seth

Today is my birthday, and I suppose it needs some commentary. I am now 23...two years from 25...almost halfway to 50...almost a quarter century old. Talk about perspective. I say all the time "I'm so old," but am I really? I feel like I did when I was 18, but I know, I hope, I've matured. Others tell me I have, so I trust them. Perhaps I'm just hanging on to those days when I had the type of responsibility that isn't really responsibility. And now, I am finally about to dive into the real world, into what seems to only be a monotonous sequence of repetition. That's why I feel old I guess.

March 6th, 2007 is half way over and to say it's been a productive day would just be lying. I've talked on the phone today more than I have in the last 3 months. I've been constantly clearing out my inbox of e-mails from Facebook alerting me that I have received yet another generic--though very satisfying--happy birthday wallpost. Text messages come every now and then. It's sort of exhausting accepting all the good cheer. But, what I would be like without all of it isn't something I want to think about, because I love being loved. There, that was something positive about today. Maybe I should just leave it at that before my mood starts to plummet.

Tonight will be a low key evening: simply dinner, drinks and friends. There are a few of you I wish were with me right now--you know who you are. But, we'll rendezvous en spirit. It's been a giftless day so far, but, what do I need really? Besides the Journey: Greatest Hits DVD...

Happy Birthday to me. Happy Birthday to me. Happy Birthday, dear Seth, Happy Birthday to me.


Seth