Song Review – Eric Church’s “Homeboy”
Those of you rolling up to this review hoping for a good car crash full of flying insults from knowing how little love I have for Eric Church are going to be disappointed. Because even though I don’t like the messenger or some elements of this song, I do like the message.
First the prototypical qualifying statements:
Eric Church is an egotistical asshole on the verge of narcissistic megalomania that believes he is the rightful heir to the country music throne. And if this isn’t the case, he needs to fire his PR staff post haste for portraying him as such. He is dangerous because he conveys the stereotype that being an “Outlaw” or an outsider of the mainstream of country music means you’re an arrogant prick bursting with bravado, when in truth Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash were two of the most humble, unassuming people you would ever meet. Even Garth Brooks put on an “aw shucks” attitude after unbuckling from the flying harness after a stadium show.
I’ve said before that Eric’s songs are not as bad as many others. He does seem to make efforts to stay out of the typical patterns of Nashville hit-making, but songs like his dope anthem “Smoke a Little Smoke” or his self-gratifying “Who’s Gonna Fill Their Shoes? are a perfect example of Music Row trying to eradicate anti-Nashville sentiment by incorporating it for their own marketing purposes.
But as much as Eric Church is a problem, the bigger systemic problem throughout the country is the hip hop culture infecting small towns to the point where you can’t walk into a local IGA without stumbling over a bunch of corn fed boys with their straight brimmed hats on sideways and their pants around their ankles. For years popular culture and even politics has been preaching that people from the country are “backwoods” in their brains: dated, ignorant, out-of-touch, making the only other mono-culture available out there (hip-hop) more appealing, especially to boys and young men. This phenomenon also fuels the robbing of youth from rural communities as kids embrace the big money and materialism of urban and suburban culture.
The other result of this phenomenon has been these awful “laundry list” songs like Blake Shelton’s “Kiss My Country Ass” that do nothing but preach to the choir and perpetuate the same negative stereotypes the anger behind these songs stems from. “Homeboy” does have some of this “laundry list” action going on, and I’m not sure I agree with the stereotype that cities are all full of drugs and crime while the country is this wholesome place. Many small towns these days are littered with meth problems. And this song isn’t country, it’s classic rock. But the message is so spot on for this point in time that I’m willing to overlook a few commercially-oriented transgressions in the production.
Some have complained about the use of Auto-Tune in this song, not to correct pitch, but as a voice effect ala T Pain. I am willing to overlook this, or even compliment it because Church could be using it ironically or even as a useful tool to make the song appeal to the faux hip-hop kids the song’s message targets. In a lot of ways the auto-tune is genius.
Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against the hip-hop culture. I have something against all cultures becoming the same because it is more efficient for the corporations trying to manufacture and market it. One qualifier for a great song is it must have universal appeal. I can see a hip-hop kid from the intercity who abandoned his roots to try to make lots of money in the corporate world hearing the universal message of this song, which is to remember your roots and where you come from, and that there’s nothing wrong with choosing less money or the simple life, and if anything, there’s something endearing and fulfilling about it. Ironically, this song will probably find it’s widest appeal in the suburbs, with people who live vicariously through the CMT version of “country” culture.
If Eric Church would just practice some humility, I would be much less harsh to him and his music, or at the least, he would go off my radar. But lets give credit where credit is due, and “Homeboy” deserves credit.
Two guns up.
(though the video is a little over-dramatic)
May 11, 2011 @ 8:21 am
This is my first time listening to a song of his and i have to say i can not stand the sound of his voice. This shit sounds like mainstream pop country all the way. Too polished and shined for my liking!!
May 11, 2011 @ 8:22 am
One thing I can definitely comment on…I grew up in a small town cos my parents thought it’d be better for us.
Little did they know that all the drugs in the lower half of Michigan were trafficked through said town–it was the hub. You could get cocaine at the Taco Bell drive thru.
Shows you what mainstream media knows.
As for the song–its rock. Its fine. From the solo, to the bashing drums, its a rock song. But, that’s what most of mainstream “country” is anyhow. The song itself is fine.
May 11, 2011 @ 10:53 am
I agree, it’s a rock song with country elements.
May 11, 2011 @ 8:40 am
Not one of his better songs, but it wasn’t bad. Pretty ballsy reviewing a mainstream song, but I applaud you. I don’t regularly listen to the country stations around here, but there are a few mainstream guys I like. Can’t paint them all in the same corner….
May 11, 2011 @ 9:04 am
I think the song is decent. I actually could see someone like Orvis or even Hank III doing this, although the style would be much different.
Chruch is just over marketed. From the ACM video making claims he is heir to the throne, to wearing aviators as would be expected (clearly taking a page from Hank Jr. who wears them more for cosmetic/vision issues from his accident and not just for the hell of it.)
Trig, not meaning to get off topic at all. But you should really check out the new Blind Boys of Alabama album, as others should. I’d be interested at peoples reactions, given the Blind Boys are legends, they aren’t mainstream, there are some country icons on it, some mainstreamers, and the producer is a lighting rod here. But the album, is very very traditional country/gospel. Rock solid stuff.
May 11, 2011 @ 7:22 pm
Blind Boys of Alabama – Take the high road is Badass. I am not religious at all but i do like good music. May not be wise to cover here though. Album was co-produced by Jamey Johnson, and features guest vocals by Johnson and Hank Jr.. Also may not be suitable for some of the readers of this site since, gasp, The Blind Boys of Alabama are….black. Anyway Ice Ive heard it and I agree, it is good.
May 11, 2011 @ 7:51 pm
Nathan I never got the impression that the folks here are racist or prejudice at all. Also I checked out a few songs from the album agree its very good too
May 11, 2011 @ 7:58 pm
Damn straight PennsWoods. That was an unnecessary dig.
May 11, 2011 @ 7:55 pm
“Nashville heavy weight” Jamey Johnson,Gretchen Wilson, and Hank Jr., among others, collaborating.
The Blind Boys originally formed in 1939. They do alot of gospel and religious based songs.
August 24, 2011 @ 2:12 pm
supposedly, Church wears the baseball cap and sunglasses due to the bright stage lights which are hard on his eyes or contacts or something like that, atleast thats what ive read…wish I could remember where..
May 11, 2011 @ 9:08 am
puke…
May 11, 2011 @ 9:38 am
fuck man, couldn’t disagree more. two guns way the fuck down. only credit i see him bein due is for bein a clever type who’s only found a new way to stir the same emotions the “laundry list” type songs are targeting. might as well say “put away the city ways, come be country like me.” and to my backwoods ears horrifically offensive musically which would drown out any redeeming message, if i felt there was one, which i fuckin dont. on the flip side, likely a big hit for this guy.
May 11, 2011 @ 9:44 am
I agree Triggerman, the song has a good message. I listened to the song wanting to hate it, but it’s not bad. It’s appealing because I think most people know someone like that.
May 11, 2011 @ 9:53 am
odd thing was i was gonna complain about this song when i heard it on CMT a couple nights ago, how can someone say this is Rock? Last i knew Rock didn’t sound like this shit, to me it sounds more like a modified Hip Hop song more than it is Rock, having grew up with being named after Jerry Garcia, i know what Rock is since it’s all my dad listens to and when i’m with him we have Rock playing on the radio. In the case of this song though, in my opinion you might as well listen to Colt Ford if you’re gonna listen to this song.
May 12, 2011 @ 6:26 am
Its completely pop rock with a banjo thrown in.
May 12, 2011 @ 7:33 pm
i guess so, because Hip Hop sounds like Pop now anyway so i guess you could be right
May 11, 2011 @ 9:55 am
I really like this song. I like Eric Church, but a couple things lately (Smoke a Little Smoke and that video about him being the next outlaw legend) have made me cringe. I’m glad to see him release a good song.
You might catch hell from some closed minded readers who won’t give E. Church a chance because he’s seemed douchy or even just because he’s mainstream, but the fact that you impartially and positively reviewed this song adds a lot to your credibility. Keep it up Triggerman.
May 11, 2011 @ 10:21 am
Interesting review.
I’d rather listen to McDougall.
May 11, 2011 @ 12:55 pm
Triggerman? Did someone hi jack your computer and write this article? This sucks pop country balls. The song has all the likings of the pop country laundry list. It stereotypes the city and the country cultures. It isn’t country. Eric Church isn’t country. He’s southern rock with makeup and fashion jeans. And Triggerman how in the hell could you possibly be okay with the robot Autotuner? You’re actually for targeting a group of people to like the song? My first real let down by you Triggerman. I’m going to pretend I never read this review and move on to the next posting.
May 11, 2011 @ 1:37 pm
I’m not OK with robot Auto-tuner, and my guess is Eric Church isn’t either, that is why he put it in this song. It’s fighting fire with fire. Now maybe I am completely wrong about that and I’ll have to eat these words later, but that’s the vibe I got. It’s very similar to how Slim Cessna used pop elements in his new album.
I’m am giving credit where credit is due. I can’t defend a lot of the production elements of this song, I went out of my way to say it wasn’t country, but I think the message is spot on. If I had never lifted my poison pen against Eric Church to begin with, I probably would never have remarked on this song. But since I have been very harsh to the man, I think it is only fair to give my honest thoughts.
May 11, 2011 @ 2:03 pm
I agree with Trig and the vibe he is getting. For pop-country to change, it will take time and more than one song. This seems to be part of songs that are a begining to the begining of the end of the end of pop country.
The message I take from this is, the pop-country/hip hop scene got to where it is cause of many moving parts… young kids chosing to go with a more “gangsta” look vs. conservative, and Church seems to be fighting fire with fire as Trig said.
“Homeboy” is said in a condisending way, as it should be if you see some young punk with hat cocked to the side and pants sagging. Easy homeboy.
Church might make some kid think about how stupid he looks and that “look” won’t get you anywhere when you become an adult. Then Church rounds out the chorus using “home boy” as a plea for the kid to “come home boy” come back to your roots, your real self.
Not the best way to do it, but a shot at it. It certainly isn’t bubble gum and lollipops teenage love song.
Change the music…same lyrics, I could see many under ground artists cutting this. Orvis, Hank III, Biram.
July 14, 2011 @ 2:24 pm
“Change the music”¦same lyrics, I could see many under ground artists cutting this. Orvis, Hank III, Biram.”
This. I’ve found that country music snobs are just as bad as the indie scene kids. You give Hank this song, and people on this site would be going nuts about it.
May 11, 2011 @ 10:17 pm
Didn’t mind the song. I liked the message. Still just pop country though. As for the auto-tuner…not an aberration. He uses that stupid auto-tuner in his live show. It’s bad. Really bad. Caught a little of his show when Hellbound Glory opened for him at the Knit in Reno. No way I could have sat through his whole show.
May 11, 2011 @ 1:21 pm
Well, I’m certainly not going to rush out and buy it. However, this is the first song of his that I’ve heard (I’ve only heard a few) that doesn’t make me eyes roll. Also, he’s not looking like a macho jackass in the video. Musically, it sounds like Creed with a twang and little banjo thrown in.
May 11, 2011 @ 1:45 pm
It sounds like a mid-album, non-single Kid Rock song. I like it I’d listen to if flippin’ through the channels & I saw it on but I don’t think I’d bye it. This is the second song of his I like. The other is Lightning.
May 11, 2011 @ 2:44 pm
Well written piece and I see your point of view. However, I do not like this song man it just seems awful to me. I don’t like the sound (production wise), the vocals, the lyrics seem corny, not much at all do I like about it. Just not my cup of tea.
The video is funny because it’s a fairly heavy song and he just jams the acoustic guitar the whole time.
I tried man I gave it 5 listens haha.
May 11, 2011 @ 2:54 pm
I’m fascinated how ‘southern’ he sounds when he sings. Is this for real? Justin Townes Earle’s southern accent is completely undetectable in his singing yet when he speaks it’s very strong. So much so that I actually thought he was hamming it up when I first heard him speak in an interview. Am curious if anyone else thinks maybe Eric is faking it?!?
May 11, 2011 @ 10:59 pm
Nope i’m from NC and you cant fake a NC acsent lol you can try but i know the difference
May 11, 2011 @ 5:35 pm
This song is awful. It’s not railing against monoculture, it seems to me to be making the argument that if you decide to leave the country behind, all that is waiting for you is a corner to sling drugs from and a cell to live in afterward. I’d like to say that I moved away from my small farm town about 15 years ago to live in the city, that I do have tattoos on my neck and gold teeth but no one would ever think that I’m a homeboy. This song is trash as much as any Miley Cyrus song.
May 12, 2011 @ 2:05 pm
So there’s no distinction between Eric Church and Miley Cyrus? This is where we lose the intellectual argument with the mainstream. It’s also the same misguided argument made by the mainstream against independent/underground country saying that its all foul-mouthed “drinking and drugging” crap because of Hank III.
May 11, 2011 @ 6:58 pm
I gave it two generous minutes and can’t give it no more.
Terrible. Just terrible. The same chorus over and over. The same look at me I’m singing about something heartfelt here attitude that makes it as real as a three dollar bill. And that video is horrendous.
I took all my money out the mason jar
went on down to the local bar
and I sat in my stool and thought about you
Why’d you do what you had to do?
Why’d you go and leave on a southbound train
while momma sat cryin’ in the pourin’ rain
and the clock kept tickin’ while time stood still
Why’d you go do what you had to do?
It’s a cryin’ shame all the tears are fallin’
and it’s never you when my phone is callin’
but you know
I did what I had to do
(my contribution to the pop country meltdown y’all Sound good?)
May 12, 2011 @ 2:05 pm
I hope you’re copyrighting all these songs Denise!
May 12, 2011 @ 6:36 pm
Is your site considered public domain Triggerman?
August 12, 2011 @ 10:44 am
Those lyrics are awesome Denise.
May 11, 2011 @ 10:52 pm
This is bs all yall talking shit about Eric and the trigg for writing this article. Thanks trigg for writing this i like almost all of Erics stuff. If ya like this message i then check out one of my favorite songs Tough by the great Justin Mcbride
May 11, 2011 @ 11:55 pm
i have to disagree with the hip hop part of triggerman. It so contrived and clean polished stuff we heard before. Im not a hip hop fan but it seems like pp country and there fans seem to want to be anti-hip hop more then they want to make halfway decent country music.
May 12, 2011 @ 4:13 am
I tend to agree with the review. It’s not a great song, but it is catchy, and I appreciate the fact that the theme is at least a little outside the box as far as Nashville goes. Church is a complete outfaux though.
May 12, 2011 @ 5:45 am
I’m with you on that. My wife is a pop country person and so I get to listen to it every once once in a while (yay!). This would probably be one of the songs where I’d typically say “that wasn’t too bad.”
May 12, 2011 @ 10:50 am
being anti hip-hop dosent mean your automatically a country fan.
May 12, 2011 @ 2:07 pm
Who said it did?
May 12, 2011 @ 9:13 am
Most of the time, I agree with you Triggerman. But I can’t this time. This song sucks. The message might be alright but it doesn’t change the fact that this song really sucks.
May 12, 2011 @ 10:40 am
I agree. It more “look how country i is” garbage.
May 12, 2011 @ 10:47 am
I am a pretty big fan of Eric’s music although I do think he’s a jackass. This song may have a good “message”, but the sound/production or whatever the hell you wanna call it just sucks!
May 12, 2011 @ 12:22 pm
Finally another Eric Church fan lol
May 12, 2011 @ 2:36 pm
OK, so here is a professed Eric Church fan, saying he likes Eric’s songs, but that the production on this particular song is bad. Has anybody stopped to think that maybe some elements of the production, like the Auto-Tune for example, are put in there on purpose, as I asserted above?
The whole reason this song came on my radar was someone sent me a link to it because they wanted me to bash Eric’s use of Auto-Tune. I have been on record over a dozen times on this website heavily criticizing Eric Church’s music and public persona. I am NOT an Eric Church fan by any stretch of the imagination. But the first time I heard this song, the message of it IMMEDIATELY hit me. I immediately knew what he was trying to do here.
Many times after I review a song or an album or a concert, I will hear from the artist saying, “Thank you for actually listening to my songs”. You might think, “Well of course you listened to his songs, that what you do with music.” But most people don’t listen, they just hear, and they miss many important things.
Wherever I listen to a song, I separate it into elements: production, instrumentation, songwriting, lyrics, vocals, etc. The most important element of the song is the heart from which all the other elements are built on top of. It is difficult for many people to do this, including myself sometimes, because we all have built up lots of preferences and prejudices about music over time. We might hear one element in a song like Auto-Tune, and immediately have a visceral reaction that it is not music we like. And some may identify with a song because of Auto-Tune. We pigeon hole music because of our preferences. People have said this song sounds like Miley Cyrus and Kid Rock, Creed and Colt Ford, all completely different artists. Why? Because they are reacting to certain elements instead of listening, and because Eric Church purposely put elements into this song to cause visceral reactions in people based on preferences.
The fact that an Eric Church fan admittedly is turned off by the production of this song is the reason I feel confident that my take on it is spot fucking on. My guess is a lot of Eric Church fans won’t like it as much as his other songs. That’s why I do, because I don’t like Eric Church.
May 12, 2011 @ 2:56 pm
Trig, I agree with you and I hear what you hear. I would add, the auto tune is in the portion of the song/chorus when Church is using the term “homeboy” as a condisending rip on the main character (a young kid thinking that cocking a hat and slinging drugs is a good life) but when he uses the term “home boy” meaning the character should get back home to his roots and be a real, responsible man… that is not auto tune. It is Chruch simply saying “come home boy”.
I too am not a Church fan. He tries way to hard with his image. But this song, how it is done is ripping on what we all hate anyway. My guess is it might be toned down for radio, but if Hank III did this, he would crank up that auto tune to make a mockery of it. Church is doing that, but not to that degree, because we can’t forget, he has some record execs. calling the shots. But they did let him walk near that mockery edge a bit.
May 12, 2011 @ 11:06 am
This is ‘Heavy’ Rascal Flatts and a mandolin WAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY in the back so he can feel like it’s a country song.
May 13, 2011 @ 6:06 am
Man, that’s a dead on analysis of the change I’ve seen in rural life (love the IGA imagery of boys wearing hip hop coutre and dreaming of being on MTV cribs). It’s sad, because I remember when kids in my small town got buzz cuts in the summer and wore flannel in the winter.
May 13, 2011 @ 9:23 am
Zach-I agree. While I’m not a fan of most pop country,this song speaks the truth. I see it every day. Rural culture is not being stolen…It’s being given away happily. I live in one of the least populated counties in Kentucky,and the kids(and young adults) here are losing their accents,and their identity. They embrace hip-hop culture for some strange reason,and then they haul ass as soon as they can. Too much TV and not enough farm work. Most of my family settled here before 1800 and my peers find it strange that I talk like I do(they’re the ones faking it) and hold near and dear the old honest ways. I know tobacco has caused many people pain,grief,and sickness..but the loss of tobacco farm culture here has destroyed us. Farms are being busted up and sold,because the young ones either can’t or won’t take interest. I’m afraid we’re up shit creek here.
Great job Trig. I think the world of this website.
May 13, 2011 @ 8:47 am
Anyone else think Eric Church looks like Charlie Sheen? On purpose?
I think one of the reasons people get pulled into liking this song is because of the great cinematography. It’s well shot, it serves up the story so simply a third grader could understand, and the visual production values/tricks are very slick. I think that if you heard this on a radio or cd, without the visuals, you’d have a different opinion: country pop same-as-it-ever-was, same-as-it-ever-was….
May 13, 2011 @ 9:37 am
I don’t like the video and in many ways I think it diminishes the song and emphasizes the bad points about it. The first time I heard the song was not on the video. I think it adds to clouding people’s judgement about the message of the song.
May 14, 2011 @ 9:08 am
I wasn’t really talking about the substance of the video so much as the slick production. The high end color correction and editing, in particular. I think people get sucked in by images. If I listened to Church’s song without the visuals, I think it would just sink into that pop country miasma of Rascal Flats, Swift, latest country “celeb” offerings from this town (Nashville). In other words I’d shut it out and off.
May 14, 2011 @ 8:50 am
Thanks, Triggerman, for a completely fair and unbiased review of this song. I like how you are always able to put your personal feelings aside and look at a song for what it really is. Keep up the good work. Oh, and the song is pretty good too, I have to admit.
May 16, 2011 @ 4:54 pm
I love his use of “pants on the ground”. Epic, dawg. Very original.
May 19, 2011 @ 8:50 pm
WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TO SAY THAT “TRIGGERMAN??” ERICH CHURCH DOESNT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT JUDGEMENTAL PRICKS LIKE YOU TALKING ABOUT HIS MUSIC. THIS SONG IS GREAT ALONG WITH 99 PERCENT OF HIS MUSIC. THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE ERIC CHURCH’S STILL AROUND TODAY
May 20, 2011 @ 6:01 am
…this is a positive review and you have a bad attitude.
May 20, 2011 @ 8:31 am
Love Love Lo e what you guys are doing on this site.
May 25, 2011 @ 8:11 pm
I used to listen to some Eric Church and enjoyed a few of his songs. The more quotes I hear from him though, the more I dislike him:
http://www.billboard.com/news/eric-church-wants-to-kick-everybody-else-1005195872.story#/news/eric-church-wants-to-kick-everybody-else-1005195872.story
I’m starting to think he really believes he is a badass. Also his new cd is named Chief. It looks like its going to have more pot smoking references than a Snoop Dog album
July 31, 2011 @ 8:17 am
You’re an idiot if you don’t think Eric Church is great.
I might sound like a typical fan, but country music evolved just like everything else, nobody will be like the stars of country music in the “old days” if you’re looking for that then good luck finding it. Youre gunna live your life in disappointment if you’re searching for an original, old-fashioned country music singer cuz the limits have been pushed by the 1000s of artist that preceded those of today, the need for a change is inevitable an there’s no use trying to fight that. You’re beating a dead horse, learn to accept new ideas, otherwise you’re just making yourself look like an ass
August 15, 2011 @ 7:39 am
I’m thinking that the article’s author and many commenters havn’t lost a sibling to today’s rough society.
I have.
My sister turned her back on the family and ran away doing drugs and acts like a hoodlum. I havn’t seen her in almost 10 years other than the pictures posted on the State Correctional websites.
And I have many friends who have experienced the same.
I live out in the country, but even though I don’t take care of cattle (or push hay) for a living, this song relates to my very core and I LOVE it. This song isn’t about city vs. country, but rather a song about settling for a simple life and not turning your back on what you ALREADY HAVE.
To say its racist is ignorant. We ALL know the white gangster from the country who ran away from his family…….unless you are some some high-class person who’s above this sort of reality.
This country song is far, far, far, far, faaaaar less racist that what jay-z, kanye, Ice Cube, plies or most any other mainstream male rapper puts out. Is it okay for a black artist to make fun of a black kid for acting white, but not a white country singer who’s concerned for his brother for becoming a hoodlum? Give me a break.
August 15, 2011 @ 7:45 am
i apologies, the author seems to hold the same sentiments that I do.
March 2, 2020 @ 10:58 pm
You don’t understand what “racist” actually means, do you? Ah, you do not, I see.
August 15, 2011 @ 7:43 pm
I get such a kick out of all of you that think your opinion matters- you either like it or you dont. I dont buy or listen to music because of some stuck up snob that thinks his likes and dislikes will effect anything — just like this will not change those who think they are the only ones that know what country is- its all personal and because we live in America we can say it!! — Thanks to our troops!
September 10, 2011 @ 8:29 am
This song is judgmental and negative. It has masked language that may not be directly racist but we all know what he means and who he”™s pointing at. And from such fine christian/williamson county country boys that wrote this. Eric Church sights Willie, Haggard, and Kristofferson as heros. They would never write or sing such backwards ass redneck songs like this. And by the way, Elvis Presley dressed and sang like the african american musicians that influenced him and he was ridiculed and judged by good ole”™ boys like Eric Church.
May 28, 2012 @ 12:30 pm
about the message: he’s not trying to say anything bad about leaving the country to go to the city, hes giving the story of a brother that did leave and got caught in all the drugs and everything else and its tearing his family apart worrying his parents to death. as for Eric Church, Hes one of the only badasses left in country music and i love it. just my opinion though
August 30, 2012 @ 8:33 pm
I like Eric Church. I’m not a country music fan but his songs are interesting. I’ve watched more than a few of his videos on you tube and he really seems to enjoy what he’s doing. He encourages the audience to sing with him and just seems to be having a good time. In an interview I watched he said about Drink aLittle Drink, that personally for him it was Jack Daniels and cigars. As for being so concerned about hiding meanings or implication in songs, well I suppose if the FBI could devote as much time and manpower into to playing Louie, Louie backwards for whatever they were looking for, then it’s fine for a bunch of quasi-music critics to do the same to Eric Church’s music. Be a lot easier on you if you just didn’t bother listening to music sung or written by artist you don’t like.