It’s always an awkward moment in conversation after the person I’m talking to says, “You have a radio show? Cool! What kind of music do you play?” Because then I tell them we’re a pop show, and more often than not, their enthusiasm plummets.
There’s a certain stigma associated with pop music in our generation. Justin Beiber, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry: they’re all polarizing figures. The second you bring up pop in a conversation, people get turned off. Something about liking what’s popular just isn’t cool.
For a long time, I pretended I got it. Yeah, how lame, Britney Spears likes to dance and lip synch and why does Lily Allen even have a record deal? But then… wait. I love all of Circus, and when I found out that Glee was doing a Britney episode, I could barely contain my excitement. Lily Allen’s “F*** You” is one of my most-played songs on iTunes.
Eventually, I had to face the music: I like pop.
Not only does pop music dictate trends, it dictates culture. Prince, Michael Jackson, and Madonna are all figureheads of not only American music but American culture. And while you may not love all of them or their music, there’s no denying the way our world has changed because of them.
More than that, though, pop is upbeat, happy, catchy and usually allows leeway for some form of dancing. Though for many it may be a guilty pleasure, sometimes pop music just picks you up when you need a little something to get you through the day. Try to listen to “We Are Golden” by Mika and tell me that you don’t feel like dancing around.
Granted, maybe you just don’t like pop. Maybe there’s something about being happy and fun that just doesn’t appeal to you.
But for all of those closeted pop-lovers: give it a shot. Try blasting an old classic, like “Crazy” or “Like A Prayer” and see how it makes you feel.
Or, take a moment to reconsider what the word pop really means. While a lot of superstars get auto-tuned and their music seems manufactured just to produce great cell phone ring tones, there are some really talented and unique pop artists. Singers like Adele, Sara Bareilles and Missy Higgins may not get as much radio time, but they’re extremely talented and produce beautiful work. Meanwhile, artists like Ingrid Michaelson, Jason Mraz and Lenka provide off-beat and interesting music that’s still technically pop.
So the next time you get into an argument with someone about To Biebs or Not To Biebs, or about whether Lady Gaga actually has talent (her acoustic, by the way, is stellar),
cut us pop-lovers some slack. And if you are willing to have an open mind, blast your speakers and, in the words of Madonna, let your body move to the music.
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