The question “what kind of music do you like?” sends me into a state of panic.

That question has become something of a game. A trap to see who can mention the most obscure or unique artist. Of the countless times that I have been asked this question, I tend to answer differently each time.

One answer I never give is that among my wide array of musical favorites, I have an especially soft spot for pop music. I’m talking bubblegum, Top 40 pop music that would make most people give me a quizzical stare accompanied by a judgmental, “What are you, 12?”

While I would say that my music taste is relatively eclectic, I wish that I didn’t have to feel ashamed admitting that I enjoy the occasional (nightly) jam session to my One Direction playlist.

So why is this the case? Why have we developed this sense of superiority and hierarchy based on what we like to listen to? Music is supposed to bring joy — whether that joy comes from a Justin Bieber single or one of Mozart’s symphonies shouldn’t be of any concern to anyone besides the person doing the listening.

It appears that this phenomenon, sometimes referred to as “music shaming,” comes from an inherent need humans have to feel superior. Be it our taste in movies, food or music, there is something satisfying about being able to say “mine is better than yours.”

There are certain arguments about pop music that appear valid — albeit pretentious — at first. Music snobs claim that the simple, repetitive structure of the chords in many popular songs somehow invalidates their musical merit. But last time I checked, very few teenagers are actually music experts, so what gives them the right to determine what music is “valid”?

Nothing about the kind of music that you listen to actually makes you better than anyone else. There is nothing to say that someone who listens to country music is any less (or more) intelligent than someone who prefers jazz.

At the end of the day, the music that you listen to should be whatever makes you happy. Don’t waste your time pretending to like indie folk music if you’d actually rather be listening to Lady Gaga, and don’t waste your energy on people who determine your worth over something as trivial as the kind of music you prefer.

And if someone does give you a nasty stare for admitting you’re a Taylor Swift fan, take some advice from the queen of pop herself and just shake it off.