Ylvis' 'The Fox': A Cultural Examination

Last Thursday, Music Times introduced you to Ylvis' "The Fox" video. Since then, the video has gone even more viral. It now (at press time) has 17,106,812 views on YouTube.

So here's the question: Is it going viral because people talked about how it would go viral (a self-fulfilling prophecy sort of thing)? Or is it going viral because it is actually that great?

The more people talk about it being the "next big thing" (we are guilty of this), the more people are going to watch it. Those people are going to share it because they want to jump on the bandwagon and be "in the know" of popular culture. And that cycle continues until, before you know it, you have a video that has been viewed more than 17 million times in less than a week.

Do we even like this song? Here at Music Times, we asked ourselves this question when the video first popped up. We couldn't deny that it was catchy and that it totally fit in with today's pop clichés and techno beats. Its melodramatic lyrics are ridiculous enough for us to appreciate the parody. And those dance moves... Yes.

But the fact that this Norwegian duo has been making ridiculous videos for years makes us wonder why "The Fox" is the first song to get serious recognition.

It seems as if their other songs are just about as random and melodramatic. From contemplating the meaning of Stonehenge, to scientifically examining the inner-workings of the female reproductive organ, to honoring a United Nations Human Rights hero, this group definitely knows how to parody modern music using comedic lyrics.

We may never know if we actually like this video, or if we fell like we are supposed to like this video. But let us know what you think! Leave us your examination in the comments section below!

Tags
What Does the Fox Say?, Ylvis
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