Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig has defended selfies.

The term for a self-portrait style shot has become increasingly common in 2013 and was recently named word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries editors. However, a backlash has begun against the term with some critics claiming the popularity of selfies is indicative of a vain and narcissistic generation.

Koenig, however, launched a staunch defence of the selfie in a new interview with Rolling Stone. Discussing the phenomenon, he said: "I'm definitely pro-selfie. I think that anybody who's anti-selfie is really just a hater. Because, truthfully, why shouldn't people take pictures of themselves? When I'm on Instagram and I see that somebody took a picture of themselves, I'm like, 'Thank you.' I don't need to see a picture of the sky, the trees, plants. There's only one you. For you to be able to take a picture of yourself that you feel good enough about to share with the world - I think that's a great thing."

Continuing his possibly tongue-in-cheek defence, Koenig said: "There's all this bullshit about 't`he younger kids today are more self-absorbed.' It's like, give me a fucking break! I've been in nursing homes, where my grandma is. I've seen some of the most selfish people on the planet in there. And the world that these kids are born into literally could not get more selfish. The world is so fucked-up and unequal and full of assholes. You can't blame it on the younger generation."

Earlier this year, Koenig published a review of Drake's new album 'Nothing Was The Same'. Vampire Weekend released their third album, 'Modern Vampires Of The City', in 2013.