Is Rebecca Black's 'Friday' good music?

So here I am, working my ass off, writting songs, performing 2 and 3 times a week, hustling new fans and Facebook followers, slanging T shirts, trying to Pay the Rent with my Rock. Then one night I get a request from the audience to play 'Friday' by Rebecca Black. At this point I'd never heard it before. When I saw the video on Youtube later that night, I was horrified. What a shitty voice. Then when I noticed she had 58 MILLION views, I was furious! It seemed that everyone was laughing at this poor 13 year old, yet she had suprapssed even Lady Gaga, and she did it by SUCKING. No, not like that.  Obviously I was going about this Rock Star thing all wrong by trying to play and sing to the best of my abilities. Being good at what you do just isn't rewarded in the iPhone generation. As a week passed and I learned the song just to be an asshole, I started to wonder, 'is this song actually good?' Here's why it is.

1. Content is everything

Some musicologists claim that part of the Beatles success was that they had a massive catologue of songs that all people can relate too. Although Rebecca doesn't have a massive catalogue of anything, it's fair to say that all people can indeed relate to the lyrics of 'Friday.' Who isn't looking forward to the weekend? Who doesn't wake in the morning and get their bowl, for cerial? Even if that isnt your current routine, it was when you were 13. Rebecca Black touches upon the Basic Fundamental Human Conflicts of Generation Y. Years ago, the BFHC would have been tied to food and survival. Such things aren't even an afterthought of watching "City of God" to the modern American teenager or working stiff. Even as few as 10 years ago, the BFHC would have been political. Bush or Gore??? Tweedle Dee or Tweedle Dumb??? Again, such choices are completely irrelevant, as the vast majority of Americans are obliviouos to world politics. These days, the front seat or the back seat, 'which seat should I take?' captures the escense of the Youtube generation and the vital decisions they must make on a daily basis.

2) You've heard these chords before, and you love them.

The chord structure used in this song is a classic 4 chord 'Doo Wop.'  The key or the tempo may change from one group to the next, but the mathematical theory behind them are exactly the same. 'Friday' is 'Earth Angel.'  'Earth Angel' is 'Teenager in Love.' These chords, in this order, can be heard in 'Amazing' by Bruno Mars.  The critically acclaimed Ben Harper used them in 'Another Lonely Day.' Before Green Day became Pop mega stars, they davelend in these chords on 'Christie Road' on the Kerplunk album.  There are hundreds of hits from all genres that use this classic 'Doo Wop' chord progression. If you have ears, you love one of these songs, and whichever that one may be, it is 'Friday' too.

3) Sing Along, you know you want to
One of the most important aspects of any Top 40 song is its Sing-along-ability.  The prominent 'Friday' note that Rebecca sings on the chorus is a D. This note is at the high end of a Baritone, the low end of a Soprano, and rite in the sweet spot for a Tenor.  The only point here is that 'Friday'  isn't out of the range of ANYBODY.

4) Singing well and being attractive are irrelevant.
The following is a list of performers from different genres that have shitty voices and are not very attractive by traditional standards.  I have paid good money for Cd's and concert tickets for most of the cited artists here, furthing proving the point that singing well and being good looking have little to do with success in the music industry.

Tom Petty
Bob Dylan
Billy Corigan
Marilyn Manson
Lad Gaga (seriously dudes, look up some pics of her face out of costume. Buh-buh-buh-butterface)
Dave Mustain
Slayer
Johnny Cash
Mic Jager
Iggy Pop
Rancid


5) The only reason you listened to this song is because you wanted to
I used to play in band with a brilliant bassist. He has since continued his studies and become a prfessor of music at Cal State San Marcos. One evening at his house, I asked him the most cliche question you could possibly ask a music professor..."Bob, since you know what you are talking about now, what is good music?" His response was something akin to this...." My students ask this all the time. There are a million books on the subject, half a million of which I had to read in graduate school. But the fact is that all of them miss the point. Is good music something that displays virtuosity? No. Yngvew Malmstien is not good music. Is it something with feeling? No. Annie DeFranco is not good music. Is it something that rocks? Again, no! Warrant is not good music. All the these answers fail because they are all subjective to the individual listener. So whats the one factor that is not subjective to genre, style, age or taste? This is theone true answer: Good music is something that you want to hear again."

Now ask youself this: how many times have you heard 'Friday?'

Now think about this: Rebecca Black is on YOUTUBE!!! This song is NOT on the radio, it is NOT playing at Starbucks in the background, it is NOT on a movie sound track and it is NOT being broadcast over the Homeland Security loudspeakers.  Its on fucking Youtube. So I'll give you the first view for curiosity's sake. But the only reason you heard this song more than once is because you phsyically and pursposefullly sought it out. The only reason you heard "Friday' more than one time is because you wanted to. Following the professor's logic, 'Friday' is good music.