Posted via web from qwerty98311's posterousTop 10 Most Hated Music Genres. Ever.
You could be in your car. Or walking past someone else’s car. Or just in your room minding your own business. It doesn’t matter where you are. But sometimes, when you least expect it, all of mother culture’s fury collides in a wave of malicious fate, and you suddenly find yourself exposed to someone else’s horrific, unforgivable taste in music. Sorry, man. It happens to everyone. There’s nothing you can do about it.
Except what I’m doing, which is blogging about it. Here are the top 10 most detested genres of music, as per the average, reasonable person (i.e., me). You might not personally hate all of them – but realize that most people do. So do the world a favor and stop liking them now.
10. Hillbilly Rock. What? I’m talking about that goatee-sporting, tricep-flexing, urban cowboy grunge that seems to dominate mainstream rock airwaves. These are the bands who sort of sound like metal, but they drape themselves in an arrogant, pseudo-patriotic aggro vibe that endears them to guys who drive raised pickups and their drunken, bar-fighting girlfriends. This is when they’re not writing whiny ballads about how messed up their childhoods were. All of it actually sounds like one band (who might be called Three Doors of CreetherNickelMudd) who shoots all of their videos on the same crumbling hilltop and buys all of their clothes from the same Dickeys outlet. They’re around because radio DJs have to play them or else, and some people are tricked into liking them because they hear them on the radio all day. But in reality, everyone else hates them passionately.
9. Techno. Dave Chappelle’s famous commercial satire depicting a rave girl groovin’ down in the passenger seat of a speeding car highlights the general public’s disdain for this mindless music genre, and so does the fact that no one really hears techno through mainstream channels. Maybe it’s because overhearing techno is akin to having your head clubbed by sand-filled pillow cases, or because listening to more than two songs in a row is like being in a sonic hamster wheel. If you can hear the same drawn-out intro, hyperactive buildup, watery bridge and pounding reentry over and over again, you are definitely on something. So, since most people are not tripping balls at any given point during the day, techno music lands square in the “hated genres” bin, where I’m sure it will just wake up the next morning and keep on pumping away.
8. Pop-Punk. This category also includes everything that sounds like pop-punk, which is more or less anything manipulated by record label execs for the purpose of targeting teenage girls. You’d be surprised, but this also nets a few bands who think they’re metal, indie, and real punk. Because somehow, back in the ’90s, the sweet, pitiable whimper in Tom DeLonge’s singing voice managed to start an unchecked wave of feigned sensitivity in male lead vocalists that happened to spark the maternal drive of white females between ages 13 and 17. And now teenage girls want dirty, smelly 30-something musicians to curl up with them and be their best friend. Wasn’t punk supposed to be ugly and menacing? Hearing this is like watching Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but somehow scarier.
7. Gangsta Rap. There’s nothing wrong with songs about killing fools. I want to murder people too sometimes, it’s understandable. The problem here isn’t the lyrical content. It’s the invasive, narcissistic, pretentious psychos who listen to it that ruin it for everyone. They don’t just want to listen to it. They want you to notice that they’re listening to it, and (unless you’re bumping it, too) they want you to be offended about it. They want to be like the red lion from Voltron, storming out of his volcano in an awesome ball of fury to cause earthquakes and blow everything away, and they want to make it crystal clear to the world that they don’t give a crap. In fact, they want to demonstrate they don’t give a crap so much that they’ll get bigger woofers installed, go out in their Hummers for the sole purpose of cruising, and roll down the passenger window when they’re the only one in the car just so everyone will be extra sure they don’t give a crap. I guess they know how to make a point.
6. Rap-Rock. This is a shining example of how something can become popular purely through hype. Limp Bizkit is not a good band. Kid Rock is not a good band, either. But these guys made the earth-shattering decision to split their time between being rockers and being rappers, and the result is an entire genre of confused musicians who aren’t sure how to act when they go out in public. Maybe they’re doing it because they want the best of both worlds, or because they actually like both styles individually. The problem is, if it weren’t for MTV’s force-feeding it down everybody’s throat, no one would pay attention to them, because people don’t naturally gravitate in that odd, unnatural direction. But the hype worked, and now we have rap-rock. Son of a bitch, y’all.
5. Emo. Not that emo is bad. It’s a fairly innocent genre, not too adamant about being shoved in anyone’s face and not especially unpleasant, aside from its pop-punk tendencies. But people really, really hate emo. My guess is it has nothing to do with the music — the haters have latched onto the emo kids themselves. For some reason, emo kids tend to romanticize the idea of being depressed, to the fury of alpha-males, aggros, parents, and people who are actually depressed. Plus, one of the most vexing things about emo people is their stubborn refusal to acknowledge what is actually emo. In fact, one of the easiest ways to identify an emo band is the overwhelming presence of fans who loudly insist they (and the band) are not emo. They dress emo, act emo, like emo things and talk all day about emo, but god forbid anyone label them “emo.” And since these people are too confused and finicky for us to bother figuring out, we just hate them and leave it at that. Sorry.
4. Smooth Jazz. Ford killed the Mustang with the Mustang II. Anheuser-Busch killed beer with the non-alcoholic Bevo. And smooth jazz murdered, befouled and spat upon jazz by extracting its teeth and making it consumable by nattering church folk and Republicans. The music you hear in dentists’ offices, elevators, the weather channel and the supermarket (especially when it’s an instrumental version of a real song) is to jazz what an American Idol contestant is to Aretha Franklin. As a style of music, it’s too timid to stand for anything, but too obnoxious to fade into the background. Instead it stays on the surface of one’s consciousness, chafing incessantly. Corporations use it to add background noise to neutral settings mostly because it doesn’t carry enough substance for anyone to have an opinion on it. But unlike other genres in this list that may provoke disagreement, it’s widely recognized by metalheads, punks, indie kids, oldies, rappers, bluesists, soulsmen, worship rockers, reggaeheads, cowpokes and classicalists alike, that just about everyone has it in for smooth jazz.
3. Adult Contemporary. Need I point out the contempt every youthful heart has for this wet rag of a musical style? The field of adult contemporary has evolved somewhat over the years to include softer alternative hits from the ’90s and 2000s (hilariously including Nickelback, according to Wikipedia). But the kind I’m talking about is the abysmal sap from the ’80s and early ’90s, mostly produced by Christine McVie and Anita Baker. Girls sometimes run to it for comfort after a bad breakup, or to drown out the sound of a screaming infant, but I actually can’t think of a positive social use for it — or at least one that is any fun. I suppose it will forever be the Preparation H of the music world, landing it at number three in this list.
2. Country. Country music is so hated that it’s even hated by people who don’t care about music. How often have you heard someone say, “I like every kind of music, except country”? What they’re really saying is, “I don’t care enough about music to have an opinion on it, but I still hate country.” Could people really be less than charmed with music that celebrates the underwhelming things in life, like hometown honeymoons, lost rodeos and dysfunctional marriages? Do so many people disagree with old-fashioned, conservative values and vaguely Christian ideologies? Or are they turned off by the overplayed western stereotype that still seems to carry on, even through new Hollywood brats like Hannah Montana? My guess: all of the above, plus the Wal-Mart fascination, the SoCo aggression and the mullet factor. Country music, go away already.
1. Nu-Metal. Holy god, this music trend is awful. Just trying to describe how bad nu-metal is would probably make me burst a capillary in my brain (and spew gallons of blood everywhere). For most people, seeing bands like Slipknot evokes something closer to laughter and contempt than the whole shock-and-awe thing they’re going for. Goofy face paint worked with KISS because their entire image was about fantastical, otherworldly entertainment; these guys look like they’re still trying to be convincing as tough guys. It’s just another case of confused band identity (see: rap-rock). System of a Down isn’t doing any better by providing the soundtrack to Guantanamo Bay — goats make more pleasant sounds than what comes out of Serj Tankian, and the hyperactive guitar-spazzing makes me pity concert sound guys everywhere. This entire genre seems to be nothing more than a side-effect of trying to push the envelope of musical risk further than your parents pushed it. The problem is, when this wannabe Evil Knievel jumped its bike through the barn loft, it came out covered in chicken feathers and manure. For misguided abrasiveness stemming from a vast misinterpretation of “rebellion,” nu-metal tops this list as the most hated music genre ever. Go sacrifice yourself to something, nu-metal.
Opinions? I’m sure you have them. Go on, let ‘em fly in the comments below.
Written by Peter Kimmich
May 22nd, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Posted in Squawk, squawk, squawk
Tagged with 50 cent, anita baker, aretha franklin, blink-182, christine mcvie, creed, gloria estefan, hannah montana, kid rock, kiss, limp bizkit, mushroomhead, nickelback, puddle of mudd, seether, slipknot, system of a down, three doors down
307 Responses to 'Top 10 Most Hated Music Genres. Ever.'
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I agree with a lot of this, but with 1 exception: If you do not like System of a Down, your opinion is void.
Howie
26 May 09 at 5:11 pm
I think when it comes to Techno a lot of people lump all electronic music in the genre, particularly Americans which is ironic as Techno originated in Detroit. The description validates my point “the same drawn-out intro, hyperactive buildup, watery bridge and pounding reentry over and over again”. That sounds like Trance or some other cheesy shite. Even the picture in the article is wrong- no Techno fan would ever dream of dressing like that.
deanbpm
27 May 09 at 6:22 am
i agree……
chrome
27 May 09 at 6:56 am
Actually, I think you’re spot on. While I like bands like Slobberbone, Drive-By Truckers, and tons of what would be considered “alt-country” bands, I can’t stand the crap that comes out of Nashville. Nu-metal disgusts me as well.
Are you going to follow up with the genres you actually like?
Jez
27 May 09 at 10:41 am
That came up on the first page of an image search for “techno”… and my guess is it’s a stereotype of the genre. Fortunately, this doesn’t make it any less ridiculous or funny, I think.
Peter Kimmich
27 May 09 at 11:11 am
Maybe. Wanted to get this off my chest first…
Peter Kimmich
27 May 09 at 11:12 am
Frickin’ hilarious.
[...] Top 10 Most Hated Music Genres. Ever. You could be in your car. Or walking past someone else’s car. Or just in your room minding your own business. It [...] [...]
27 May 09 at 4:46 pm
with one’s taste in music being such a personal and subjective thing what right do you have to say what music is good and what is bad? You’re just voicing your opinion and opinions are just like arseholes – every has one and no one wants to see yours.
mike
27 May 09 at 11:54 pm
I agree. In fact, it’s a bit of a joke in ‘dance music’ circles at just how many genres there are, and at the moment, ‘techno’ does not fit your description. Reminds me of when Eminem disses Moby saying “nobody listens to Techno” – huh? There’s also Electro, d&b, garage, dub step, hard house, fidget house, electro house, deep house, hard house, experimental, grime, trance, minimal, acid, jungle, hardcore, gabba, breakbeat, the list goes on, they are all drug related but not ‘techno’. Otherwise, agree with everything. Well done.
Devlin
28 May 09 at 2:42 am
“Adult Contemporary” sound more like a porn genre to me…
And I have nothing agains Country or “Nu-metal” (as a matter of fact I do like Slipknot and Mushroomhead) but EMO, that should be put in a capsule and sent to Jupiter, can’t stand that stuff and even less can I stand the clowns who call them self “Emo”
28 May 09 at 8:47 am
“with one’s taste in music being such a personal and subjective thing what right do you have to say what music is good and what is bad? You’re just voicing your opinion and opinions are just like arseholes – every has one and no one wants to see yours.”
Country music fan. Betcha!
Frank
28 May 09 at 10:51 am
try doing some research on a Romanian music genre called “manele” (plural) or “manea” (singular). that`s worse than anyting on your list.
mike
28 May 09 at 12:27 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manele
thhis might help :)
mike
28 May 09 at 12:29 pm
Hmmm, this might require some more research. I’ll do it when I feel like being tortured by little fluorescent head-bobbing elves.
Peter Kimmich
28 May 09 at 12:32 pm
Really, worse than Celine Dion and Toby Keith? wow, that’s pretty bad. I’ll have to check up on this. Thanks.
Peter Kimmich
28 May 09 at 12:34 pm
Actually, that sounds familiar — I think I’ve heard that at parties with a lot of Persian people, and the fashion bit sounds like something I’ve seen around also. Basically traditional-sounding music from eastern Europe or the middle east, spliced over a club beat. Very infuriating to hear for too long. Fortunately, it hasn’t quite broken into the mainstream as far as I’ve heard, sparing us the discomfort of being enveloped in it on an everyday basis. Thanks for the heads-up.
Peter Kimmich
28 May 09 at 12:39 pm
i agree with howie. ur list is very good, but if ur whole basis for the list revolves in a musical taste that doesnt favor system of a down, im wondering wat the fuck ur listening to. i mean, what, do u hate iron maiden and metallica too?
how do u hate system of a down? they r genius
amarukenshin
29 May 09 at 1:46 pm
You dont like soad. Then you are a sad pathetic little person. Confusing band identities? Only if the band identity they are supposed to be is the one you say they need to follow. You sound like a total asshole, although i do agree with 75% of your list.
Ecl
29 May 09 at 2:20 pm
I concur.
Chaos
29 May 09 at 2:39 pm
The way I see it, there’s good songs and bad songs of all genres. How many in each genre is a personal matter. I have yet to hear a light jazz song that I enjoy (it could happen), but there are thousands of punk songs that I love, and I like half of almost every System of a Down song I hear (and hate the other half). I find that people who denounce entire genres, usually do it because they think they are below them. I came to this conclusion based on the huge number of people who describe their taste as “everything except country and rap”, two styles of music who have little in common at first glance. Then I realized that country folks and urban folks tend to be seen as poor and low class by closed minded individuals. There you have it, my theory about genre hatred, take from it what you will.
29 May 09 at 4:49 pm
There’s couple of mistakes in your article. System of a Down isn’t nu-metal, it’s more on the alternative side. Looks like you only heard a few on their singles and decided the rest of their songs sounded the same. They have actual talent and talk about complex and important issues, unlike Slipknot. I suggest you listen to Empty Walls it shows Tankian is a skilled vocalist. Here’s the link:
Serj Tankian | MySpace Music VideosAlthough I agree on what you said about nu-metal, I think you should exclude KoЯn. They were the ones that invented the genre, and are the only ones in that genre who have talent. The other nu-metal bands are mostly garbage that ripped off KoЯn’s style and got way too much attention.
Also make sure that you mention that Techno does not refer to all electronic music. I does not seem to me that you know much about the electronic genre; you might think it is all the same but that’s an incorrect assumption.
Al
29 May 09 at 5:02 pm
You guys are lucky bastards, you’ve never even heard of regueton, cumbia villera and cuarteto, the three most despicable, disgusting “music” styles ever brought to life by the forces of Satan himself. Otherwise I agree with the rest of the article.
Sprayette
29 May 09 at 6:31 pm
Everything was agreeable until your disdain for System of a Down(SOAD) was shown. I accept the fact that not everybody will like them, and that this is a critical article. However, I have met very few, if any, people that dislike SOAD and feel that for them to be pointed out at the top of your list of most hated music genres seems harsh and personal. Also, Serj Tankian is a musical genius.
Gordon
29 May 09 at 7:30 pm
Agree with all of this. I do like “emo” music; some of it is quite good, and yes, I actually suffer from depression. But I try to generally be a happy person and not revel in my depression.
Oh and if this means I’m actually emo, just kill me now. Please.
Dan W.
29 May 09 at 8:43 pm
^^its good to see a “music journalist” so open to expanding their own horizons and maybe correcting their completely wrong views about a genre of music they’ve obviously heard about 6 times in their life.
judging by your taste from other posts on this blog, i’m sure you wouldn’t like anything the electronic music genre has to offer. that doesn’t excuse ignorance however.
zzn
30 May 09 at 12:21 am
I agree with the article wholeheartedly, however I think you should define your (and mine, don’t get me wrong) hate of country music a little better. Surely you’re not dissing the Johnny Cash/John Prine/Townes van Zandt kind of country, but the Rascall Flats kind?
Matt
30 May 09 at 1:14 am
This is a pretty shitty list. I am not particularly fond of contemporary country music but it is the most popular radio format throughout the United States. Therefore your theory of “most hated” by general public is debunked- as far as the author goes– if you can’t acknowledge the contributions of country and jazz to present day music– you don’t know shit and I would happily recommend taking a modern popular music class to educate yourself. Maybe you’ll develop some taste and appreciation for things outside of the top 40.
Rae
30 May 09 at 6:35 am
Well I could made some intelligent statements there but lets go the easy way:
You write like an arrogant nobody who wants to sound cool, underground, edgy or something.
Yes, some of that generes sucks balls but you sound too much like an irritant smart ass.
Bye.
Rez
30 May 09 at 10:41 am
The writer of this article sounds like he’s fifty or so and hates all of that ‘new satanic music’.
PeteNice
30 May 09 at 11:00 am
You are probibly a creepy 30 to 40 year old who listens to 80’s music
Me
30 May 09 at 11:20 am
Whew. I’m just glad you didn’t include bluegrass. It is far more sophisticated than what people know.
drtombibey.wordpress.com
30 May 09 at 3:10 pm
Loved the article, this coming from an *indie kid*. Tss, whatever. But I really like Electronica music, so I’m a little put off by that. Actually I LOVE electronica music. So… it almost seems like every genre of music was listed as the Most Hated Genres. It’s amazing how debatable the topic of music is!
I love knowing people’s opinions, whether I agree with them or not. It’s nice to know we don’t live in a world solely based on conformity where everyone has to love the same things as everyone else.
missmotychko
30 May 09 at 3:19 pm
System of a Down STINKS.
I could name so many more incredible musicians/bands than that crap.
daniellelea
30 May 09 at 3:30 pm
This post was possible because so many genres of music have come and gone. These bands were successful when they started. They just became boring over time.
Sure I hate some kind of music and like some. In the end, I would just appreciate the effort that any musician takes in making music. No grudge against any musician.
Life can be like “Coming up with a fresh tune.”
30 May 09 at 3:34 pm
Mushroomhead is awesome, wtf
Xarisic
30 May 09 at 6:57 pm
Dear God, smooth jazz. Where do I begin? I worked in a big chain retail bookstore, (Book a Million, who suck and are the devil) and they not only played smooth jazz all the time, but the SAME ALBUM. All day. Every day. For the entire nine months I worked there. The customers complained. The employees complained. Corporate didn’t care. God help you if you had a migraine that day. I’ve passed kidney stones less painful than having to listen to that all day with a migraine. It sucked so bad we begged them to pipe in some Adult Contemporary. Like the Satan-juice guzzlers they were, they just laughed in our faces.
Guh. I still have nightmares about it, and in those dreams, those songs are the soundtrack to an evil clown spewing acid-shooting spiders all over me.
dahlia6
30 May 09 at 8:58 pm
Ever heard of “noise music”? It’s supposed to be psychedelic or something, it is just a terrible combination of static, guitar banging and screaming. There is no music whatsoever, and it sounds like balls being scraped against concrete. Look up Wolf Eyes for an example.
Matt
30 May 09 at 10:56 pm
“I agree with a lot of this, but with 1 exception: If you do not like System of a Down, your opinion is void.”
Quoted for emphasis.
Kitty
31 May 09 at 2:22 am
The sad part is that some of the “musicians” in these detestable genres actually have the chops to sing, but their taste in what they are using their voices for…ugh. I have yet to figure out why the gay community worships Celine Dion (who I call Saline for her lack of personality in her singing). The woman can sing no doubt, but totally uninteresting music. And Country music ….is just lame. There is a reason why people detest it (although I do believe that there are some country stars who defy this).
If you DO like System of a Down, you’re in 5th grade.
R.E.
31 May 09 at 11:57 am
The only problem I have with this article is the inclusion of “emo”, which rightfully belongs here: The current wave of what people call “emo” is really just a shitty permutation of what emo really is. While bands like My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy undeniably suck ass, old-school emo like Cap’n Jazz and Sunny Day Real Estate has nothing to do with slashed wrist and shitty hair and is some of the best music I’ve ever heard.
R.E.
31 May 09 at 12:00 pm
This is without a doubt the kind of thing an extreme left-brainer with no musical sensibility whatsoever would say (i.e. my sister).
molly
31 May 09 at 9:06 pm
Does Cowboy Troy count as a hated genre in and of himself? Really, I can’t imagine the rap/country genre every taking off. And if it does, I despair for humanity.
molly
31 May 09 at 9:10 pm
@ zzn To the contrary, I’ve heard a lot of electronica bands I liked, both major-label and small-time, selling their CDs through Myspace. A friend of mine produces electronic music himself. But it’s not like the stuff discussed here. I consider “electronic” to be a wider field than “techno.”
Peter Kimmich
1 Jun 09 at 12:53 pm
So I’m 25% of a total asshole, and it’s because I don’t like SoaD? OK.
Peter Kimmich
1 Jun 09 at 12:55 pm
That’s a much longer discussion… the “old country vs new country” debate has raged across blog pages for eons. I’ll save that for a future article ;)
Peter Kimmich
1 Jun 09 at 1:00 pm
Thanks, I’ll definitely try to expand my horizons beyond Justin Timberlake and Kanye.
Peter Kimmich
1 Jun 09 at 1:02 pm
dont compare Iron Maiden and Metallica to system of a down. they are far too awesome to be compared with a band that sounds like trash
Samurai
1 Jun 09 at 1:19 pm
System of a Down is a genius band… They have a great cause, meaning, technique, melody, everything. Repeat: they actually have a cause.
Misha
1 Jun 09 at 9:45 pm
System of a Down isn’t very good….NOW. The first album was pretty good but the majority of stuff put out after that just blows. They aren’t genius. Never were. I’m with daniellelea.
I would have put Adult Contemporary and Smooth Jazz as 1 and 2, because they truly are the absolute worst. I’m a jazz fan, so smooth jazz is like an auditory yeast infection.
2 Jun 09 at 1:59 am
Hear hear! Sure I don’t agree with most of the Nu-metal part, but hey, it’s a rant. And I liked it. Maybe you should write a part about Greek dance music :PP
hathor
2 Jun 09 at 4:15 am
By ’80s music did you mean …. Metallica?
Peter Kimmich
2 Jun 09 at 8:08 am
You can categorize System Of A Down’s entire discography in one formula
Vaguely political chorous + ad-libbed gibberish lyrics that kind of rhyme + Mediocre guitar solo with sitar effects = system of a down song.
boners
2 Jun 09 at 11:57 am
Given that the title includes ‘Ever’, I think one of the entries perhaps should have been nudged out in favor of disco. When was the last time any of the listed genres inspired a world-famous baseball riot? At its height, “anti-disco” was way, way huger than “anti-adult-contemporary” ever will be. Just sayin’. ;)
Lenoxus
2 Jun 09 at 4:27 pm
Clearly you and Winston Rowntree have a similar opinion of the music world at large. His thoughts on the evolution of alternative music, for example.
Emily
2 Jun 09 at 4:59 pm
I must be the only one here who agrees with all of this. I especially hate nu-metal and System of a Down. Yes, they are fucking nu-metal and they fucking suck. Deal with it. The one gripe I have is that you missed deathcore. The most horrible genre imaginable. It takes elements of emo, pop-punk and all the worst parts of death metal and combines it into one big, ugly cluster fuck of teen angst and bullshit noise.
Unjesus
2 Jun 09 at 6:10 pm
I feel your pain, that must have been awful. The same goes for the people who have to work in places like the Warner Bros. Store, where cartoons are blaring on a loop all day long. Suicide city, right there.
Peter Kimmich
3 Jun 09 at 11:09 am
WOW, think of the mayhem that would have stirred up… forget the System of a Down argument going on here, to criticize disco would be to invite chastising remarks from party people all over the world, as much as one could say about a genre that emphasizes high-pitched male vocals and cheesy euphemisms for tantric sex. But thanks for the call-out anyway.
Peter Kimmich
3 Jun 09 at 11:15 am
Cheers to descriptive language!
Peter Kimmich
3 Jun 09 at 11:16 am
Whoa, on a second reading of the entry, I realized that you actually meant negative criticism by describing these genres as “hated” — where I come from, if a person says that “everyone” hates this or that art phenomenon, she’s really saying that it’s underrated. After all, hatin’ is a lot less fun when it gets all trendy… :D Personally, I tolerate disco just fine (along with all music genres ever, I hate to admit).
Haha, that graphic says a lot! everyone still reading this thread check that out, right now… thanks, Emily.
Peter Kimmich
3 Jun 09 at 4:27 pm
I appreciate it when people invalidate the rest of the comment in the first sentence.
Rez is all like, “I could put some thought into this, but it’s easier if I just spout off my bullshit knee-jerk reaction.”
Thanks Rez! I don’t even have to read the rest of your post to know you are a condescending asshole.
Anonymous
4 Jun 09 at 1:04 am
(Editor’s note: This wasn’t me. But thanks, anonymous!)
Peter Kimmich
4 Jun 09 at 12:43 pm
I’m gonna go ahead and be honest by admitting I listen to what a lot of people consider emo music, and have been known to dress a little emo too. That said, the part you wrote about emo music was incredibly accurate and funny. Interestingly though, a lot of what people think is emo is actually pop-punk.
The country section was perfect as well.
Emily
4 Jun 09 at 8:50 pm
O NO you didnt just talk shit about Kid Rock. He is like the sikkest shit ever you KNO hes a badass because hes always telling everybody wat a BADASS he is. then when you lisen to his music really LOUD in your’e rusted out pick up truck everyon KNOS that your a BADASS too! Its my favorite music to git drunk and beat my wife too. I lke KID ROCK so much I named my kids after him. One named Kid, other named Rock. Then I named my little girl Bud Light. They listen to KID ROCK or ill smack the shit outta them.
If you dont like KID ROCK then you must be some kind of pansey you probaly listen to winey shit like Elliot Smith or Something. Prolly have a fuckn college degree.
Tee hee… Just kidding… Catch der baby, sven.
Redneck
5 Jun 09 at 9:21 am
Man, you go through and give all these sub-sub-genres of music as being of the most hated and then you just drop good ol’ country at #2. Humbug. So, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, and Waylon Jennings are flat out lumped in with Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, and Garth Brooks. Then based on your description, I’m not even sure you’ve ever heard it and if you did you probably would like the pussywillow stuff better anyhow.
Bo Darville
5 Jun 09 at 11:41 am
Olaf is about to get tarred and feathered up in heah…
Peter Kimmich
5 Jun 09 at 12:04 pm
See the earlier comment on old country vs. new country. That argument’s for another article, Bo.
Peter Kimmich
5 Jun 09 at 12:05 pm
All in all this list is spot on. I totally get the general sentiment, and everyone that is so absurdly concerned with how much you appreciate SoaD or techno music slightly missed the point.
Personally if I had any argument I would say the broad generalization of country music kind of sucks, mostly because I totally agree and hate radio country music, but I like a lot of the older stuff, and Johnny Cash will always be a classic, plus the older blue grass sounding stuff like Old Crow Medicine Show is pretty difficult for me to shit on.
Although I’m not so infatuated with the music that I’m going to come here and say you’re a moron for not looking deeper into the genre and finding the hundreds of sub-genre’s and rating them individually. That’s clearly not the point of the article.
Funny Shit man, I like it.
Anon
5 Jun 09 at 2:22 pm
The problem with emo music is – it sounds nothing like how the subculture *looks*. Tends to sound like slightly whinier Blink 182, when the emo kids look like they should be listening to a whinier Marilyn Manson.
Probably most people who hate emo have no idea what the music is like. I envy those people :D
Ad
5 Jun 09 at 6:17 pm
I second that.
kaylea
5 Jun 09 at 6:47 pm
Mushroomhead aside this was a good article. Though emo should be number 1 honestly what is with those kids? And you are right I dont mind the music but the people themselves are ungodly annoying.
kaylea
5 Jun 09 at 6:52 pm
Ho-hum.. I was really beginning to agree with this article until that bit about System of a Down and Serj Tankian at the end. While I’m not particularly fond of System and most Nu-Metal-esque bands, it was really a low blow mentioning Serj Tankian in particular. He’s used his music (his new solo album) as a brilliant tool of political activism, and I couldn’t help but feel saddened that people are being turned away from his music by the poor opinion of System.
Lieutenant Aephie
6 Jun 09 at 2:14 pm
Rap rock is very confusing haha. what is your opinion about reggae?
I prefer to call them Syndrome of a Down.
Ya know. On account of them being retarded and all. The band AND their fans.
Bubs
7 Jun 09 at 12:35 pm
I dig some of it, starting with Marley of course. As a whole genre it’s pretty enjoyable, but I’m not too familiar with any particular bands. Any recommendations?
Peter Kimmich
8 Jun 09 at 12:25 pm
The Washington, DC area is surprisingly fertile with reggae groups. The ESL recording label (that includes Thievery Corporation) has a few reggae acts to check out. Look into See-I, the Fort Knox Five and Sleepy Wonder (who just put out an interesting reggae/rap album). As an aside, Thievery Corporation itself is an excellent melange of about five subgenres of electronica and world music.
Find Dub Side of the Moon, it’s a reggae rendering of Dark Side of the Moon. It may sound sacrilegious and possibly horribly bad but it is actually a solid piece of music.
Hell, I’m a classic rock guy and I’m getting into this stuff. I even like My Chemical Romance and System of a Down. Although, I don’t consider My Chemical Romance to be emo, they really whine much less than Green Day does. I considered Green Day as emo long before that was a term.
New country is too much like the saccharin aspect of pop music. Old country is too close to being like bluegrass. All that twanginess makes me feel like I’m losing my teeth and IQ points at the same time.
However, there is talent in all of the genres, that’s why they have popularity at all.
I’ll give anyone credit who is able to make a living as a musician. More power to ‘em. It’s a hard way to live in the beginning and the shelf life is not very long, ten years if they’re lucky.
I may hate their music but I’ll respect their ability to survive because of it.
Matt B
9 Jun 09 at 12:31 am
You missed out the worst one of all: HIPSTER INDIE. Guitar parts that a three-year-old could have come up with, practically no rhythm section, deliberately annoying vocals, lyrics that are always about being bored and self-consciously cool, the snobbiest fans ever, and terrible fashion sense. What’s not to hate there?
As for your actual choices:
10 – Post-grunge in other words. It’s middle of the road stuff really – it’s just “there”. Pretty inoffensive most of the time, there’s always been music like this.
9 – Not my sort of thing really, but it suits the environment it’s designed for (clubs).
8 – I don’t mind pop punk. As long as nobody goes round thinking it’s actual punk, it can be fun and enjoyable.
7 – Don’t mind this either. And it’s good music to drive around to, which is why people do that.
6 – It’s not that rap rock can never be good, it’s just that so many of the bands that play it recently have been so crappy. RATM and early RHCP are examples of how it can/should be done.
5 – SPOT ON. It’s almost entirely the fans and the fashion that make emo so annoying, the music doesn’t have much to do with it. There’s no specific “emo sound” anyway.
4 – True, although muzak is a very easy target.
3 – Yeah, this is pretty boring.
2 – Again, I don’t like most country so I don’t really listen to it. Music that has some country elements can be OK though (in small quantities).
1 – A cop out. This is basically just bad rap rock that emo kids listen to, so of course it wouldn’t be good. Most bands that would have been called nu-metal 10 years ago are being called emo nowadays. It’s just a marketing thing.
Jack
9 Jun 09 at 2:08 pm
I only have to say one thing: I do like a lot of types of music. I pretty much say “I like all types except country” because I really just dont want to break it down into specifics, you know? But I have to throw in loathing country. Thats just disgusting if you do actually like it.
Blank
9 Jun 09 at 2:55 pm
well to really capture marley’s magic you should check out it’s early stuff, with: no woman no cry, I shot the sherrif, redemption song, and afterwards when you really start to enjoy the sound, try to go back in time and look for simmer down, put it on. slave driver. try it out.
well band’s steel pulse, gladiators, lucky dube, in such
That you lump techno into one big thing says that you don’t know alot about the genre, and I’m actually doubting that I should consider an authority on music. That’s a shame, because the other nine are dead on.
SUGGESTED FIX- Replace every ‘techno’ with ‘trance’. You’ll only get complaints from gamer nerds. Our local rave bar, which normally plays really good DnB, had a trance night, and it was amazing how many basement-dwellers were flushed out of their holes. The place stunk of B.O and none of thm could dance.
Jono
12 Jun 09 at 11:56 pm
Loved the list, man…. I agree with 90% of it… I was nervous when I started reading it that you would have “Industrial” listed. You didn’t… Sweet. I’m a big Ministry, KMFDM, and Laibach fan and many of my friends bitch when I play it in my car. At that point I throw in some Negativland or Residents and before long they’re begging me to go back to Ministry… I love having a diverse taste in music… I do like techno though…
Keep up the great work!!!
Jeffram
13 Jun 09 at 1:42 am
I agree with this list,except for country,now i am no country fan myself ,im a rock and metal fan,but there was not always screaming guitars and solos. trace back inspirational artist for some of the new bands,rock n roll,metal,and rock in general was not always here,some country should be appreciated,and you apparently do not listen to county at all or you would know that all country songs arn’t about “The underwhelming things in life” it seems that you have not studied up on your music.so get out of your box and see the world,if country is so hated why are the airwaves filled with it? apparently people are liking it,not hating it. thanks.
Ben
13 Jun 09 at 10:09 pm
How can you say that emo is not all that bad? Have you even HEARD “my chemical romance”? or “panic! at the disco”?? These bands are so bad that to listen to them causes me physical discomfort. I want to shove a pitch pipe up the asses of these whiningly pretentious fucks because they really have no musical talent whatsoever. I mean I hate emo kids as much as the next chick, but come on, it’s not a “cultural” thing, emo music SUCKS ASS. Period.
machinegirl
14 Jun 09 at 7:04 am
Take it on the chin, folks.
I know there’s no way SlipKnot will ever be mainstream. Ditto Mushroomhead. Look deep down and you’ll realize this guy isn’t being some elitist, pretentious dick, he’s stating the obvious. YOU KNOW rap is annoying when blared from a lowered Civic with a fart can. YOU KNOW every country song is about how much rednecks eerily love their daughters and beer. YOU KNOW that metal is not what your girlfriend wants to listen to . Ever (note: mine does).
Myself, I hate rap and country, will listen to classical and techno, and use death metal to sleep and pork to.
Variety. Love it. Take what you like and leave the rest.
Except emo. Fuck emo. And those who listen to it. That reeeeeeally should go away. Make it so.
Metal_Evangelist
16 Jun 09 at 10:04 pm
This gets my vote as best comment. The academy is impressed.
Peter Kimmich
17 Jun 09 at 4:06 pm
nu metal is ad but what is worse is white metal or god metal and worse than that is jesus rap
Sam
18 Jun 09 at 11:26 am
I laughed at the post. But I am laughing even harder at the comments. Bravo people, bravo.
Sunshine King
18 Jun 09 at 3:52 pm
I love you.
yup.
20 Jun 09 at 5:47 am
By 80’s music, did you mean, Music? As in, not basshunter or Jason Mraz.
newfag.
Peter
23 Jun 09 at 5:27 pm
No hair metal?
Rivertold
26 Jun 09 at 1:19 am
I thought this was a pretty decent list. At least you have the ability to distinguish between different subgenres of rap. Few things are more irritating than some Nickelback fan who “hates rap,” based on shitty radio rap.
However, there are some great “emo” bands, mostly early ones that came to the genre before the MCR/teenage-girl/mall-soundtrack invasion. Sunny Day Real Estate, Boilermaker, Rites of Spring, etc.
Again, good list.
Christian rock sucks balls.
Ben
26 Jun 09 at 12:09 pm
Not to be a troll or whatnot, but your list doesn’t leave many genres of music left. what kind of music DO you listen to?
dlynn
26 Jun 09 at 4:50 pm
More or less bang on. Except country, in my opinion, is awesome. Look at Johnny Cash! Now there is some awesome country. Hank Williams is another one of those country legends. Brad Paisley is not country, that’s garbage. People simply claim to hate country because they don’t know what it entails.
Tom
26 Jun 09 at 4:53 pm
[...] 10 most hated music genres, [...]
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