Yesterday, I was watching that silly Andy Samberg movie called Popstar. Whether it actually mocks Justin Bieber’s lifestyle or not, I liked its insight on what people think of the pop music industry right now. Even though a lot of people enjoy this genre, there is also a large group of people that resent that this kind of music is so famous. And as snobbish as it sounds, they’re kind of right, in a way. Don’t get me wrong, there are some really cool pop songs out there, but overall, it’s not the best. Here are some very valid reasons to hate this genre, so you don’t feel bad about it:
Pop music is a comfort zone for artists.
Let’s be honest. Being a pop star is ridiculously comfortable. You don’t need to make a meaningful art statement, and you don’t even have to be a talented songwriter, or singer, for that matter. The structure of a pop song is pretty much effortless: verse, chorus, verse, chorus, key change, chorus. And don’t get me started on the lyrics. Most of them are not even remotely interesting. That’s why it’s so popular: it’s simple, nothing daring, or challenging (for the artist or the audience). Most probably, this business will keep going as long as these popular celebrities don’t dare to leave their comfort zone.
Pop stars are role models, even though they really shouldn’t be.
Nowadays, everyone wants to become a pop star. Teenagers dream of having lots of money, a big house, being popular on social media, having a life of touring and parties, affairs with the hottest people, and getting wasted every day. But when you really think about it, should we really admire this lifestyle? Pop music may be catchy, but the true lifestyle they portray sure isn’t.
It’s not about the music anymore.
It’s all about the version of themselves they sell, who they claim to be, and all the money they can make from this. Pop stars are the living images of how we should look like, and the way they look is a constant topic of conversation even among people who don’t listen to their music: if they gain weight, change their hairstyle, get married, or have a kid. Their talent isn’t newsworthy anymore, but their paparazzi pictures sure are. Over time, this becomes senseless, irrelevant, and shallow.
“Live” performances aren’t live.
I know there’s a lot of people that go to live shows to have a good time, but not necessarily because they want to watch an artist’s performance. And maybe that’s why they don’t really care if the music’s live or not. But for hardcore melomanes (like me), this is a huge turn off. Pop stars usually are very young and energetic people, and it’s not like they’re doing the Spartan Race. They should be able to sing and perform live at the same time. I’ve seen 50-year-old musicians perform live without complaining (Björk and Erasure’s Andy Bell), so what’s so hard?
In the end, it’s all about the money.
Since a pop star’s success depends on their managers, and the managers are always looking for new ways to make money, the artist’s career depends on the way the manager wants to make money from them. It’s sad, but true. The worst part is that now, pop stars are also after the money. Music for the sake of music isn’t a thing anymore, and the thirst for profit is number one on their list. That’s why, from time to time, we hear music projects that aren’t that good, but somehow become famous. In the end, it’s all about the green!
The pop scene has been severely corrupted by trivial things, and pop music has slowly gone down in quality and relevance, so, don’t feel bad if you don’t like it anymore. Next time someone points out that you shouldn’t be criticizing pop music, you’ll have solid arguments for doing it.
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