Your Music pet peeves

[Launcelot111]

One thing that will make me shiver (like, actually god damn shiver) is when singers do that thing where they draw out one syllable of a word and warble it or...whatever. I don't know what you call it, so I'll have to find an example.

The technical term for all the obnoxious inflections is melisma. You could have just linked to any Mariah Carey song, as she's the queen of that noise.

I wholeheartedly agree with rough singing being more appealing as well. The main reason I hate American Idol and shows like that is that they sing songs which in their original incarnation were often legitimately great songs, and then they bring out some people with technically great voices but who have no singing personality. Like, they get flack for being pitchy and then they get told a bunch of trash about singing from the heart or gut or something. I don't know how I would describe it better but everyone either sings like they "have attitude" or "know heartbreak." All the singers I like sing in imperfect voices that suggest something hard to describe but nonetheless resonant with me, not some easily categorized attitude.

My supporting argument:


Mick doesn't have a great voice, but listen to how he holds his notes and how he barks his way through the chorus, and then compare with 99% of modern popular artists.

Technically good voices and interesting singing are not mutually exclusive. I submit Marvin Gaye, Cat Power, Beach House, the Beach Boys, and Neko Case as proof of that. It's that if I had to choose, I'd go with interesting over good every time

Also, most electronic/techno/house/trance/dubstep/etc tracks that just repeat one little hook with different volume or effects for ages and ages. Even worse is dubstep doing that before cutting to a patented whub whub breakdown. Repeating something over and over isn't an effective buildup in and of itself. It has to be done right, and most electronic people don't do it right in my book. Dubstep is again the worst because the breakdown is supposed to be the cathartic moment, but there was no buildup to it at all. It's just lazy and uninteresting music making in my book. I'd rather have well done buildup with no release then five minutes of whub whubbing.

 

[lacktheknack]

Really heavy dubstep that has noises instead of notes. Stuff like this
This genuinely has that 'nails down a blackboard' effect on me, it sounds more like the noise from a broken speaker than actual music. I'd love to know what it is that people enjoy about this music, because I can't listen to it without wincing.

I listen to Skrillex because he's aggressive and powerful - the same reason that people listen to screamo, really. I don't like screamo, but I love electronic and experimental, so Skrillex is perfect.

Of course, my favorite album ever is Aphex Twin's Selected Ambient Works Volume II, so I have my doubts we're on anything resembling the same wavelength.

 

[lacktheknack]

Stereotypical songs of any genre bug the hell out of me.

For example:
-Rap/hiphop songs about gangs, ghetto, money, weed, sex, etc.
-Country songs about trucks, girls, beer, etc.
-Metal songs about satan, killing, etc.

EDIT: Now, a song with one of these themes doesn't instantly make it bad, but it better be damn good to make me care about it.

Oh God, I can't resist.

<youtube=mEj4_iN1tiw>

 

[TeeBs]

The one line that angers me the most is "________ is not even music." Just because something is bad does NOT mean it isn't music, the only time a line like this is acceptable is if your talking about Merzbow and Harsh Noise in general. Not Justin Bieber or Rap just because you don't like it.

I also get annoyed from people who listen to one genre or even one relative type of music that expresses one form of emotion "I listen to metal, grunge and angry hip-hop". How diverse.

Also broad generalization (I caught my hypocrisy in this because I did just make a broad generalization about metal and grunge) about genres that don't even exist "All indie is, is a bunch of people who don't even know how to play an instrument yet start a band." This annoys me for two reasons, one; indie is such a broad term that envelops a plethora of genres, not all of them rock, and two its just plain wrong, there are more independent artist then there are non independent and I am sure you have explored them all. Also I find people who argue what is and isn't independent to be missing the real point. Signing on to Sub-pop or any other record label does mean a band "sold out" or anything and you should listen to a band you like regardless of the status it has as far as being on or not being on a record label goes. Implying they keep the quality of the music the same.

I also hate how hipster is a derogatory term. Not because I love those beanies but because of the transfer of properties, Hipsters listen to indie music, Hipsters are supposedly pretentious, arego anyone who goes out of there way to listen to indie is pretentious.

 

[lacktheknack]

I can agree with number 4, especially with pop music, every fucking song is either love or sex. Sex is more done in rap but Rihanna is keeping sex in pop all by herself!

That's the public's fault. Remember, no one wanted to hear her sing "Man Down", they wanted to hear her sing "Rude Boy".

 

[repeating integers]

I hate music that sounds fake. Basically, music that is nothing but Keyboards, a Drum Machine, and extra Computers to create a fake Orchestra really make me mad. Since Rap and Modern Pop are the two biggest culprits of this, those are genres I really hate. Now, Music can use Keyboards, but they shouldn't use Keyboards to play the Guitar, The Bass, Or an Arrangement of Orchestral instruments, they should be used to play the Piano and other Key-related Instruments, or to make SFX in a song.

Once again, this reminds me of another of my pet peeves without actually being directed at you: People who dismiss anybody who uses instruments not made out of wood. You know the type - the kind who believe that a rock band is only allowed to use guitar, bass and drums, and using anything else for any reason makes them "fake" and "pretentious" for covering up their obvious lack of actual talent (y'know, the talent it takes to churn out the same 2-chord riff over and over again for 3 minutes) with some "machines where you press buttons". These luddites are unhappy with anything that tries to push the boundaries of what it's possible to create with music in any way - they just want the same hard rock single over and over again, so they can air-guitar and sing along into eternity.

 

[Shuguard]

Anything with auto-tuned lyrics just sounds terrible to me. So bad there's maybe a few exceptions, but it's just terrible.

 

[Dangit2019]

When a pop song has what it thinks is dubstep shoved into the bridge. Also, Rihanna needs to stop trying to make techno music, I'm pretty sure that all she knows about techno is that you say the same words over and over and have some (crappy) melody interrupt them every 45 seconds.

One last thing: I hate it when an electronic/pop song does this with the kick pedal...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=86khmc6y1yE#t=54s

 

[Dark Prophet]

Otherwise short metal/rock songs with way too long solos that give nothing to the song and are there only to show look what I can do with my enter any instrument.

 

[Dangit2019]

Oh, wait, I forgot to mention EMMURE; also known as the MOST DULL AND REPETITIVE BAND EVER FORMED.

Quick, I DARE you to tell the difference:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=86khmc6y1yE#t=54s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=k_gCvOoQbxg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=k_gCvOoQbxg

Aaaand this proves that "brutal" does not mean "good" at all.

Captcha: all singing

Oh the irony...

 

[Jonluw]

Autotune used as a device for correcting the singer's voice, not as a tool for creating some funky effect like in Killer Queen.

Oh, and there are certain keyboard/el-piano/synth sounds I just can't take seriously.

And to completely oppose the trend of the thread: I generally dislike it when there's just a bit of screaming/growling in a song. The whole "we scream the climax of our chorus" is so overplayed, and it just feels so... "I'm fourteen years old and I'm so emotionally tortured and deep".

I can respect songs with all-scream/all-growl lyrics because I get the aesthetic they're trying to set up.

 

[Flamezdudes]

It's probably almost always going to be the voice of a singer than ruins music for me.

There is much music out there that start's off nice and great and then the singer will come in and ruin it with their horrible voice, whether it be annoyingly teeny or just plain shit.

Also, I fucking hate teeny bands.

 

[Vigormortis]

I only have two "real" pet-peeves when it comes to music.

The first is poor music association or genre confusion. For example, when someone mentions techno or electronic music and the first (and often only) thing that pops into someones head is trashy, awful dance-club trance. I hate that.

Spoiler: Here's an example.

Spoiler: This is dubstep.

Spoiler: This is brostep.

What bugs me is, when people mention dubstep today the only thing most people associate it with is brostep. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME THING. Brostep is a sub-genre of dubstep. (an absolutely horrid abomination of a sub-genre, in my opinion) It would be like saying pop-soft-rock is indicative of ALL rock music. It makes no sense.

The second "pet-peeve" is when the worst songs in a genre become the most popular (giving far more attention to the talentless hacks of the field) while the better songs and artists go almost entirely unnoticed. (or worse, are actually labeled as "bad" compared to the more popular artists)

Spoiler: Example.

Spoiler: Here is a popular song by an (artist) who is (world-renowned).

Spoiler: And, here is a song that is virtually unknown by the masses.

Not even speaking on the quality of the compositions, just listen to the lyrics. The sheer difference between the two is striking. One is inspirational, emotional, and uplifting; while the other is just confrontational and boorish.

It sickens me to see one of these become immensely popular and the other go down in obscurity.

 

[repeating integers]

That is... one of the most insane and terrifying music videos I've ever seen. Bloody hell. The music was matchingly strange - I kind of liked it ("glitch" really does seem like the appropriate word for it, even if i's supposed to apply to the other band).

 

[Vigormortis]

That is... one of the most insane and terrifying music videos I've ever seen. Bloody hell. The music was matchingly strange - I kind of liked it ("glitch" really does seem like the appropriate word for it, even if i's supposed to apply to the other band).

Really? That's one of the most insane you've seen?

Then allow me to show you one far crazier.

Spoiler: Click here. Or don't. Whichever.

 

[Jonluw]

Blast Beats - ok, I get it. You spent a lot of those drum lessons and practice sessions in your younger days learning how to play some of the most mind numbingly repetitive shit really really fast. It's not that your speed doesn't impress me, because it does. But it's about as musical as replacing the drum track with a machine gun (which I admit could be interesting in the right circumstances). Maybe that last part bothers me more because I'm a drummer though. I simply don't find what gets played frequently in a lot of metal very interesting, and even the good players are guilty of falling into blast beats pretty often. And it's not that they don't fit the song I guess. It's just that they sound terrible.

People can probably guess from this which genres I tend to shy away from, even if there is stuff from a variety of metal sub-genres that I do like.

Just wondering: Have you listened to anything by Gojira?
It's just that I imagine drummers would like The art of dying.

Spoiler: The art of dying.

As for blast beats on the bass drums, I like them when they're used appropriately.
They create a sort of hectic atmosphere. I think it gets repetitive if it's used continuously throughout a song though.

Spoiler: I like this song for example

 

[CrimsonBlaze]

I don't like when a perfectly awesome track gets remixed in some kind of DJ mash-up or changes some aspect of the track that looses its appeal. Yes, I know that there are a lot of popular songs that will fall victim to getting remixed or mashed-up, but some DJs tend to do it because they feel like they can, due to their prestige or popularity.

 

[smearyllama]

a lack of passion... when a band just concentrates so hard on sounding good and appealing to people that they just lose all sense of personality...

Oh man. This.
I'd rather listen to something fun and kind of crappy than something really great but kinda heartless.
I actually enjoy listening to some songs on my horrid laptop speakers because I think they sound better when they're a little less clean-sounding.

3: Clapping as part of the beat. You know, when every second beat is a clap with every other being a bass hit or something. "But that's in every rap and RnB song!" you say. Well then I guess you know my taste in music...

I actually don't mind it as long as it's not the entire song. "I Wanna Be Sedated" by The Ramones has a little of that, but it actually sounds alright because it's only in a few sections.

Also, music elitism bugs me. People who complain about modern music lacking any skill whatsoever bugs me. Yeah, there's a lot of auto-tuned pop, and what they're saying isn't exactly wrong, but when people complain about electronica lacking talent and heart makes me upset. It's really just a separate skillset.

 

[hazabaza1]

Probably just the "I'm going to scream into this microphone for 5 minutes appreciate me" thing that death metal has going.
I had someone on this very website that it's fine for them to be like that because they might have some deep political or moral meanings in their lyrics. Seriously, if I want politics, I'll ask a politician, if I want good walking/chilling out music, I stay the fuck away from Death metal.

Oh, and all dubstep. All of it.

 

[KefkaCultist]

Holy crap I got quoted a lot for my post lol. (sure, it's only three, but that's pretty good when I'm lucky to have one).

-Metal songs about satan, killing, etc.

I've often wondered why nobody else I've seen has remarked on how utterly silly it is that there's a serious metal band called "Megadeth", with album titles like Killing is my business, and business is good!. Now, I could understand it if they were like Alestorm, revelling in their silliness, but this Megadeth band seem completely dead serious about what they do and everyone just accepts it as normal. I need an explanation!

Well, to be fair, I have a bias towards Megadeth because I UTTERLY HATE them. As for explanation, I have no idea lol. Probably because Megadeth is kinda that 'typical metal' sound, so many people get drawn into that as a basic metal band. Think of it with this analogy, Megadeth is to metal as Katy Perry is to pop. They have a large fan base, yet they have the most mundane music. (oh, some metal head is gonna rip me a new one for that xD).

Stereotypical songs of any genre bug the hell out of me.

For example:
-Rap/hiphop songs about gangs, ghetto, money, weed, sex, etc.
-Country songs about trucks, girls, beer, etc.
-Metal songs about satan, killing, etc.

EDIT: Now, a song with one of these themes doesn't instantly make it bad, but it better be damn good to make me care about it.

You know...there is a reason those are the stereotypical songs, and that's because they are really common lol (not so much the metal one, I've never heard someone tell me "All metal is about satan or killing!")

Not that there's anything inherently wrong with songs about that kind of stuff. I personally don't like rap but love country, and yeah those are mentioned pretty often haha. I would say rock as well, but there's far too many subgenres to even bother, so it's easy enough to assume that everyone likes some kind of rock.

1) Yeah, they are common. TOO common, which is the problem. It causes an apparent lack of originality (I know, NOTHING is original these days, but that doesn't mean that it can't be mixed up a little bit).
2) As an established "metal head", I hear the "all metal is satan and killing" quite a lot, and it gets annoying. (Mostly because the stereotype is somewhat made true by bands like Megadeth in the example above).

Stereotypical songs of any genre bug the hell out of me.

For example:
-Rap/hiphop songs about gangs, ghetto, money, weed, sex, etc.
-Country songs about trucks, girls, beer, etc.
-Metal songs about satan, killing, etc.

EDIT: Now, a song with one of these themes doesn't instantly make it bad, but it better be damn good to make me care about it.

Oh God, I can't resist.

<youtube=mEj4_iN1tiw>

Thank you, that was pretty funny