In Sweden there is the delicacy Surströmming. It’s fermented fish and it is apparently one of the worst things you can smell and eat but in North Sweden it’s been popular for quite some time.
According to Wolfgang Fassbender, a German food critic, “The biggest challenge when eating surströmming is to vomit only after the first bite, as opposed to before”
What has this got to do with making music? Glad you asked.
Most everyone enjoys eating. Some of us have favourite dishes. Some of those dishes are very popular with many other people. Other foods are an acquired taste.
Vegemite, for instance, is a staple for us Aussies but can be challenging for other cultures who haven’t grown up with it. Then we have surströmming, a food so pungent the pressurized can has to be opened outdoors so the stench doesn’t seep into your carpets. BUT people eat it and enjoy it.
Bad is an incredibly subjective term when it comes to music. What is popular in music is rarely just a trait of the music itself. Just listen to 100 one hit wonders for 8 hours (which I’ve done).
Pop Music = Accessible Music
I like to think of what is popular as more accessible. It has the right balance of familiar and different. But does that mean it’s a better song? Not really. (see my post on writing better songs)
If you want to write songs that more people might enjoy you need to factor in accessibility BUT sometime this can happen without a thought for making it accessible. It is sometimes just a feel thing.
So why does it matter that there are no bad song?
Because it changes the way you write music when you’re trying to make it accessible or copy X artist etc. You can certainly do that but it’s good to realise how it changes you writing AND if you didn’t intend for it to change your writing OR you’re not as fulfilled in creating because you’re trying to BE something, maybe you should stop.
The Takeaway: There is nothing wrong with writing uber popular music, there is nothing wrong with writing experimental electronic pieces that a small niche will find and enjoy. BUT be aware of your intentions, are you secretly miserable trying to create something you think people want to hear?
Maybe they want to hear your weird avante garde synth pickle jar jams and you’re holding out on them because you think you need to make your songs sound a certain way. Have some fun, get creative. Being popular is fun but it doesn’t last. Creating for the pure joy of it has deep and lasting effects every time you listen to that song.
“I prefer to shoot the arrow, then paint the target around it. You make the niches in which you finally reside.”
Brian Eno
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