You know that new iPod commercial that they have been playing? With that song that sounds like it might be made by a British version of the Strokes on speed? I really, really like that song. I can't get it out of my head. I downloaded the CD, I've listened to it many times, but it just will not go away. What's more, I actually kind of enjoy the CD. Father, what am I as a self-respecting music snob to do?
But seriously, what are you to do if you find yourself liking something that just might be too mainstream? If you want my opinion (and as a certified Reverend in the Universal Life Church, I feel I can give it in this situation) just suck it up and like that band. While this topic has been beaten to death by any number of other people, it deserves another go. People in any number of different "scenes" place entirely too much emphasis on whether or not you listen to something that fits with their interpretations of what is music and/or how it is to be made and disseminated. Whether it be the "indie" ideal of an independent label, the even more extreme view of many punk scenes that you don't make it "big" at all, or even the injunction of many different scenes from listening to that "whiney emo trash," these prejudices exist everywhere. This is a depressing fact of life.
Now, I am by no means saying that I don't have my own little prejudices against things. I do. And I will judge you if you listen to music that I find reprehensible, even if only in my head. It just seems that most of these people would go on and on about how they espouse a true love of music and a desire to appreciate music for what it is, but at the same time just trash these unapproved of forms. Everyone needs to take a step back and say to themselves, "While I may think that *insert label/genre/band/whatever* is absolute trash, are they doing alright by what they are striving for?" Realize that while all, say, trip-hop may be terrible, some groups may be better at it than others. Realize that we need to stop spouting our biased and probably poorly formed opinions in public and leave people in peace. If you really want to complain, start a blog or something- that way we can just ignore you the way we wanted to in the first place.