Unpopular Opinions about Music

[Silver Raven]

1 hour ago, Hanahope said:

Bakersfield is like it was rooted up from some southern state and replanted in the middle of CA.  Its truly a different kettle of fish.

Surrounded by desert, cotton fields, and oil derricks.

[UYI]

Queen has many classic songs in their music catalog, but of all the songs of theirs that I've heard, this one is my favorite:

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Who Wants to Live Forever? is unpopular? Not, although the cheese factor of that video is pretty high.

[Wiendish Fitch]

Michael Jackson UO: I greatly prefer Bad to Thriller. In fact, I'll even stir the pudding by stating that Thriller is a touch overrated, because the singles are so darned iconic and bigger than life, the rest of the album is kind of drippy and insubstantial by comparison. Bad, on the other hand, has consistently great songs from beginning to end, and they all stand on their own (though I admit the title track is one of my workout jams).

[UYI]

2 hours ago, Cobalt Stargazer said:

Who Wants to Live Forever? is unpopular? Not, although the cheese factor of that video is pretty high.

Compared to We Will Rock You, We Are the Champions, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Another One Bites the Dust, or Bohemian Rhapsody, I feel like fewer people would call it their favorite Queen song.

2 hours ago, Wiendish Fitch said:

Michael Jackson UO: I greatly prefer Bad to Thriller. In fact, I'll even stir the pudding by stating that Thriller is a touch overrated, because the singles are so darned iconic and bigger than life, the rest of the album is kind of drippy and insubstantial by comparison. Bad, on the other hand, has consistently great songs from beginning to end, and they all stand on their own (though I admit the title track is one of my workout jams).

Have you ever watched pop music reviewer Todd in the Shadows on YouTube? He agrees with you on this. 

Edited March 15, 2017 by UYI

[Silver Raven]

Yay, another Todd in the Shadows fan.  :)

[Wiendish Fitch]

8 hours ago, UYI said:

 

Have you ever watched pop music reviewer Todd in the Shadows on YouTube? He agrees with you on this. 

You got me! Yeah, love Todd, he's the reason I have any idea what's going on in contemporary pop music! When he drew parallels on 21 and 25 and Thriller and Bad, that's what prompted me to check out the latter two, since, embarrassingly, I'd never taken the trouble to listen to either in their entirety.

I love the singles from Off the Wall, but the rest of the album? Well, it isn't terrible, but it hasn't aged well at all.

[ari333]

Ok I'm an old fossil, but I do love some contemporary music. (Fergie, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Iglesias, Pitbull etc) but I hate HATE , with the heat of a thousand nuns :-) .... that Drake and that Weeknd. There. I said it.

[Silver Raven]

I like The Weeknd, and I like "I Feel it Coming", but the line that goes "I can feel that body shake and the heat between your legs" is just crass.

[navelgazer]

On 3/7/2017 at 0:47 PM, Hanahope said:

Bakersfield is like it was rooted up from some southern state and replanted in the middle of CA.  Its truly a different kettle of fish.

Don't forget the oranges.  I stayed in an RV park there and was surprised how much I liked it there.  I went out every night and picked free oranges and scraped those damn pincer bugs off of everything outside that we owned.  

My unpopular opinion for this thread is about commercial FM radio in a large city -- I've cruised these crud bins while in the car and have run into four different stations playing "Hotel California" at the same goddamn time.  Isn't there money out there in a city of plus 500,000 residents to support a Nu/Symphonic/Gothic/Death/Speed/Black metal station for those of us who need such as an anger management tool?

Edited March 27, 2017 by navelgazer

[UYI]

For the talk about Katy Perry not being subtle in her appearance and especially her lyrics, in many ways Taylor Swift's lyrics are even LESS subtle. And that goes double for the many, MANY speeches she's given at award shows, which she often just uses as an excuse to shade people who have supposedly wronged her.

Plus, she's also the QUEEN of the humble brag. If you want to brag about something, make like Nike and JUST DO IT! Don't wrap it up in some faux humility bullshit. UGH. 

(For the record, I like many songs by both of these women.) 

Edited March 27, 2017 by UYI

[AgentRXS]

Quote

My unpopular opinion for this thread is about commercial FM radio in a large city -- I've cruised these crud bins while in the car and have run into four different stations playing "Hotel California" at the same goddamn time.  Isn't there money out there in a city of plus 500,000 residents to support a Nu/Symphonic/Gothic/Death/Speed/Black metal station for those of us who need such as an anger management tool?

I hate Clear Channel, Cox Radio and all the other monolithic corporations that have taken over FM radio. There is no variety in the playlists anymore. Classic rock and R&B stations should have the ability to play music in their genre from various decades, but they rather replay the same 5 songs over and over. Its all part of the pay-for-play agreements between record labels and radio stations.  My area doesn't even have a modern rock station anymore. It has about 3 different rap stations and 3 different EDM stations. No thanks. I'll stick to my CDs.

[Silver Raven]

5 hours ago, AgentRXS said:

I hate Clear Channel, Cox Radio and all the other monolithic corporations that have taken over FM radio. There is no variety in the playlists anymore. Classic rock and R&B stations should have the ability to play music in their genre from various decades, but they rather replay the same 5 songs over and over. Its all part of the pay-for-play agreements between record labels and radio stations.  My area doesn't even have a modern rock station anymore. It has about 3 different rap stations and 3 different EDM stations. No thanks. I'll stick to my CDs.

A new station just started up in Sacramento today.  "Classic rock" for Gen-Xers.  In other words, "classic rock" from the 90s and 2000s.

[27bored]

I hate Clear Channel, Cox Radio and all the other monolithic corporations that have taken over FM radio. There is no variety in the playlists anymore. Classic rock and R&B stations should have the ability to play music in their genre from various decades, but they rather replay the same 5 songs over and over. Its all part of the pay-for-play agreements between record labels and radio stations.  My area doesn't even have a modern rock station anymore. It has about 3 different rap stations and 3 different EDM stations. No thanks. I'll stick to my CDs.

It's crazy. They wonder why the music industry doesn't make money, and I think that's one of the reasons. When you listen to Top 40 radio and they only play the same ten songs, how is anyone else supposed to become a household name? Beyond that, how is anyone supposed to sell albums when it's all about the single? If you hear a single on the radio, maybe you become a fan of that song. But more often than not, you're not going to buy that person's album because what's the point?

I seriously hope one they break up the radio conglomerates like CC and COX. I know that payola is "dead", but they need stricter laws on radio stations being in the back pockets of the labels and vice versa. That's why you don't get a bunch of indie artists on most of these formats whereas the latest molest-me single by Rihanna gets paid eighty-two times a day. It really seems like the last biggest expense in the music industry is keeping DJs and program directors happy.

A new station just started up in Sacramento today.  "Classic rock" for Gen-Xers.  In other words, "classic rock" from the 90s and 2000s.

Oh great. Let me know when they play "Absolutely (Story of a Girl)" by Ninedays. For thirtysomethings, it's that classic from...high school.

[millennium]

I hate Queen.

HATE them.

The most overrated, overhyped, overplayed band EVER.  The world of advertising has developed a reflexive dependence on Queen.  No ideas for a new campaign?   Lay a track of "We Are the Champions" or "Under Pressure" over a montage of meaningless images, add voiceover and you're good to go.

I was a teenager at the height of Queen's career and even then they weren't this ubiquitous.   And yes, I loathed them then, too.  To this day, I have to grit my teeth when watching Highlander.

(Okay, the Bohemian Rhapsody scene in Wayne's World was funny but that was more Myers and Carvey than Mercury).

The Police are next on the list, followed closely by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Hate them all.

[cpcathy]

I can take Queen or leave them, would never own an album of theirs, and I don't think Freddie Mercury has the best voice ever in rock, nor was he the best frontman ever. There are plenty of other frontmen who are great and have wonderful voices. Freddie is not the only one, people.

[Hanahope]

On 4/13/2017 at 6:22 PM, 27bored said:

It's crazy. They wonder why the music industry doesn't make money, and I think that's one of the reasons. When you listen to Top 40 radio and they only play the same ten songs, how is anyone else supposed to become a household name? Beyond that, how is anyone supposed to sell albums when it's all about the single?

I can't remember the last time I was turned on to a new singer or band from the radio.  Every new singer or band that I've gotten into in the last 7-8 years is something either recommended from a friend, or was a track during one of my gym's work-out programs.  Every time I turn on the radio it is the same songs and frankly, I find them all rather bland and 'commercial'.  Then of course, they go on to win grammys and it just makes me shake my head.

[vibeology]

It's very true that a new artist is hard to find on the radio and the ones that do breakout are ones with serious label support (and payola) so that I rarely find new music thanks to the radio. DJs used to create playlists and make music in part to give the audience what they want and in part to showcase the things they love. Now Radio DJs are just there to play the corporately mandated playlists and fill the time between music with something entertaining enough to stop people from changing the channel.

Most of my new music comes from TV shows using songs and bands in soundtracks, people recommending things online, artists recommending other lesser known artists, me falling into a youtube hole and landing on something interesting or me really digging around iTunes and giving random things a listen. I only listen to the radio when I'm in my mom's car. I love pop music and I have no problem with a popular song, but one weekend I was with her running errands for a few hours and I heard "Shape of You" five times. We spent maybe a hour total in the car over the course of the day. That's killing music and radio because after the fifth time, I got out my iphone and put on my own playlist.

[GaT]

3 hours ago, vibeology said:

Most of my new music comes from TV shows using songs and bands in soundtracks,

I've lost count of how many songs I've found because they were background on some TV show, some old, some new, but always new to me. I used to hear new artists on MTV Hits because I would put it on the TV while I was doing other stuff, but ever since the channel became Nick Music, they seriously suck & I no longer get to hear new people.

[Enigma X]

All of my new music comes from TV shows, movies, or commercials. This is not to say that some of my new-to-me favorite newer artists are not played on the radio (and some ad nauseam). I rarely listen and don't know but suspect that a few are. I am just saying I did not discover them on the radio, because radio is just not my happy place anymore.

[Silver Raven]

The damn radio station I listen to never tells me who's singing.  I have to use Shazam to find out who they are.

[27bored]

It's worse because it's not just that they play the same songs, but they also tend to play the same artists. Even when an artist does a song that's "commercial", they wouldn't play it. Take "Yoga" by Janelle Monae. It's a song I could see inspiring tons of YouTube videos and covers and whatnot, but it barely got any airplay. Had it been Beyonce or Rihanna telling you to let your booty do the yoga, it would've been a #1 hit and overplayed. But Janelle, with her intelligent, earnest voice, just couldn't pull it off.

I remember hearing a theory a few years ago that I thought was interesting. I don't know if it's true, but someone said the reason the music industry and radio especially won't introduce and sign better singers and more interesting artists is because they don't want to alienate their current cash cows by moving on. Basically, say if big diva ballads came back in style a la Whitney and Mariah. How many of today's mainstream pop acts would pull off an "I Will Always Love You" or "Vision of Love"? That's why those types of songs don't make it on the radio. Songs with five notes like "Work" by Rihanna or current hit "Shape of You" (which was meant to be a Rihanna song) work better because they're keeping the bar low.

It makes sense even if it's not entirely true.

[Cobalt Stargazer]

11 hours ago, GaT said:

I've lost count of how many songs I've found because they were background on some TV show, some old, some new, but always new to me. I used to hear new artists on MTV Hits because I would put it on the TV while I was doing other stuff, but ever since the channel became Nick Music, they seriously suck & I no longer get to hear new people.

If you get cable through Spectrum, they have a series of channels called Music Choice which is way up on the dial. They don't show videos, but they have "stations" that cater to various different tastes/genres. That was where I first discovered Elle King, who I don't think I've ever heard on the radio, so they have a fairly wide range of artists who don't get the airplay "popular" singers do.

[GaT]

23 minutes ago, Cobalt Stargazer said:

If you get cable through Spectrum, they have a series of channels called Music Choice which is way up on the dial. They don't show videos, but they have "stations" that cater to various different tastes/genres. That was where I first discovered Elle King, who I don't think I've ever heard on the radio, so they have a fairly wide range of artists who don't get the airplay "popular" singers do.

I have all those stations, but I like having the videos, & I don't want to have to choose which genre to listen to. I want to hear a variety of stuff.

[NutMeg]

7 hours ago, Cobalt Stargazer said:

If you get cable through Spectrum, they have a series of channels called Music Choice which is way up on the dial. They don't show videos, but they have "stations" that cater to various different tastes/genres. That was where I first discovered Elle King, who I don't think I've ever heard on the radio, so they have a fairly wide range of artists who don't get the airplay "popular" singers do.

So funny that you mention Elle King. I had heard *something" of her on the radio and really liked it, no idea who was singing (at the gym I don't bring my phone, so no Shazam).

Then in an episode of Reign, there was this upbeat dance music, which I just knew I knew otherwise. Turned out after some sleuthing that that was the Vitamin String Quartet version of Exes and Ohs. And there, finally, I was able to add Elle King's exes and Ohs (and many others) after having just realised that she sang not only that song that was catchy as hell but a few others that I really liked. Thank you Reign :) and Vitamin Quartet :), who also have amazing other pieces. xxxxxooooo indeed!

[27bored]

I love Elle King. Exes and Ohs is a bonafide shit talker and she sounds badass on it. And I love whenever an unconventionally attractive female makes waves. 

[UYI]

14 hours ago, Cobalt Stargazer said:

If you get cable through Spectrum, they have a series of channels called Music Choice which is way up on the dial. They don't show videos, but they have "stations" that cater to various different tastes/genres. That was where I first discovered Elle King, who I don't think I've ever heard on the radio, so they have a fairly wide range of artists who don't get the airplay "popular" singers do.

"Ex's and Oh's" received quite a bit of airplay on both pop and alternative rock stations in late 2015-early 2016, when it really started to get big. I've also heard her song "America's Sweetheart" on the radio, too (and maybe even her song "Under the Influence", though now I can't remember--I have her album). I guess part of it depends on where you live and what company owns the stations there. 

Possible UO:

I know that classic country stations are seen by many advertisers as being aimed at the "wrong" (read: old) demographic, and possibly as being too expensive to start from scratch, but I have a feeling there are areas where they would clean up in terms of ratings and money if more people would give them a chance. 

Edited April 18, 2017 by UYI

[27bored]

Kendrick Lamar's new album is a'ight, but not fall over myself awesome. Kendrick is a high level MC and has good production, but he's on his Woke shit extra hard. Not there's anything wrong with it in general, but I'm not really interested in it for an entire album. And he seems more scattered than normal, which is nice given he still managed to channel it into compelling music.

That said, "Humble" is my shit. I keep telling people to sit down lil bitch...in my head.

Edited April 20, 2017 by 27bored

[truthaboutluv]

16 hours ago, 27bored said:

but he's on his Woke shit extra hard. Not there's anything wrong with it in general, but I'm not really interested in it for an entire album.

That's an interesting criticism because I think he went way harder in that direction on To Pimp A Butterfly than DAMN. He's aimed to be far more radio friendly, in my opinion, on DAMN than TPAB. Also, really, with everything going on in this country and world - "his WOKE shit". Okay then.

On first listen, I do think TPAB cohesively and thematically is the stronger album but DAMN is still amazing in my opinion. But then again, when you're as good as Kendrick, what's ordinary for him is brilliant for many other artists. Also DNA is one of the most brilliant rap songs this year, in my opinion. 

In keeping with the theme of this thread being unpopular opinions, I'd say possibly my most unpopular opinion regarding music is that I just don't think The Beatles were that great. I think they made okay to good pop songs but I've never understood why they were and are so revered. It's also why I will forever love TIME Magazine for naming Bob Marley's Legend (deservedly) the greatest album of all time over a Beatles album, even though they had like five of their albums in the Top 10. The reaction to that was classic. 

Edited April 20, 2017 by truthaboutluv

[GaT]

I keep reading peoples comments about Harry Styles new song Sign of The Times, & they all seem to say how they're impressed by the song & how good it is, & I just don't get it. I think it's a seriously boring song. & I don't understand what everybody likes about it. I've tried to listen to it a few times thinking that maybe I just need to hear it more than once, but nope, still boring. 

[Cobalt Stargazer]

On 4/18/2017 at 9:52 AM, 27bored said:

I love Elle King. Exes and Ohs is a bonafide shit talker and she sounds badass on it. And I love whenever an unconventionally attractive female makes waves. 

If liking Elle King is unpopular, I will come sit next to you. I seldom run right out and buy CDs anymore, but I had to have Love Stuff in my collection after I heard Ex's and Oh's for the first time.

[Wiendish Fitch]

I'll be just fine with Elle King sticking around. I'm so glad she didn't inherit her dad's lack of charm and talent!

[UYI]

She opened on the Dixie Chicks reunion tour last year, and joined them onstage a few times when they covered "Landslide".

[MargeGunderson]

We may need to get a bigger couch for all of us! I like her voice - it's unique in a good way. America's Sweetheart was the song that got my attention. She held her own with the Dixie Chicks! 

[27bored]

If you guys want, you should check out her episode on Live at Darryl's House (it's on the website). Love her personality and she sounds great live.

UO: I think a lot of people are famous only because of one or two seemingly innocuous things that, if they changed them, we probably wouldn't care that much about. Be warned: much of it has to do with hair. Allow me to indulge in some freeform hate:

Taylor Swift -- if Taylor was a brunette with a better voice, she'd just be another country chick you don't give a shit about. The fact that Taylor is blonde and can only hit about five notes means she's always going to seem hotter than she is and slightly overrated. Which is just how her corporate overlords want it.

Beyonce -- if Beyonce started wearing pants, her hair short, stopped half-rapping and occasionally swearing, she wouldn't be as big as she is. I think Beyonce's entire success is hinged on her ability to be, at times, kinda ratchet. The fact that that weave is still long and Rapunzel-ish and she wears onesies with her booty cheeks out and curses sometimes makes her seem like more of a homegirl than she really is. If she started singing more than five notes like we know she can, I think she her star would fade, too.

Adele -- if Adele loses like twenty more pounds and lets her hair grow past her shoulders, I think people are going to stop fucking with her. Right now she's dumpy and regular and we like that. If Adele got to the point where she might actually wear a bathing suit, and stopped wearing the sensible businesswoman bob, a lot of people are going to be like, "Hello? Uh, buh-bye"

Ed Sheeran --  if Ed ever decides to get back to his folk-pop roots (think A-team) and stop this sub-Justin Timberlake white-boy rap shit he keeps doing, no more pop stardom for Ed. Oh, and don't start trying to look nice, Ed. Keep with the unkempt mop of hair and graphic tees and sneakers at award shows.

The Weeknd -- He cut his hair sooo...there has been and will continue to be some fall off. Sorry, Abel. It was cool when you were the ethnically ambiguous counterpart to Bruno Mars, but now that you just look like Maxwell circa Embrya with the vocal stylings of El Debarge (minus the charisma), I think you may have an album or two of drugged-out R&B before we stop caring.

Justin Bieber -- I'll give him maaaaybe two more albums before we stop giving a fuck. I think people like the recalcitrant bad boy thing, but he's closing himself off from his fans, I think he's bad to a normal haircut, and he hasn't become better at what he does. So, yeah.

Miley Cyrus -- The best thing Miley did for her career was cut her long, brown hair into whatever it is now and started smoking weed. If she had stayed somewhat cute, we wouldn't care. We need fake-ghetto, embarrassing Miley in order for her to matter. And that's sad because Miley does have some talent. But as long as she keeps embarrassing herself, we'll keep hearing about her.

Rihanna -- The best thing for Rihanna was her make-over circa 2008 with the short hair and started doing bad-girl songs. Which is why, if Rihanna gets in a good relationship, her career is going to stall. As long as she keeps it light, she'll be good. If she ever decides she wants to stick with one dude for awhile, watch out for her first flop.

I have other theories but that's all I can think of for now.

[truthaboutluv]

On 4/29/2017 at 0:52 AM, 27bored said:

if Taylor was a brunette with a better voice, she'd just be another country chick you don't give a shit about. The fact that Taylor is blonde and can only hit about five notes means she's always going to seem hotter than she is and slightly overrated.

Except being blonde made her one of many blonde country singers. There is nothing different about a blonde country singer. 90 percent of them are blonde. Taylor's appeal wasn't being blonde. It was singing cute songs about boys who supposedly broke her heart and convincing her fans she was just like them - kind of gawky and dorky and relateable. Taylor will fade when her fans no longer buy into her accessibility and so called realness and see her for the shrewd and calculating businesswoman she is. 

On 4/29/2017 at 0:52 AM, 27bored said:

if Beyonce started wearing pants, her hair short, stopped half-rapping and occasionally swearing, she wouldn't be as big as she is.

Except the swearing and half-rapping didn't really start until her Beyonce album. Beyonce has actually shifted her vibe in her last two albums. Yes, she was singing pop songs and had the sexy costumes and moves, but she wasn't as openly and vocally sexual and provocative as she has been on her last two albums. 

On 4/29/2017 at 0:52 AM, 27bored said:

If Adele got to the point where she might actually wear a bathing suit, and stopped wearing the sensible businesswoman bob, a lot of people are going to be like, "Hello? Uh, buh-bye"

Well yes, because it would be inauthentic and likely suck because it would not be true to who she is - personally and artistically. 

On 4/29/2017 at 0:52 AM, 27bored said:

if Ed ever decides to get back to his folk-pop roots (think A-team) and stop this sub-Justin Timberlake white-boy rap shit he keeps doing, no more pop stardom for Ed.

Except the white-boy rap stuff kind of flopped so I don't see that as the reason behind his success. His success has been based on his folk-pop roots. 

On 4/29/2017 at 0:52 AM, 27bored said:

If she had stayed somewhat cute, we wouldn't care. We need fake-ghetto, embarrassing Miley in order for her to matter.

Except she mattered for about a year because "controversy" and then no one cared again. Because again, it was fake and inauthentic. 

On 4/29/2017 at 0:52 AM, 27bored said:

If she ever decides she wants to stick with one dude for awhile, watch out for her first flop.

Well I'd wager to say Anti was technically a flop (unless you count that million album sales that was really a deal her label worked out with Sony, where the album was automatically downloaded to a million people without their actually physically choosing to buy it) but more than that, Rihanna was with one guy for awhile when she blew up with Good Girl Gone Bad -  Chris Brown.

Of course that was pre the incident. But they'd been together for years before that happened. Rihanna's success or lack thereof has nothing to do with whether or not she's in a relationship, in my opinion, because Rihanna doesn't write her own songs. She's still one of the few pop stars who still just get stuff handed to them. So her success is really based on whether or not she can keep getting hit songs from popular songwriters/producers.

Her success will dry up when the next big thing comes along and the top writers/producers are more interested in giving their material to that person. Not to mention that Rihanna was with Matt Kemp for awhile after Chris Brown, while her career was doing just fine. 

Edited April 30, 2017 by truthaboutluv

[Enigma X]

13 hours ago, 27bored said:

If you guys want, you should check out her episode on Live at Darryl's House (it's on the website). Love her personality and she sounds great live.

UO: I think a lot of people are famous only because of one or two seemingly innocuous things that, if they changed them, we probably wouldn't care that much about. Be warned: much of it has to do with hair. Allow me to indulge in some freeform hate:

Taylor Swift -- if Taylor was a brunette with a better voice, she'd just be another country chick you don't give a shit about. The fact that Taylor is blonde and can only hit about five notes means she's always going to seem hotter than she is and slightly overrated. Which is just how her corporate overlords want it.

Beyonce -- if Beyonce started wearing pants, her hair short, stopped half-rapping and occasionally swearing, she wouldn't be as big as she is. I think Beyonce's entire success is hinged on her ability to be, at times, kinda ratchet. The fact that that weave is still long and Rapunzel-ish and she wears onesies with her booty cheeks out and curses sometimes makes her seem like more of a homegirl than she really is. If she started singing more than five notes like we know she can, I think she her star would fade, too.

Adele -- if Adele loses like twenty more pounds and lets her hair grow past her shoulders, I think people are going to stop fucking with her. Right now she's dumpy and regular and we like that. If Adele got to the point where she might actually wear a bathing suit, and stopped wearing the sensible businesswoman bob, a lot of people are going to be like, "Hello? Uh, buh-bye"

Ed Sheeran --  if Ed ever decides to get back to his folk-pop roots (think A-team) and stop this sub-Justin Timberlake white-boy rap shit he keeps doing, no more pop stardom for Ed. Oh, and don't start trying to look nice, Ed. Keep with the unkempt mop of hair and graphic tees and sneakers at award shows.

The Weeknd -- He cut his hair sooo...there has been and will continue to be some fall off. Sorry, Abel. It was cool when you were the ethnically ambiguous counterpart to Bruno Mars, but now that you just look like Maxwell circa Embrya with the vocal stylings of El Debarge (minus the charisma), I think you may have an album or two of drugged-out R&B before we stop caring.

Justin Bieber -- I'll give him maaaaybe two more albums before we stop giving a fuck. I think people like the recalcitrant bad boy thing, but he's closing himself off from his fans, I think he's bad to a normal haircut, and he hasn't become better at what he does. So, yeah.

Miley Cyrus -- The best thing Miley did for her career was cut her long, brown hair into whatever it is now and started smoking weed. If she had stayed somewhat cute, we wouldn't care. We need fake-ghetto, embarrassing Miley in order for her to matter. And that's sad because Miley does have some talent. But as long as she keeps embarrassing herself, we'll keep hearing about her.

Rihanna -- The best thing for Rihanna was her make-over circa 2008 with the short hair and started doing bad-girl songs. Which is why, if Rihanna gets in a good relationship, her career is going to stall. As long as she keeps it light, she'll be good. If she ever decides she wants to stick with one dude for awhile, watch out for her first flop.

I have other theories but that's all I can think of for now.

Not one of these people falls into the genre of music that I like (although I like some songs by a few here and there). I do think the majority of them have some vocal talent (which may be the first UO). The UO I actually came here to express is I think the majority of them will live out their fame in the same cycle as any average musician. It will fade when they get older and some younger musician will be the next big thing in music. Even for average lookers like Sheeran, I believe this to be true. This is not to say they won't have a following, but it naturally won't be as big as their fans age with them and younger folks become teens and young adults.

[truthaboutluv]

16 minutes ago, Enigma X said:

Not one of these people falls into the genre of music that I like (although I like some songs by a few here and there). I do think the majority of them have some vocal talent (which may be the first UO). The UO I actually came here to express is I think the majority of them will live out their fame in the same cycle as any average musician. It will fade when they get older and some younger musician will be the next big thing in music. Even for average lookers like Sheeran, I believe this to be true. This is not to say they won't have a following, but it naturally won't be as big as their fans age with them and younger folks become teens and young adults.

Basically. Really, the hardest thing to achieve in entertainment, is longevity. Once you can do that, you were truly a success. Of course there will be a point where the album sales won't be as huge as they once were. But if you had years of success, multiple hit albums, songs, etc. then yeah you made it. I mean whatever one thinks of Beyonce, she's been famous now for almost 20 years and she's still at the top of the music scene. Hell, she's outlasted and outpaced many of her contemporaries at the time - Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, etc. 

[UYI]

23 hours ago, 27bored said:

 

Taylor Swift -- if Taylor was a brunette with a better voice, she'd just be another country chick you don't give a shit about. 

 

I think Kacey Musgraves is doing just fine, thank you. :P 

11 hours ago, truthaboutluv said:

Except being blonde made her one of many blonde country singers. There is nothing different about a blonde country singer. 90 percent of them are blonde. Taylor's appeal wasn't being blonde. It was singing cute songs about boys who supposedly broke her heart and convincing her fans she was just like them - kind of gawky and dorky and relateable. Taylor will fade when her fans no longer buy into her accessibility and so called realness and see her for the shrewd and calculating businesswoman she is. 

 

That's arguably already happened to an extent, although her largely laying low these last few months has helped her a bit, too. 

[Cobalt Stargazer]

On 4/28/2017 at 10:52 PM, 27bored said:

Taylor Swift -- if Taylor was a brunette with a better voice, she'd just be another country chick you don't give a shit about. The fact that Taylor is blonde and can only hit about five notes means she's always going to seem hotter than she is and slightly overrated. Which is just how her corporate overlords want it

Except that I already know many people who don't give a shit about Taylor Swift, except to make fun of. Her attempts to make herself look 'serious' and 'edgy' are the equivalent of trying to go brunette, IMO, and I don't think even being blonde is some kind of shield against having people realize that you're mediocre, although I've heard that theory floated about Swift more than once. What she does, I suppose she does very well, but I think folks are starting to see her as less of a 'victim' of 'haters' and more of something less pleasant.

Edited April 30, 2017 by Cobalt Stargazer

[truthaboutluv]

9 hours ago, UYI said:

That's arguably already happened to an extent, although her largely laying low these last few months has helped her a bit, too. 

Her laying low was the smartest thing she could do and whatever I think of Taylor, stupid is not one of the things I'd ever call her. I have a sneaking suspicion she's planning to pull a Beyonce and release a "surprise" album with no buildup. The end of this year will be three years since 1989 was released and she's never gone that long without releasing new music. And if she does release new music, that will truly tell the tale regarding whether or not some of her shine is starting to fade. 

Edited April 30, 2017 by truthaboutluv

[SirOsisOfLiver]

I have absolutely zero interest in solo acts. I want to hear a band. I want to hear musicians playing instruments. Which is why I'll never have any interest in The Voice or any other show looking for the next pop star. I just don't care. At all.

[Snowball II]

On 3/14/2017 at 3:34 PM, Wiendish Fitch said:

Michael Jackson UO: I greatly prefer Bad to Thriller. In fact, I'll even stir the pudding by stating that Thriller is a touch overrated, because the singles are so darned iconic and bigger than life, the rest of the album is kind of drippy and insubstantial by comparison. Bad, on the other hand, has consistently great songs from beginning to end, and they all stand on their own (though I admit the title track is one of my workout jams).

Chiming in late, but I agree.  Thriller has a more dated quality that Bad doesn't.

Edited April 30, 2017 by Hrairoo

[GaT]

3 hours ago, truthaboutluv said:

The end of this year will be three years since 1989 was released and she's never gone that long without releasing new music. And if she does release new music, that will truly tell the tale regarding whether or not some of her shine is starting to fade. 

She hasn't really gone without releasing new music, she just hasn't released a new album. She's currently got that collaboration with Zayn Malik which has been on the charts for a while, plus, even though she didn't sing it, she let everyone know that she wrote "This Is What You Came For" (a song I personally hate) which was also a big hit, & I'm pretty sure there are other collaborations I'm forgetting about. 

[truthaboutluv]

59 minutes ago, GaT said:

She hasn't really gone without releasing new music, she just hasn't released a new album. She's currently got that collaboration with Zayn Malik which has been on the charts for a while, plus, even though she didn't sing it, she let everyone know that she wrote "This Is What You Came For" (a song I personally hate) which was also a big hit, & I'm pretty sure there are other collaborations I'm forgetting about. 

Yes, I'm well aware of her collaborations but the point I was making was that come October, it will be three years that she hasn't released a full length solo album, if she doesn't release one and that's rarely been the case. The song with Zayn was a feature and This Is What You Came For was a hit before she admitted to being a co-writer under a pseudonym. And she only admitted that to try and distract from her embarrassing relationship with Tom Hiddleston that was being mocked mercilessly at the time. 

[UYI]

7 hours ago, truthaboutluv said:

Her laying low was the smartest thing she could do and whatever I think of Taylor, stupid is not one of the things I'd ever call her. I have a sneaking suspicion she's planning to pull a Beyonce and release a "surprise" album with no buildup. The end of this year will be three years since 1989 was released and she's never gone that long without releasing new music. And if she does release new music, that will truly tell the tale regarding whether or not some of her shine is starting to fade. 

I have wondered about this myself, but part of me thinks her control freak side is too strong to let her truly commit to that idea, even though it would probably work in her favor. 

[GaT]

9 hours ago, truthaboutluv said:

I have a sneaking suspicion she's planning to pull a Beyonce and release a "surprise" album with no buildup. 

I don't think she will just because everyone will do exactly what you did, call it "pull a Beyonce", anyone who drops an album like that will always look like a copycat now, & I don't think that's something she wants.

[UYI]

One thing I DID notice earlier this year is that, when she played her pre-Super Bowl concert, she said it would most likely be her only concert THIS YEAR. As in, if she does release a new album this year, her concert tour for it won't begin until next year. Exact words and all that.

My UO for today is that, despite all the great songs on their self-titled album and Rumours, I think my favorite Fleetwood Mac song is probably "Gypsy", from their 1982 album Mirage. 

[Snowball II]

22 hours ago, truthaboutluv said:

Yes, I'm well aware of her collaborations but the point I was making was that come October, it will be three years that she hasn't released a full length solo album, if she doesn't release one and that's rarely been the case. The song with Zayn was a feature and This Is What You Came For was a hit before she admitted to being a co-writer under a pseudonym. And she only admitted that to try and distract from her embarrassing relationship with Tom Hiddleston that was being mocked mercilessly at the time. 

I can't wrap my head around why we are supposed to be so impressed with the idea that Taylor wrote that song.  I don't know much about songwriting, but all I hear is "Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-OOH", over and over again.  From what I could tell, her insistence that she was the master songwriter behind it was fueled by getting back at Calvin Harris, for some reason.  I don't think he did anything, but that's Taylor, for you.

Edited May 1, 2017 by Hrairoo

[CaughtOnTape]

22 minutes ago, Hrairoo said:

I can't wrap my head around why we are supposed to be so impressed with the idea that Taylor wrote that song.  I don't know much about songwriting, but all I hear is "Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-OOH", over and over again.  From what I could tell, her insistence that she was the master songwriter behind it was fueled by getting back at Calvin Harris, for some reason.  I don't think he did anything, but that's Taylor, for you.

Because he wasn't toeing the line as far as his comments about their breakup.  He was being honest concerning the media machine surrounding her and eluding to her manipulation of said media.  He was making people turn a spotlight onto her, even though it was a tiny one.  And she (as per usual) exploded it into something it wasn't because she can't deal with people thinking she sucks.

Which is how a lot of her relationships seem.  She spends not even a week with Jake Gyllenhaal and he gets a song written, John Mayer took her on a date and didn't fall at her feet and she tells the whole world he's a dickhead, she spends a month and a half with Harry Styles and he gets an entire album eluding to him cheating and toying with her poor little country girl heart....blah blah blah.

Anyone seeing a pattern here?  I'm guessing Calvin had some receipts on her and that's why she decided to distract everyone with the bullshit Tom Hiddleston relationship.  You'll notice everyone quit talking about her targeting of Calvin once she and Tom were made public.  

Edited May 1, 2017 by CaughtOnTape