I like Bad Music That's Also "Girly" - What Do?

I recall reading some anecdote in a newspaper article about a father putting on Britney Spears in the car, and his teenage daughter giving him the stinkeye. Later at dinner, she tried to embarrass him by recounting the story, making it out like he was some kind of freak. The whole point of his story was that you need to be true to yourself, yada yada yada.

I'm facing a similar conundrum, but slightly different - I've found that I really like Kesha music, and Katy Perry, and Taylor Swift (I was into Pink in middle school, too). The thing is, I'm not that worried about the actual gender of the performers; my actual worry is that I subjectively find the lyrics terrible and uninspired, but I'm addicted to the actual music. This is more of a question of being attracted to mediocre content, and I'm conflicted. I haven't explored much of the music landscape, and I'm not talking about the indie scene - my musical background is woefully spotty: I haven't listened to any Aerosmith or Jimi Hendrix or Pink Floyd or Pearl Jam or Beatles or Rolling Stones, etc etc etc. And yet, the last ten times I've gone on Youtube I've started with Kesha's Die Young followed by We R Who We R. Just today I made a comment on the FOTNS QL about how anyone can possibly consider buying it when hundreds of other more interesting and challenging games exist, and yet I feel like I'm committing that exact sin on the music front.

Give me spiritual guidance GB community. Should I deny myself base pleasures and challenge myself to explore new musical frontiers, or say fuck it and blast Kesha whenever?

Who cares? I roll around in my car blasting kpop all day.

Like what you like bro

@Krullban said:

Who cares? I roll around in my car blasting kpop all day.

Ya damn right you do!

I'll freely admit that the music I really enjoy is terrible. It's not about pleasing anyone else but yourself.

@JasonR86 said:

@Krullban said:

Who cares? I roll around in my car blasting kpop all day.

Ya damn right you do!

Give the base pleasures a listen every once in a while but definitely try to branch out and find what you really, really enjoy. My favorite band in the world is Between the Buried and Me but that doesn't stop me from listening to "Locked out of Heaven' by Bruno Mars every now and then because that song has a The Police-esque vibe to it that's fucking awesome.

@Krullban said:

Who cares? I roll around in my car blasting kpop all day.

@Ravenlight said:

I'll freely admit that the music I really enjoy is terrible. It's not about pleasing anyone else but yourself.

That's the point though; should I be enjoying it as much as I do, or should I be setting higher standards for myself? To me, Kesha is the definition of a guilty pleasure - I feel guilty for liking it because I feel like I should because it's so bad...

Own it and give zero fucks. Keep a blackboard around and constantly update it with your daily number of fucks given. If that number exceeds zero, rectify the situation.

I got over that whole "listen to music that makes you seem cool" thing a long time ago. I just listen to what I want and I don't really give two shits about what someone thinks of musical tastes. So what if I like both modern rock music and KPOP/JPOP? They appeal to me for different reasons, so I listen to it all. I will encourage you to still explore more musical options. There is tons of music I was fairly closeminded to that ended up becoming some of my favorites. There's an unbelievable amount of music out there; keep exploring to find new things that appeal to your tastes!

@Krullban: That song is great. I can't get enough of it.

@Krullban: Well thats a new Kpop group i shall have to listen further to, that was a good song. It reminded me of a pop version of Parov Stelar

It's ok to like these songs, boyo. I would just suggest you to listen to more songs, you know? They're available, and they're for free to listen(On Youtube at least.)! So yeah, guilty pleasures are fine. My favorite band is Mindless Self Indulgence, but i listen to Rihanna, Backstreet Boys and shit like that... Other times i listen to the Django theme song because i need to relax. Sometimes you don't need super-great lyrics or things like that. Just a good catchy song.

I consider myself to have pretty decent musical taste. Those bands you mentioned, and the indies, I like 'em. Hip-Hop? Gimme gimme gimme. EDM? I'm a neophyte, but I like what's shown to me. And I can listen to jazz/classical for hours. Don't even get me started on R&B from the likes of Gaye, Green, Kelly, hell, even Timberlake and Usher.

Die Young is Ke$ha's best song and is damned great. And I've been ODing on stuff from Red all week. Teenage Dream is an album of fantastic pop stuff.

Do you know how I know there's a difference between good and bad pop? Because Cher Lloyd and Flo Rida are intolerable, but if Die Young comes on the radio, I am going to blast that shit.

You're fine, bro. There's a reason pop is popular.

But, uh, quick tip; you're really gonna wanna listen to some Beatles/Beach Boys and get a basic pop foundation. It's generally accepted that your musical education can't be complete without at least listening through Pet Sounds, and Rubber Soul/Revolver/Sgt. Pepper's are undeniable pop craft. (Revolver and Pepper's get weird sometimes, but still, HOT DAMN. I prefer Rubber Soul myself, though.)

@CH3BURASHKA said:

@Krullban said:

Who cares? I roll around in my car blasting kpop all day.

@Ravenlight said:

I'll freely admit that the music I really enjoy is terrible. It's not about pleasing anyone else but yourself.

That's the point though; should I be enjoying it as much as I do, or should I be setting higher standards for myself? To me, Kesha is the definition of a guilty pleasure - I feel guilty for liking it because I feel like I should because it's so bad...

There really shouldn't be a standard for subjective tastes. You either like it or you don't. Don't get hung up on what is defined as good or not good by anyone else but yourself.

Who cares if you like bad music dude. People who are concerned with your music taste aren't worth worrying about anyways.

@JasonR86 said:

@Krullban said:

Who cares? I roll around in my car blasting kpop all day.

Ya damn right you do!

You're probably better off being self-aware about your taste and not having any pretense about it. I would have no problem someone saying they love trashy or pop music because it's catchy and/or fun, that's what it's made for, but taste and musical investment is stratified. Basically, doing your research is the only way to answer your own question and begin contextualizing that fascination with Ke$ha.

I troll all my friends by unironically liking Kesha and Lady Gaga
 
That said, they're pretty much the only two 'popular'/'bad'/'mainstream' artists I listen to.

@CH3BURASHKA said:

@Krullban said:

Who cares? I roll around in my car blasting kpop all day.

@Ravenlight said:

I'll freely admit that the music I really enjoy is terrible. It's not about pleasing anyone else but yourself.

That's the point though; should I be enjoying it as much as I do, or should I be setting higher standards for myself? To me, Kesha is the definition of a guilty pleasure - I feel guilty for liking it because I feel like I should because it's so bad...

There really shouldn't be a standard for subjective tastes. You either like it or you don't. Don't get hung up on what is defined as good or not good by anyone else but yourself.

Initial D Eurobeat in my car makes it seem faster.

With all due respect, you should be ashamed of the fact that you give such importance to music preferences as if they reflect intelligence or intellect, out of insecurity, than the fact that you listen to pop.

Music's one and only purpose is soulful entertainment. I go from Slayer to Willie Nelson, Rihanna, Amorphis, Katy Perry, Eminem, Nirvana, Bieber, Black Sabbath and all kinds of other shit in one day. It's entertainment, that's all there is to it :)

fuck it, I was listening to fuckin converge last night and then decided to listen to lady gaga after that; who cares? I mean pop music doesn't necessarily mean it's terrible or you should feel guilty for listening to it, it just means it's popular. and despite what people here say, it's alright to play call of duty, it's alright to listen to ke$ha, and it's all right watching *popular TV show*.

I just don't like that guy that thinks K (or J)pop is so much better because they sing in a different language, bugs the shit outta me.

well concerning the lyrics lady gaga is probably better than ke$ha

If you like music, then that's all there is to it. You like it. That's it.

Other people can go fuck a whale ass, because giving that much of a shit about someone else's music tastes isn't worth any amount of time in the real world. I like Infinite, a Korean boy band, but I also like Defeated Sanity. What does this information mean to you? Well, it shouldn't mean shit. 'Cause that's fucking stupid.

Also, this mentality needs to die. It's so stupid to think that 'cause some dude likes Lady Gaga that he's suddenly an idiot. Or that because it's poppy or catchy that it's bad. Catchy ain't bad, people!

EDIT: @Animasta said:

I just don't like that guy that thinks K (or J)pop is so much better because they sing in a different language, bugs the shit outta me.

Oh my god. Three or four dudes in the student center make me want to explode talking about this bullshit.

Everybody does, don't feel bad.

Strap it on, motherfucker.

fuck it, I was listening to fuckin converge last night and then decided to listen to lady gaga after that; who cares? I mean pop music doesn't necessarily mean it's terrible or you should feel guilty for listening to it, it just means it's popular. and despite what people here say, it's alright to play call of duty, it's alright to listen to ke$ha, and it's all right watching *popular TV show*.

I just don't like that guy that thinks K (or J)pop is so much better because they sing in a different language, bugs the shit outta me.

well concerning the lyrics lady gaga is probably better than ke$ha

@McGhee: Where's that from?

@psylah said:

Initial D Eurobeat in my car makes it seem faster.

YES!

I like a lot of music. A LOT. Some of it is technically better than other kinds, more variety or better lyrics, but the only thing that really affects what I enjoy is what I'm in the mood for. Music is at its best in the moment when you're lstening to it, and then whatever you're not listening to doesn't matter.

@McGhee: Where's that from?

@McGhee said:

@JasonR86 said:

@CH3BURASHKA said:

@Krullban said:

Who cares? I roll around in my car blasting kpop all day.

@Ravenlight said:

I'll freely admit that the music I really enjoy is terrible. It's not about pleasing anyone else but yourself.

That's the point though; should I be enjoying it as much as I do, or should I be setting higher standards for myself? To me, Kesha is the definition of a guilty pleasure - I feel guilty for liking it because I feel like I should because it's so bad...

There really shouldn't be a standard for subjective tastes. You either like it or you don't. Don't get hung up on what is defined as good or not good by anyone else but yourself.

This knowledge is the first step. And you already likes the Asian girls. With a little more work we could turn you into a spazzing Kpop fanatic.

Don't listen to this man. J-Pop singers are way cuter.

@McGhee said:

@JasonR86 said:

@CH3BURASHKA said:

@Krullban said:

Who cares? I roll around in my car blasting kpop all day.

@Ravenlight said:

I'll freely admit that the music I really enjoy is terrible. It's not about pleasing anyone else but yourself.

That's the point though; should I be enjoying it as much as I do, or should I be setting higher standards for myself? To me, Kesha is the definition of a guilty pleasure - I feel guilty for liking it because I feel like I should because it's so bad...

There really shouldn't be a standard for subjective tastes. You either like it or you don't. Don't get hung up on what is defined as good or not good by anyone else but yourself.

This knowledge is the first step. And you already likes the Asian girls. With a little more work we could turn you into a spazzing Kpop fanatic.

Don't listen to this man. J-Pop singers are way cuter.

Maybe somebody can find enjoyment out of this song here. I wont judge you.

@McGhee said:

@Animasta said:

fuck it, I was listening to fuckin converge last night and then decided to listen to lady gaga after that; who cares? I mean pop music doesn't necessarily mean it's terrible or you should feel guilty for listening to it, it just means it's popular. and despite what people here say, it's alright to play call of duty, it's alright to listen to ke$ha, and it's all right watching *popular TV show*.

I just don't like that guy that thinks K (or J)pop is so much better because they sing in a different language, bugs the shit outta me.

well concerning the lyrics lady gaga is probably better than ke$ha

One, but not all, of the reasons that I like Kpop is because it is in a different language. Not because that somehow makes it better, but because most mainstream pop music, English or otherwise, has terribly dumb lyrics (with a few exceptions). It helps my enjoyment to not understand how stupid everything they are saying actually is. I just like the fun sounds, you know?

if the lyrics are bad I just don't pay attention to them. I couldn't tell you what the lyrics to just dance are despite listening to that song 20 times according to last.fm. Most lyrics ARE dumb, anyway

and does this still count if they're singing in english?

@McGhee said:

@Animasta said:

fuck it, I was listening to fuckin converge last night and then decided to listen to lady gaga after that; who cares? I mean pop music doesn't necessarily mean it's terrible or you should feel guilty for listening to it, it just means it's popular. and despite what people here say, it's alright to play call of duty, it's alright to listen to ke$ha, and it's all right watching *popular TV show*.

I just don't like that guy that thinks K (or J)pop is so much better because they sing in a different language, bugs the shit outta me.

well concerning the lyrics lady gaga is probably better than ke$ha

One, but not all, of the reasons that I like Kpop is because it is in a different language. Not because that somehow makes it better, but because most mainstream pop music, English or otherwise, has terribly dumb lyrics (with a few exceptions). It helps my enjoyment to not understand how stupid everything they are saying actually is. I just like the fun sounds, you know?

if the lyrics are bad I just don't pay attention to them. I couldn't tell you what the lyrics to just dance are despite listening to that song 20 times according to last.fm. Most lyrics ARE dumb, anyway

and does this still count if they're singing in english?

@McGhee: I'm just saying that having that be your only reason is silly. Not you but I know someone who's entire argument against english pop music is that.

The only real big difference between j-pop and western pop music is that j-pop usually has more guitars and is less electronical

@JackSukeru said:

@psylah said:

Initial D Eurobeat in my car makes it seem faster.

YES!

I like a lot of music. A LOT. Some of it is technically better than other kinds, more variety or better lyrics, but the only thing that really affects what I enjoy is what I'm in the mood for. Music is at its best in the moment when you're lstening to it, and then whatever you're not listening to doesn't matter.

Never heard this one before, which album was it on?

I've been listening to the same 4 or so compilations since high school.

Hold up. Apply the same thought exercise to video games as opposed to music.

Certainly you shouldn't care about what other people think about your tastes, but there is something to be said for being a well informed consumer.

If this post was prefaced "I like first person shooters, but really critically panned ones/mainstream (ie Homefront). Should I search out a better quality product, or just leave it in and play it because I enjoy my time spent with it?" You all would jump on the recommendation train and tell him to go play BF3 or TF2, or some Call of Duty variant.

Sometimes it is just knowing where to start with something when you are venturing out of your comfort zone. If you like Pop music there are loads of options - Kpop, Jpop, Scandinavian, BritPop, all sorts.

There is nothing wrong with blasting some Ke$ha every once in a while, but with listening to new music being such a low risk prospect (a couple minutes vs hours for a game), there is no reason to step out of your comfort zone.

You could start at worse places then Katy B, or in a more club sound - Icona Pop

I've listened to a lot of different stuff over the years. Classic rock from the 60's and 70's, 80's punk and metal, 90's alternative, and the 00's...well, the 00's were pretty crappy with only a few bright spots along the way. Long story short, listen to what you like and screw anyone who says your wrong to do so. Me, I listen to a lot of Jpop these days and have for a few years now. I like it, it's catchy and upbeat and no, I do not speak Japanese. This has been high on my playlist for the past few months. Secret is a Kpop group, but the song is in Japanese. I wonder why quite a few Kpop groups record Jpop versions of their hits.

@McGhee: Be thankful you don't understand the Korean. Kpop lyrics are actually quite possibly the most inane pop lyrics.

I teach English in a Korean girl's middle school. I know the Kpop.

I recommend 못 (Mot, Nail), 자우림 (Jawoorim, Purple Rain Forest or something like that..) and Rollercoaster. Maybe not Kpop exactly, but good Korean music, and actual musicans who deserve more support than the corporate manufactured likes of B2ST and Girl's Generation (though Rollercoaster and Jawoorim have both broken up as far as I know..)

As for the OP: listen to whatever you want to, there's no shame in it. Pop music production has come leaps and bounds forwards in recent years, inane lyrics or no, there's some value to be found there.

Kesha is dope as fuck, nothing wrong with Kesha.

Like what you like. It's fine to enjoy bad music just like it's fine to enjoy bad movies or games. Just because they aren't the peak of their craft doesn't mean you can't enjoy them. I like The Beatles but I also like Backstreet Boys and Katy Perry. I understand that the latter are not as good as the former, but I listen to them because they are pleasant fluff to have on in the background. It's just like how I like Journey and The Walking Dead and Dishonored but I still played Medal of Honor and Call of Duty this year because they are a good mindless way to spend a weekend. Are they good games? Hell no. But they take zero thought and I play them on easy so they take zero effort. I just plow through them for the pure spectacle of it. It's pop fluff just like Kesha and Katy Perry. Mindless fluff. It's not wrong to enjoy it. Have fun but also explore your horizons. You never know when you might find a band you like better.

@McGhee: I'm just saying that having that be your only reason is silly. Not you but I know someone who's entire argument against english pop music is that.

The only real big difference between j-pop and western pop music is that j-pop usually has more guitars and is less electronical

I'll sum up everything for you and anybody who likes radio music:

You don't like Pop. You don't like Kesha. what you like is the actual musical part of her song, the beat, and the chorus accompanying it.

They abuse a catchy motif when they find it and fill out the rest with whatever comes to their mind first..... As long as it involves dancing and making love and yoloing.

@Animasta said:

@McGhee: I'm just saying that having that be your only reason is silly. Not you but I know someone who's entire argument against english pop music is that.

The only real big difference between j-pop and western pop music is that j-pop usually has more guitars and is less electronical

Please refer back to my original post to you where I said "one, but not all, of the reasons that I like Kpop." Jesus Fucking Christ, I don't know why I bother.

@McGhee said:

@Ravenlight said:

@McGhee said:

@JasonR86 said:

@CH3BURASHKA said:

@Krullban said:

Who cares? I roll around in my car blasting kpop all day.

@Ravenlight said:

I'll freely admit that the music I really enjoy is terrible. It's not about pleasing anyone else but yourself.

That's the point though; should I be enjoying it as much as I do, or should I be setting higher standards for myself? To me, Kesha is the definition of a guilty pleasure - I feel guilty for liking it because I feel like I should because it's so bad...

There really shouldn't be a standard for subjective tastes. You either like it or you don't. Don't get hung up on what is defined as good or not good by anyone else but yourself.

This knowledge is the first step. And you already likes the Asian girls. With a little more work we could turn you into a spazzing Kpop fanatic.

Don't listen to this man. J-Pop singers are way cuter.

If you consider crooked teeth cute, then yes.

DAAAAAAMMMMN!!!

@psylah: I'm sorry, I've only ever come across these songs on youtube so I don't know anything alse about them.

Now I'm just gonna post more crap I enjoy.

@GnaTSoL said:

I'll sum up everything for you and anybody who likes radio music:

You don't like Pop. You don't like Kesha. what you like is the actual musical part of her song, the beat, and the chorus accompanying it.

They abuse a catchy motif when they find it and fill out the rest with whatever comes to their mind first..... As long as it involves dancing and making love and yoloing.

Yup.

So long as OP doesn't call Kesha an artist, we're cool.

@CH3BURASHKA said:

I recall reading some anecdote in a newspaper article about a father putting on Britney Spears in the car, and his teenage daughter giving him the stinkeye. Later at dinner, she tried to embarrass him by recounting the story, making it out like he was some kind of freak. The whole point of his story was that you need to be true to yourself, yada yada yada.

I'm facing a similar conundrum, but slightly different - I've found that I really like Kesha music, and Katy Perry, and Taylor Swift (I was into Pink in middle school, too). The thing is, I'm not that worried about the actual gender of the performers; my actual worry is that I subjectively find the lyrics terrible and uninspired, but I'm addicted to the actual music. This is more of a question of being attracted to mediocre content, and I'm conflicted. I haven't explored much of the music landscape, and I'm not talking about the indie scene - my musical background is woefully spotty: I haven't listened to any Aerosmith or Jimi Hendrix or Pink Floyd or Pearl Jam or Beatles or Rolling Stones, etc etc etc. And yet, the last ten times I've gone on Youtube I've started with Kesha's Die Young followed by We R Who We R. Just today I made a comment on the FOTNS QL about how anyone can possibly consider buying it when hundreds of other more interesting and challenging games exist, and yet I feel like I'm committing that exact sin on the music front.

Give me spiritual guidance GB community. Should I deny myself base pleasures and challenge myself to explore new musical frontiers, or say fuck it and blast Kesha whenever?

Yo dawg, sometimes you just need to blast kesha. Life is short, anyone who gives you shit can fuck right off.

You should always attempt to broaden your horizons. You should never feel ashamed about your choice in music. Or just about anything else, for that matter.

Enjoy what you like and don't be afraid to try something new. Music genres, movies, food, whatever. My philosophy is to give just about everything a shot at least once. If it turns out that you don't like something different, it won't hamper your enjoyment of the things you already love.