Tuesday, August 16, 2011

I Knew Casey Kasem, and you, Ryan Seacrest, are no Casey Kasem

My daughters have a new obsession: pop music. They picked it up from their cousins this summer. I was hoping it would fade away when we got home, but it seems to be picking up steam. They have the radio on all the time in their rooms, listening to the likes of Katy Perry, Pink, Adele, Rhianna, Bruno Mars, Usher, Taio Cruz, and The Black Eyed Peas. Apparently someone named Pitbull is a fixture on the pop charts these days.

I can appreciate a good pop song every now and then, but the pop station the girls listen to plays the same songs over and over. The repetition is mind-numbing. And don't get me started on the lyrics. When did I become the old guy who thinks the state of popular music is a sure sign the world is going to hell in a handbasket?

To prove they've gone all in, the girls have started listening to American Top 40. I didn't even know AT40 was still around. I have to admit, I did love the Top 40 for a while when I was a kid. I can hear Casey reading a long-distance request even now.

I was cool with the whole Top 40 thing until I found out Ryan Seacrest is now the host. I am not a big Ryan Seacrest fan. In fact, I wrote a post a while back about the people I love to hate, and coming in at number #1 was good ol' RS.

This will surely sound ridiculous, but I'm not sure I want to live in a world where the voice of Ryan Seacrest is seared on to the brains of unsuspecting children, especially my own. I may be able to tolerate the likes of Ke$ha coming from my girls' rooms, but Seacrest, that's gonna take some work.  
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9 comments:

  1. LauraAugust 16, 2011 at 7:47 AM

    I don't like Ryan Seacrest either. Isn't he everywhere? Aren't people starting to get sick of him?
    I remember those days when the kids were old enough to discover real music. For my daughter it was New Kids on the Block (yes she is that old!) which over the next few years evolved into the kind of rap music that I forbade her to listen to in my house! Luckily that phase didn't last long!
    My son started off listening to classic rock and Pink Floyd was a favorite. I could handle that. After a country phase, he started listening to hard, head-banging rock.
    That stuff gives me a headache (and I know how old that makes me sound). Luckily he has his own place and usually listens to the stuff we like when we're over there.

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  2. Luanne G. SmithAugust 16, 2011 at 9:35 AM

    Oh, come on old man. It's a right of passage. Plug in your ipod and listen to some oldies when the Seacrest gets to be too much.

    Of course, I'm speaking as a mom whose son loves all 80's music. :)))

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  3. MunkAugust 16, 2011 at 10:12 AM

    I'm with L.G., not unlike Seacrest,pop music is just fluff with a glossy marketing campaign (neither is worth any great worry).

    When your girls are open to it, share some of the music you listen to. And don't forget the Mozart and Hayden.

    My kids love the Pogues and the Old 97s... and the Black Eyed Peas, and Usher.

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  4. Squilla's AuntAugust 16, 2011 at 10:16 AM

    Dude, AARP is calling your name!

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  5. Squilla's AuntAugust 16, 2011 at 10:33 AM

    Ok, but seriously. I get it that you can't stand Ryan Seacrest. But I'd far rather have the pablum Ken doll Seacrest, who despite the fact that he bugs, comes across as a halfway decent guy and is a hard worker, affect young minds, rather than the bitchy, crass, disaffected chit who's trumpeting beer, sex and do what you wantisms.

    And now I sound like the old fogey.

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  6. Luanne G. SmithAugust 16, 2011 at 2:40 PM

    Uh, sorry English teacher. That's "rite of passage." I am so getting a C in your class.

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  7. trilesAugust 16, 2011 at 5:34 PM

    Laura: I love that your son listens to music you like when you visit.

    LG: Those damn homonyms.

    Munk: Ultimately, I agree with you and LG. I actually enjoy a lot of pop music, and I'm glad the girls are enjoying the top 40. I'm sure there's a deep-rooted psychological issue at play, but RS just bugs the hell out of me.

    The girls do like a lot of the music Meg and I have shared, and we'll keep on playing the good stuff for them.

    Squilla: You make a good point...............but I still can't stand the guy.

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  8. Intangible HeartsAugust 23, 2011 at 11:13 PM

    Spot on!

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  9. Michael Offutt, Phantom ReaderAugust 25, 2011 at 8:38 PM

    I haven't listened to AT40 in probably 20 years. I had no idea who did it now. I just go onto iTunes and go down their list of what's hot, listen to previews, and if its something I like, I might buy. More often than not though, I use Grooveshark. It's free and I've got my own playlist. Free is good. Try it out if you haven't.

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