When you watch as many female-themed movies as I do and enjoy them far more than most people think appropriate, you can probably get away with using the normally derogatory cinematic term above. And when you think Air Supply's "All Out of Love" is one of pop music's finest ballads of the last quarter-century, I guess you develop a pretty thick skin toward liking what you like in pop culture and not apologizing for it. That's my cross to bear, I suppose, as authenticity can leave a dude exposed at times. But the fact is that many of the best mellow ballads of the late '70s and early '80s actually hold up as great songs, displaying careful songwriting craftsmanship that defies soft rock's negative reputation. Ultimately, I like to think of myself as culturally rounded for being able to appreciate Music & Lyrics even as I determine No Country for Old Men to be, at the moment, my favorite film of all time. Check out my recent content on the underappreciated but singular music we know as soft rock, and decide for yourself. I'll keep your secret if you feel it's completely necessary.

• Soft Rock Genre Profile
• Top 10 Soft Rock Songs of the '80s