Archive for September 15, 2009
And Even More Annoying – In Fact “Most Annoying”
by John Weckerle
As I related my annoyance with the beyond-early exploitation of Christmas to a colleague just after our last entry, another colleague, who had overheard, popped in and told us about a grand scientific effort that had taken place some time back. Three intrepid souls had decided to conduct a survey and ask respondents what were the things they liked the best in a piece of music – and what they found most annoying. They then used the results of the survey to create the world’s most wanted, and the world’s most annoying, pieces of music. The world’s most annoying piece, at about 22 minutes long, is indeed a work of art in the realm of musical irritation – an opera singer rapping and then singing “cowboy,” incessant holiday themes (sung by a jangly children’s chorus), bagpipes, tubas, pipe organs, references to Walmart and George Stephanopoulos, patriotic background singing, and more – and many at the same time. Perhaps not surprisingly, the world’s most wanted music – a journey into soft schlock – is perhaps more subtly odious, although it is mercifully much shorter (which may be why the worst music beats it out in the end). At least the worst music is funny. We invite our readers to enjoy the music and the articles to which it is attached: