Artists/Bands whose popularity I've never fully understood.

[ute4ever]

The Rolling Stones

[mpfunk]

OK I'm late to this thread because of my limited internet time, but I have to respond to a few things.

I am very glad someone brought up the Beatles. Let me say it as bluntly as I can. The Beatles suck. There is nothing that I remotely like about there music. It is not because I do not like older music because some of my favorite music is the jazz from the 60's.

Prince is easily one of the most underrated guitarist out there. He is absolutely amazing. I have a live version of Joy in Repitition and it sounds like he is channeling Eddie Hazel (one of the best of all time IMO) on the song. Prince is a musical genius it is that simple.

I will now proceed to upset several people and list many bands that I just do not get.

U2
Metallica: I do not blame them for being so afraid people were stealing their music. Afteral if I made music that bad I would be afraid that people would not buy it either.
Rush
Journey/Foreigner: other than for comedic purposes. Mainly I do not understand anyone who claims that he can tell the difference between the two.
Beatles: it just needs repeating

I could keep going on but I will not.

[OhioBlue]

Originally Posted by SoCalCoug

A music teacher I had at BYU told us that musicians who have longevity usually have it because they are very talented.

You see bands like the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, U2, Rush, Metallica (his specific example) and musicians like Eric Clapton, Prince, Madonna who have been around (and popular) forever - it's because, regardless of your taste, they are truly talented musicians.

I've gotta register a strong vote here for 'your BYU music teacher was on crack.'

The correlation between actual musical talent and popular success is not always a strong one. In fact, often they seem inversely related. :P I would argue, myself, that for those bands whose popularity endures for decades, it has less to do with talent level and more to do with culture, context, marketing, personality, a recognizable style, and the extent to which certain generations form strong attachments to them.

I'm not knocking them--It's a fact that a band has to be at least good enough and catchy enough to be liked by the masses.

But "very talented" as musicians??? Puhhleeeeease. Give me ten minutes in the local Jr High band room and I'll find you 17 band geeks with braces and acne that have more musical talent than, oh, say the drummer from the Stones.

'Talented Musicians' and 'Popular Music' are like Cougar and Ute fans: occasionally they'll get along and unite, but the majority of the time they're antithetical to each other.

[tooblue]

Ok, I've officially had it ... I've merely perused this thread and cannot hold my tongue any longer … when a band comes along that not only inspires but provides the methods, beats, rhythms, vocal poetry and fundamental means by which EVERY SINGLE OTHER BAND since makes music that is called genius! Genius cannot be overrated … I am sorry, but ANY argument to the contrary is idiotic.

Every band since the Beatles are a derivative -EVERY BAND SINCE … for Pete’s sake even their contemporaries are derivative!

[mpfunk]

Originally Posted by tooblue

Ok, I've officially had it ... I've merely perused this thread and cannot hold my tongue any longer … when a band comes along that not only inspires but provides the methods, beats, rhythms, vocal poetry and fundamental means by which EVERY SINGLE OTHER BAND since makes music that is called genius! Genius cannot be overrated … I am sorry, but ANY argument to the contrary is idiotic.

Every band since the Beatles are a derivative -EVERY BAND SINCE … for Pete’s sake even their contemporaries are derivative!

I could name several bands that are not derivative of the Beatles. In fact I would say the only influence the Beatles had on the music I like is when jazz artists have arranged Beatles songs to try to make them actually good.

Although now that I think about it, there is not nearly the creativity and good music coming out of jazz these days so maybe the Beatles have influenced jazz.

[realtall]

Originally Posted by SoCalCoug

A music teacher I had at BYU told us that musicians who have longevity usually have it because they are very talented.

Was it a prof? Ron Simpson? Michael Hicks? I'm just trying to think of the music profs there who might be into pop music.