Come on, admit it. Everyone has one. That one song you love to listen to but feel guilty about liking it. You can’t help but want to sing along when it comes on the radio, yet you try to pretend you don’t like it. Maybe you’re a closet Britney Spears fan, or you can’t get enough of those cheesy ‘80’s pop songs. Whatever the case, we all know what it’s like to have a favorite guilty pleasure song.

Why do we feel guilty for liking something that makes us happy? We would be embarrassed if anyone ever found out. But why? Is it because we assume other people would judge us? That they would see us in a different light? Pop music, especially today’s Top 40, tends to get criticized by many people. So what if your favorite song is “Starships” by Nicki Minaj? Music doesn’t always have to be deep and meaningful. My favorite “guilty pleasure” song is anything by the Bee Gees, but to be quite honest, I don’t feel any shame in liking their songs. They’re catchy and fun, and I enjoy singing along.

“I think my current choice would be ‘All About That Bass’ [by Meghan Trainor], but my all-time favorite is anything by P!nk. That’s probably unexpected, but if I’m feeling down, I’ll put it on,” Dr. Tony Magagna, Assistant Professor of English, said.

“I don’t know why, [but] I’m thinking of Madonna’s ‘Like a Virgin.’ I can get down and dance to that one any day,” Dr. Carmella Braniger, Associate Professor of English, said.

Dr. Stephen Frech, Chair of the English Department, said his favorite is, “Anything by Neil Diamond. I feel guilty, because it doesn’t have any purpose and is only for fun. They’re nothing very inspiring, but they’re fun.”

“’Happy’ [by Pharrell Williams] is my favorite guilty pleasure [song], because it’s very catchy, but very silly,” Dr. Eduardo Cabrera, Chair of the Department of Modern Languages, said.

“I was a trumpet soloist in high school, so my guilty pleasure songs are mostly trumpet player songs, especially songs by Al Hirt and Louis Armstrong. I love to drive around with the top down in my little red car blasting trumpet music through the neighborhood. My wife says I’m going to get cited for a noise ordinance violation, but I always say who couldn’t love hearing Al Hirt’s ‘Sugar Lips,’” Dr. Randy Brooks, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said.

Instead of listening in private and pretending that you don’t really like Katy Perry all that much, just embrace it! Remember that everyone has a song they feel guilty about, and you’re not alone. Who knows, you may even find that you have a favorite song in common with someone you would have never expected.