Most hated song?

craner

Beast of Burden
You know what I really hate is those accoustic castrated uplifting or sad versions of popular songs they make to put in family friendly adverts.

Yeah, like those two bearded, tattooed cunts who sang 'Together in Electric Dreams' on acoustic guitars to sell cider.
 

boxedjoy

Well-known member
I think a lot of these "worst songs/most hated songs" are based on received wisdom: the idea that you shouldn't like Ed Sheeran or Coldplay or whoever. And while it's true a lot of that stuff does nothing for me, I also find it really easy to ignore stuff I don't like because, in 2021 if you don't like something you don't have to endure it. Back when there was only the radio, a handful of music programmes on four channels and The Box which cost 75p per minute to call for a request, I couldn't escape things like Boyzone etc. But now - it's all at my fingertips between Youtube, Spotify and less legitimate sources. I don't need to listen to that stuff. When people rant about how awful something really boring is I find it very performative now: just don't bother with it and save yourself the hassle.

I also think a lot of this received wisdom is based on a hypothetical listener too. The idea that "Tesco mums" or "teen girls" are demographics whose taste is invalid (which is bound up with sexism, classism, etc), and that it's fair to dismiss something because it has the audacity to be popular as if it can't simultanteously be powerful or provocative or whatever.

The stuff I really hate is the stuff that almost aligns with my taste but fails. I love a lot of modern "indie electronic pop" ie the past fifteen years of Goldfrapp/Bjork/The Knife knock-offs. But I can't stand Chvrches or Sigrid because while on paper they're up my street, the actuality is they leave me very cold and it's more frustrating to think I've given them time because I've listened with good faith and been wholly disappointed.

I'm interested in why people dislike what they do rather than how much they dislike it.
 

boxedjoy

Well-known member
I remember years ago having a real earnest conversation with a pal about how I can't stand Queen and her being of the mindset of "but they made classic rock songs and they are technically capable and they're legends!!!" and having to explain that none of that interests me. And then a few days later mentioning I was excited for Eurovision and her taking an absolute horrified stance to that. I explained that if you approach Eurovision wanting some frothy fun then you'll not be disappointed, and why should I measure it by the metric of respectable and serious music when it's not trying to be that?
 

luka

Well-known member
but that blaze song is worse. not all house is middlebrow but no music is more middlebrow than middlebrow house.
 

boxedjoy

Well-known member
yes "Bohemian Rhapsody" is probably my least favourite song, if not thing, of all time. But I also understand why it isn't for me - I don't enjoy the type of humour it's intending to provoke, I don't enjoy the aesthetics of their voices and the instruments they use, I find it directionless and ambling. But for most other people it seems to trigger something in their energy and they do find the tones and timbres a source of pleasure and they find it's messy path to be thrilling. The question for me is why this judgement and where do theirs/mines come from?
 
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