Bieber Fever

By Connor Hayes     8/19/10 7:00pm

In an auto-tuned world where 15 minutes of fame now seems to be a lengthy and successful career, Justin Bieber seems to be simultaneously carving a feather-haired spot into the dungeons of post-pubescent hatred and the heavens of pre-pubescent adoration. In inexplicable fashion Beebz (as I will refer to him in this column) seems to be the most loved and hated pop star in the world. Most people are "too cool" to get down to his infectious cookie-cutter beats, denying their love in public while secretly setting "Baby" on replay in the comfort of their own home. The fact of the matter is that Justin Bieber makes great pop music. I wouldn't necessarily call myself a fan, but it pains me when the "in crowd" won't even give him a chance. Let's all do ourselves a favor. Let's look past the fact that Beebz (as I like to call him) resembles a middle-aged lesbian woman and embrace his infectious melodies with open arms. By doing so, we can easily save ourselves a decade of waiting: a decade in which Bieber will go from being overplayed lame-pop to lol-inducing indie-irony.

My younger self protested the Backstreet Boys with a passion. I was against everything they stood for. Now, years later, dropping some BSB at a Rice party always inspires nostalgic cheers and awkward dancing. Will we, years from now, feel the need to start Justin Bieber dance parties in the same way? I'm not sure if it's my generation's inexplicable love of irony or simply the effects of time, but with each year that passes we seem to add formerly "lame" pop musicians to our collective playlists and revive the music we once despised.

What exactly is behind the fact that now more than ever I can get away with playing a Spice Girls song at a party? My friends, most of whom are proud and masculine, love nothing more than a good old Ace of Base sing-along. Yet I would be willing to guess that mere years ago the same people wouldn't be caught dead listening to the very same song. It could be maturity, it could be our need to make fun of our own insecurities and live lol-tastic lifestyles, but I would argue that the single biggest culprit can be traced back to fourth grade science class.

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Yes, you guessed it, the reasoning behind why we now love once-loathed pop music from our childhoods is linked directly to the water cycle. I never liked science that much. I think the water cycle involved rain, plants, the sun and some big words - but what I'm trying to get to here is a really sweet analogy so that you, the reader, will think I'm wicked smart and stuff. As current stars like Justin Bieber rain down on us with terrifyingly catchy pop hooks, the artists of our past seem to rise into the clouds after years in solitude. As one rain drop falls annoyingly onto our heads, others rise again - completing a beautifully vicious cycle.

This analogy, just like many others, does have some flaws. For instance, Creed will never rise to the clouds. Ever. Let's give Bieber a chance.

Connor Hayes is a Baker College senior and Thresher Backpage editor.

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