When it comes to anything in life, we tend to have our patterns. Whether it is our favorite foods, movies, activities or music, no matter how broad our tastes, there are patterns. That being said, we often have things we enjoy that are outside of our usual patterns. At times, there are things we enjoy for which we might be ashamed.
Some examples of this might be horror movie fans being into wholesome Disney films, science fiction fans liking chick flicks, quiet and calm people loving adrenaline inducing activities and so on.
When it comes to music, I think this truth rings out as clearly as it can. I know people who like pretty standard pop music, you know the kind that they play at any kind of public function or setting, but who love show tunes. Some people I know are pretty exclusively grunge and alternative rock fans who enjoy 2000s party music. I know someone who likes Johnny Cash and Colter Wall but also loves house music and Mitski.
To quote Duke Ellington, “if it sounds good, it is good.” If you like something, then you like something. Objectively, only you can decide if something is good. If someone says a certain soup tastes bad and you try it and it’s the best soup you’ve ever had, then it’s a good soup. Everyone has their tastes and preferences over time.
I decided that I would finally share some of my guilty pleasures. There’s no real reason to keep guilty pleasures close to your chest. Someone who makes fun of others’ for their tastes doesn’t have a true appreciation for the human experience of variety. Some of these songs have explicit content, so fair warning to everyone.
This playlist doesn’t really have any rhyme or rhythm. These songs genuinely are just things that I love to listen to every now and then. I don’t love country music, but I have a couple folk country songs. I can appreciate a good ballad.
Some of the songs I have in here are just outside my usual choices of genre. Others are reminders of the past that hold a certain nostalgic place in my heart, the most noteworthy would likely be “All the Way (I Believe In Steve)” by Jacksepticeye and The Gregory Brothers. This song really and truly is a defining soundtrack to my young adolescence and it really is just a silly little song that I can recite bar for bar.
I have made this playlist to drop some walls and be vulnerable. My purpose for this was to show my readers that it’s alright to have guilty pleasure music. We might feel the need to hide these song choices. We might feel embarrassed about some of our choices but I will reiterate that we like what we like for a reason. Either for sentimental reasons or genuinely because it tickles us somewhere in our minds.
I would encourage my readers to take a look inside themselves and allow themselves to enjoy their favorite music, unimpeded by judgement.
— dj dragonfly
