My dear readers, as any of you know, there is an aural plague bit by bit, infesting our nation, growing ever-larger one person at a time. It’s wup-wup-filled thumping is more tortuous to a sound mind than a chorus of demons, and yet this maddening melody grows ever louder. As any one who has set foot in a high school or college campus knows, this musical menace is known as dubstep.
According to Wikipedia, dupstep originated in southern London, which from my limited understanding of the area as an American living on the opposite side of the ocean, I can only assume is where the British equivalents of Hipsters reside. Created almost entirely by computer-based sound-editing programs, and as such, takes next to no musical talent to create, almost every single track consists of barely distinguishable sound effects and base drops. Tragically, like many other international horrors like the vuvuzela or tentacle porn, it spread it’s way to mainstream popularity by means of certain masochistic sub-cultures, much to the annoyance of the majority of the population with decent tastes in cultural tastes.
As you might have guessed from my tone, I am not a fan. And not just because I’m tired of random idiots at school running up to me with a set of headphones telling me “Listen to that bass dude. It’s so dirty. Wait for the drop. Here it comes—wait, wait—yes. Uuunnnngh. That drop is so nasty.” To be fair, nasty and dirty are both appropriate adjectives for the genre.
This throbbing and abrasive affront to music at least to me has always sounded like Optimus Prime getting raped as compared to actual music. In every track I’ve had the misfortune to hear – it seems like it’s fans like to play it on their speakers load enough for me to hear half a parking lot away – there is no melody, no musical instruments, no lyrics or anything technically musical about dubstep. It’s just a bunch of of bass drops with that signature wob-wob-wob repeated in every single track, typically played at volumes loud enough to shatter glass – and typically give me a headache in the process.
The annoying music is only compounded by the annoying fan base, which has to be one of pop culture’s most pretentious, extolling the virtues of this ‘genre’ at any provided opurtunity. While I’m sure there are some people who legitimately like dubstep, the vast majority that I’ve encountered aren’t in it for the music. You have the preppy scene kids who like it because it’s the ‘in’ thing at the moment. Then you have the junkies who listen to it while stoned for the sensory overload that follows, that or found murdering their brain cells a preferable alternative to listening to dubstep. The last, and worst of the bunch, are the hipsters, which in hindsight makes perfect sense. After all, what is more essentially hipsterish than crappy underground music that makes anyone with good taste ears start bleeding?
At least in my opinion though, the worst part about dubstep is just how artificial and fake it is. Those words tend to get tossed around a lot with bad music, to the point I feel they’ve lost there original meaning to a lot of people. At least to me, music should always be about the human element of the equation, about the musician slaving over thier strings and songs, pouring thier passion into the music in hopes that an audience will share that same passion. It should take heart, drive, and above all else, talent to make a musician and music. That’s one of the reason’s I detest pop music as much as I do, as so much of it these days has lost that human element, where computers and auto-tune are increasingly the means of the genre. The less of that musicians touch, the more artificial and fake the music is.
Dupstep is about as artificial and fake as music can be before it devolves into just noise. For all of it’s wub-laden bass lines and drops, in a typical dubstep track, there’s no melody, no lyrics, no tune, no song, and no music. It’s just a bunch of sound effects that anyone with a decent editing program on their computer can piece together and wait for the first idiot on a meth high on to declare it ‘nasty’. There’s no heart, no song, no music, no soul in the entire genre. It’s a tune for the tasteless, a melody for the mindless, a background noise for all of those who do not wish to trouble themselves with genuine music.
Some like minded critics of have likened dubstep to this generation’s disco, and there is some merit in this comparison, seeing as they are both crappy passing fad sub-genre’s that only appeal for the most part to junkies and hippies/hipsters. However, I feel it doesn’t truly capture it fully, as even disco, in all it’s horror, could still qualify as music, while dubstep barely qualifies as an extended sound effect. No, dubstep is to music what Holy Virgin Mary was to art; an attempt by some talentless losers to degrade an entire art form to the point of bunch of imbeciles will consider fecal matter ‘culture’, and at least in my opinion, the sooner we stop letting the junkies and hipsters pollute the airwaves with this crap, the better.
I couldn’t agree with your article more, dubstep and the apparent ”good dubstep” mentioned here is just friggin shyte! I couldn’t differenciate one dubstep song from another it all sounds the same to me…trash and has no rhythm, just noise. Can we go back to the 90′s and every other decade before that please when people actually knew how to make decent music!
After reading the comment from Jake I think I might just go kill myself now
i may only be a youngster, but ill have you all know, ive been playing classical piano since I was 3 and have played in Carnegie hall, national competitions, and compose. I also make dubstep, and let me say, it is as much music as is classical opera, or any other genre. I believe since its new, of course people will hate, but they must accept the fact of a new type of music. as a producer of this music, it does involve musical ability and knowledge of electronics and wave forms and many other things! it does have melody, harmonics, and other things included in other musical genres. Modern piano pieces literally sound like randomized chromatic notes that sounds like junk, but its still music! dubstep, like hard rock, is intense and appeals to emotion just as a Claire de Lune appeals to quiet soft feelings. I know a lot about music, ive dug deep into what dubstep is, and as many say, classical is the only “true” kinda music, well its not! I respect that you don’t prefer it, but don’t bash the fact that its not music just because you don’t like it! look up the meaning of music and compare it to dubstep. It fits. the emotions of this genre is hardcore and fit for those who want intensive music, such as those with interest in death or black rock! (btw rock was also neglected as music, and is now more common the any other genre). dubstep is music, it may not me in your ears, and its not just because it is in my ears, but because of its form, attitude, and mechanics!
Lol!!! The fact that your calling “ravers” hipsters is the funniest thing I’ve ever heard. You obviously couldn’t tell the difference between a boat and grapefruit sir. I hate “hipsters”, and I love dubstep. I love hearing the other sides argument, but your argument is ignorant!! I like dubstep because I like simple sounds and heavier riffs, and such. I appreciate other music styles and always will, but my true love is dubstep and other sub genres of edm. I can tell you truly have no clue what your talking about. Even though this is super old I felt the need to comment. Have a good life sir. Just a tip keeping an open mind about things is key in life, and just because you do not like something does not mean it is vile or terrible. Although I do agree with you about the part about the idiot fans who are just in it for the fad, but there are less of them than you think
I’m a piano player and have been for 10 years. I also play bass and guitar. So I have a solid background in music. In order to make electronic music you must know something about music(with some exceptions). I have a few songs of my own. And I’m playing a keyboard of electronic drum kit for just about everything. I just think this was an ignorant and misguided attempt to say you hate a genre of music. I understand that dubstep isn’t for everyone, but keep your oppinions to yourself if your just going to be a dick instead of giving a valid argument.
I was just getting into the good techno for hardstyle and here came dubstep. I was enthusiastic, wanting to see what the new music would be like. After listening to it from a friend I couldn’t agree more with this article. As showtekk put it “I live for hardstyles”. And I just want some good techno, some good hard rock for long trips, something meaningful I can SING TO, to dance to, not have a seizure to. Dubstep must be forgotten, I don’t care how, people usually point out when something has no meaning, but no one has yet for this crap.
I respect your opinion, but disagree. There are, in my opinion, different degrees of dubstep. Just curious, which dubstep artists did you listen to? Have you tried Skrillex or Deadmua5? Srillex has lyrics and music. Also have you listened to Nightcore? Good genre, very good.
I can see why people like dubstep . Some of it is catchy . That being said , it is totally forgettable . Unlike most music , you really can not distinguish one artist from another . That is it . That is the problem . Much like rap music , it is not going to get better just by giving the same tricks . It is the fact that as humans , most of us will eventually move on to what is new or what we loved before . Take The Beatles for instance , their sound changed with the times , making them a band of legendary status . With almost every album sounding different (should have put Revolver and Rubber Soul together) they kept it fresh , and unless you know every song like I do , you will always find something new to enjoy . Music in a whole is not what it used to be . Some like the new , some conform , some just like what they like . I personally hate dubstep . Its just bland , though I am sure with the right amount of MDMA in your system you love just about anything . As always , that is just my opinion .
I do have to agree with you on one point . It has no soul , no bridge between the artist and the listener . Soul less as Karl Marx it is haha .
Yeah but you can’t spell, so to me any valid points you just made are void. Go back to first grade and learn the basics you fool.
There are actually people who like dubstep. I’m sure there is plenty of music that you like that I or many other people would consider even more bullshit. F**k you saying there is no melody or lyrics. Have you actually LISTENED to a dubstep track?? Excision and Skrillex don’t really count, because Excision kind of is random noise, and Skrillex is just bullshit. There are plenty of lyrics in dubstep tracks. I can tell you have heard very VERY little of the wide spectrum of the genre.
Although I will agree with you that the fanbase sometimes isn’t the most intelligent or real. It’s very hard to find someone who actually listens to dubstep and actually likes it and knows anything about it.
And if ANYONE can do it, I’d like to see you try. FUCKING PROVE IT. If you’re gonna talk S**t about my music then PROVE TO ME that you can make “dubstep”. Get some equipment and make a track and see just how many people you can fool into liking it. Trust me, it’s not as easy as it looks.
Another thing: you can’t say there is no soul in it. Why would people make that their career if they weren’t passionate about it? Many tracks out there are filled with passion, anger, pride, love, fear. A big theme in Dubstep is feeling like an outcast. Some really powerful tracks come out of that. Listen to “Circles” by KDrew and then take back some of your ignorant claims.
So stfu with your old-fashioned, close-minded, uneducated ass and if you REALLY REALLY hate it so much, at least give me some evidence to believe that you at least TRIED to listen to a full track and actually have some knowledge about it. Because clearly you don’t know S**t. Don’t hate on something you have no idea about, because that just makes you look like an idiot.
You don’t have to like it, but don’t say a bunch of S**t preaching to your ignorant choir of dumbasses.