Disclaimer: This is my opinion. If it differs from your opinion...that's why it's MY opinion. Don't get your panties in a twist.


Here's something I've recently come to understand. My high school years found me being quite musically snobbish, and here is my public apology.

There are two types of music in American culture. I say American culture because I don't know a whole lot about the music of other cultures...so, your average twenty-something (like myself) American generally has the choice between these two types of music.

1. Music that was/is intended to be good music (good being a relative term that varies depending on your tastes, obviously).
2. Pop music.

Let me explain Type #1.
Music that was/is intended to be good. I typically assign this label (I say label for lack of a better term, not to put things in boxes or to generalize) to music that is made to evoke emotions that don't revolve around the consumption of copious amounts of alcohol, or to music that has a rhyming scheme not based on the word booty. Now, there are obviously many exceptions. "I Am the Walrus", by The Beatles, is most obviously a drug song, and it was most definitely intended to be good, and it IS good. "Rapunzel", by Dave Matthews Band, is a relatively descriptive ode to pre-marital consummation, but it's totally awesome. Anyway, I'm rambling a bit...but what I mean is, this kind of music is supposed to make us FEEL something important, not just the desire to shake our groove thangs (which I am not opposed to in any way). Many quality bands and musicians fall under this category. One of my current favorites (excluding the two previously mentioned) is the British folk group Mumford & Sons. Their songs are unadulterated emotion, and quite varied in their emotional range.
Don't take this to mean that all emotion-evoking music has to be solemn or serious. That is most certainly not the case in any way. For example..."Sunshine", by Matt Costa, is pure light hearted happiness, and it's totally great. Emotions, even the quaint ones, are important to human existence. Arguably the most important.

Alright, Type #2.
Let me start by saying that up until very, very recently, I detested almost any type of pop music. I arrogantly discounted it as useless babble, created only to stir the pot of pubescent hormones running rampant amongst the young and the restless.
Now, I must say...I wasn't completely wrong. Lots of pop music is definitely not created with very...reputable intentions. But. On the not so rare occasions that I am in the mood to get my wholesome groove on...there's nothing I appreciate more than some Ke$ha, know what I mean?! I can get my "We Are Who We Are" on like nobody's bizznazz. Or, my personal favorite..."Party in the USA". Is this music intended to be taken seriously? No. No, it most certainly is not. At least, not by anyone with a brain. This may seem like a petty revelation to most of you, but to me, it totally opened up my musical experience. I can now listen to Katy Perry and feel no shame. Who cares if every single Bruno Mars song is almost identical in premise?! They're catchy as crap, and the most stoic of critics can't help but bump it while listening to Taio Cruz.


I'd love to sound like a true hippie and say something very 1967, like "Free your mind!" or something...but I enjoy personal hygiene far too much. So, I'll put it this way. Listen to what YOU want to listen to, whether it's "good" or not. I hate it when people follow do (or don't do) things just because it's popular to do (or not do) that thing. It's just as ignorant to NOT do something that you enjoy doing just because lots of people enjoy it. Being an individual is a personal thing, it has nothing to do with the collective mass if you're doing it right.

Now, I'm gonna get back to looking awkwardly unhip in this decidedly hip coffee shop. Dueces.