How I suddenly became a fan of pop music

There's a wrinkle, but ...yeah, it surprised me too.

Discovering music as you grow up is a crazy road. Most people first have no agency with what they hear - it’s what their parents play on the radio or record player. (And yes, I know those two examples just illustrated how old I am.) It’s how I first heard Cat Stevens, Talking Heads, Neil Young and others. It’s why I still know most of the lyrics to songs from West Side Story and other movies with showtune soundtracks. And honestly, like a lot of people my age, it’s how I discovered The Beatles and The Beach Boys.

The Only Band That Matters

When I first started choosing music for myself, I found that I often didn’t lean towards the most popular music, but more to bands like The Clash, Madness and others at first. And as I grew older, the idea of “pop music” was just … a joke to me. The idea that I’d admit, PUBLICLY, to liking anyone at the top of the charts was hilarious. Can I now look back and admit that yes, Prince, Madonna and even bands like Bon Jovi have some absolute bangers? Of course. But at the time, no effin’ way. It would have been embarassing, at the very least. But I also didn’t let myself like it.

I know todays generation is different - and part of that is “pop” music simply isn’t as popular as it used to be. Artists like Taylor Swift, Beyonce and others don’t sell nearly as many copies of their work due to streaming, etc. But the attitude is different too - saying you like Taylor Swift isn’t an automatic deduction of cool points.

To be clear, that’s not really the music I am listening to (though you’ll find songs by Adele, Doja Cat and plenty of other popular artists on my Spotify). But it’s a realization that what I’m really into these days can only be called “indie pop.” I made a resolution for 2023 to listen to MORE music. And part of that was to expand my horizons - when I got my Spotify Wrapped from 2022, my brother noted it seemed like I just listened to the same Playlist over and over. Um…busted.

The rub? Somehow it’s harder than ever to discover new music. There are no Tower Records listening stations any more. (God, those ruled.)

I barely listen to the radio anymore, and when I do it tends to be sports. I’m quite sure there are podcasts out there recommending new music but I’m also absolutely overwhelmed with the podcasts I already subscribe to. So, what next?

I decided to delve into the playlists that Spotify recommends for me, based on what I listen to. Often, I’d peruse these and decide they weren’t for me, but instead I just let it play on shuffle and man, I continue to find new bands I really enjoy.

The playlist that has proven to be a great starting point is called Indie Sunshine, which probably tells you what you need to know. It blows my mind - as someone who spent a LOT of time listening to The Smiths, The Cure and a Spotify Playlist called “Songs To Make You Cry” - that the songs I really get pulled into are bouncy, pop-based songs that are anything BUT mopey.

Suffice it to say that “The Queen Is Dead” got real relevant this year.

In particular, I’m super into a ‘band’ (it’s really just one guy) called Dayglow, and this song is one I have to force myself NOT to keep listening to for risk I’ll wear it out:

Other bands I’m getting more into that fall into this are Alvvays, Bleachers, Peach Pit, Last Dinosaurs and Wallows, among other bands I’ve listened to for quite some time like Phoenix, The Strokes and others. They all share some DNA, but are very different bands. And all of them are a good time, in their own way.

Now .. is this pop music? By pure definition, not at all. Pop stands for popular, and most of these bands aren’t remotely popular. But to me, pop music is a song with an upbeat that you could put on with a whole mixed group of people and nobody would have issues. Charts aren’t a real way to measure this stuff anymore, there’s just TOO MUCH music out there. But if you drop one of these songs on at a party, there’s going to be a lot of folks who like it, and very few who wonder what’s happening. A band like Phoenix fits this bill, whereas a death metal band does not. Obviously, artists like Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo fit a more traditional genre of “pop music” but to me, it needs an expansion (as I don’t listen to any of those artists, for what it’s worth).

I think this is a fair distinction. Somehow, No Doubt was called a punk band. Let me be very clear, that’s crazy. Elvis Costello might not be who you think of as a punk rock artist, but he’s WAY more punk rock than No Doubt. Genres are fluid, and I’m well within my bounds to make this independent classification.

Is it a function of getting older that we are drawn to things that give us pleasure instead of dragging us down? I don’t think so - though I will say I might be a bit more reticent to watch a movie I know will be emotionally brutal, perhaps more so than I used to be. But I think it’s also that as we get older, we’re more honest with ourselves and others about what we like. I remember - with a bit of horror - my father wearing a Speedo to the beach one vacation, saying he was too old to care what other folks thought. I’m not there yet - thankfully, perhaps - but there’s something to it.

Live your life, am I right? I will still go back and listen to The Smiths or whoever, they are GREAT. But it’s nice to put on some music and know that it’s going to make the mood a bit cheerier.

I like “pop” music and I’m not afraid to say it.