Driving home one night in my Saab station wagon, I uncharacteristically left the radio on, instead of plugging my phone into the aux. I hadn't listened to the radio in a while, so many of the songs were unfamiliar to me, but when I really started listening instead of jamming out to the beat, I felt uncomfortable. The lyrics in many of the songs I was listening to were gross, misogynistic, and I can't imagine how someone could be making money off of messages portrayed. "Pop" music is short for popular music, because it is played everywhere, and almost everyone can sing along. I've compiled a list of the top five songs that I think have the worst messages, in order of how high they topped the US Billboard Hot 100.
1. "What Do you Mean" by Justin Bieber
Topping at #31 in 2016, this song features the club-style electric beat that is very common in pop music today. It also includes Bieber's falsetto that is so easy to sing along to, and even a ticking clock to keep the beat (Wikipedia). While it could be easy to argue the song is about miscommunication within a relationship- the boy doesn't know what the girl is thinking because she doesn't share her thoughts out loud- considering our culture today, the story suggests a darker message. Amid the #MeToo movement and increasing allegations of sexual assault on campuses and in professional settings, it is highly possible that there was a line crossed between the subject of the song and the singer. Bieber sings "What do you mean? When you nod your head yes/ But you wanna say no," which highly suggests Bieber tried to make sexual advances on the girl, making her feel pressured that she couldn't refuse them, even though they were unwanted. We should be teaching both boys and girls that communication is an integral part of any relationship. Whether it is between friends, parents, or partners, keeping an open line of communication is very important for sharing one's feelings and establishing boundaries. Any situation in which a person wants to make a move requires open communication between both parties and complete consent. Romanticizing a situation in which there are mixed signals sent as the boy pursues the girl only contributes to the rape culture, and listeners should be aware of Bieber's lyrics, not that they condone either a lack of communication or making advances on a person who clearly isn't ready for them.
2. "Honey, I'm Good" by Andy Grammer
This one topped the US Billboard Hot 100 at #25 in 2015 (Wikipedia). Andy Grammer's catchy beat can be a fun song to dance to and blast in the car. Even though the artist has claimed, "The song's about staying honest and being like, 'Yes, you are smoking hot, but I got a lady at home who is incredible. It's worth staying truthful," we should be aware of nuances in the song lyrics (Wikipedia). For example, the first line of the song references that Grammer has been drinking, and if he has one more drink he may not be in control of his actions. This normalizes the generic alcohol excuse; people know that drinking too much inhibits their ability to think clearly, allowing them to do things they would not normally do sober or with fewer drinks. He then moves on to notice all the attractive women in the bar, admits to staring at their legs and rears, and threatens if he has one more drink, he will inevitably go home with one of them. This situation perpetuates the image of bars only being places for people to meet and hook-up, not for friends to go, drink, and meet other people.
3. "How Long" by Charlie Puth
"How Long," topped the chart at #21 this year, and nothing about this song is unique (Wikipedia). It is the same sound as Puth's other song "Attention," he sounds like he is trying to be a mix between Shawn Mendes, The Weekend, and Justin Timberlake, and the content of this song is the conversation that occurs after Shaggy's girl caught him red-handed in "It Wasn't Me." Essentially, the song is about Puth getting caught cheating on his girlfriend and him begging her to stay with him. Like Grammer, he brings up the drunk excuse that society has accepted as a valid reason for cheating on her. Instead of listening to the same old story told by boys in media, in which boys can be boys and girls are to be pure, we should have empowering songs for girls that will stand up to a boy who did her wrong and could not be faithful. One such song is "Ciao Adios" by Anne-Marie, in which a girl finds out her boyfriend cheated on her, so she decides to stand up for herself and says goodbye to him.
4. "Work From Home" by Fifth Harmony
This Fifth Harmony hit topped #16 this year (Wikipedia). As much as I appreciate this group and their feminine power, this particular song screams Pussycat Dolls and not in a great way. The synopsis of this song is the girls are at home, lonely and sending X-rated photos to their significant other. As catchy and cool as this song is, it does not send young girls the message that they should have high expectations for themselves. Instead of being a career-driven, working woman, the girls are singing from the perspective of a woman who sits at home all day to be a sex figure, while her (safe to assume) boyfriend/husband works to make the money. This is a very antiquated image of a woman's role in a relationship that we as a society should be beyond. Girls should not be taught that their best feature is their sex appeal, but rather their contributions to society and their personal passions.
5. "Sorry" by Justin Bieber
Finally, "Sorry," also by Justin Bieber, topped the US Billboard Hot 100 at #2 in 2016 (Wikipedia). A probable reason for the high rating is the song's club beat, the singer's popularity, and the vague, repetitive lyrics. Some believe that this song is about Bieber's bad behavior overall, but considering his rough relationship with Selena Gomez, it is likely this song refers specifically to their relationship dynamics. Similarly to "What Do You Mean," there is a serious lack of communication between the singer and the subject of his apologies. On a greater scale, this song is a little concerning. Like Puth's "How Long," the artist seems to think a 'sorry' will excuse any and all bad behavior, regardless of how it affected someone else. Bieber sings "But you know that there no innocent one in this game for two," meaning even though he messed up and hurt her feelings, she still carries some blame. I worry this teaches guys that if there is a situation in which a girl sends mixed signals, they don't have to take the time to clarify, and can just brush it off with an apology. The message this sends is if they cross a line with a girl, it's not entirely their own fault. In the chorus and later in the song, he says he "misses more than just [her] body," which means she's not being physically intimate because she doesn't trust him, but it's on his priority to get it back.
Not all pop music is as deceptive and troublesome, but it will take more recognition by people who will be willing to listen closely to the lyrics in popular music. Society needs to be able come together to decide what messages we are okay with surrounding are children with and of what we expect from each other. Otherwise, we as a society will normalize and perpetuate harmful stereotypes and ideologies that only undermine the movements to end them.
Image Source: StockSnap / Matthew Henry
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