Blogs: What are they really for?

This is a debate that I've had in my head for a few months now, and I think I can only understand it now that I have my own...What are blogs really for?

There are several types of blogs that I've come across:

1. The self-help blog
2. The agony aunt blog
3. The informative blog
4. The opinionated blog
5. The ranting blog (or slagging-off blog)

Now, although these are all perfectly decent ways of voicing your opinion and/or helping people online, there's one blog that I don't agree with (and to be honest, I'm finding it hard not to fall into the trap of it with this post): The ranting blog.

Every now and again, bloggers like to rant, and so does every human being, but the ranting blogs that I'm talking about are the blogs that are FULL of it. Every single post is a rant about something, but it is disguised in a way that tries to give advice to people or tries to look like you're getting something out of it when really, it's just full of bullsh*t. Each paragraph near enough contradicts the last one, then the conclusion gives some sort of advice or moral to it's audience. I find it really difficult to read them.

What's even more annoying is that these are the blogs that get a stupid amount of views for something that requires not much skill at all. Ok, yes I'm ranting now, but I can't quite understand why these blogs get so many views for basically nothing. With some of the things you can read in blogs, you might as well meet up with your most gossipy mate and listen to them ramble on for a good half hour, at least in this way you're getting out of the house.

Ok, back on track....

The thing about the ranting blog, it always has a theme. It can be that it gives advice or just generally talks about school or something, but at the end of the day, you know that the person writing it has been pissed off by someone and they just wanted to slag that person off on the Internet but in a way that it wouldn't come back to them.

I know I fell into the trap of ranting about this but at least I'm not slagging someone in particular off. I read a lot of blogs to find inspiration or information about a post I am writing, but nine times out of ten I come across these types of blogs. My advice to people is to stop slagging people off on the Internet, gaining hundreds of views that boost your already massive ego, and buy a journal, that you actually write in....with a pen! (shocker!) and keep your slagging off to yourself. If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all :D

(See what I did in that last paragraph? Oh dear, I've become a hypocrite....meh, they need to know...at least most of my posts are information not opinions :D)

Sorry for the slightly hypocritical ranty post. I'm in a lot of pain and this topic was annoying me. I actually hope you have a good laugh at it :D If you have any ideas/topics for me to explain or talk about, email me at sophiimaria@gmail.com or tweet me at @SophiiMaria :D

Nirvana for Xmas No.1 in the UK

We all know too well of the horrors of the Xmas No. 1 Single Spot going to the manufactured Xfactor winner, but what happened to the race to become Xmas No. 1? 

Since 2005, the Xfactor has been wrongly grabbing the Xmas No. 1 Spot, with covers of songs sang by (debated) manufactured singers, which to be honest, aren't that great. But why do we always buy them every single year?

It's the way the public is so gullible that makes us want to buy the Xfactor single. We are presented with a show full of (ahem) "talented" vocalists that takes over most of our weekends, not to mention the unintelligent ramblings of the "Xtra Factor" that we are encouraged to watch, which to be fair, I would rather watch a monkey pick at it's own bumhole...

Yes, I have a grudge against the Xfactor...so what...

...but it's the way we give in to social pressure of buying the utter crap that the Xfactor produce as the Xmas No. 1. 

So why are we so bothered?

Admit it, the Xmas No.1 has never been the pinnacle of musical talent, but it's the traditions we got used to that make us want to buy the Xmas No.1 Single. Since the introduction of the UK Singles Chart in 1952, the Xmas No. 1 has been known to musicians as a very prestigious 'award'. A lot of the time, the Christmas No. 1 spot has been home to charity singles, novelty songs or songs with a Christmas theme. Doesn't sound very appealing, but we do eat that up! In my opinion, the Christmas No. 1 should be something with meaning, or something for the kids! It's nice to have a jolly, alcohol related sing along to the Christmas No. 1 on Christmas Day!

In 2009, we broke (yes, I was part of that Facebook movement! :D...meaning I bought the single several times! :D) the Xfactor Xmas No. 1 streak with Rage Against the Machine's Killing in the Name Of after a successful Facebook campaign lead by Jon Morter. Finally breaking the Xfactor shit streak. But unfortunately, last year, Matt Cardle got the Xmas No. 1 again with that God awful cover of Biffy Clyro's Many of Horror (which was annoyingly renamed to When We Collide...excuse me while I vomit...).

The campaign was critiqued, saying that it would never work, and Simon Cowell wouldn't be bothered if Rage Against the Machine got to No. 1 because they're both under Sony Music Entertainment (Epic Records and SyCo) and lets face it, Cowell probably had shares in the company so he wouldn't necessarily lose out on money anyway, but this wasn't the point! People were fed up with being drip-fed the same crap from the Xfactor, and musicians were/are annoyed that such an important honour was going to manufactured 'artists' that hardly worked for it. The campaign was also raising money for charity, which is what the Christmas No. 1 should do! After all, it is the season of giving!

The new campaign currently underway is "Nirvana for Xmas No. 1" supporting the charity Rhythmix. The choice of charity seems natural after the row between Rhythmix and Simon Cowell after the makers of Xfactor named a girl band on the show with the same name as the charity (see story here). Now it is has come to the media's attention that thousands are behind the charity and are supporting Nirvana for Xmas No. 1 (see story here). I think this is an excellent campaign and I could not support it more! Not only do we want to see Nirvana kick Xfactor arse, but we would be supporting a major charity in this country that deserves a little more respect after it's name was tainted by the Xfactor.

Even if you don't want to support Nirvana for Xmas No. 1, please support Rhythmix as it is one of the UK’s leading music charities, delivering a large range of music making opportunities for young people across the South East region. Since 1999, Rhythmix has worked with more than 40,000 young people, enabling their creative activity through music and developing their personal and social skills. It is a fantastic charity!

If you know of any people supporting this charity, or have views against the campaigns, or just generally want to give your opinion on this, please comment below! Everyone has views on this and it would be fantastic to see what you guys think! I read every single comment so please get posting! 

Also, if you click the links above, you can support the campaign and Rhythmix by going to their websites! Please donate, because as we all know, every single penny counts! 

:D