The Most Unwanted Song
In the late 1990s, artists Vitaly Komar and Alex Melamid, along with composer David Soldier, polled 500 music listeners to determine the least desirable musical qualities. They compiled their data and then composed a piece of music that incorporated as many of these qualities as possible, titling the final product "The Most Unwanted Song". The folks polled apparently don't like rap music, sopranos, or songs about cowboys, so their song prominently features a soprano rapping about cowboys. Other features include tubas, banjos, accordions, sudden changes in dynamics and tempo, children's choirs singing about holidays (Labor Day, Ramadan) and corporations (Wal Mart, Coca Cola), and an uncomfortable length of 25 minutes.
The end result, in my opinion, is catchy and fascinating - much more than the sum of its unwanted parts. If you've ever enjoyed Mr. Bungle, I think you'll love this song. You can stream it from the Wired article, or download the MP3.
