Weekly5 is taking a quick holiday break. So instead of new tunes, I open my chest of shame and present you with five of my guilty pleasure songs.
But what is actually the definition of guilty pleasure? Wikipedia states:
"A guilty pleasure is something, such as a film, a television program, a piece of music, or an activity, that one enjoys despite understanding that it is not generally held in high regard, or is seen as unusual or weird."
We could argue for days and nights about whether there's something like "bad taste" or bad music. All my guilty pleasure songs have racked up millions of streams on Spotify alone. So they definitely struck a chord with the mass audience; however, they might be considered trashy by more music-affine people.
In the end, it doesn't matter that much. If you enjoy a particular song more than you feel you should, don't worry. Simply enjoy!
Nevertheless, my question for you is: What's your guilty pleasure song?
Let's confess together and send me your track in an email or by posting a comment below.
—Best, Janosch
Gigi D’Agostino – L’Amour Toujours
Trash or classic? It's always a tricky question with Gigi D'Agostino, a staple boy of Italo-Dance around the millennium. L'Amour Toujours, only one of his megahits, is oddly two-sided: There's the annoying altered female voice, but nobody can refrain from humming the undying synth melody.
NanowaR of Steel – Norwegian Reggaeton
Okay, this one's a tough sell: Can a parody band be a guilty pleasure, or isn't it a self-fulfilling prophecy? Anyway, as an avid listener of death and black metal, I'm not too intrigued by the party-focused characteristics of the genre. However, NanowaR of Steel's Norwegian Reggaeton is so irresistibly silly.
Basshunter – DotA
Admittingly, Basshunter is pretty much nostalgia for me. I listened to his early gaming-focused tracks like DotA (although I never played the game) for ours while playing Guild Wars. But, of course, DotA or his more famous song Boten Anna are in Eurodance tradition so ridiculously simple and predictive that a lover of intricate composition can only roll his eyes.
Apache 207 – Roller
No, German rap absolutely isn't my cup of tea. Yet, Roller by Apache 207—highly controversial amongst genre aficionados for its satirical and slightly stupid portrayal of the gangster clichés—stuck with me. The melody is simply amazing, and the flow is smooth and driven. It's catchy, and I like it.
The Holy Santa Barbara – Dance mit de Gänse
Okay, best for the last: Dance mit de Gänse is so stupid that there are no words worthy of this cacophony of hardcore beats, chopped-up composition, and pure nonsensical lyrics in the Saxony dialect. And don't ask me why I still listen to this track with inexplainable joy. I can't give you a convincing answer.
