Radio Free Babyface

"If people could hear underground music, it would make them feel the problems in their lives and want to change things.” These true,true words were recently spoken by some bass player in this NYT article about pop music in China. Inversely, music that isn't underground makes you want things to stay exactly the way they are. I know because whenever I hear the lyrics "Ah, little man, ah, succeed quickly,” it quells all my revolutionary unrest.

After reading that Chinese radio consists only of "gentle love songs and uplifting ballads," here's how I imagine a Chinese radio playlist: 1. Boyz II Men; 2. Whitesnake; 3. "Total Eclipse of the Heart" ; 4. that bullfrog song from "The Big Chill"; 5. Babyface. AKA, my dream station. So I don't know what Chinese radio fans are complaining about.

“Nowadays singers can sing many songs, but in the end, they’re all singing the same song, the core of which is, ‘Have fun,’” Mr. Fu said. “Culture has become an empty vessel.”

ugggggggggh, are you STILL talking? Why don't you just go be in that Silver Jews video while I listen to my all-time favorite song, "Have Fun." As the radio DJ Zheng Yang puts it, "Life is smooth, and so music is more about soothing things. Anyone can criticize or blame. What we need right now is guidance.”
I say the same thing every day.