Music appreciation and the latest American Idol results
I think I am one to speak. I was in the high school symphony orchestra but I listened to awesome things like NU 107, but before that, I was into conflicting things like Hip Hop and R&B. My first musical influences belonged to the cluster where The Sound of Music belongs to, plus a lot of Disney. In the seventh grade, I didn't just learn that music teachers were mean, I also learned that they were phenomenal, or at least they should be, otherwise they aren't up to scratch. In the seventh grade, Ms. Cristobal shoved classical music down my throat and I liked it. I liked how smart it made me feel. Waking up at 6 am meant being stuck between 98.7 and 107.5. It was like wondering what to wear in spite of full closet.
Having said all that, I really don't get music snobs, or the proclaiming oneself as a "music snob," or music snobs who don't even know they're music snobs. I on the other hand merely say "My iPod is better than yours," in the manner of tongue and cheek. This acknowledges the fact everyone's music tastes are different. Judging someone for their musical tastes is what it is: it's judgmental and by that ground alone, is unfair.
If you like music, then you should at least appreciate everything, or at least give it a listen and consider it. Figure out why other people like it, other than "old people like it." This is the same reason why I have friends of a certain age who LOVE New Wave and still others who like 90's grunge. Have an educated opinion as to why you don't like it even. Music snobbery has its futilities like, say, comparing teen pop machine Justin Bieber and teenage jazz wunderkind Nikki Yanofski. Saying one is better than the other is a lost cause. Firstly, because pop and jazz are totally different things. Secondly, pop and jazz move in different spheres. Thirdly, there really isn't anything to compare. They're worlds apart. Compare Nikki Yanofsky's style with Joss Stone and that'll still kinda make sense. (Kinda) Or compare Justin Beiber with Michael Jackson or the Jackson 5. That still makes sense. Think about it. Discuss.
Sure, there are appalling things like "Friday," and overplayed K-Pop dance hits, but these are appalling because of badly written lyrics and way to much air time. Music appreciation can be pretentious, and snobby, but this isn't what music is all about. I can talk about music with my friend Eds and our conversations consist of band names and new album titles. I can talk about Sufjan and nothing but Sufjan with my online Sufjan buddy June for more than an hour. Music is supposed to bring people together and put on an ecstatic smile on our faces. It's not the song's or artist's fault if their lyrics are horrible (okay sometimes it is) or if they're overplayed.
Now American Idol is something else entirely. It hinges on music, but it's really the performer that America is voting for. Based on this year's top 2, it's clear that a LOT of country fans are voting and calling for their apparent favorite, but it's a show that calls for voting your favorite, and not necessarily for the kind of music you like.
I actually like Scott. Country isn't so bad, especially if you consider yourself one who likes music. The reason why he's where he is is because he gives a nod back to old Country music, which happened to be raunchy in a way that's ahead of its time. Also, his voice is just off the wall. You don't hear 17 year olds who sound like that everyday, and with a great personality to boot. He'll go far with an attitude like that. Do I like that he's up there? Kinda. There are a lot of short-changed Idol contestants but on the other hand, shows like American Idol run on luck, good or dumb.
Lauren on the other hand has surpassed the archetypal chunky blonde that's been on the show for far too long. But this isn't why she's terrible, or why the other archetypal chunky blonde contestants were terrible. They were terrible because their song types were wrong and/or their performances were bland. Lauren's low self esteem is supposed to have herself voted out, but low self esteem is NOT the voter's fault. It's something that artists have to deal with, and Lauren is onlylucky to run out of time to deal with that and get to where she is. I'll admit though, that when I saw her performance battling for a spot in the top 3, I actually thought that she would win this. I don't doubt that Cowell would have said that after weeks of being proven wrong about her being voted off. (You'll have to admit, that the latest batch of judges are more helpful than vague. Randy has done a great job at being precise. Yay for meaning what you say, Dog!)
All that being said, music is awesome. It's bigger than what you think is great, what you think is crap and what you think is noise. (Seriously? You have the gall to call something noise? Seriously? Okay Imma stop judging you now) Most of all, music is bigger than American Idol. It's so big, that a reality show cannot contain the likes of Adam Lambert, James Durbin, and Casey Abrams, although they are blessed to have the opportunity to let the world know that music is awesome.
Having said all that, I really don't get music snobs, or the proclaiming oneself as a "music snob," or music snobs who don't even know they're music snobs. I on the other hand merely say "My iPod is better than yours," in the manner of tongue and cheek. This acknowledges the fact everyone's music tastes are different. Judging someone for their musical tastes is what it is: it's judgmental and by that ground alone, is unfair.
If you like music, then you should at least appreciate everything, or at least give it a listen and consider it. Figure out why other people like it, other than "old people like it." This is the same reason why I have friends of a certain age who LOVE New Wave and still others who like 90's grunge. Have an educated opinion as to why you don't like it even. Music snobbery has its futilities like, say, comparing teen pop machine Justin Bieber and teenage jazz wunderkind Nikki Yanofski. Saying one is better than the other is a lost cause. Firstly, because pop and jazz are totally different things. Secondly, pop and jazz move in different spheres. Thirdly, there really isn't anything to compare. They're worlds apart. Compare Nikki Yanofsky's style with Joss Stone and that'll still kinda make sense. (Kinda) Or compare Justin Beiber with Michael Jackson or the Jackson 5. That still makes sense. Think about it. Discuss.
Sure, there are appalling things like "Friday," and overplayed K-Pop dance hits, but these are appalling because of badly written lyrics and way to much air time. Music appreciation can be pretentious, and snobby, but this isn't what music is all about. I can talk about music with my friend Eds and our conversations consist of band names and new album titles. I can talk about Sufjan and nothing but Sufjan with my online Sufjan buddy June for more than an hour. Music is supposed to bring people together and put on an ecstatic smile on our faces. It's not the song's or artist's fault if their lyrics are horrible (okay sometimes it is) or if they're overplayed.
Now American Idol is something else entirely. It hinges on music, but it's really the performer that America is voting for. Based on this year's top 2, it's clear that a LOT of country fans are voting and calling for their apparent favorite, but it's a show that calls for voting your favorite, and not necessarily for the kind of music you like.
I actually like Scott. Country isn't so bad, especially if you consider yourself one who likes music. The reason why he's where he is is because he gives a nod back to old Country music, which happened to be raunchy in a way that's ahead of its time. Also, his voice is just off the wall. You don't hear 17 year olds who sound like that everyday, and with a great personality to boot. He'll go far with an attitude like that. Do I like that he's up there? Kinda. There are a lot of short-changed Idol contestants but on the other hand, shows like American Idol run on luck, good or dumb.
Lauren on the other hand has surpassed the archetypal chunky blonde that's been on the show for far too long. But this isn't why she's terrible, or why the other archetypal chunky blonde contestants were terrible. They were terrible because their song types were wrong and/or their performances were bland. Lauren's low self esteem is supposed to have herself voted out, but low self esteem is NOT the voter's fault. It's something that artists have to deal with, and Lauren is onlylucky to run out of time to deal with that and get to where she is. I'll admit though, that when I saw her performance battling for a spot in the top 3, I actually thought that she would win this. I don't doubt that Cowell would have said that after weeks of being proven wrong about her being voted off. (You'll have to admit, that the latest batch of judges are more helpful than vague. Randy has done a great job at being precise. Yay for meaning what you say, Dog!)
All that being said, music is awesome. It's bigger than what you think is great, what you think is crap and what you think is noise. (Seriously? You have the gall to call something noise? Seriously? Okay Imma stop judging you now) Most of all, music is bigger than American Idol. It's so big, that a reality show cannot contain the likes of Adam Lambert, James Durbin, and Casey Abrams, although they are blessed to have the opportunity to let the world know that music is awesome.