Every first date has the same game plan: look for all the red flags. The quicker you’re able to spot all of them, the easier it’ll be to realize whether or not you should pursue something serious with someone. The last thing you want is to get surprised out of nowhere when a certain trait about someone sours the relationship.

Perhaps the easiest way to root out these issues is to ask them their favorite artists. In a sense, what they listen to allows you a deeper examination into their psyche. If they play a lot of old-school R&B, they’re probably a hopeless romantic. If they play a lot of emo, they might grapple with depression.

The same idea applies to certain red flags. How they talk about their favorite artists will likely determine aspects about them that will make or break any future dates. We’ve selected three that might help narrow down the process.

Three Red Flags That Could Be Explained Through Their Favorite Artists

Kanye West = Talks About Themselves a Lot, Massive Ego

Even Kanye West will admit to having an unparalleled ego. Frankly, with the catalog he’s built over two decades, it’s at least a little understandable. However, that does not apply to the Kanye stan who works an extremely ordinary job.

Anyone who lives and dies by Ye will probably echo a lot of his sentiments, posing as an innovator and will probably talk your head off at a date, all while not asking a single question about you. If you wouldn’t date Ye and his red flags, you definitely should avoid them with a regular person too.

BTS/K-Pop = Obsessive, Controlling

From the outside looking in, K-Pop fandom can get pretty intense. The BTS army jumped down the group’s throats for taking a picture with Chris Brown. These are their ‘idols’ after all, so they have to make a good impression at all times.

This mindset would absolutely poison any healthy relationship. It’s fine to have some level of expectations. But it’s another thing entirely when every waking moment is meticulously monitored. As loyal and devoted as they might be, it’ll inevitably prove exhausting.

Taylor Swift = Main Character Syndrome

I mean, it goes without saying that the pop star who literally made a song called “ME!” might be at least mildly self-absorbed. Ever since her first big hits, Taylor Swift has made music like she’s the only person in the universe. On “You Belong With Me”, she talks about the cheerleader like the most evil person in the world. If it wasn’t written by a teenager, it would feel a little insane.

So eyeball that woman who likes “You Belong With Me” a little more than everyone else. They probably have red flags hidden in plain sight.

Photo by Lloyd Bishop/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

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The BTS Army rides for their favorite artists unlike any other working in popular music today. K-Pop fans in general are deeply devoted to their favorite groups and singers, mobilizing to shut down any of their biggest critics. However, there’s a reason they’ve compared themselves to the military and not just some generic name for a fanbase. So you could imagine their disappointment when two members of the group met and took a picture with Chris Brown.

During one of the stops on his massive R&B tour with Usher, Brown shared a moment with J-Hope and Namjoon of BTS. Given the group’s stylistic influences, it makes sense that they might align with an R&B legend.

However, due to numerous allegations and run-ins with the law, fans were disturbed. They couldn’t envision their favorite artists aligning with someone who has a history of allegations involving domestic violence and sexual assault.

One fan highlighted the head of the group, Kim Namjoon, in particular. They expressed their frustrations about how the leader would make such a decision without thinking of their audience. “Honestly I expected better but most of all i’m very disappointed in Namjoon,” they wrote on X. “Like you’re their leader and supposed to set an example. But I’m also not shocked because his words and actions haven’t been matching lately.”

BTS Disappoints Fans Online After Taking Picture with Chris Brown

Additionally, another fan shrugged, arguing that this is why it’s impossible to “separate art from the artist.” “This is exactly why disgusting men keep thriving and getting away with crimes,” they tweeted. “’I have no moral compass. No ethics. Zero concern for victims. I want to make an atrocious man more rich and void of consequences.’”

While BTS fans may be particularly incensed that they’re taking pictures with Chris Brown, the R&B star has bigger visions. He and his manager are eyeballing one of the biggest stages an artist could perform: the Super Bowl. “I think it’s safe to say… they need me!” Brown exclaimed after Bad Bunny’s performance in February 2026.

Meanwhile, his manager Anthony “Ant” Wilson told Billboard that it’s an inevitability that he graces the stage. “I also think the Super Bowl would be a great place for him. I believe it will happen,” Wilson shared.

As for BTS, they may not abstain from taking pictures with Chris Brown. But they did withdraw themselves from the 2027 Grammys. The band cited the institution’s new category for ‘Best Asian Pop Performance’ as their primary reason. “We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language,” they told their fans. “We thank Army and everyone who has always stood by us.”

(Photo by Leonardo MUNOZ / AFP via Getty Images)

The post K-Pop Fans Outraged With BTS Members Who Attended Chris Brown Concert: ‘Honestly I Expected Better’ appeared first on VICE.

Everyone, get your crochet beanie and chunky owl necklace out of the donate pile. We’re talking about late-2000s indie pop, whether you like it or not. Are these the best indie pop albums of the late 2000s? I wouldn’t say so. But are they still pretty good considering all the other stuff that was coming out at that time? Yeah, they’re not bad.

‘Aim and Ignite’ by Fun.

A lot of us like to dunk on Fun. for being the quintessential Millennial indie pop guys. But they did give us “Some Nights” and “We Are Young”, which have aged into their cloying sentimentality pretty well. Before that, however, they debuted in August 2009 with Aim and Ignite. This album featured “Be Calm” as the opening track, which was sort of like a precursor to “We Are Young”.

The final chorus of “Be Calm” is the real heavy hitter. “Oh be calm, be calm / I know you feel like you are breaking down / I know it gets so hard sometimes / Be calm / Take it from me, I’ve been there a thousand times / You hate your pulse because it still thinks you’re alive and everything’s wrong / It just gets so hard sometimes / Be calm, be calm.”

‘Volume One’ by She & Him

Nothing says Spring 2008 like Volume One by She & Him. Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward’s indie-twee-pop project didn’t make the most involved music. But its retro simplicity was what drew people in. Plus, the obvious flaws in Zooey Deschanel’s singing voice just added to the strange charm. I admit, I had both Volume One and Volume Two on CD and listened to them a lot. I was going through a twee pop phase, whatever.

The standout track on Volume One has to be “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?”. It’s a bubbly, cutesy little tune about liking someone a lot and wanting to hang out with them, but not wanting to make the first move. “Why do you let me stay here / All by myself / Why don’t you come and play here / I’m just sitting on the shelf”. As if saying, “Hey, why don’t you ask me out? I’m just sitting here with nothing to do!”

‘Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future’ by The Bird and the Bee

Indie pop duo The Bird and the Bee released their second album Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future in January 2009. This album is one of the better ones that came out of late-2000s indie pop with a hint of twee, and it holds up surprisingly well today.

That longevity has a lot to do with the layered styles on the album. For example, “My Love” is a quintessential 2009 romantic pop song, while “Witch” is a luxurious swirl of vintage style. By utilizing a range of stylistic elements, the duo created a timeless collection of indie pop delights.

Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic

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