The Good, The Bad & The Ticky

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Plenty of you out there in poptimistsland like writing about music, and even perhaps earn some money for doing so.

Do you find it easier to write about

1) songs you love
2) songs you hate
3) songs you find mediocre?

I can usually find plenty of scathing words about dull music that just isn’t any cop, sometimes even suggesting improvements! However I am loathe to say I 'hate' something as if it has sparked such a reaction in me then I will probably end up loving it eventually. Case in point: when the Spice Girls first arrived I loathed them with such intense obsession that I made sure I paid attention to every song, television appearance and promotional tie-in they did in order to make sure my hatred was well-informed. Now they are one of my favourite pop bands ever, possibly because of my negative reaction: they signified my attraction to pop music was inevitable even though I was an utter indie snob at the time. Well done girls!

As for songs I love, when writing reviews I find it far more difficult to get across *just how much* I love them and why. Of course I can say 'omg this bassline is GREAT' or 'her voice is amazing', but the one thing I can never describe properly is the ZING factor that some songs have, and some songs just don't, even if they sound very similar. Usually the ZING factor ensures that the song remains enjoyable despite repeated plays. For example, Justin Timberlake's Sexyback was interesting and enjoyable but I grew tired of it after a while. My Love on the other hand had the ZING that went straight to a certain bit of my brain, meaning I will happily listen to it forever more. I found the former much easier to write a end-of-year blurb for than the latter.

What do you think, poptimists? If you don't really write about songs then do you find it easier to tick a good song or to 'not tick' a bad song? Is a bad song merely mediocre or does mediocre fall under 'any good at all'?

Comments

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

A question: dragging up the old 'guilty pleasures' idea, would you therefore count SOS as a guilty pleasure? When you dance to it but you think you shouldn't be?

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

Nope, I don't feel guilty about liking it, it's a decent song! But if I had to talk or write about it I would not say so without the gigantic caveat of my disapproval.

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Just for interest's sake, are there any examples you *would* feel guilty about? Something only just crossing the 'botherd' borderline into 'good' on your first axis but that you disapprove of on your second, perhaps?

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

There's plenty of music I would feel guilty about liking! The clever thing is, it tends to be the music I actually dislike and find abhorrent in every way, and this is precisely why I would feel guilty if I liked it.