by Cicely Richard

Created on: January 06, 2009

In 2008, the music industry produces something for everyone. It was the first time in years that music lovers finally found something to cheer about. Whether you were feeling nostalgic, poppy, or soulful, the music industry provided something for your listening pleasure. Some musicians also sent messages that the public was not ready to talk about. That year, women ruled the music charts, and one women in particular set out to stir things up. Thus, one of the best music albums of 2008 was "One of the Boys" by

Katy Perry.

Most people would probably disagree with me when there were so many other ladies producing great music. However, she did something none of them accomplished. She became a lightening rod for controversy and debate in 2008. She managed to make eyes twitch a little when she released the first single on the album, "Ur So Gay," as a computer download. Of course, the release of this song leads to Perry being bashed as homophobic, among other things. However, she stated that the song was about a former boyfriend who apparently was self-absorbed and cared more about his looks than her. This song was a foretaste of the attention she would later receive.

The official first single of the album, "I Kissed a Girl," garnered mixed reviews. Some thought the song was an ingenious way to express a heterosexual woman's curiosity. Others felt that it presented a double standard because a song about two men kissing would not be as readily accepted as this song was. For some inexplicable reason, there are men in this world who think of two women kissing as a turn on. It was considered exploitation of people's lifestyles for the sake of money.

On the other end of the spectrum, minister from various denominations criticized the song for its homosexual undertones. Maybe some of them felt that she had turned her back on God. Before becoming a pop star, this daughter of two pastors sang gospel music in church and even released a Christian album. In light of the controversy surrounding her, what many people may not realize is that Jill Sobule released a song of the same name in 1995.

Sobule did not receive as much criticism in 1995 as Perry has for her 2008 version. The likely reason for the intense emotions around Perry is because of the issues concerning gay marriage in many states for the past few years. Who knows? Maybe some in that community felt that it was a slap in their face for someone to be profiting when they were fighting for their rights.

Her next single "Hot N Cold" didn't cause as much of a controversy as the other two songs. This song was more in line with traditional pop beats with a catchy hook.

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with either side of the issues raised by her songs that year. From an objective standpoint, Katy Perry has a great pop singer voice, and she demonstrated that she can take the attention she's given. On the other hand, I think her music shows that she does not take herself too seriously. Hopefully, she will not disappear into the world of one album wonders and get a chance to grow in her career.

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