Top 10 Reasons Why Pop Music is Awful
I get a headache every time hear pop music for over 10 minutes. The simple notes, the bad singing, the stupid lyrics. It just hurts my brain.And here I wanna list the top reasons why I think it's awful.
I mostly listen punk rock, hard rock and metal; and with metal I mean everything in this huge genre that is good from melodic metal to thrash and progressive metal to metalcore and numetal.
There's lots of good pop singers too to be honest. Melanie Martinez is a really good pop artist, But like EVERY good pop artist she's ignored and no talents like Justin Beiber and Katy Perry are noticed.
Look at how many people hate Justing Bieber and Rebecca Black. You listen to their songs and then listen to Taylor Swift. You cannot tell me you don't see any similarities.
Anyone who needs a computer to "sing" needs to take ACTUAL singing lessons. My sister might go into pop, but at least she can sing better than anyone else out there.
Bad singers indeed, because they already know they sound horrible in front of a mic so they just use stupid autotune to make it sound even worse...

I would like to elaborate that it's not necessarily that there aren't any instruments being played, it's that there is no longer any creativity, or any attempt at making anything other than overly simplistic, market-driven formula drivel. A computer can be an instrument too, it's all in how you use it. Unfortunately, especially varied or creative instrumentals in music doesn't really sell to the lowest common denominator, resulting in the constant generic spiel emanating from your typical Top 40 radio station.
Pop songs mostly have no instruments played at all. A single boring beat, and the same 5 same computerized notes played over and over. There is simply no soul left in today's music, and anyone who hasn't lost their taste in culture or enlightenment can agree with my claim, while brainwashed sheep follow and listen to whatever they're told because they can't comprehend that the computerized garbage they relish in consists of no instrumental soul, emotional movement, or varying sound.
If you play an instrument, even if you're a very average player, you still have your own sound. Pros elaborate on that further and further, and if they throw in some improvisation, they pretty much create new music every time they play a song. Computer just repeats the same patterns over and over again, which simply strips music of its humanity. And nope, its'n not complaining about a book not being handwritten. It's more like comparing a drawing by hand with a Corel Draw template collage.
This is a problem I had when I started hearing to pop. No instruments are played or they're rarely used like literally, it looks like no popculture person wouldn't pick up a guitar and start strumming the crap out of it. This is another reason how technology is killing us because everyone literally counts on technology to do their work. Can't a person grab a book and read? Instruments are more easier to use than computer generated music composers.

For Example: Montero: Call Me by your name. The Censored Version is good but when you listen to the Original Version, Boy it really is about sex and then the Music Video doesn't help a single bit.
A lot of pop songs these days aren't kid friendly. Many music videos can have hard sexual themes. Not all of them. There are some songs that are not sexual but they may be about love. Some songs are Carousel by Lauren Taylor, Life Is Rosy by Jess Penner, and Strong Woman by Arden Kaywin. Those 3 songs are not about sex. They're more about love.
True, its hard to find music on the radio that is really appropriate for kids. Not that they completely focus on the lyrics, but they may repeat words they hear
Um, yeah. So, ahem, Taylor Swift... If you know kids who are like 9 are going to be looking at your music videos.. I dunno, maybe DON'T put a clip of you in the nude...?
It kinda ruins songs when it's too sexual.

Songs have no heart at now. A love song is supposed to mean something and it's fine if the song doesn't have this, but the actual song has to be good which the majority of songs nowadays aren't.
Because most of the viewers are teenagers, but very few of them are from 18-50. So in Western cultures, parents think teenage relationships are necessary. But as an Indian, It's not much necessary for me to fall in love. So, if the singers put anything unrelated to love, these teenagers who view may not like it. So that's why mostly all of them are about love. Another reason also lies that the singer maybe around 13-17. So these are the reasons why love music is dominating pop music.
I feel extremely ashamed remembering the times I used to listen to crappy mainstream pop songs lacking variety, depth, skill, intelligence etc, and also those so called "music artists" are incapable of delivering a good line without using auto tune to death.
Jesus this is the worst. I turn on the radio and what do I hear? LoVE sEx BaBY YOu Are MInE! Holy crap this annoys me to no end. At the very least make it so its not a blatant love song without spewing out any words such as Love, Baby, or even YOU
Some of the worst lyrics in my opinion :
- "I was busy think about boys, boys, boys"
Who tf cares if you were busy thinking about boys? It's like some stranger walk to you and suddenly say "Hey you know, I was busy thinking about boys! " What you would do? I guess you would keep walking, pretend you don't listen, walk away, listen but then angrily say "I don't care! " or "You're wasting my time! " or something similar
- "Till I find someone I love, kissing strangers"
The songwriter is 100% abnormal. Normal person will never kiss strangers. Can you imagine disgust reaction from strangers when you suddenly kiss them? I can guarantee they'll think you're a crazy person. I never tried this but I use my logical thinking.
This is one of the biggest problems with pop. Pop Artists? just can't think about new things. They use the same stuff all over again, and again, and again. Let's take Justin Bieber for example, he makes the same love songs that shouldn't be music. Rage Against the Machines think out different lyrics and different songs which makes the song more interesting to hear. Also with Guns N' Roses, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin. Pop is just the big painting in the "Music's Hall of Shame".
I feel like every pop singer sings about girls, money, riches, etc. Nothing there that really grabs your interest and nothing deep. The lyrics don't have to be deep but they should make you enjoy the music and not have to listen to "Gucci Gang" the whole time. Like it's the same overused electronic beet with snares and bass. No layering just one crappy beat. The lyrics are all the same and no new concept.
This is sadly but true BUT mostly in today's pop music, probably this could also applied to the 80's and 90's excluding Michael Jackson and some other musicians. But if you're one of those people who want good or great lyrics then I recommend you Metal, Rock, Classical Crossover ex.Jackie Evancho, (Probably) Indie, (Maybe) Jazz, (Not sure for [country] because people are starting to say that it sucks too) and that's about all the good music genres that I believe can offer you good or great lyrics. Just to put it simple, listen to other genres and not just pop music seriously maybe I could add rap or blues or any other music genres but the thing is rap is also having bad lyrics although there are exception: Kendrick lamar and J.cole just to name a few and I'm not sure for the rest of the music genres since I don't listen to them.
I don't say that pop music is all that bad, but it is way too overrated. The singers of this genre don't even need to make a song that sounds good and it becomes a hit instantly and gains hundreds of millions of views. Compare Justin Bieber to sum 41 or Green Day. While the last two pit their talent into their songs along with their music all Justin has to do is try to sound sexy and all his fans go crazy. People have their own preferences but it isn't coincidence that everyone likes only pop. To all the pop fans out there, give some time to listen to other genres like pop punk, alternative rock, soft rock, hard rock, post hardcore, etc.
After Michael Jackson died, only a few "tolerable" Pop artist were around, then they got overshadowed by people who don't deserve a drop of fame or money or attension that they're getting. Modern music is so unbelievably close to not being a Meritocracy, and rather a disgusting mess of idiots that don't understand when good music is being put in front of them, like Jazz, Rock, Alternative Genres, etc..
How much of todays music will still be played in fifty years? Very little musicianship. People are sheep and they follow the crowd. There are great performers in every music genre. Just not so much in today's pop scene. Jimmy Hendrix has been dead for over 45 years and he is still considered the best guitar player of all time. Sorry, he had a skill and no backup dancers
In most cases, barring looks (which is the most important factor here) these pop "artists" could be anyone. Most use auto tune, post-production manipulation, and lip sync anyways, not to mention having their music written by a board of producers.

Warner Bros music legit rejected Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco just because it didn't have the potential to be commercially successful. Money hungry idiots.
They Psychologically make popular songs sound good and the same so many people will buy it instead of a variety of music and creativity.

Guys, I'd rather listen to AutoTune then listen to the same guy break his voice every two seconds. Teenage girls aren't going to listen for the voice, so the producers are doing us a favour by making it that ever bit more tolerable. If anything it's the passion that makes today's music bad. The moment I can here the AutoTune it is too much. You don't sound good, you sound like a heartless robot. If AutoTune fixed and had actual PASSION and EMOTION when you sung, then AutoTune wouldn't be half bad.
One time I cheated on a biology test and got caught. I definitely felt ashamed but I learned from that mistake that it was better just to naturally get a D than to unnaturally get an A. Thus I can relate this story to autotune. Singers who rely on it are technically cheating just to trick us into thinking they can actually sing. It is obvious people back then could really sing because the lack of technology made singers work harder. Of course, there are singers I can recommend like Adele, Ed Sheeran, Beyonce, Amy Winehouse (r.I.p), John Legend, and yes Taylor Swift. But it is rare to find many of them nowadays.
Back in the 80s and 90s, pop singers could actually sing and never used autotune. New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys are incredibly cheesy but at least they could actually sing and sang naturally with their real voices. Modern top 40 pop stars are addicted to autotune. Don't get me wrong, autotune can be used in an artistic way like 2000s Lady Gaga and Daft Punk, but top 40 pop singers who can't sing use it to trick people into making them think they can sing. There are even singers who don't need autotune and just use it anyways.
This one is true. Look at rock singers such as Myles Kennedy or Axl Rose for example, or even some pop singers like Michael Jackson or Adele. They don't need autotune to make their music sound good. Excessive autotune just sounds like a robot or a vocaloid singing. It's awful.

I agree. I wish I could find a radio station that didn't play pop music, which these days, are always love songs. This is why I listen to the soundtrack I got from iTunes on my phone, or I go to YouTube and find a good song, and even if it's mainstream, it's never a love song, usually like a night core version of Can't Hold Us by Macklemore.
I like a few pop songs, but my favorite genre of music is rap. I don't think I've ever heard a rap song on the radio. I don't think I've even found a rap station. "Panda" by designer, was recently the #1 song in the country. Never heard it on the radio.
I'm only 10 years old, but I'm pretty sure all the adults hate this even more than I do.
Okay, I like pop music, but it's the only thing that plays along with country where I live. Seriously, we need some rock stations like Linkin Park and Green Day. If they have a station for all genres, I'm happy.
All other genres are being completely phased out by the popular music. People now only seem to listen to what's popular because they think that it's their only option and it's sad.
I agree, I like listening to this one radio station and there was this one song. Oh what was it called? Oh, yes I remember it was called "Welcome To The Black Parade." I love this song, but the station just kept playing it. So now I can barely listen to it. Isn't that hard to believe, a ROCK/ALTERNATIVE song being overplayed. *sarcastic voice* Yeah, idiots it's all up to what station you listen to. So if you don't like the songs that keep being played, don't listen to that station.
It really does suck that it's all that most people listen to. The majority of Western folks just eat up everything the mainstream gives them and never bother to venture out, mostly because they want to fit in by only listening to the same 15 or so songs that are played over and over, in every public place thanks to the radio. Long story short, this is why I bring earbuds everywhere I go.
Okay I won't lie cause this is a huge problem for ALL modern music, NOT JUST POP. That's why people, including myself tend to listen to stuff we grew up with because it never plays anymore. I was born in 99 but I can't stand modern music because of the radio. I mean the 2000s could also annoying at someways but never has it become this painful. we've come a long way with technology in the past 16 years, so now it's even worse to hear the same old annoying song from a car, a phone,etc.
It's like hearing hell! It's always on the radio, grocery store, public places in general, school it's unavoidable! My god I like Rock music, but at least Rock music isn't played non stop, every 2 seconds you're in public. Honestly I'm just glad to be a rock teen.
Pop music is supposed to be universal, yet nearly every pop song has an explicit version. Its really to bad because when a kid hears a cool song on the radio, they might want to listen to it again elsewhere. But unfortunately, it turns out that it has explicit lyrics. Explicit lyrics don't bother me, but pop stars should really try to keep it clean. Because, who else is gonna want to listen to modern pop besides the kids?
Example: Unholy, it is legit about a Man cheating on his wife to go to a Stripers Club and then Gets hooked on.
So what! I guess that means cannibal corpse is like nursery rhymes now.
It's completely processed. Made with a team of audio engineers to clip the sound and beat-correct the instruments. There's no musical talent, and no musical effort shown.
Most of them are either made by phony SoundCloud rappers or Scandinivian ghost writers (no racism intended). I am actually glad as an electronic teen because people write their own songs.
Most of the pop music nowadays is literally made by the same 2 people, and just made to sell.
The fast food equivalent of music, only more fake and worthless.
Total lack of creativity indeed. Songs being made off of computer based software making someone famous who has no real talent to begin with. Even vocally, we have so called "singers" who are now nothing more than "noise makers" ( Adele, Rihanna, Adam Levine, and so many more)
Now there's nothing wrong with making music with computer based software. It makes the process faster and frees up time for someone with real instrumental talent, ie: Prince. But it also allows talentless "cockroaches" to infiltrate their way into genres that were once considered great like Rock, Hip Hop/Rap, R&B. Heavy Metal is basically forgotten now and that's sad.
To me, music creativity reached its peak in the 1970's, mainly between 1975-1979. Everyone brought their very best, their A game, their own style to the table and if you tried to copy or sound like someone else, like an established artist, then you simply couldn't compete. In a nutshell, today's mainstream music is irritating and has no ...more
Just look back at music in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Each musician had their own style and each song was different. The melodies, the harmonies, and the layers of instruments and vocals all fit together like a giant puzzle and created something extraordinary and unique. Now in pop music, there is no more creativity. Every song feels the same with barely anything changing. It's truly sad.
Bobby Womack once said: "In my day, everybody wanted to sound different, individual. Nowadays, seems like everybody wants to sound like everybody else." Creativity uses influences, but is more than just copying what you admire.
Beats are copied, ghostwriting is commonplace, the same lyrical theme (love) is constantly used as the only one... why?
Ghostwriters cause pop songs to become repetitive; they follow a formula aimed at the masses.
No wonder why I cannot tell apart Katy Perry and One Direction...
Max Martin and Dr. Luke, along with 2 others, write like 90% of pop music.
That's just radio music in general. The fact that people hate on songs based on how often they're played is just questioning my faith in intelligence.
Radio stations should play a wider variety of music. It's probably been like this for decades.
Maybe. I still like some songs even if it's overplayed such as Blinding Lights.
And it bothers me

This is so true. This generation has pretty much gone down hill, especially music-wise. I mean, most people are so thick-headed and dumb these days, they'll just listen to the same generic horse crap every single day. No wonder a lot of singers from this generation get so much hate. Their idiot fans are like, "OMG, why u guys bullying (insert name) SO much!? They're a nice person and their music and voice is unique!"
No wonder evolution is going in reverse.
Not in all cases, but the reason "pop" music is "popular" is because it requires no thought to listen to. It is a dumbed down genre. It's quite obvious that it's sole purpose is to dance to in a club, or to use as background noise while performing a braindead, repetitive task. Most intelligent people prefer music that has depth and is going to provoke actual thought. Jazz, metal, and classical is music for the thinking man. Even some classic rock. Pop is for the average bonehead (mostly).
Bruce Dickinson has a phd in both music and history (and is a pilot and a fencer) Brian May in astrophysics, almost every rock or metal star is well read or is very intelligent.
Did Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus or any other pop star go to university or get proper degrees?
I think the music reflects the listener, just saying.
Dumbed down music for a dumbed down society. Music for people who have no interest in music besides signaling to others that they keep up with celebrity trends, or besides using it as background music. In most cases, this music is the textbook definition of vapid.
I somewhat agree with this. I don't listen to a lot of male pop stars or male singers anyway.
Michael Jackson is a male you silly children. Bruno Mars and The Weeknd are too.
Kids books...haha
They only look at books backwards and ONLY if they have pictures.
Honestly this is a really bad argument, even though I dislike pop.
Music is meant to be passionate. The reason many artists only compose, play and sing to one topic is because they feel a connection. A passion. They will sing with all their heart and lungs to get a message across. They will play an instument until their lungs are ready to burst and their fingers are sore. They will compose until day turns to night. Pop music, however, is not passionate. They only care about money, and even songs about that are rubbish. Ask pop music fans if they've ever cried to a piece of pop music. Their answer will most likely be "No, but... I thought..." or "Umm... Yeah... (lies)".
Today's music has no soul. Look at Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven, Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In, Light My Fire, Saturday Night Fever, Thriller, Hotel California, Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon. That was real music. Where is that kind of music today? Nowhere--it gets pushed right out of existence by the whole system. You have another Thriller, another Dark Side of the Moon, another Saturday Night Fever, another Led Zeppelin IV, it gets put in the rubbish bin.
Any wonder why people would rather download classic rock, classic disco, classic soul, classic country, classic R&B, classic pop? Even the Beatles, who were lambasted for "debauched music" back in their day, are far superior to today's lame, soul-less robots that make what we take for music. And, where are the comments of today's music being debauched, as opposed to being soul-less?
Yeah, most of them just care about how much money they make. When they sing, they sound like robots: flat and emotionless. Now, not ALL of them are like that, I do know a couple of pop singers who put their heart and soul into the lyrics they belt out, and some older singers sing/play instruments emotionlessly. But majority of them don't really have passion in music and that sucks.
Not only all those things, because I totally agree, but the most Pop performers don't even write their own music! So I feel that they have no real connection to what they're singing, even though what they were singing about is complete crap. They just pay other people to do the work for them, and it's still not even good.
It really is. The artists, well most of them, don't give a damn about what their fans think, or them period. They don't sing from the heart, and that is the most important part. Now, I don't blame anyone who is attracted to the music, but in my opinion, and the only artists that I'm aware of that still sing from the heart, and not about sex is Adele, and Janet Jackson. That's pretty much it. The pop music today is the worst music in the history of...music!
To the comment, "Not Necessarily True, Artists like Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Amy Winehouse, Sam Smith, and Adele.They always have messages in their songs and I can't name a song of any of those artists above that wrote a song about themselves in vain. Especially Michael Jackson ever heard of "HEAL THE WORLD,"WE ARE THE WORLD,YOU ARE NOT ALONE. That's just stupid too say MOST of their songs are about themselves because that's not true. Stop being Narrow Headed and Close Minded and Dive into the lyrics and see what it means. Instead of hatting on a entire genre. Learn to appreciate what these POP artists have done for us" these artists you've mentioned have been around for quite awhile and have proven to be some of the greatest musicians of all time. This is talking about most mainstream people today like Nicki Minaj or Kanye West.
Not Necessarily True, Artists like Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Amy Winehouse, Sam Smith, and Adele.They always have messages in their songs and I can't name a song of any of those artists above that wrote a song about themselves in vain. Especially Michael Jackson ever heard of "HEAL THE WORLD,"WE ARE THE WORLD,YOU ARE NOT ALONE. That's just stupid too say MOST of their songs are about themselves because that's not true. Stop being Narrow Headed and Close Minded and Dive into the lyrics and see what it means. Instead of hatting on a entire genre. Learn to appreciate what these POP artists have done for us.
I'm not a fan of pop music but I don't think this is true. Maybe I haven't heard of enough pop music?
Every pop song that has ever existed is about relationships. Every pop song is either "My girlfriend is mad at me and I want to make amends" or "I love my girl". It is the most unoriginal, exhausted, overused, unrelatable subject to write a song about and it needs to stop.
Subgenres of pop? Um...pop.
Subgenres of metal? Thrash metal, black metal, death metal, Christian metal, speed metal, heavy metal, doom metal, stoner metal, etc.
Dig a bit into the independent music scene. The artists listed on my "homepage" button on my profile are a good starting point.
I really hate how all the pop songs are above love, if not complete nonsense.

Style - lets have sex!
Take Me To Church - you're my girlfriend and I worship you, let's have sex!
Blank Space - Let's have sex, cause "we're young and reckless, and we'll take this way to far" and get std's and pregnant!
22 - let's get drunk cause we're 22 and everything will be fine - fines for drunk driving!
Music is no longer family friendly except for the songs that are exclusive to family friendly movies an example being Run Like The River by Meghan Trainor from Playmobil The Movie.
Distract the vacuous. Circling the drain. When did self-destructive behavior become "the real hip culture". You behavior reinforces their false stereo- types.
I will agree with this but not ALL do. But a lot songs like can't Hold Us, Stressed Out, The Phoenix and the makers of those song are not like this and many more
Electronic artists uses a month to combine various sounds to make a truly amazing track without getting much attention, whilst those pop "artists" just spend an hour writing a song with stupid lyrics, sounds and lots of juvenile delinquency. Hopefullu more electronic artists can go popular and show people what is the true music (in my opinion).
As a music reviewer, I pick apart the songs and analize them. I can get everything there is out of a pop song with my first listen. So why would I want to listen to something with the simplicity of a baby's lullaby when I can listen to less commercial music, perhaps prog rock/metal which you can get so much more out of. This also causes the songs to get old FAST!
With that I mean all of it, simple lyrics, simple instruments and melodic. Its just so simple and repetitive and it hurts my brain. I just put that on the number one because it's the thing which really hurts me physical. And everything is to simple beside that's its bad. Like the lyrics are either simple or stupid or both. the instrumental is either simple or bad or not exicisting. and so on and so for.
I prefer dubstep over pop because my favorite artist is Panda Eyes and Mafia Pineapple! They took a lot of time to make an awesome song better than skrillex ones!
"It's more famous" may be a bit of a bad reason, sure but I think you might just be using the wrong term. Overrated would be a better way to put it, in my opinion.
That's because modern people are too ignorant to look up some real, REAL music.
Why do you overshadow amazing songs?
Because people are dumb
I dare you to translate Despacito to English!
And Zayn Malik can't write two songs with using the F word!
All they songs about is how much they want to mingle with a random woman they see!