Pop music plague

What has happened to music? It seems an incurable plague is sweeping through the industry, turning everything it touches to meaningless garbage. \nI like to refer to this illness as "Pop Music." The carriers of the disease can be found on almost any local radio station, belting out tunes written by someone other than themselves with the intent of attracting as many teeny-boppers as possible.\nEvery time we turn on the radio we are in danger of contracting the "Pop" virus. It's in Britney Spears, Hilary Duff and Eamon, just to name a few.\nThe lyrics that used to flow so freely from musicians like The Beatles and Van Morrison talked about heart-warming emotions such as happiness and love. All artists seem to want to sing about these days falls more along the lines of lust and intense hatred.\nLet's take Britney's new song "Toxic" for example. "I'm addicted to you/ Don't you know that you're toxic." That's interesting. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not be in a relationship that can be likened to a drug overdose. The video is even more disturbing than the lyrics. While Britney is riding through some simulated futuristic city on a motorcycle with her red wig flying crazily behind her, she mouths the lyrics while simultaneously making an odd orgasmic expression. She then proceeds to climb like Spider-Man into a skyscraper to poison some poor idiot who just can't help but succumb to her vixen-like persona. All the while, the viewer keeps getting flashes of this supposed-diva with what looks like diamonds sewn onto her skin. Don't be fooled boys, it's only a body suit.\nEamon's first radio sensation is just about as scary. "Fuck you, you ho/ I don't want you back." Could he whine any more? Despite the fact this song is tragically pathetic and irritating, radio stations can't stop playing it. This weekend, I heard this poor excuse for music at least five times during my four-hour trip home. It's getting a little ridiculous. The video isn't any less over-dramatic. Eamon is portrayed as a lover-turned-hardened-gangster who is breaking up with his 'ho' at a quaint little bistro on a street corner. "Fuck all those kisses/ They didn't mean jack." Guess he really told her, huh?\nFrom what I can tell, music is more about controversy and physical appearance than any sort of musical ability whatsoever. With boobs popping out of costumes and college students getting plastic surgery to look more like their music idols, one has to wonder if this "Pop Music" disease is going to be the downfall of society.\nWhen this musical epidemic threatens to overtake my sense of hope, however, I find solace in bands like AFI, The Strokes and The Shins. These groups possess everything music stands for -- meaningful lyrics and thoughtful melodies produced by real people with real instruments. No synthesized beats and repetitious two-word choruses for them. These are true-blue musicians. Frankly, they've captured my heart. \n"Under Control," by The Strokes, embodies just what I think music should be more about: old-fashioned human compassion. "I don't want to waste your time/ I just want to know you're all right." For me, The Strokes' message strikes a better chord than Mr. Eamon.