MANILA, Philippines - We here at Young Star understand that one must always explore the boundaries, and music is inherently part of that. We love talking about fledgling local bands, we love talking about new international acts. But you know what we also love? Pop music. Sure, maybe you knew Modest Mouse before The OC, The Virgins before Gossip Girl — but it doesn’t mean you have to turn the other cheek.
We encourage you to leave the Britney Spears Anticipating era behind, don’t let Glee covers discourage you and take a good look at the our present state of pop. Because admit it or not, a lot of it is actually pretty good. Good enough for us to come up with a list of things you’re missing out on if you’ve made the conscious decision to tune it out. And always remember: no one likes a snob.
1. Pop music is like a palate cleanser. Think of it as those coffee beans you inhale in between selecting scents. If anything, pop music just restores your undying love for alt. Sometimes you need a breather, too — too much Bon Iver will make you a misanthrope, man.
2. They reflect the signs of the times, no matter how crude or disappointing the times may be. Say what you want about Katy Perry, but her lyrics that go “Pictures of last night/Ended up online/I’m screwed/Oh well”? That’s a millennial symptom right there.
3. Not all pop songs are created equal. There’s Owl City pop, but there’s also good pop, like Ellie Goulding, Florence and the Machine, or Frank Ocean. The triumph is as much the artist’s as it is yours.
4. You can play a game of decode. There are the straightforward ones, like the Rihanna and Chris Brown duet Nobody’s Business (the aftermath of domestic violence is none of our business!), and then there are the ones that take extensive TMZ/People Magazine intel to know. Which leads us to this...
5. The writing genius of Taylor Swift! The girl who cried heartbreak has made a stunning career about writing about everything. But especially the boys she’s dated. Better Than Revenge, a Single White Female-esque tirade against Camilla Belle, was for Joe Jonas; Dear John for our favorite douchey crooner John Mayer; and Back to December for the disappointing demise of the Tay-Tay tandem between her and Taylor Lautner. And most of the songs on her new album “Red”: Jake Gyllenhaal. It just goes to show that no bad breakup goes unsung. Maybe she’ll release an EP dedicated to Conor Kennedy?
6. You don’t miss out on the references. How else do you fuel the countless memes that circulate on Tumblr land, you hipster folk? From “that sh*t’s cray” to “wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy,” pop music refills our humor mill.
7. You also don’t miss out on pulling a few dance moves. Because you know you’re taking yourself too seriously if you can’t even give J.Lo a chance. She has her moments, okay?
8. Pop is the great unifier. On a night out, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t know Somebody That I Used To Know — and they’re probably just pretending anyway. Do you think they’ll play Solange at the club? No. You’re barking up the wrong Knowles.
9. Music is meant to evolve and meant to be shared. Accept that your beloved dubstep, trip-hop, or trap music will somehow permeate the mainstream consciousness. That’s just the way it goes. Remember that this is a good thing.
10. Carly Rae Jepsen. She’s no Einstein with the lyrics, but that girl is an earworm machine.