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Artists everyone likes that you don't understand

#182
I fell for the corporate bashing 'Foreigner' by Todd Rundgren in the 70's and joined my peer musicians in mocking them. A while back I saw a YouTube video of Foreigner celebrating their 40th anniversary. They had an orchestra, choir, and newer Kelly Hanson on vocals. Hanson just shined as frontman. His voice was incredible, and the band and orchestra were like a swiss watch in quality and performance. Now I no longer hate them and their hit songs remind me of my young years as a touring professional.

I agree that a lot of the contemporary artists don't have that 'shine' that previous generations had. Mostly corporate production and computerized vocal correction. Mass produced songs. Sad.
 
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#183
Rib 13 said:
Im going to go out on a limb and say that most people responding in this thread know that, including myself......... but that just takes the fun of the discussion away :D
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I'm gonna go even further and say that's exactly what we're discussing. The fact that we all like (and are also unmoved by) different things :)
 
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#185
friskinator said:
Ed Sheeran. I don’t get his appeal. His songs are mediocre at best, and I’m still unclear as to how he blew up into a worldwide sensation. I don’t hate him, but he’s so forgettable for me.
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+1 on Ed Sheeran. The other was Any Winehouse. Yes, she had a good voice, but I hated her songs and I always believed she got as much attention because she was a hot mess as she did for her music.
 
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#186
Frank77 said:
It is a reverb-drenched guitar wanking, super repetitive/as quiet as possible drum playing, wig-wearing bore fest is what it is. Or pure musical genius, apparently.
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they're ethno-musicologists from Houston playing Tailandic pop, the guitarist Can Play, the drummer has impeccable time and the bassist (Laura) is loved on TB for playing an unaltered SX Jazz copy with flats direct to amp, that we know was about $149.

only band I never figured out the (musical) appeal of was The Dead (I understand the appeal of 5000 people outside on acid more) although Mickey Heart's drum jams were good. hated Velvet Underground until I got some years perspective, Reed at least had style and John Cale is a musician. They just didn't have but one song, but were a scene and attitude band.
 
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#189
Oddly said:
Rush. Jaco. Neil Young half the time. :D
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I think there is a line between music one enjoys, and music one has respect for musically. Jaco is a great example. Aside from a few songs (Come on Come Over, Chicken, SOMETIMES Tracy) I don’t cruise around putting Jaco on for a joy ride. From a bass player perspective it’s like, wow that is really intricate and complicated. Rush, love their instrument section but HATE Geddy’s voice.

Math metal. Appreciate it as a musician, but much prefer Sabbath or Metallica.

But the popular thing right now I just don’t get, is Billy Eilish. I’ll give credit to difference and originality, but uniqueness doesn’t always mean GOOD.
 
#191
BassBrass said:
they're ethno-musicologists from Houston playing Tailandic pop, the guitarist Can Play, the drummer has impeccable time and the bassist (Laura) is loved on TB for playing an unaltered SX Jazz copy with flats direct to amp, that we know was about $149.
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That's great and all, but their popularity and seemingly unanimous critical acclaim is still one of life's biggest mystery to me. Their music is so lifeless that each tune seem to last for hours and makes typical "your call is important to us" hold music sound like an absolute banger.

The last truly horrible thing I heard was a brazilian jazz instrumental version of Coldplay's "Yellow" while using the ATM at the bank. I'd pick that over Khruangbin every day of the week.
 
#193
Rib 13 said:
Bruce Springsteen
Nirvana
Godsmack
White Stripes
Lil Jon

tons of 00s one-hit nu RnB "This Week's Flava waste Of Time Rapper (featuring Ho Of Da Month and Lil Jon)"

Im happy for anybody that is successful in the music business but I never understood the correlation of the above artists and their hype/popularity (especially Nirvana....and, yes, Im from that era)
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It is all taste. I like Nirvana. From a technical skills perspective, nothing special, but from a writing/composing stand point it is very palatable to the ear (opinion of course). Same with Foo Fighters. Grohl is by no means the best singer/guitarist/drummer but he works with what he has and crafts his own sound and can write a million songs. It is a skill in its own rite.
 
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#200
devnulljp said:
Prince. I just don't get the adulation. Not just the music, but the constant gushing about what a genius he was. I don't hear it, and can't listen to his music for more than about 15 min without the 'meh' setting in (and I really tried). Just not my thing.
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This guy gets it.

I find it odd that I like bands that followed influential bands, but not the influential bands. I loved plenty of bands who clearly followed Zeppelin, but never got Zeppelin. I like industrial-based bands, but NIN doesn’t do much for me, outside of Head Like A Hole.

I did come around on Misfits. I didn’t get it when I first heard them, even though I liked Danzig. Now, I have an unhealthy obsession with them.
 

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