People always try to make the following argument with music snobs like some of us at HearYa: If you really like an artist or band, why do you suddenly like them less once they “make it big”? The argument is always the band’s music didn’t change, they didn’t change, the album they recorded didn’t change¦so you must be a pompous ass if you don’t like a band once they achieve commercial success.
I’ve got a secret – I used to like John Mayer. There, I said it. I can’t stand him now, but I won’t apologize for it. Let me tell you why it’s okay to start hating a band after the rest of the world suddenly pops a boner over them.
The Makeout Analogy
Let me start by saying that I like making out with girls as much as the next guy. I think it’s a great time, and often get ‚¾ to full boners during makeout sessions. Last time I checked that meant you were enjoying yourself. Let me draw two parallels from making out to listening to music, and how this analogy sort of proves that you’re allowed to dislike a band once they make it big.
1) No One Likes a Slut
Let’s say you are having consistent sloppy makeout sessions with this really hot girl. You absolutely love it. This goes on for several weeks, but then you find out that lately she’s been making out with all of your buddies. With Ryan Seacrest, Fabio, the guy that works at the convenient store down the street, and around 1 million other people you don’t know¦even your own mom. After you find that out, an extra-sloppy makeout session with this babe doesn’t sound quite as good anymore, does it? Didn’t think so. It’s the same thing with music. If you hear of a band and make an emotional connection with them, I think it’s natural for you to want to keep them from getting overexposed. If they do become overexposed, I think it’s also natural for you to dislike them. Much like the guy who won “Average Joe II” but couldn’t date Larissa because she made out with Fabio.
2) Too Much of a Good Thing May Cause Chafing
When I was in high school I used to love making out with my girlfriend for hours on end, occasionally stealing 2nd base. When I first discovered the exotic French kiss, I couldn’t get enough. We were necking in the back seats of friends’ cars, church parking lots, underneath blankets at crowded parties¦wherever and whenever we could. Kind of like the first few times you hear a great song. You crave it. You want to listen to it all the time. You’ve got to be careful not to put it on repeat. Hearing a song everywhere you turn is like making out for 3 hours straight. Anyone that’s made out for more than 5 minutes consecutively knows what starts happening. Your mouth starts getting a little tacky. Lips start sticking together a little bit. You’re not sure where to put your hands anymore because you’ve exhausted all of your face-caressing and back-rubbing moves. You might even get a stray hair swimming around in there that, if you’re savvy, sends you down to the neck area so you can gather yourself, sneak a hand up to your mouth, and get that dang thing out of there.
Where am I going with this? I can’t really remember. But hearing a song over and over and everywhere you turn is something like making out over and over and for a really long time. You can love that song or that band, but once it starts getting played everywhere you turn, it’s natural for you to begin disliking it. (That’s why I never understood those “NOW! That’s What I Call Music” CDs. Rather than drop $20 on the CD, why not just turn on the radio and hear those same songs every hour for free?)
Getting back to John Mayer, I think my new goal is try to make out with someone for 3 hours straight while listening to “Your Body is a Wonderland” on repeat. I think it might rip a hole in the universe.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Personally I am always confused by Mayer. He says he wants to be this serious musican and then releases crap and bangs Jessica Simpson. That little blues trio he did wasn’t half-bad but his only redeeming stint was his skit on The Chappelle Show.
Speaking of overplayed music that chafes you, I just read that Daniel Powter surpassed the two million paid download mark. Thanks American Idol, for releasing crappy artists into the world and complimenting it with crappy soundtracks during the show. Don’t mind my sarcasm. I’ll still watch you tonight.
I’ve been trying to put this feeling into words for a long time. You nailed it.
Great article. I’m still sour that “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was so over-played, it drove me away from Nirvana and I missed out on the buzz of a “generational” band. The chaffing from that song didn’t go away for years.
Hmm, okay. Try these music world/physical world parallels to your two points.
1) In the musical world, you can be that guy who always brags “I liked them first” or “when they were cool” or whatever. Plus, that big exposure means they get to make more CDs for you, since you like their music.
In the physical realm, you could always mention to everybody that they got sloppy seconds on your girl. And it’s like she gets to show you new tricks that she learned while making out with everybody else. (Hey, some people like sluts.) Or, if you’re the only guy who wants to make out with her, maybe your girlfriend is just ugly.
2. In the musical world, if hearing a song you like too much is like making out for 3 hours, maybe you should try listening to more of that band’s songs. Go deeper into their records, find some rare bootlegs, maybe some unreleased demos. Deeper exposure can bring new joy.
In the physical realm, you might try fucking her after an hour or so. Some people find that’s a good way to break the monotony.
i have to agree with chuck.
really, drinking buddy, why belong to a site like this if you don’t want to share your musical experiences with other people?? you obviously do. just admit that you’re jealous that they’ve left you for a bigger audience. problem is, they were never yours. you belonged to them. it’s your choice stay or go.
i’m happy to tell anyone about great artists/bands they’ve never heard of. i’m always happy to hear about such things, even if the new musical relationships don’t work out, like wilco (i know, i just lost everyone who was once on my side).
gotta say that dispatch was one of the best indie groups ever out there. after they split, one of the off-shoots, state radio, got their stuff into fye, best buy, etc under the ruff shod records label. every time i go into such a store, i look for the album and put a copy in the “look-at-me” section.
i like to spread the love.
I realize this comment is 2 years behind, but I totally get what Drinking Buddy is getting at. I had the same reaction when I heard that the Avett Brothers are touring this summer with Dave Matthews Band. WTF? I’ve been an Avett superfan for years and told basically everyone I know about them, so obviously I am proud of their success. But the thought of all those DMB pothead groupies jumping on the Avett bandwagon kinda makes my stomach turn. I just hope that signing with Columbia doesn’t disrupt the purity of their craft.