Indie Clones

Yesterday, I heard Girls Aloud's "Hoxton Heroes," a B-side to their current single "Can't Speak French," and I was immediately impressed both with the song and the group's balls to actually record it. "Hoxton Heroes" was originally slated to be on their Tangled Up album (Which, if you haven't heard it yet, go out and listen to it NOW. Most artists dream of a Greatest Hits album that sounds half as good as this, but to Girls Aloud it's just another studio album) but the record label considered it too controversial and dropped it. The song is a savage attack on the indie music scene and how they think they are all hipster and original when they all sound the same. True to form, the indie hipster scene in the United Kingdom raised a ruckus and hurled insults at the girls in response.

One of the common insults Girls Aloud received was that they are just as manufactured as the indie music they are dissing. The difference is, though, is that Girls Aloud embrace that manufactured sound and use it to their own advantage. I'm not too familiar with British indie rock music, but the same debate rages on in America. Pop dance music, after the boy band craze of the 90's, has been given a bad reputation and many artists are afraid to release straight pop music (there's usually Timbaland or someone of that sort to lend a hip-hop edge). But so-called pop-punk is more popular (and more mainstream) than ever. As they become more mainstream, however, the groups start sounding more and more similar. It especially irks me when the people who listen to the music start comparing them to real punk artists like the Sex Pistols or The Clash. Are you out of your fucking mind? Johnny Rotten could tear apart three of these bands himself- all before noon. And someone like Fergie is derided for her "mainstream" sound when she's not pretending to be anything she's not. She delivers cheesy pop music and does it well (And you can't tell me that she sounds like everyone else. You know a Fergie song as soon as you hear it).

What also irks me are people who think that you're the most retarded person ever just because you like cheesy pop music. "You're favorite artists are ABBA, the Spice Girls and Madonna? Oh, I see." I'm sorry if I find that type of music and think that your shitty indie music that no one's ever heard of makes me want to die on the inside. I understand if you don't like Fergie- she's not for everyone- but don't act all superior because you think she's not "real" music. If you're going to act like that, I'm just going to tell you that you can suck it.

By the way, here is Girls Aloud's "Hoxton Heroes" for you to listen and judge for yourself.