Criticizing a Song

Describe and criticize a pop song you dislike in 400 words.
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Follow all assignment directions. (This is a graded assignment.)

Name the song and artist early, perhaps in the first sentence.

Use proper format for a “Song Title”; spell musicians' names correctly.

Focus on the song and your reactions / Avoid research: NO facts from the internet; ZERO research.

Make specific judgments tied to specific descriptions of the song's features.
Not Specific: "His vocals suck."

Much Better: "His falsetto vocals resemble the tinny sound made by a child's squeaky toy on helium."

Not Specific: "The music is boring."

Much Better: "The song uses the same kind of repetitive chord progression found in countless EDM hits."

Not Specific: "His lyrics are lame."
Much Better: "In lines such as [. . . ], Drake mopes and mopes about his girl leaving him, never considering that
she might have split because all his moping drove her crazy."

You should quote at least two different lines of the lyrics.

Eliminate first-person sentences: “I am writing about . . .”  -  “I hate the way that the song is . . .”  
“I couldn’t understand the lyrics so I read them.” Focus on the song.

Eliminate second-person sentences: “You don't want to visualize what he is singing about.”
“You/One can see the people hating this.” Focus on the song.
Also: Don't talk about the “audience” or the “world today” (unless you're absolutely sure you need to).

Use strong subject/verb combinations: "His falsetto vocals resemble . . ." - "The song uses . . ." - "Drake mopes . . ."
Remember: Look for and rewrite "is," "are," "be," "has," etc.
Also: As in the 'Describing a Song' assignment, all verbs should be present tense: "resembles," "uses," "mopes," etc.

Eliminate repetition and wordiness. Think about our in-class activities on this topic.

Organize observations. Consider grouping  criticisms into two or three paragraphs.

Compare a specific aspect of the song to the same aspect in a song that's better.
For example, a bad vocal performance to a good one. (You may make up to three comparisons of this type.)

Compare a specific aspect of this song to a song that's bad in the same way.
For example, a bad vocal performance to an equally bad one.
(You may make up to three comparisons of this type.)

Eliminate clichés: “Paints a picture . . .” – “helps to visualize . . .”
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Format Directions

Use 12 point Times New Roman font.
1.5 line spacing. Make the 400 words fit on one page - change page margins if needed.
Include a signed and dated plagiarism contract.
Staple the two pages.

In upper right hand corner of page one, single space and right justify the following:
  Your first and last name
  Assignment Title
  Assignment Due Date
  State your word count (should be around 400 - a little over or under is fine).