PEEVES in MUSIC ››

Protracted endings of live songs.
Two minutes of drum banging, cymbal pounding, etc. Put it to death.

— Biffy from Brooklyn, NY | Music | 3.24.2011 | Comments (0)

Age limits on musical genres.
I'm was at work listening to my MP3 player when a slightly younger co-worker (she in her late 20's, me in my early 40's) felt it necessary to make a comment about being "surprised that I listen to that kind of music." I was listening to NIN, and Trent Reznor is my age. He can still rock but I can't? What the hell?! Is there a certain age at which I am required to give away all my hard rock CDs and start listening to country-western? Does the walker come with it and make it a package deal? There will be hard rock played at my funeral or I'm haunting someone's sorry ass. In the same vein, a few years ago someone in his mid to late 20's told my husband (who is also my age) that he'd never seen someone his age with a pierced tongue. I guess we have to take those out when we receive our country-western music and walkers? F*#k that!

— Rhayne from this one | Music | 2.1.2011 | Comments (1)

Any rendition of "Silver Bells" in 4/4 time.
Also: The gospely "soulful" repetition of the title line three times per chorus in "Santa Claus is Comin' To Town."

— Tedman from Illinois | Music | 12.26.2010 | Comments (1)

Air drums
Just stop already.

— Pinky from Cube Farm | Music | 10.8.2010 | Comments (0)

During a live music performance when the lead singer holds the microphone out to the audience to sing a key part of the band's best/most famous song.
What is the point? It interrupts what otherwise sounded great. Your favourite song interrupted by gaps in the sound filled with an incomprehensible din. Sure it might be your most famous song and you're bored of playing it but when it's the very reason people came to see you, why intentionally mess it up?! Also, it comes with an air of superiority that rubs me the wrong way.

— Brandi Toksvig from London UK | Music | 7.28.2009 | Comments (2)

When people push their music on me, assuming that I am going to like it the most insistent they are about how great this song or band is. IT SUCKS!
I don't like your music. I don't have to like your music. Stop pushing your crappy music on me, thinking that I am going to have an epiphany and suddenly get on my knees and thank you for introducing me to the crappy band that you like. And don't change my radio station.

— Teresa from Arizona | Music | 5.3.2010 | Comments (1)

People who look down on you for liking pop music because it's not deep and meaningful enough.

— Kelsey from Canada | Music | 11.15.2008 | Comments (1)

When people sing songs they do not know the lyrics to.
When people end up making up what they think are the right words or end up mumbling along until they hit a lyric they actually know... like the chorus.

— MS. GARCIA from LOS ANGELES | Music | 12.17.2008 | Comments (2)

Learning that a rock star has sincere religious convictions.
Beck, a Scientologist? Bob Dylan, a born-again Christian? If Janis Joplin and John Lennon were still alive, would they be converts to the Church of Latter Day Saints?

— Rudolph from Brooklyn | Music | 10.21.2008 | Comments (5)

Not knowing a song is a cover of another.
Let's say you like this band, and you really like this one song they do, and you might even love that song, and you might even have loved that song for years, marveling with each three minute spin at the genius, that face or faces, that produced this harmonious combination of sounds. Then, you discover to your amazement and disgust — maybe on the oldies station, maybe through a friend's knowledge — that you've been incorrectly attributing the talent to the wrong person the whole time.

— Biffy from Brooklyn, NY | Music | 10.7.2008 | Comments (3)

Beatles Covers
Nobody could really even compare to The Beatles when it comes to their own songs, so why even try? It's a nice sign of respect but I don't know why people can't just listen to the original. The same goes for the people that make the "Beatles songs for kids" CDs... why can't the parents, if they really want their kids to experience The Beatles, just let them listen to the real thing? A CD for kids is no way to represent a dignified band.

— Kayla from USA | Music | 8.21.2009 | Comments (2)

Covers of Christmas songs.
This does not improve the song, it only harms your band.

— Biffy from Brooklyn | Music | 12.25.2008 | Comments (2)

When in the middle of a good conversation in, say a diner, an incredibly cheesy song comes on, making the conversation feel like it's an important bonding moment in a shitty movie.
There is barrage of cheesy modern rock songs that sound like they would go well with the opening credits for a teen drama television show flooding into our nations food establishments even as you read this. They are the species of song that most begs for musical genocide.

— Biffy from Brooklyn, NY | Music | 3.19.2009 | Comments (2)

Women who can't hook up their stereo.
It's not rocket science ladies. But it's ok if you're just using it as an excuse for me to come over and get naked.

— Ben Melbye from Toronto, ON, Canada | Music | 1.25.2010 | Comments (4)

People who sing along to the radio just a little too loud.
This always makes me feel awkward.

— Ben Melbye from Toronto, ON, Canada | Music | 11.17.2009 | Comments (1)

People who say "I have that on vinyl."
Big deal, everyone had Licensed To Ill on vinyl at some point.

— Ben Melbye from Toronto, ON, Canada | Music | 8.20.2009 | Comments (2)

People who ask me to burn them a CD.
You have a computer, you have a CD burner, you have a high speed connection ... BURN YOUR OWN CD.

— Ben Melbye from Toronto, ON, Canada | Music | 8.12.2010 | Comments (5)

How all of a sudden everyone is a huge Ray Charles or Johnny Cash fan now that they're both dead and have had movies made about them.
These are the same people who's taste in music comes from movie soundtracks from romantic comedies.

— Ben Melbye from Toronto, ON, Canada | Music | 3.17.2009 | Comments (3)

Playing blues music through tiny laptop computer speakers.
The distance between the source and the speaker is too great.

— Biffy from Brooklyn, NY | Music | 5.30.2009 | Comments (0)

Singers/Rappers who riddle their songs with expletives so every other lyric is blanked out when played on the radio, and you can't play the CD in the car with your kids in it.
I used to think Tipper Gore was a prude, but maybe she did have a point.

— Denise from Peabody, MA | Music | 10.28.2009 | Comments (4)

Deadheads who try to convert you.
"Dude ... I know you don't like the 'Dead, but just listen to this one song. You'll love 'em after that, I swear."

— Kreg from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | Music | 7.15.2010 | Comments (5)

Predictable rhymes.
Dance/romance; money/honey, etc. Arms/charms is especially bad.

— Stuart from Boston | Music | 6.13.2009 | Comments (7)

Musician friends who only call you or want to see you when they have a show. And when I say "see you," I mean as an audience member.
And they expect you to pay even though you're an "awesome friend" according to the Friendster comment they left for you.

— erika from brooklyn, ny | Music | 6.29.2009 | Comments (1)

Lead singers pretending to clap.
But they can't clap, since they're holding a microphone, so they mime clapping.

— Tom from nyc | Music | 1.18.2009 | Comments (0)