Why do people like bad music?

1. 60

   Harlem6posted 15 years ago

   I listen to Lil' Wayne and hear nothing from the lyrics. I used to listen to classic rock before I got into rap, mostly because the songs were about something. Then I heard underground and got into real artists. I feel as though only underground rap is actually preaching a message, talking about real things. Not only does the music sound good, but it is about something. The pop today has no meaning, Lil' Wayne's songs just have random words thrown in. Granted, they do sound really good, but when actually heard and listened to, there is nothing there. Music is an art, why don't the majority of people treat it as such. Can you answer my question please, I want to know? Is it because we are just lazy and do not care? Or do we not even listen to music in the first place at all?

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      AEvansposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      mmmm I listen to the lyrics and the rhythm and personally I do not care for today's rap, now the 90's had substance but I have to agree with you as there are so many songs without lyrics.

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   2. 60

      Teresa McGurkposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Why do people buy framed prints to hang over their couches because it matches their color scheme?  There will always be bad taste, from velvet Elvises to over-produced, formulaic music.  The only way to develop a discerning ear, or eye, is to be exposed to as much different stuff as possible.  It's a great question, though; how can people actually LIKE some of that stuff?

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         Cris Aposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         hey some people's trash may be somebody else's treasure, right? okay, crappy i know. bad is bad! there really is no accounting for taste

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            Teresa McGurkposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            It's true: I confess.  I like the Eurythmics.  But that's because they were GOOD, not because they were over-produced techno pop.

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               Cris Aposted 15 years agoin reply to this

               I love Annie Lennox, too she's got the coolest (deep kinda cool) voice! what about Cliff Richards?! LOL don't mind me, I'm just disturbing you

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                  Teresa McGurkposted 15 years agoin reply to this

                  NOOOOooooooooo!   I don't care even if he is on HubPages pretending to be Countrywomen!  No Cliff Richards!

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                  Junksterposted 15 years agoin reply to this

                  I literally cannot stand Cliff Richard, a few years ago I realised that I couldn't stand him and his cheesy personality.  Also I can't stand these singers who pander to the "older women" audience, they seem to have like fifty albums of "recognisable classics" covers.  Like that Daniel O'Donnell too, they can both go the the inner circle of hell as far as I'm concerned.
                  
                  See, told you I hated Cliff Richard

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   3. 64

      RKHenryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I wrote a hub about the language of hip hop, not too long ago.  I'm tired of it.  I'm simply sick of Nigga[z].  This black man wants something else.

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      apekshaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      What do u mean by bad music..?
      I haven't understood how do you  identify good n bad music

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         Junksterposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         In this case just bad rap music which is just going on about women, cars, clothes, bling etc.  peppered with profanity.  Rap music ten years ago andfurther back was meaningful and was a great music genre but now it's all bragging about how rish they all are.
         
         At least that's what I took it to mean

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   5. 63

      Drew Breezzyposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Lil Wayne has recorded a massive amount of material via studio albums, mixtapes, collaborations. He was in 100 something collaborations in 2007 alone.
      
      therefore every song isn't going to be serious and have the same quality
      
      art represents a person and people are silly at times serious at others
      
      Wayne's songs usually tend to contain very creative similes regardless
      
      His radio songs are garbage made with the purpose to made money  example Lollipop
      
      If you want me to list some wayne songs with meaning I'd be glad to
      
      Are you referring to just wayne or mainstream hip hop as a whole?
      
      Because I'll agree most mainstream hip hop is repetitive and worthless
      
      I can inform you about some hip hop artists mainstream and underground to check out if your interested

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   6. 71

      alekhouseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I do no like bad music, nor do I listen to it. I never turn music on as background, when I turn it on, it's to listen and enjoy. I like many different genres from classical, to jazz, to country, to rock (instrumental); but, it has to be quality music: Vivaldi, Miles Davis, Willy Nelson, Rolling Stones. Or vocal: Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Diane Krall, Norah Jones, Shania Twain, Barbara Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Luciano  Pavarotti, Mirella Freni, etc. etc. The songs singers like this choose to sing are usually quality music.

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2. 61

   GeneriqueMediaposted 15 years ago

   I listen to a variety of genres. My most favorite bands usually defy genre boundaries. For me, if the music it's self is complex, I'm going to get into it. The idea of asking why someone would listen to "bad" music is to attempt to express an opinion that there is actually bad music.
   
   There is, for sure, but it depends on the listener.

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      Harlem6posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I do agree, my opinion is music without emotion or feeling is bad. Bet then again, I want more art, music doesn't necessarily have to be an art. Music sells because of promotion, I think it's terrible. I really think music is going to make a comeback, but it has to come from the people. I don't think money is going to create it.

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   Junksterposted 15 years ago

   I think that most modern rap is getting like the stereotypical bad rapping where it's not expressing anything ti's just a few lines which rhyme and sound good together then off into a random subject.  Things like Eminem, even back to Slick Rick their rapping styles was almost like storytelling, and that like the majority of good music is what makes you stand out as a songwriter.
   
   I too listen to alot of different music, almost everything apart from the godawful shower of s*** that passes for dance music these days.  What's worse is it's so formulaic, I can provide a recipe for such a monstrosity right now:
   
   - Take one oppresively loud and fast beat (almost hypnotic/mind-numbing
   - Give a good splash of synth noise, possibly rehashing some song from the eighties but taking it up an octave or eight.
   - Take the words from said eighties song, cut out the rest apart from the iconic chorus lyrics, put that through the chipmunk machine so the voice is so high pitched it makes dogs howl.
   
   And loop ad nauseum, until you vomit or remove your own brain with a fork.
   
   If I ever hear music like that I have to listen to something extra special to remove that drivel, like some Jimi Hendrix.

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4. 61

   GeneriqueMediaposted 15 years ago

   Haha, good show. ;P
   
   I've become disenfranchised with most Industrial, so I feel your pain.I think rap began to jump the shark when it malformed words to make them ryme. fo' sheezy.

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5. 56

   Dame Scribeposted 15 years ago

   I think it jus shows what market dominates the recording industry 

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6. 56

   Dame Scribeposted 15 years ago

   and the promotion of *S* sells so people go wild jus for a photo of a semi nekkid nonsensical tune

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7. 65

   kiwi91posted 15 years ago

   I completely abandoned listening to any rap around 2004 or so. It took such a huge nosedive. Hopefully someone emerging artist will rekindle my interest in it, because everything I've heard has been nonsense. If they're selling records or downloads today, they have a synthesized (chipmunk) voice behind it with a brainless techno beat. I blame all of this on Nelly. He got the ball rolling on changing rap from rapping into some sort of god awful singing combined with meaningless rhymes.

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8. 60

   Harlem6posted 15 years ago

   There's an indie hip hop podcast thats free. It's got great hip hop on there. really recent stuff too, if you want to give hip hop a try again, i suggest it.

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9. 59

   Colebabieposted 15 years ago

   OK let me first say that I don't mean to offend anyone. The following lyrics are pretty harsh. Don't read them if you're easily offended. But I totally understand Harlem6 what you're saying.
   Here are lyrics to Lil Wayne's song "Ask Dem Hoes"
   I have attempted to censor certain words.
   
   "See she all on my d$%@ cause i make
   Alot of money, but i unno why cause
   Gets nothing, bring it back...all on my d$%@ cause i make a lot of money, but i unno why cause she gets nothing from me she only get d$%@ way down in her tummy, n she tell all of her friends now her friends wanna, bring it back...only get d$%@ way
   Down in her tummy, and she tell all of her friends now her friends wanna f**k me im lookin in the mirror and i see a dollar sign i had a cat scan and i had money on my mind i tell a b***h go and get my name on ya spin so i can fell good when im hitting it from"
   
   And he is grammy award winning... nice! But Lil Wayne has power  he is the president of Cash Money Records and the CEO of Young Money Entertainment. So cleaner versions of his songs get radio play. I'm not criticizing his work. Just stating that it isn't my style. I don't relate to those lyrics. I'm not sure how many people can?? So why do so many people listen to it? It is catchy (the beat), and they don't pay attention to the lyrics. The market chooses what the radio plays, and that is only a select few artists. So we're kinda programmed to like it if we hear it 100Xs a day.
   
   Sucks sometimes I know. Lil Wayne is a very successful man, who writes the lyrics he wants and gets people to listen to them. Not bad right?? But if that isn't your style research and find your own music.

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10. 69

    RavynSteelposted 15 years ago

    I absolutely cannot STAND the RnB, hip-hop, rap cr*p that is all too prevalent these days. Aside from the fact that the 'songs' have very little melody, the words themselves are invariably a string of vague mumblings interspersed with 'Ho' or 'Bi*ch' or 'Ni**er' called out at random intervals. How on earth is that entertainment?
    
    I reckon the people who habitually listen to this tosh are plain lazy - they cannot be bothered listening to a song which has any kind of meaning, as that may actually require them to use the few brain cells their drug habit or weekend fights may have left them with. Of course I'm generalising here, but that's the impression I get from all the people I know who listen to this so-called 'music'.
    
    Sadly, there are too many fans of this 'music' for it ever to go away.

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11. 59

    Pete Maidaposted 14 years ago

    Music is in the ear of the beholder.  No music style had more messages than the rock of the sixties and seventies but sometimes you don't want a message, sometimes you want to lighten up.
    
    In any case people like what they like.  I think rap has computerized music that takes no effort and anyone can say words with an attitude with a little practice.  The only creativity in the artform is in the writing.  If people like it; more power to them; I know my son does.

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12. 0

    \Brenda Scullyposted 14 years ago

    There is no such thing as bad music really...... Somebody will like it somewhere however bad it sounds to us

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13. 60

    scheinandrasposted 14 years ago

    People have to listen to bad music in order to hear and appreciate the good ones:)

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14. 61

    Lisa HWposted 14 years ago

    It's an art, but sometimes the art is to produce sounds and lyrics that are nothing more than something people enjoy listening to.  Sometimes you want a message in your art.  Sometimes all you want is something you like - message or not.
    
    Don't forget, too, that all messages about things that "real" are not negative, nasty, ones.  Sometimes art attempts to recreate what is real, rather than preach.  The love song about two sixteen-year-olds or two people who have gone through five decades of life together is real too.  Light songs, silly songs, and songs about lost love or dreams are all reflections of real life too.
    
    If I'm looking for deep messages about life I'm not looking to the latest recording artist for those messages.  There is a world of great literature and solid non-fiction writing for "deep thoughts".  Sometimes we look for gifted and complicated use of notes.  Sometimes we appreciate particularly meaningful and clever lyrics.  A lot of people aren't looking for messages beyond either of those.  Call me a snob, but I don't think most people are interested in the "words of wisdom" from someone on a CD. So, that why I like some of the worst music that's ever been created in history, and that has stood the test of time.   

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