Hey everyone. As we close to the end of the year, and the time where I must make decisions to give the awards for Klassic Note, I thought it's about time to talk about... talk about why I reject songs. I know you guys don't believe this, but I reject a lot more songs than I would probably these days, and the numbers have been rising. I'll also for the first time this year, release a hidden segment I've been keeping for a long time and I think it's time to show as much as I can, which I refer to "the 2.99 stars", which emphasise on reasons why I give a near miss to many songs from every release I hear.
To determine whether I have to reject songs, I thought it'll be good to explain what I mean when I don't give a song, and I can do this by separating them into levels of rejection and reasons for doing so.
THE LEVELS
Firstly there's the first impression level. Well, quite obviously just means hearing the song for the first time. It doesn't seem much typically considering that I've already listened to thousands of Japanese songs by now, but that's not the point. For my opinion,I at least know there are some songs which I cannot give just by listening for the first 10 seconds of a song. We all have that. Whether it's music style (for me, techno and dance styles are a no-no now), vocals sounding weird (yeah overly cute and gay voices are considered as "weird") to stupid reasons like not following the mainstream (if you know LiSA, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Arashi and even AKB48... you are a loser to me) (sorry) and never hearing songs because they are familiar (I mean, I want new melodies...), an array of reasons can just make me click on the next button or the close button, wherever applies. Then after hearing like, 90 seconds of a song (which is the typical length of a song preview in most contexts) I then consider the fact that whether this song will sound correct or even good until the end of the song, which I also call the song completeness level. This includes all parts of a typical pop song, with a standard structure of two verses and choruses, followed by a bridge and/or instrumental, and a final chorus. The biggest problem recently after the first level is typically with the bridge part, as many would not have it well composed, or even extended to the level that it's rather unacceptable. Well, at least to my expectations. Even though, when a song reaches this stage I have less of a reason to reject it already, as factors like the music style and song structure for the rest of the song may help salvage it and make me give the song anyway. The last or actually optional level for recent years is the pre-rating level. Yeah. Like, considering for changing of star rating. As I think I mentioned this before, all songs enter the list typically with a 4 star rating (out of 5), and will be adjusted accordingly when I feel like it. Changing in star level becomes typical after the first impression instead of actually giving it during entry like in the early years of listening to songs. But still, some songs don't make the cut, and since I've enlisted it, I have no choice but to put it down. Conversely, I can also be impressed of a song in the long run and bring the rating up. All this is done before any song gets into the list, so can take from a minimum of a couple of days to a couple of weeks, according to my reviews in recent years.
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| A graphic of how likely I take in a song |
Well I know many have been mentioned above, but to be incredibly specific, I decided to show you guys the reasons I have given to give you an idea of on what stage or level do I not recognise the song and give the negative. Besides, it's through the many rejections that the songs get stronger, isn't it? (writing in context here) So here are the many reasons - as far as I can remember - which I reject a song:
First Impression Level
- Extended introduction/instrumentals
- Hearing weird instrumentals before first word
- Composition trying to break out of song structure by overly adding tones and melodies
- Extended verses and/or choruses
- Not-so-rhythmic lyrics/vocals (less important in conventional pop now)
- Lyrics that do not sound with the melody (even though I don't know of this foreign language)
- Overall feel unacceptable, with respect to listening time
- Weird or out-of-tone singing (sometimes it gets on my nerves)
- Song melody different from expectations (especially when I have an idea of it)
Song Completeness Level
- Extended song bridge part (like, song to solo instrumental to song before last chorus extended)
- Songs that do not obey typical pop song structure, and are not good not following them
- Long song lengths (typically a consequence of a long bridge)
- Higher pitched last chorus done bad/wrong (very deterrent, but if done well can be fine)
- Unexpected melody tune
- Strong instrumentals but weak song melody (a good pass off for a composition)
- Strong chorus but weak overall (happens all the time, especially Anime songs)
- Outdated/Undesired music style/format (I'm not in the 80s)
- Weak production of a good song melody (covers the composition well it makes it bad)
- Song too plain (typically emotional songs with no strong chorus)
Pre-Rating Level
- Not lasting in listening impression, typically due to weak song impression
- Slow songs which are weak in song structure
- (Sometimes) Songs given to complete a set (typically idol songs; I do make that mistake)
- Songs that are given obligatory (every Anime I watch must be given a theme song)
- Self-rejection of song over time (skipping when shuffling songs, not listening for it after review are signs of such behaviour and decision)
- Misunderstanding the initial impression of song before adding the song into the list
- Succumb of mainstream artists and overrating impression of song
This is pretty much it. Anything else it'll take some time for me to recall, but many of these reasons do appear in recent years and even the year I'm in now (don't know which of my year it is when you read this), and that is not a good thing. Songs are easy to reject with an increase of song database, and creativity can plateau at some point in time, but I sure hope this does not stop me from giving the songs I truly like.
[P.S.: This is it. I'm keeping this Top 20 list for 2015. I'm tired of thinking of this for the past week already. Besides, my list is NEVER REPRESENTATIVE of the list of songs I listen anyway.]
[P.P.S.: Yes, the 2.99 star list will be posted here, probably next year. Stay tuned.]