Teach Me How To DUBSTEP

I am getting older. I turn 23 in November, and I never thought at this point in my life I would feel so out of touch with pop culture. Every day, I read my music blogs and magazines, and I am continually amazed by how little I know about emerging trends and artists outside of my normal area of interest. I have no idea who the artists were on the cover of SPIN these last 2 issues. I just did not recognize them. What is a Lykke Li? Dear God, have I lost my mind? I used to be so on top of these things, and it seems I have tunneled my way backwards into my comfortable shell of pop punk and hardcore favorites. I find myself continually listening to the same bands I did when I was 14, as well as the newer bands that sound like bands I listened to when I was 14, mainly because I find less and less in common with things these days. I know why my parents still listen to the bands they listened to in college now, I guess.

I didn't really know what dubstep was until last semester, and I thought it was a joke. Someone had to explain to me that it was this huge musical phenomenon that people actually enjoyed. To me, it sounded like a Macbook vomiting glitter. The sound was a confusing mess that made me sad and made my head hurt. I found myself saying things like "This is not music. This is noise" and "People actually listen to this…for fun?" Then I realized I felt exactly how my Mom felt when I brought home my first death metal albums.  She cringed with disgust and confusion in the same way I did the first time I heard a "filthy" beat or whatever the kids say these days. She asked the same questions. She didn't get it. And now I realize that I am at the age where it is entirely possible for me to not understand a youth generated cultural phenomenon's purpose or existence.

The coolest thing about music is that it's completely, 100% subjective. There is no such thing as a "bad" song or album; it's all personal taste. So to say that dubstep is "bad" or that something I like is "good" is a completely unfounded, ridiculous point to try to make. The only proof anyone could have in such an argument is borne from their own internal bias; and that is why the endless fight about what bands and songs are better or worse than others is a pointless, arrogant argument. If you have ever said that a band "sucks," you were wrong, you just don't like them, and other people probably do.

Having said all that, I just don't get it. Going by the definition of music as organized sound,

I suppose dubstep qualifies. I understand with advances in recording software, you no longer need physical instruments to make music. Hell, there are bands I enjoy that have used drum machines or note correction software on recent releases. What I don't understand is how using purely a laptop to create makes you a musician. Girl Talk takes songs that have already been written by other people, combines them, and calls himself a musician. Really?

At the end of the day, I'm not trying to stir up a debate or make trouble, I'm just trying to understand. Not in a snarky, pretentious way, because that's not my style, I just don't understand the appeal at all. But I digress, I'm not one to spoil the party. Dance on kids, have fun with your electronica. Just remember: for every hipster dude with a laptop there's a bread and butter rock n' roll band working twice as hard and getting half the attention. As always, send hate/love mail to brking@plymouth.edu and let's chat it out.