College Times

Issue date: 1/10/08 Section: Daily Buzz

Media Credit: Photos.com

My colleague Mike Meyer recently wrote a blog entry in which he outlined his frustration at the state of mainstream rock music because of the popularity of some decidedly uninspired acts. It was an argument that is definitely merited, but one that caused me to think about music criticism and the internet.

On almost any day, I would have written the very same piece, taking to task the taste of the average American, wondering why it is Daughtry can rake in the cash while incredible bands toil in relative obscurity making rock music that exists as more than a catchy tune, something that touches on the raw emotion that has defined much of the best rock music.

But at the same time, the piece also reminds me of the very thing that bothers me most about music criticism and discussion on the internet, namely that it is so negative.

Blogs, internet reviews, and most often the comments connected to both, are rife with negative sentiments. The democratization provided by the internet has created a million critics all too happy to knock the next big thing, to do little more than point out what they hate with little-to-no context behind it. And in their wake, are a million more critics-in-waiting ready to back them up. It's maddening, and it seems to me to take away from the point of what music writing is about: education.

While the PR machines of major labels, radio stations and MTV inundate people with crap, it's up to people who think they've found music worth hearing to point it out.

We can spend our time complaining about the obvious, but isn't it actually more fun to talk about what's really making a statement? Music writers get to hear more music than the average person; it's far more rewarding to turn people on to great new music, than continue to harp on the stuff we don't like.

Besides, it's the commercial fluff that makes great music stand out. Simply put, just like good days need bad ones to raise the level of perceived importance, so too do we need meaningless music to make the great, meaningful music stand out.

Mike's point is tough to argue against, but it helps illustrates a far different truth: music lovers have always sought out something different, even if the numbers are small, and music writers can be an important source for discovering great new music.

That is, as long as we haven't become too cynical and jaded to find great new music ourselves.

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