Justin Bieber, Sensational Bands, and Pop Stars

[dancinginfernal]

So something has been boggling around in my head for a little while, and I figured why not toss it out there.

Why do we hate these people? People like Justin Bieber, OneDirection, Nikki Minaj, etc?

They make music that caters to their audience. They aren't unleashing some sort of musical plague that's killing off every good artist that has ever existed - so why are we so bothered? There was the news article just the other day about that man who had intricately thought to assassinate and castrate the corpse of Justin Bieber. I look in the replies of that thread, and people were joking about how they should not have stopped him. Some seeming to legitimately believe that he deserves to die. What in God's name is wrong with people? This boy is just a singer. He's not even that bad. Even his "ever-present" fans aren't that bad. They're all young, ignorant teens and pre-teens, and I rarely encounter them and pay them no heed when I do. What right do I have to say they're foolish for enjoying his music? We were all at that level of intelligence at one point in our lives. These people are just like the boybands of my generation.

I legitimately don't understand this. What's gotten into people to make them so pointlessly ill-willed towards a well-meaning individual? He enjoys singing. He loves his fans, and people brutalize him for it. The same goes for the others I mentioned. People outside of their fanbase seem to absolutely despise them.

So tell me, Escapist: why is this? Did it just become "cool" to hate these people? If you dislike them to a similar extent, why is that?
Inform me that I might understand all this hate.

 

[Kenbo Slice]

Some people are just more extreme about their dislike of these artists. I'm not gonna lie, Nikki Minaj is a pretty good rapper (when she tries) and that What Makes You Beautiful song by One Direction is not really that bad of a song.

 

[Zhukov]

I 'unno.

I find them harmless.

Although Justin Bieber does have a rather irritating face.

 

[Rawne1980]

OneDirection,

Manufactured band brought about by X-Factor.

They don't make music to suit their audience they make whatever music Simon Cowell thinks will make him money.

 

[dancinginfernal]

OneDirection,

Manufactured band brought about by X-Factor.

They don't make music to suit their audience they make whatever music Simon Cowell thinks will make him money.

Regardless, they're not bad people and shouldn't be barraged with insults by everyone who dislikes them.

 

[HardkorSB]

So tell me, Escapist: why is this? Did it just become "cool" to hate these people? If you dislike them to a similar extent, why is that?
Inform me that I might understand all this hate.

My mom told me that when the Beatles were on top, there were haters as well. They even went as far as beating up people who liked their music and/or cut their hair like the band members.
It's nothing new but now we have the internet and we get to know haters from all over the world.

 

[Launcelot111]

Nicki Minaj's creepy no-facial-expression, Barbie doll schtick terrifies me, so I try to avoid her in all cases except for that awesome verse in Kanye West's "Monster." Justin Bieber just strikes me as an idiot in interviews, but I'm indifferent to his music. I avoid the entire reality show music competition arena because aside from Kelly Clarkson, no graduate of that school has made anything that even slightly interests me musically. Any "hate" I have for these people is just mild frustration at their overexposure, but in practice, I just try to keep them out of my sphere of awareness.

And to think that even with these mild nuisances clogging our airwaves, 2012 still gave us Gangnam Style, Call Me Maybe, and We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together. Not a bad year for pop, really.

 

[FFP2]

Well I hate Nicki Minaj because compared to other female rappers (Eve, Queen Latifah, Lil' Kim etc.) she is a talentless hack that relies on exploiting her sexuality to stand out.

 

[Rawne1980]

Regardless, they're not bad people and shouldn't be barraged with insults by everyone who dislikes them.

Didn't say they were bad, my kids love them. Just pointing out why people don't like them.

They went on X-Factor as solo singers, weren't good enough on their own so Cowell put them together. They came third in the competition.

One thing i've noticed about X-Factor is the people that DON'T win and then go on to have a career do far better than those that do win.

Will Young, Olly Murs and One Direction have done great. They were all on X-Factor (well, Will Young was Pop Idol but it was still a Simon Cowell show) but none of them won.

I can't call Olly Murs though my wife loves that guy. Pretty sure she'd swap me if he turned up here.

As for Bieber and the like....

I don't like his music but that's down to personal taste, I don't hate the kid though.

And as far as Nicki Minaj goes ..... I have no idea who the fuck she is. Never heard any of music or seen anything of her.

 

[Supertegwyn]

Well Chris Brown deserves a brutal beating, but apart from that I don't think anyone of these pop artists should be killed.

Sent to an island maybe? An island dedicated to pop music?

That would be cool, I suppose.

 

[DarksideFlame]

I used to be one of those who spewed bile about Justin Bieber and One direction but I stopped doing once I realized that all my complaining about them wasn't going to stop them making money and then I saw how fanatical many other haters were like for example the guy mentioned here actually planning to kill JB, I did not want to be like those people so I quit my spewing of bile. I still don't like any of the music that JB, One Direction or Nicki Minaj that I've heard but, I've moved on to just ignoring them and focus on the music I like.

The only time I'll listen to any of their music is if some of their fans which I know of tells me that one of them has a released a new song that they guarantee me that this is the song that will make me like their music,these attempts has so far has never worked.

 

[Funkysandwich]

It just irritates me when I know there are bands out there who are working really hard writing, recording, producing their own stuff, booking and playing their own shows and then this shit hits number one time after time.
One Direction, Justin Beiber, all that rubbish; they don't have to work for their money. Their songs get written for them. They don't have to worry about running out of cash mid album, or not having enough studio time to get all the tracks they want recorded.

In the end, the real winners are the recording companies. They know this shit is a safe bet, so they don't take risks on smaller bands. They spend their money promoting these guys because it will sell to a mass market. Smaller, more interesting bands don't get the radio airtime or the advertising. Talent doesn't sell, mass-market appeal does.

 

[IamQ]

I don't think this hate is really new, it's just that before the internet, people couldn't voice it the same way. I'm sure hate like this existed in the 80s, 70s, etc. but back then, they only ranted about it occasionally to their friends. Unlike now, when you can have a worldwide audience to your rant if you please.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

I don't hate 'em personally, but the crazy fans really piss me off.

 

[LazarusLongNL]

Hmm i have had this conversations to many times,

I have no problem with them personally, i have never met a single on of them and i don't live vicariously trough the media, i.e. i don't simply CLONE an opinion because someone on a message board a news anchor told me something about anyone.

Having said that, i can clearly observe the trends these past few years what passes for "popular music" and its unsettling to me. The reason why is a great many men (and woman) have a said that you can weight a people's cultural achievements by their arts, music being one of them. And when i think about Culture, mankind or our rapid progression in the advances of science, cultural acceptance, environmental awareness... and Nikki Minaj? How do these "artist" who's music is mathematically constructed to "click" with, and get this its no joke "Stupid people", a mark to embellish, for millions to roar at their success, celebrate them as masterful artist, to be remember along side heroes of old.

When i hear a song that is grating on my ears because its structure, the tune, the electrical instruments used solely to actually "mark certain frequency's in order to be more memorable". Crazy beats mixed in without any reason, a song suddenly goes from upbeat to screamy back to upbeat then a fucking violin starts playing while the "singer" talks in a monotone voice and MILLIONS worship this "art". This is downright scary for me.

Because above all else, it shows that while there are people who actually are advancing them selves in knowledge, who surround them selves with information in order to create their wisdom and find a their place in a rapidly changing world (socially speaking of course which historically speaking only saw few changes every few decades) There as still MILLIONS who apparently love music crafted to click with idiots, quiet literally do some research i beg of you about modern music "construction".

I haven't even touched the subject of how scary it is to hear "Oh i love <insert singer/band here> because they look so dam <tasty, pretty, sweet>". And it's mostly 9/10 (to which i must honestly say is conjecture since i have no basis or evidence) the effect of producers who want their Money, forsaking responsibilities of the effect it has on society as a whole ( mainly in holding us back from true ART and dumbing down the masses with lyrics that even Dr Seuss would go, WHAT THE FOOK?) in order to get the next "fad" which last for 3 months maybe 6 until we get the next one.

We the people, the masses, build nothing anymore with longevity, in regards to "popular culture" there isn't a single "new" form or version of the arts i would share with my grand-children and say "this is our cultural achievement my boys, when i was your age i saw the rise of...."

Luckily, but also sadly, a lot of talent lies readily available, hiding on self constructed websites, YouTube and "indie" music online stores to satisfy and offer some hope for the musical arts. But the sad part is, these talented people are not popular because they aren't marketed. One more pretty self evident fact that society is led not by their interests, but by clever marketing, online adds and TV commercials, yay! World, that has no morals or restrictions on advertising. (seriously dangerous part imho! and i am pretty fucking liberal i can tell you that! )

My opinion, as stated i am not swayed or influenced by the opinion of others(that i don't personally know and live with on this good green earth!), i personally listen to pretty much all kinds of music, from Jazz to Classical scores, Hard-Rock to Blues. Interesting topic, looking forwards to more opinions.

 

[Netrigan]

The reason why people hate these stars.

Because radio is the most evil thing ever created. No other entertainment delivery device is foisted upon us at every available opportunity. You can't escape these people's work. Go to work, their songs are playing, go to lunch, their songs are playing, go by groceries, their songs are playing.

My hatred of pop stars is linked to what radio station my co-workers decide to listen to. Hearing the same damn, sappy, bubble-gun pop song eight times a day wears on your last nerve.

But I find Nikki Minaj funny, if only because all those people who care deeply about American Idol are offended that she's judging their show because "she has no talent"... while accepting Paula Abdul.

 

[Artina89]

Regardless, they're not bad people and shouldn't be barraged with insults by everyone who dislikes them.

Didn't say they were bad, my kids love them. Just pointing out why people don't like them.

They went on X-Factor as solo singers, weren't good enough on their own so Cowell put them together. They came third in the competition.

One thing i've noticed about X-Factor is the people that DON'T win and then go on to have a career do far better than those that do win.

Will Young, Olly Murs and One Direction have done great. They were all on X-Factor (well, Will Young was Pop Idol but it was still a Simon Cowell show) but none of them won.

I can't call Olly Murs though my wife loves that guy. Pretty sure she'd swap me if he turned up here.

As for Bieber and the like....

I don't like his music but that's down to personal taste, I don't hate the kid though.

And as far as Nicki Minaj goes ..... I have no idea who the fuck she is. Never heard any of music or seen anything of her.

I thought Will Young did win, I remember that all of Gareth Gates' fans at my school were whining that the whole competition was a fix because they couldn't get through when they tried to vote for Gareth Gates to win. But I think he is the only person to win one of those shows and actually have a career when I think about it...

I wouldn't say that I hated any particular band, but I have been mildly irritated by the amount of One direction merchandise on display in HMV, but I guess that what sells these days.

 

[Rawne1980]

I thought Will Young did win, I remember that all of Gareth Gates' fans at my school were whining that the whole competition was a fix because they couldn't get through when they tried to vote for Gareth Gates to win. But I think he is the only person to win one of those shows and actually have a career when I think about it...

I wouldn't say that I hated any particular band, but I have been mildly irritated by the amount of One direction merchandise on display in HMV, but I guess that what sells these days.

You are right, my mistake.

Gareth Gates came second and Will Young won that one. Got myself mixed up there.

Cheers for pointing that out for me.