And it’s Men Without Hats. Which always makes me rethink what “good” music is.
There is nothing especially good about a Men Without Hats song. Not technically, not lyrically, not in performance, recording, and on and on. But I can put an album on, listen to it in the background, and not completely hate it when it gets to the end and plays on repeat. I guess with so much music today being basically unlistenable before you’ve even finished hearing the song for the first time, there is something to be said for music that is just listenable.
The truth is, the first time I played Rhythms of Youth, I thought it was a silly and asinine album. Most of the lyrics are just nonsense, and musically there is nothing complicated or intricate going on. There’s nothing genius behind any of these songs. But it’s still a good album. I can listen to it a few times a year and never hate it.
Since bouncy, aggressive synths have come back into style, it’s music that’s more in style now than it has been at any other time since the 1980s, but it’s still dated and heavily nostalgic. Is it good though? It’s certainly listenable.