Created by: roberto.c.alfredo on May 29, 2025, 10:05 PM
I hadnât listened to ZZ Top since I was a kid, but the other day, out of sheer curiosity, I dove into their This Is ZZ Top playlist on Spotify. My mission? To find out whether the bandâs hit songsâyou know, those catchy tunes constantly playing on the radio in the â80sâare genuinely their best, or simply the ones Iâve learned to love.
As I listened, something immediately became clear: the hits still slapped. Honestly, I wasnât expecting that. I thought I might discover hidden gems, deep cuts clearly superior to their radio singles. But, surprisingly, âSharp Dressed Manâ still dominated with its relentless groove. âLa Grangeâ still had that magical ability to transport me back to carefree days, cruising in a hot car without air conditioning, enjoying a greasy burger under the summer sun.
This led me to a deeper question: Is a song âbetterâ because itâs masterfully crafted, or because Iâve grown accustomed to hearing it associated with good memories? Am I objectively responding to the musical structure and artistry, or simply reacting to the memories and emotions woven into the song?
Things become even trickier when considering that popular songs might become hits precisely because of this positive familiarity. Itâs like classical conditioningâwe hear a song during happy moments, and our brain registers it as a masterpiece. But does this make the song objectively superior? Or does it simply confirm that our love for certain songs is an endless loop of nostalgia and emotional association?
Fun fact on the side: ZZ Topâs âTushâ was written in just ten minutes but became one of their most enduring hits. Sometimes hits strike like lightningâor perhaps they simply fit perfectly into radio rotations of their time.
In the end, maybe the answer to what makes a song good isnât tied strictly to sophisticated musical structures or universal objective value. Instead, perhaps the better question is: what song helps me feel most like myself right now? Maybe thatâs enough. Because after all, music doesnât have to be good for everyoneâit just needs to be good for you.