Unpopular Opinions about Music

[Silverglitter]

My top 5 Van Halen songs are all Hagar ones.

 

Dreams

Can't Stop Loving You

Why Can't This Be Love

Love Walks In

Right Now

 

Nothing against Roth though. He's charismatic and makes for a great front man.

[MyAimIsTrue]

Since we're talking about Van Halen (I much prefer David Lee Roth to Sammy Hagar) I suppose my unpopular opinion, if you want to call it that, was that I thought Michael Anthony's backing vocals were more of their signature sound than Eddie's guitar playing.  I'm still pissed that they forced him out of the band in favor of Eddie's kid.

[AimingforYoko]

Imagine my shock when it eventually turned out that David Lee Roth was not the biggest asshole in the band.

[Enigma X]

I will assume this is an unpopular opinion because artists keep doing this. I hate when a song I liked 5 years ago or more is re-released again as "remastered," but in a fashion where the instrumental organization, instruments, tempo and singing style has changed.  It is usually never better than the original. I am not speaking about a "remastered" work where it cleans up background noise or music quality. Heck, I even find remixes are done better than some remasters.

[DeLurker]

Imagine my shock when it eventually turned out that David Lee Roth was not the biggest asshole in the band.

It defies logic.

[Enigma X]

I never thought that Roth was the biggest asshole just the most immature. I have always seen the Vedders as the assholes. Turns out that they are truly the biggest assholes and the most immature within Van Halen.

 

I like more of Roth songs but Hagar sung my favorite Van Halen songs (When Love Comes Marching In is beautiful). Roth songs always tinged on comical while Hagar's song were heartfelt (for the most part).

[Ohwell]

I thought Tina Turner fucked up Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary."  I hated her cover and the fact that it basically defined her career.

Edited March 31, 2016 by Ohwell

[AimingforYoko]

I thought Tina Turner fucked up Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary."  I hated her cover and the fact that it basically defined her career.

She sang it, but wasn't it really Ike's cover? 

[Ohwell]

She sang it, but wasn't it really Ike's cover? 

I don't know, but it doesn't matter to me if it's Ike's cover or not.  She sang it and I didn't like her version.

[MyAimIsTrue]

I've seen Tina Turner in concert several times (best live performer ever) and while I prefer CCR's "Proud Mary" I have to say it's really fun to see Tina perform it live.  She has an energy that I wish I could bottle.

[Ohwell]

I've seen her live a couple of times as well, and she does bring energy to the song, but I just prefer the laid-back CCR version.

[spaceytraci1208]

I wasn't a New Kids On The Block fan as a kid, but I developed an appreciation for them as I got older. I've discovered that Donnie is my favorite lol

[CaughtOnTape]

I wasn't a New Kids On The Block fan as a kid, but I developed an appreciation for them as I got older. I've discovered that Donnie is my favorite lol

 

He's the only one worth anything.  The other 4 are assholes.  Yes, even Jonathan.

He is fantastic 100% of the time.  I dunno how anyone has that much energy.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Sinead O'Connor may well be a nutter, but this:

 

 

 

is just a shade better than the original.

[Ohwell]

I swear, I don't get all the hype about Pentatonix.

[Shannon L.]

Sorry if this is too early, but here goes:  I love most of Prince's music.  I think he was a musical genius and was very shocked and sad when I heard he died.  However, I hate Purple Rain.  I really hate it.  I appreciate the artistry and passion of the song, but I have to change the station when it comes on.

Edited May 1, 2016 by Shannon L.

[Ohwell]

I wouldn't list Purple Rain as one of my top 10 Prince songs, but I loved the guitar work, especially towards the end.  But then I'm a guitar ho anyway. : )

[AstaCharles]

I was more interested in Morris Day and the Time than Prince in the Purple Rain movie 

[Ohwell]

14 hours ago, AstaCharles said:

I was more interested in Morris Day and the Time than Prince in the Purple Rain movie 

I kind of agree.  I loved the numbers that Morris Day and the Time did and Jerome kind of stole the show.

[proserpina65]

On ‎02‎/‎03‎/‎2016 at 9:33 PM, MyAimIsTrue said:

Let me preface this by saying that I don't listen to pop or top 40 music at all but when my friends started raving about Adele's "Hello," practically making it seem like some sort of life changing event, I decided to listen.  What maudlin, droning dreck.  I don't get it.

I love Adele's last album, 21, but I don't like "Hello" at all.

[Dancingjaneway]

Once Freddie Mercury passed Queen stopped being Queen. Also without Steve Perry Journey is NOT Journey. While I do like Kelly Clarkson I just cannot get into her music. I don't think I have liked a song of hers since "What's Up Lonely"(and  Miss Independent). Peabo Bryson's version of "Minute by Minute" is FAR superior to The Doobie Brothers version. 

[UYI]

15 hours ago, Dancingjaneway said:

Once Freddie Mercury passed Queen stopped being Queen. Also without Steve Perry Journey is NOT Journey. 

 

I would think those were POPULAR opinions! 

[Hanahope]

23 hours ago, UYI said:

Once Freddie Mercury passed Queen stopped being Queen. Also without Steve Perry Journey is NOT Journey. 

It is very hard to consider a band the same once the lead singer is replaced.  The lead singer is almost always the key part of the band, as they are the front person, the one that  is most interactive with the audience, the one who is the "sound" of the band.  Very few bands, imo, have successfully replaced their lead singer, at least the lead singer that made the band its most famous.  Most of the time, when the band replaces the lead singer, future sales are never as good.  I think Van Halen may be one of the rare exceptions to this, though most people I know referred to the band as Van Hagar when Sammy took over for David Lee.  

Now I don't believe Queen is putting out new music, they are just riding on the laurels of the old music, capitalizing on fans who still want to hear the old songs performed and with Adam Lambert, at least they have someone who can credibly perform them (though yes, he'll never replace Freddie).  Of course, Queen can never have Freddie back, so its either get a replacement or don't tour/play at all.  And perhaps the other members don't want to essentially 'start over', but still enjoy playing/touring.  Or they want the money.

I don't know if Journey is putting out new music, or just playing the old stuff, nor do I have any exposure to how their new singer is performing, other than I understand his voice is a near doppleganger for Steve.  At least in Journey's case, Steve could come back, but it was my understanding there was a fall out because Steve had some medical problems, that significantly affected his ability to tour.  So again, the rest of the band wants to continue on, Steve doesn't, and the band wants to play its old stuff, so the band got a new singer.  

Can't say I blame either one, or other bands, but agree its not quite the same.  At least most bands have concerts on DVD, so still possible to see the old versions.

[UYI]

I will be one of those people who admits to liking Van Hagar just as much as Van Halen. He helped keep the band going once DLR was gone, and some of my favorite VH songs (Love Walks In, Feels So Good) are from his era. 

Genesis may be another rare exception to the lead singer leaves the band rule, although the Gabriel/Collins wars are certainly very real. 

Edited May 16, 2016 by UYI

[Shannon L.]

Quote

Now I don't believe Queen is putting out new music, they are just riding on the laurels of the old music, capitalizing on fans who still want to hear the old songs performed and with Adam Lambert, at least they have someone who can credibly perform them (though yes, he'll never replace Freddie).  Of course, Queen can never have Freddie back, so its either get a replacement or don't tour/play at all.  And perhaps the other members don't want to essentially 'start over', but still enjoy playing/touring.  Or they want the money.

I have never met anyone who is as big of a fan of someone's music as my husband is with regards to Queen.  He has every album, knows every word to every song on every album, he teared up when Freddie died and has their logo tattooed on his shoulder.  Just yesterday we were listening to a Queen song and during the instrumental at the end, he says "Just listen to that!  No one can duplicate their sound.  They were amazing."  However, he finds Paul Rogers and Adam Lambert perfectly acceptable replacements when they went on tour.  In fact, we saw them at the Hollywood Bowl with Paul and had a great time and he was ticked off that the tickets for the show with Adam Lambert were priced so high that not only could we not afford even the cheap seats, but he went to Queen's fb page and complained about the pricing because that meant that many younger listeners who were fans of Adam wouldn't get a chance to experience Queen's music live. 

Um....unpopular opinion, to get back on topic:  I don't like Disturbed's cover of The Sound of Silence.  The versus are ok, but they lose me at the chorus.

[Hanahope]

23 hours ago, UYI said:

 

I will be one of those people who admits to liking Van Hagar just as much as Van Halen. He helped keep the band going once DLR was gone, and some of my favorite VH songs (Love Walks In, Feels So Good) are from his era. 

Genesis may be another rare exception to the lead singer leaves the band rule, although the Gabriel/Collins wars are certainly very real. 

 

Agreed that "Van Hagar" was really quite good, I like both equally.  I will say that the current incarnation, with DLR trying to come back, isn't the same, in either case.

Yes, Genesis is probably another exception, as both lead singers did very well with the band.  Different sound, but both good, imo.

I was a bit surprised that David Coverdale was part of the Deep Purple HoF induction, as imo, Coverdale took over singing after the band was past its peak.  I can't even recall one new song DP put out with DC as the lead singer.  I suppose he kept the band going, but, as my post above stated, it wasn't really the same.

[27bored]

UO: There hasn't yet been a female artist who can be the next Madonna. I say this because one of those deep-cable VH1 channels is playing Truth or Dare, and it's dawned on me that even now Madonna is almost unparalleled. Like, Madonna seems like an intelligent, interesting lady, in addition to just being a pop star. She has an epic dating streak and I think she owned her sexuality in a way most female artists don't. And she seemed uncontained and unstudied in a way most pop singers don't.

[Ohwell]

I don't have a problem with Madonna but I just hope she doesn't fall and break her hip.

[Wiendish Fitch]

Oooh, unpopular opinions, I love those!

Ahem...

I don't think "Moonlight Sonata" is Beethoven's masterpiece, I think it's a ponderous, emotionless dirge.

That's my piece on classical music, now onto the more modern stuff (by "modern", I mean in the past century):

I love the Dixie Chicks cover of "Landslide". I think the banjos and harmonizing create a dissonance that actually works.

I like the song "Disco Duck", and am baffled as to why it ends up on so many "Bad Song" lists. Mind you, I'm not saying one can't hate it or think it's bad, but I thought it was supposed to be bad? Not that Rick Dees is a comic genius, but isn't the fact that "Disco Duck" is stupid the point?

I wonder at the appeal of "Free Bird". Do obnoxious people now just enjoy yelling it for requests, as opposed to actually liking it?

Bob Dylan annoys me to no end, and the only thing I've ever liked of his is "To Make You Feel My Love" (Garth Brooks's version, thanks very much).

Brassy, blowzy, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B" Bette Midler will always be superior to smarmy, beatific, bland, "From a Distance" or "Wind Beneath My Wings" Bette Midler, IMO.

Whenever people praise Miley Cyrus's "great voice", I have to bite my tongue so I don't scream "WTF are you talking about?!!" and lecture them about a hundred women or more with better voices.

Andrew Lloyd Webber has his moments... but, dear God in Heaven, I hate "Memory", especially the lyric "If you touch me/You'll know what happiness is". Uhhhh, no thanks, I'll pass.

[Joe]

5 hours ago, Wiendish Fitch said:

I wonder at the appeal of "Free Bird". Do obnoxious people now just enjoy yelling it for requests, as opposed to actually liking it?

I like it. It's not the greatest song ever, and you're probably partially right about obnoxious people, but I like it.

[Wiendish Fitch]

2 hours ago, Joe said:

I like it. It's not the greatest song ever, and you're probably partially right about obnoxious people, but I like it.

I realize now that I phrased my opinion poorly. Liking "Free Bird" does not automatically make anyone obnoxious; what I meant was, does its very existence just serve for obnoxious people who probably never heard it/couldn't care less about it to yell out as requests? Hope I didn't needlessly offend anyone.

[UYI]

22 hours ago, 27bored said:

UO: There hasn't yet been a female artist who can be the next Madonna. I say this because one of those deep-cable VH1 channels is playing Truth or Dare, and it's dawned on me that even now Madonna is almost unparalleled. Like, Madonna seems like an intelligent, interesting lady, in addition to just being a pop star. She has an epic dating streak and I think she owned her sexuality in a way most female artists don't. And she seemed uncontained and unstudied in a way most pop singers don't.

 

I completely agree. There have been pop stars that tried to come for her crown (such as Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift), but from what I can tell? None of them have taken it.

Speaking of Madonna, here's a UO of mine:

Her debut album is an overall stronger album than Like a Virgin. So is True Blue, but that might be more popular.

10 hours ago, Wiendish Fitch said:

 

I don't think "Moonlight Sonata" is Beethoven's masterpiece, I think it's a ponderous, emotionless dirge.

 

 

 

I like Moonlight Sonata, but I prefer Piano Sonata. 

Edited May 19, 2016 by UYI

[Wiendish Fitch]

It's weird, I mocked Madonna mercilessly when I was younger, but only recently have I learned to appreciate her as an artist (funny, the perspective age and nostalgia bring). True, the last song I liked of hers was "Music" (is that unpopular?), and she's certainly made her share of crap ("American Life" still makes me wince) but listening to her old stuff, it's incredibly solid and has aged well in a way a lot of pop songs rarely do. "True Blue"? Wonderfully catchy, doo-w** inspired throwback. "Take a Bow"? Still one of the most mature, devastating break-up songs ever. "Crazy for You"? A tender ballad that refuses to grow old. "Vogue"? Even when I'm 100, I won't be able to resist the name-dropping rap portion. "You Must Love Me"? Refreshingly restrained Webber and beautifully sung. "Borderline"? Veers toward preciousness, but Madonna manages to to make it go down easy. Madonna definitely paved the way for today's female artists, but because she's done everything, no one else will ever come close.

[Ohwell]

On the radio today there was an announcement that tickets were going on sale for a Barbra Streisand concert in DC this summer.  I have never, ever liked her singing.  I used to feel strange because just about everyone else I knew just went gaga over anything she sang.  They announced a contest to win tickets and I was thinking about entering so that if I won, I could sell them.

[ebk57]

1 minute ago, Ohwell said:

On the radio today there was an announcement that tickets were going on sale for a Barbra Streisand concert in DC this summer.  I have never, ever liked her singing.  I used to feel strange because just about everyone else I knew just went gaga over anything she sang.  They announced a contest to win tickets and I was thinking about entering so that if I won, I could sell them.

 

If you win, I'll buy them from you! :-)

I've always wanted to see Streisand, but when she finally decided to start doing concerts again, the tickets were outrageously priced.   I saw she was coming to DC...on my birthday.  So I thought, okay, maybe.  Then I looked at the ticket prices.

Sigh......... I don't think I can talk myself into $500 a seat.  And the mediocre seats are $300.  And I can't sit in the nosebleeds.  So, probably not.  Although, as you can see, I'm still trying to talk myself into it.  It is my birthday after all.

[ketchuplover]

You can't spell music without scum

[Bastet]

I've never been a Streisand fan, either (I don't dislike her singing, though; I just don't get remotely excited/involved), but when she toured in 1994(?) for the first time in eons - and potentially for the last time, or at least for a long time - I was able to get free tickets through my work.  I thought of selling them, because demand was such that I could have made a serious profit, but I figured I should take the opportunity to check her out on stage.  I'm glad I did, because she was pretty riveting and it was really interesting to see the audience respond to her.  I'd have never paid for those tickets, but I'm glad I didn't sell them.

Edited May 21, 2016 by Bastet

[Wiendish Fitch]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who isn't a Streisand fan. At her worst, she always sounds like she's yawning. 

[Ohwell]

Exactly!

[NutMeg]

On 5/19/2016 at 5:34 AM, 27bored said:

UO: There hasn't yet been a female artist who can be the next Madonna. I say this because one of those deep-cable VH1 channels is playing Truth or Dare, and it's dawned on me that even now Madonna is almost unparalleled. Like, Madonna seems like an intelligent, interesting lady, in addition to just being a pop star. She has an epic dating streak and I think she owned her sexuality in a way most female artists don't. And she seemed uncontained and unstudied in a way most pop singers don't.

Ha! For you young ones who probably never read it, and I have no idea what book or author that was, or was it a movie? but I remember "something" when, in any dire situation, the characters would say "What would Madonna do", and just did it! (with pretty good results, if memory serves).   

On 5/20/2016 at 4:03 AM, UYI said:

 

I like Moonlight Sonata, but I prefer Piano Sonata. 

I like all his sonatas and a lot of his symphonies - though when I was a teenager some older person kind of spoiled my pleasure by telling me how much his Triple Concerto at times sounds like a fire truck :( (That older person was mean but she kind of had a point, I guess...)
 

[DeLurker]

My UO: Madonna is not and was not a trailblazer. She is not a music icon although she managed to turn herself into a celebrity. Her drive to do so was impressive, but always reeked of desperation.  As does her ongoing efforts to remain "relevant".

I don't think she owned her sexuality as much as marketed it .

She may have spawned the likes if Paris Hilton and the Kardashians upon us. Which is a crime against humanity.

[NutMeg]

18 minutes ago, DeLurker said:

My UO: Madonna is not and was not a trailblazer. She is not a music icon although she managed to turn herself into a celebrity. Her drive to do so was impressive, but always reeked of desperation.  As does her ongoing efforts to remain "relevant".

I don't think she owned her sexuality as much as marketed it .

She may have spawned the likes if Paris Hilton and the Kardashians upon us. Which is a crime against humanity.

Hey, I get you, because I think above all she's a marketing genius!

My UO: if Lady Gaga hadn't been born before Freddy Mercury left us, I'd say she was him reincarnated - I've just comne upon a 1981 (i.e. prehistory, almost) life concert where he sang We will rock you/we are the champions, and the similarities are eery:

- he sings in a very small white short, and nothing else, which could almost have been called underwear back then,

- after "sensuing" the audience with his (dance?) moves, he moves to the piano (same in the life version of Bohemian Rhapsody, and I never knew he was the piano guy!!)

- he shows big teeth when he sings

-  and he just sings it just right and perfectly on key, as the good singer that he is (was - bummer, the life version felt so right now) 

as she does, doesn't she?

No wonder she chose her name based on one of their songs, they are family!

[UYI]

Bakersfield Country>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Nashville Country.

And this might be less of a UO, but the only true successor to Merle Haggard, AFAIC, is Dwight Yoakam. 

[Enigma X]

Although teen Pop, even when I was a teen, has never been my go-to style, I liked Tiffany better than Debbie Gibson.

[SmithW6079]

Madonna is a weak singer at best; without technical enhancement she'd be awful, but I think she is a master of marketing herself. 

I don't care for Lady Gaga, even though as a gay man, I'm supposed to worship her.

I think Bob Dylan sucks as a singer.

I like Anne Murray and Abba.

Edited June 13, 2016 by SmithW6079

[Blissfool]

I liked The Weekend until I found out he was just one guy. I thought it was a group. I just cannot support his pretentiousness. Is there any other solo act that has done this--change their name to an inanimate object?

[Rick Kitchen]

Owl City is one guy.  Nine Inch Nails is one guy.  And it's The Weeknd.

[UYI]

Dashboard Confessional is one guy.

1 hour ago, SmithW6079 said:

 

I like Anne Murray and Abba.

Millions of people love ABBA, based on their record sales, they just don't like to be reminded of it in public. ;)

I do like ABBA, though. And John Denver. Just hearing his voice makes me feel better. He may not have been "cool", but he was comforting to listen to. 

[SmithW6079]

20 minutes ago, Rick Kitchen said:

Owl City is one guy.  Nine Inch Nails is one guy.  And it's The Weeknd.

Isn't Five for Fighting just one guy too?

[Wiendish Fitch]

5 hours ago, UYI said:

And John Denver. Just hearing his voice makes me feel better. He may not have been "cool", but he was comforting to listen to. 

I unabashedly, un-ironically love "Take Me Home, Country Roads". And he held his own quite admirably against George Burns in Oh, God!.