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Do you suspect that polling, deomgraphics, and focus groups are sucking the art out of entertainment? I come bearing proof, of a sort.
The People's Choice Project is a tongue-in-cheek art project that polls people about their preferences and then uses the data they collect to "scientifically" create works of art that are supposedly statistically "what people want" and "what people don't want". Previously they have applied their methodology to paintings, but now they've applied it to music!
The Most Wanted Song is "smooth jazz"/R&B easy listening pablum, filled with soft saxophones and generic lyrics about love and going to bed. "Baby, can't you see / You're my fantasy" and such.
The Most Unwanted Song, on the other hand, is insane. There are a lot of things that people say they don't like in music, and the People's Choice Project's "scientific" approach demanded that they include them all. The result is a bizarre mishmash that transcends quality. An over-25-minute epic featuring an operatic soprano rapping about cowboys and Wittgenstein is punctuated by children shouting/chanting made-up holiday-themed commercial jingles, backed by organ, accordion, bagpipes, tuba, etc. It has to be heard to be believed.
"Yom Kippur! Yom Kippur! Self-reflection and atonement! Do all your shopping...at Wal-Mart!"
Genius.
The People's Choice Project is a tongue-in-cheek art project that polls people about their preferences and then uses the data they collect to "scientifically" create works of art that are supposedly statistically "what people want" and "what people don't want". Previously they have applied their methodology to paintings, but now they've applied it to music!
The Most Wanted Song is "smooth jazz"/R&B easy listening pablum, filled with soft saxophones and generic lyrics about love and going to bed. "Baby, can't you see / You're my fantasy" and such.
The Most Unwanted Song, on the other hand, is insane. There are a lot of things that people say they don't like in music, and the People's Choice Project's "scientific" approach demanded that they include them all. The result is a bizarre mishmash that transcends quality. An over-25-minute epic featuring an operatic soprano rapping about cowboys and Wittgenstein is punctuated by children shouting/chanting made-up holiday-themed commercial jingles, backed by organ, accordion, bagpipes, tuba, etc. It has to be heard to be believed.
"Yom Kippur! Yom Kippur! Self-reflection and atonement! Do all your shopping...at Wal-Mart!"
Genius.
