(no subject)

[poptasticuk.livejournal.com]

Following on from the discussions of what we are 'supposed to like', I thought I would pose the question: How open are you about your pop fandom to your friends? And how about new people you meet?

This was also triggered by thinking about music lists on sites like MySpace and Facebook. The artists I list on there are all ones I like, but there are some big emissions - Bodies Without Organs, Backstreet Boys, Darren Hayes. Some of my all time favourites but there is no mention of them on my MySpace or Facebook. When you're filling out these things you have to think of every person who might see it, and even though I am confident enough in my poptasticness to say that I like pop music, I prefer to list the lesser known poppy bands (such as Robyn and Margaret Berger), or the slightly more critically acclaimed ones (Patrick Wolf or The Pipettes, for eg). How do those of you who use these sites deal with this issue? Do you think anyone is completely honest?

Comments

[poptasticuk.livejournal.com]

It IS more rebellious to like pop music these days than to like rock. I remember when my younger sister was at the height of her emo phase (which she still is in music and fashion-wise, but has matured on a personal level), even my dad pointed out that everything she was doing was a total cliche, while how many other teenage girls listen to Swedish pop radio to discover new bands? I could see the trends and purposefully ignored them, while she followed them without even realising her supposed rebellion was the opposite of individualism.

The problem is, while this is all logical to us, new people I meet aren't going to want a whole spiel explaining it, so if I tell them I like pop music they're going to think I just don't know it's uncool. Therefore it's just easier to go for the cooler pop and at least have shown that I like pop, and if they seem to support this notion then I can be more open about all the pop I like - it can be a good test. But it is a shame to not be able to be shameless.

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

Mmm, I try to be philosophical about it to a certain extent, since although all my friends are indie and I often get comments like 'I'm not sure I can have the same respect for you now I know you own a Rihanna album' I know that a lot of people think listening to DNTEL or Ambulance, Ltd. is subversive (and to be fair, both of these things get similarly UK low radio play to, say, Margaret Berger) and equally, I try to avoid treating my music taste as a means for subversion. I know I have a perverse instinct to immediately love everything I shouldn't, especially if it's "the underdog" but equally, if something's shit I'm not going to listen to it.

It is difficult to make the clear point that 'I don't listen to pop because I don't know any better,' because this tends to be the attitude of rockists/indieists/dance purists towards people who enjoy Girls Aloud or whatever. I don't really consider the (conventional sense of the word) pop parts of my music taste to be the most embarassing, though- I'm more cringed out by Good Charlotte than Steps.

Emo is just hilarious really but I remember getting very excited about a lot of really stupid things (Wheel of Time books, for a start) and still do, tbh so I try not to judge. That said, I did just laugh at a comment on a (month and a half old now) review I wrote of Paramore which said I clearly had no idea how outsiders feel due to using emo as a genre term so perhaps I am just a bitch.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Haha I am SO MUCH LESS HAPPY to admit to having read Wh33l Of T1me than any music related thing EVER.

[piratemoggy.livejournal.com]

I keep it, along with owning a Staind album as Emergency Ego Deflator Facts. Teh shamez.

He has promised to end the horror after the twelfth book and then we can all go back to our lives. Not that I've actually read the eleventh or most of the tenth but still.

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

I HAVE, ftb I read them all LAST YEAR. My rationalisation (well after the fact, what was really to blame was a 4 hr delay at Heathrow airport) was that I would allow myself one last nostalgic nerdy indulgence before the inevitable maturity of imminent fatherhood. Said inevitable maturity hasn't really materialised but oh well.

[braisedbywolves.livejournal.com]

Ah, I think I was being confused by his "I shall best death (http://www.locusmag.com/2006/Features/03JordanLetter.html)" talkings, but that's just about how long it will take to finish all the books in him.