[Read Part 2 | Illustration by Jen May]

As far as my ears are concerned, it’s 1967. I very rarely listen to music made after 1970, and I almost never listen to music made after 1982 (the year Combat Rock by the Clash was released). I have only the vaguest understanding of what contemporary popular music sounds like; as I’ve always seen it, what’s the point of going out of my way to listen to music I don’t like when I can listen to music I love whenever I want?

Because, I guess, I’m curious. I don’t expect myself to like the music I’m about to be exposed to, but I’m a big believer in not knocking things ‘til I’ve tried them. If you’re going to knock something, you’ve got to knock it with authority.

On the evening of Monday, July 30th, 2012, I cold-listened to the Top Ten most downloaded songs on American iTunes and wrote down how they made me feel. As follows are my findings.

Continue reading The Ten Most Beloved Songs I Hate [Part 1] →