Creep-y
I've always looked at Radiohead fans with the same sort of non-understanding that comes when Rush fans try to explain to Rush haters that what makes Rush really, really awesome is the deep insight and cleverness in the lyrics. Some small advice: never let a PhD in philosophy do any songwriting. I don't hate Radiohead. I just don't understand why anyone would like them. It was my understanding that there were about as many Radiohead fans as, say, fans of Mudhoney.
Imagine my shock and confusion when I discovered that there seem to be quite a few more people on Last.fm listening to Radiohead. « Fine, » I thought. « Everybody's got a copy of Creep sitting around that they listen to every once in awhile for reasons of nostalgia. That does not appear to be the case.
There is a group called “Extensive Musical Taste”. Note that their top artist is Radiohead. There is a group called “People with inconsistent musical taste - who yet prove a certain indy-attitude”. I don't know what that means, but their top artist is Radiohead. There is a group called “Die Hipster Die”. Radiohead is tied for number one. Someone else has noticed this particular trend, and has created a group called “Radioheads_Not_Our_Top_Artist”. Bless these people for not having Radiohead as their top artist. Radiohead is their #2 artist. Whee!
Last week the DD group had Radiohead at the top. I have no idea why it fell so far after that. Maybe it's a scrobbler fuckup.
I could stop singling out Radiohead, and broaden this to the other bands hovering at the top of nearly every group chart: The Beatles, Death Cab for Cutie, Pink Floyd, and so on. Oddly, this thing isn't very popular.
« Sure, » you may be thinking. « Radiohead sucks, but what's the problem? ». The problem has to do with the effects of globalization on world cultures. In Jihad vs. McWorld it says that… okay, well, I don't know what it says because I've never read it. Nevertheless, Benjamin Barber claims that Democracy is the solution to the evils of both globalism and tribalism. This is a fantastic idea if you happen to be in denial that “Democracy” is just a perverse form of tribalism.
So guzzle down your McDonald's, listen to your Radiohead, wash it all down with some Coca-Cola that you bought at Wal-Mart, put on your Old Navy sweatshirt and head over to Starbucks to drink a frapmooccino while you obsess about American politics even though you live in an obviously-superior country, then go home and watch “Friends”.
That's easier than being someone with musical taste.
P.S., Radiohead being on South Park is no excuse.