Justin Bieber's Hatedom, Why It's Hurting The Music Industry, And What You Should Do About It

In 2008 Scooter Braun was surfing YouTube when he stumbled across then unknown Justin Bieber. Braun recognized this kid was a potential goldmine and quickly became his manager. Within a few weeks, Braun scheduled a meeting between Bieber and legendary R&B artist Usher. Bieber showed Usher his chops and Usher, who also realized this kid could make him some serious bank, helped Bieber get signed to Island Records.

Bieber’s first album My World was released on November 17th, 2009. Within a few months it went Platinum and Bieber became the first artist to have seven singles from a debut album peak on the Billboard Hot 100. On March 23, 2010 Bieber released an updated version of My World, the creatively named My World 2.0, which went on to achieve the same success as its predecessor.

Justin Bieber - Baby ft. Ludacris

Let’s get something straight, Justin Bieber’s music sucks harder than a Dyson vacuum. He’s yet another attractive, talented singer who isn’t so much an artist as he is a product that was created by his label. His lyrics are so banal I wouldn’t be surprised if he wrote them himself.

Normally I wouldn’t take time out of my life to write an article about an “artist” like Bieber, but something strange has happened in the wake of his success. Justin Bieber has amassed the largest hatedom I can think of in recent memory. Mere mention of his name on late night talk shows is enough for the crowd to erupt in a sea of boos. Endless Internet articles and TV shows make jokes about how he hasn’t hit puberty yet, his questionable sexuality, and why he deserves to die a slow, painful death. It’s a bit extreme, and it scares and intrigues me a little.

Here’s the thing, in the music world, Justin Bieber is nothing new. Throughout music history there have been countless attractive vocalists who become products of their label, have other people write their songs for them, and amass unprecedented amounts of success. Because to most people music is background noise. Rick Astley, Brittney Spears, any 90s boy band that wasn’t N*SYNC,  “artists” like these have been so frequent throughout music history that I’m surprised people bat an eyelash at Bieber. Let alone get so worked up they start spouting death threats.

For the love of common sense, he’s just a kid. What the hell did he ever do to you? Nobody is forcing you to listen to his shitty music. I have never heard a single Justin Bieber song, and don’t plan on starting unless Amber forces me to. Why get so worked up? It makes no sense. It’s not that hard to ignore him.

What annoys me is at the most basic level, Bieber is at least talented. Call him a flaming-homo-faggot-lesbian all you want, but the kid has got a golden voice. While on the other end of the spectrum, RFC writers whose taste and writing I respect put KeSha’s Animal on their top albums of 2010 list. Ke$ha is ugly, she autotunes every song, and her lyrics are somehow (impossibly) more banal and repetitive than Bieber’s. I’ve been unfortunate enough to hear “Tik Tok” at parties, viral videos, and even a Simpsons episode. Her music is so bad it makes me resent the fact I have ear drums and a brain to transpose vibrations into sound. Unlike Bieber, who at the very least has talent, she’s has absolutely zero redeeming qualities. Yet, when I ask my friends about her I get the response “she’s good party music” and absolutely zero death threats.

You do realize all this hate is only making Bieber richer right? In the music business, infamy is every bit as valuable as good press. For every death threat and viral video of him getting smacked in the face with a water bottle, yet another schmuck discovers his crappy music and becomes a fan. By all means continue to imagine you’re hurting his reputation while Bieber, Braun, and Island records drown in Olympic swimming pools of hundred dollar bills. If you really hate Bieber, here’s what you should do. Ignore him. Never mention him again. Pretend like he doesn’t exist. Then make Radio Free Chicago your homepage, read every article, download every MP3 we host, and tell all your friends about us. It’s our job to have good taste in music and spread it around. The artists we review on this site are toiling away in obscurity because they love what they do more than eating and having nice things. Put your love to good use and hit Bieber where it really hurts, his wallet.

I’m sure this article has pissed some of you off because I suggested that maybe Justin Bieber doesn’t deserve to rot in hell for making shitty music. Now, as a music blog I’m obligated to leave you with a free MP3. I don’t own any of Justin Bieber’s music nor would I be caught dead recommending it to you, so instead I’ll leave you with the opening track off Bad Brains debut album Bad Brains. They’re the best hardcore punk band to ever exist and really indie to this day. Consider it a reward for making it this far.

Sailin' On - Bad Brains

Comments

[heidi]

I listen to Bieber with the same mindset as the one I have while I listen to weird al or o-town or 3oh3. It's not original or good, but it's fun, and the lyrics are genuinely funny, so why the hate? Where are all the lols? I mean, I will never PAY to listen to any of this music, but I can't help but sing along to the lyrics, "ain't no chaperones [...] we'll make it before the clock strikes 9" just the same as "I wanna have a house party in my house, I'm gonna pour booze down my mouth!" or "I wanna go inside every corner girl you really turn me on" it's all horrible nonsense but you are a cold soul if you don't see the humor.

[Colleen]

Just wondering, why did you you exclude N*SYNC from the list of crappy manufactured artists? Pretty sure they fit squarely into that genre (and don't give me that "Justin Timberlake is really talented" BS - he wasn't the only person in that group).

You did contradict yourself, saying that Bieber was talented, then saying that you'd never heard a single song of his...

I agree about the Bieb's, though. Murder isn't the answer, people.

[Michelle]

As a long-time teenybopper, I have issues with this article.

First, as Enzo said, the author contradicts himself. An oversight, I'm sure, but if you're going to post something meant to be controversial, please, please, please read it over and edit it first. Please.

Secondly, this: "Endless Internet articles and TV shows make jokes about how he hasn’t hit puberty yet, his questionable sexuality, and why he deserves to die a slow, painful death." This is nothing new at all. I'm sure this author didn't have The Backstreet Boys on his radar when they were hitting their stride, but this was happening then. I was, at times, an outcast because of my love for them. I remember it very well. And "questionable sexuality?" When Lance Bass actually came out, what was the overwhelming response? "HAH, BIG SURPRISE." And this was several years after he was popular.

Thirdly, on that note, what kind of hate is Justin Bieber receiving? Britney Spears and other pop divas received disdain not only from non-pop fans, but also from people who expected them to be role models. Adults hated them. I've never heard anyone say, "Justin Bieber is turning our kids into maniacs, into whores." How would that make him feel? How do you think that made THEM feel? They were all about the same age (give or take a couple years), keep in mind.

Fourthly, on Kesha. He says "when I ask my friends about her I get the response 'she's good party music' and absolutely zero death threats." I have a far different experience with that. My friends are divided into both--or, I should say, all--camps. I know people that hate her (death-threat hate her), and I know people that love her. And I know people, like me, who don't really care about her. This is how I feel about Bieber also.

Lastly, his voice. I don't think it's right to say that Justin Bieber is talented. I think he's about as talented as Miley Cyrus. I mean, they can sing in tune, but there's nothing special there. Ever heard of Barbara Strisand? There is a difference between "talented" and "can sound better than someone in the auditions room of American Idol."

I... hate myself for being so taken with this.

[enzo]

"I have never heard a single Justin Bieber song, and don’t plan on starting..."
"...at the most basic level, Bieber is at least talented.... but the kid has got a golden voice."

Your article would hold a little more validity if your second statement here didn't directly contradict your first.
Also,Ke$ha's just as easy to ignore as "The Biebs".

[vee]

While I agree with ignoring him, rather than promoting him via hatred: how do you know he has talent if you've never heard a single song?