There's a lot of hubbub on t'internet at the moment about a certain Rebecca Black and her 'viral' 'hit' Friday. It seems the hive-mind can't decide whether she's a real act or whether she's a parody of 'teenie-pop' music created for the lowest common denominator. I remain resolute that a song with lyrics as banal as "Yesterday was Thursday; Today is Friday; We we we so excited; We so excited; Tomorrow is Saturday; And Sunday comes after... wards;" and "Kickin’ in the front seat; Sittin’ in the back seat; Gotta make my mind up; Which seat can I take?" should NEVER be taken seriously.
I know art reflects life but do we really need to celebrate the life altering decision about whether to sit in the front seat or the back seat, or state the bleedin' obvious about the days of the week? It’s music like this that really makes me despair for the state of an industry that can produce so many talented artists that use the medium to tell a story worth telling or spread a message that changes the world for the better.
While this music may have been produced to provoke a reaction - and very successful it's been at that - I hope that this song will be a gateway for those just getting into music that leads to a greater appreciation for music that wasn't created for the lowest common denominator. Yes, the music industry needs money and tripe like this will provide a steady flow of cash from mindless consuming know-nothings. I just hope that good can come of this atrocity as well as the frustration felt by me and countless other musos who feel cheated that this talentless, over-produced singers can go viral while significantly more talented youths go unnoticed.
Al Lyle is a writer and musician.