Need any more proof that "popular" music has it rock bottom?

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Posted: 12/23/2005 9:15:05 AM EDT

Mariah ties Elvis with 17th No. 1 single

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Mariah Carey moved a step closer to the Beatles' record of 20 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 Thursday as "Don't Forget About Us" ascended one rung to the top of the singles chart in its 11th week.

With 17 chart-toppers, she now ties Elvis Presley at No. 2 on the all-time list, and becomes the only artist to post two No. 1 songs on the Hot 100 in 2005.

"Don't Forget About Us" is also Carey's 16th No. 1 as a songwriter, tying with Barry Gibb for third place. Only Paul McCartney with 32 and John Lennon with 26 have more.

(Many Elvis fans claim the King had 18 No. 1 hits, citing Joel Whitburn's indispensable tome "Top Pop Singles." But he differs from Billboard in some key respects, and counts the double-sided single "Don't Be Cruel"/"Hound Dog" as two No. 1 hits, while Billboard counts it as one.)

In other news, McDonalds is the most popular resturaunt and The National Enquirer is the most popular newspaper in the world.

So much for popularity.

Posted: 12/23/2005 9:18:18 AM EDT

[#1]

I needed no more evidence than the realization that Green Day - a mediocre '90s band at best - is hailed as revolutionary these days.

More good music was ignored or flushed down the toilet in any one year in the early/mid 90s than will be produced in the entire decade of the musically bereft 2000s.

Posted: 12/23/2005 9:18:31 AM EDT

[#2]

Popularity is the primary factor in determining validity.

Posted: 12/23/2005 9:19:43 AM EDT

[#3]

I can sing the theme from "Under Dog"...

Posted: 12/23/2005 9:22:09 AM EDT

[#4]

ROck n Roll is DEAD. I haven't heard anything really worth listening to in about 8 or 9 years.

Posted: 12/23/2005 9:28:49 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
I needed no more evidence than the realization that Green Day - a mediocre '90s band at best - is hailed as revolutionary these days.

More good music was ignored or flushed down the toilet in any one year in the early/mid 90s than will be produced in the entire decade of the musically bereft 2000s.

You mean playing the same 3 chords over and over again isn't revolutionary?

Posted: 12/23/2005 9:33:18 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
I needed no more evidence than the realization that Green Day - a mediocre '90s band at best - is hailed as revolutionary these days.

More good music was ignored or flushed down the toilet in any one year in the early/mid 90s than will be produced in the entire decade of the musically bereft 2000s.

Just FYI, when Rolling Stone did their list of most important albums of all time, 7 of the top 10 were from the 60s. The 90s weren't even close.

Posted: 12/23/2005 9:39:04 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I needed no more evidence than the realization that Green Day - a mediocre '90s band at best - is hailed as revolutionary these days.

More good music was ignored or flushed down the toilet in any one year in the early/mid 90s than will be produced in the entire decade of the musically bereft 2000s.

You mean playing the same 3 chords over and over again isn't revolutionary?

+1

Greenday is about as reveloutionary as George Thorogood....

Who I like very much, btw.

The thing about music is; Everyone has thier own ear, and, ideas about what they like
and don't like. I didn't like much of what came out in the 90's. I went through a
very brief grunge phase towards '95, when it was on it's way out, but, that's it.

Honestly, I just pick and choose my artists ala carte now, without regard to genre
or popularity.

There is actually VERY good music being made...It just doesn't get exposure.

That's the great part about being able to get music online.

It's almost like searching through a record store.

Yes...I said record store

Remember when they had those places, with people who cared, a little too
much about the music, but were always playing some obscure track that
was really really cool?

Kinda what browseing tunes online is like for me now.

Posted: 12/23/2005 9:40:05 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I needed no more evidence than the realization that Green Day - a mediocre '90s band at best - is hailed as revolutionary these days.

More good music was ignored or flushed down the toilet in any one year in the early/mid 90s than will be produced in the entire decade of the musically bereft 2000s.

Just FYI, when Rolling Stone did their list of most important albums of all time, 7 of the top 10 were from the 60s. The 90s weren't even close.

Becasue that's the last decade Rolling Stone was relevant in.

Posted: 12/23/2005 9:41:50 AM EDT

[#9]

Every decade has had it's fair share of crap-ola. It just seems to be more prevalent now than it used to.

I'm gonna toss a Cream LP on the turntable now, and forget about everything else.

Posted: 12/23/2005 9:42:24 AM EDT

[#10]

I would rather look at Mariah's naked body than John Lennon's.

I think that is the key, and she really does have a great range.

(I don't own any of her music.)

Posted: 12/23/2005 9:42:48 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I needed no more evidence than the realization that Green Day - a mediocre '90s band at best - is hailed as revolutionary these days.

More good music was ignored or flushed down the toilet in any one year in the early/mid 90s than will be produced in the entire decade of the musically bereft 2000s.

Just FYI, when Rolling Stone did their list of most important albums of all time, 7 of the top 10 were from the 60s. The 90s weren't even close.

Becasue that's the last decade Rolling Stone was relevant in.

Perhaps. the subject of the magazine is rock and roll. Or maybe it is just because music has gone into a really dull, boring era with a lot of mindless, repetitive crap that was done better by someone else before.

Posted: 12/23/2005 9:44:45 AM EDT

[#12]

Since about 1994, most of all mainstream music has been CRAP.

Most ALL of the music I buy now are on indie lables or from the artist themselves.

Look..and you will find it!

Posted: 12/23/2005 9:46:57 AM EDT

[#13]

most music is shit. i tend to shy away from any band that has "top hits"... as far as i can tell, 13 year old teenage girls are usually the ones that decide which songs should be on the top of the chart.

all pop music is shit
modern commerialized rock is shit
commercial rap is shit(to include R&B, soul, and all that other trash)
country... it all sounds the same to me.

i'll stick to my metal(real metal, not the shit on the radio), good rap(i know some of y'all can't fathom the concept), and good rock(usually stuff that was recorded before 2000).

Posted: 12/23/2005 9:53:22 AM EDT

[#14]

This is the quandry I am in now. I can't tell if Music sucks or i am just an out of touch old fart!

Am i too old to rock-n-roll, too young to die???

...........................

ETA: I think that there is no "law" that says music has to get better with time like wine. Some eras are good some suck ass till eventually they fade away and something new comes along. Look at classical, most listeners think that it reached it's peak in 1800 and was dead by 1890. NOw it's just rehashes. Same with Jazz, once it WAS the popular music of America and now it's not even on the dial. All good things come to an end, is this the twilight era of rock n roll?!?!?!

Posted: 12/23/2005 9:54:42 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
Popularity is the primary factor in determining validity.

Hmm. So life really is just like high school......

Posted: 12/23/2005 9:56:15 AM EDT

[#16]

There's still plenty of good metal being made...it's just that alot of it is from overseas.
And really metal is all I listen too, I accepted anything that will get airplay is for the most part going to suck long ago.

Posted: 12/23/2005 9:58:19 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
This is the quandry I am in now. I can't tell if Music sucks or i am just an out of touch old fart! Am i too old to rock-n-roll, too young to die??? ...........................

Answer: all of the above, t-stox, all of the above....

ETA: Homer Simpson: Let's go up on the roof and play really loud for everybody to hear.

George Harrison:It's been done.

Posted: 12/23/2005 10:02:39 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
Every decade has had it's fair share of crap-ola. It just seems to be more prevalent now than it used to.

I'm gonna toss a Cream LP on the turntable now, and forget about everything else.

Turntable?
WTF?

You must be really old Subnet.

Posted: 12/23/2005 10:06:48 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Every decade has had it's fair share of crap-ola. It just seems to be more prevalent now than it used to.

I'm gonna toss a Cream LP on the turntable now, and forget about everything else.

Turntable?
WTF?

You must be really old Subnet.

[edmcmahon]How old is he?

[johnnycarson]Subnet's so old he plays LPs on a Victrola...

[edmcmahon]Ho-ooooh. Yes! You are correct, sir!

Posted: 12/23/2005 10:09:23 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I needed no more evidence than the realization that Green Day - a mediocre '90s band at best - is hailed as revolutionary these days.

More good music was ignored or flushed down the toilet in any one year in the early/mid 90s than will be produced in the entire decade of the musically bereft 2000s.

Just FYI, when Rolling Stone did their list of most important albums of all time, 7 of the top 10 were from the 60s. The 90s weren't even close.

I have no doubt of that whatsoever. But don't give Rolling Stone too much credence. They also liked that Andrew WK guy.

If you buy much stuff off their "OMG THIS IS THE BEST EVERRR!" list, you'll have a lot of wasted money in your music racks!

I'd put the 90s as a second only to the 60s in terms of musical creativity. I'm constantly finding lesser-known acts or albums from both decades that were glossed over at the time only because there was stuff that was even better out there, both popular and not-so-popular.

The 60s produced some of the best bands and individual talents ever, IMHO. The 90s was more "people's rock" and there was some amazing music being made then.

What is being produced today isn't even like the 80s... It's soulless pap.

Posted: 12/23/2005 10:16:44 AM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Every decade has had it's fair share of crap-ola. It just seems to be more prevalent now than it used to.

I'm gonna toss a Cream LP on the turntable now, and forget about everything else.

Turntable?
WTF?

You must be really old Subnet.

I'm 26. They sound better.

Posted: 12/23/2005 10:19:14 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I needed no more evidence than the realization that Green Day - a mediocre '90s band at best - is hailed as revolutionary these days.

More good music was ignored or flushed down the toilet in any one year in the early/mid 90s than will be produced in the entire decade of the musically bereft 2000s.

Just FYI, when Rolling Stone did their list of most important albums of all time, 7 of the top 10 were from the 60s. The 90s weren't even close.

I have no doubt of that whatsoever. But don't give Rolling Stone too much credence. They also liked that Andrew WK guy. If you buy much stuff off their "OMG THIS IS THE BEST EVERRR!" list, you'll have a lot of wasted money in your music racks!

I'd put the 90s as a second only to the 60s in terms of musical creativity. I'm constantly finding lesser-known acts or albums from both decades that were glossed over at the time only because there was stuff that was even better out there, both popular and not-so-popular.

The 60s produced some of the best bands and individual talents ever, IMHO. The 90s was more "people's rock" and there was some amazing music being made then.

What is being produced today isn't even like the 80s... It's soulless pap.

The problem is that popular culture- not just music, but especially music- has run out of ideas.

There is nothing intrinsically new in rock since about 1969 or so. Just different sounds and instruments, but I can hear an album of today's music and pick a song or artist they are consciously or unconsciously, directly or indirectly copying from back then when this limited art form came out.

Nobody knew what they were doing back then- they just went on gut instinct and creativity. Today, it's all corporate planning, focus groups, lawyers vetting things to avoid plagiarism/copyright issues, and above all, lefty political correctness is everywhere. Ted Nugent would not get a recording comtract today becasue of his political views alone.

Every rock guitar player and drummer is imitating somebody else. When was the last time we heard a rock drummer who was recognizable by his playing or sound alone? John Bonham? Now, you don't even have to learn an instrument- just sample John Bonham...

Indeed, as George Harrison said on The Simpsons, "It's (all) been done"....

Posted: 12/23/2005 10:20:47 AM EDT

[#23]

I have been saying it for years and I'll continue saying it, when Nirvana became really popular, rock-n-roll died. Those Nirvana bastards (along with all that other Seattle Grunge bullshit) killed rock!

Posted: 12/23/2005 10:22:09 AM EDT

[#24]

MTV killed rock.

In as much it is not about the songwriting, the playing or the singing now. It's about the look, the gimmick, the slick production of the videos the artist hire to direct and produce for them.

Posted: 12/23/2005 10:23:35 AM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
I have been saying it for years and I'll continue saying it, when Nirvana became really popular, rock-n-roll died. Those Nirvana bastards (along with all that other Seattle Grunge bullshit) killed rock!

I hear ya, but it did put an end to Poison, Faster Pussycat, LA Guns, and a bunch of other worthless shit. I'm no Nirvana fan, but I'd shake Kurt's hand and thank him if he was still alive. Alot of good stuff died, but a lot of crap got deep sixed.

Posted: 12/23/2005 10:29:51 AM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
MTV killed music.

In as much it is not about the songwriting, the playing or the singing now. It's about the look, the gimmick, the slick production of the videos the artist hire to direct and produce for them.

fixed it.

Music is becoming like the news, people go out there and buy whatever somebody else says is great. I don't listen to the radio except for the stations that play mostly older shit. All the new stuff I listen to never goes to radio

Posted: 12/23/2005 10:33:46 AM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
Quoted:
MTV killed music.

In as much it is not about the songwriting, the playing or the singing now. It's about the look, the gimmick, the slick production of the videos the artist hire to direct and produce for them.

fixed it.

Music is becoming like the news, people go out there and buy whatever somebody else says is great. I don't listen to the radio except for the stations that play mostly older shit. All the new stuff I listen to never goes to radio

Affirmative. I have burned all my music CD's to MP3's and listen to those at work or in in the vehicle.

The last time I turned on the local Clearchannel 'rock' station, it was playing the same old college rock it was playing 4 years ago.

It's AM radio in the morning and afternoon to keep current .

Posted: 12/23/2005 10:33:58 AM EDT

[#28]

Todays metal bands are still good. Everything else suxors!

Posted: 12/23/2005 10:50:10 AM EDT

[#29]

Music peaked around the turn of the 20th century (is that the right way to say it? I mean around the year 1900) and it's been going downhill ever since.

Posted: 12/23/2005 10:53:10 AM EDT

[#30]

If you do need more proof.....

The fact that D4L's "shake that laffy taffy" is playing on top 40 radio did it for me. A really bad rap song set to a 1980's Nintendo Beat.

Posted: 12/23/2005 11:37:37 AM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Every decade has had it's fair share of crap-ola. It just seems to be more prevalent now than it used to.

I'm gonna toss a Cream LP on the turntable now, and forget about everything else.

Turntable?
WTF?

You must be really old Subnet.

I'm 26. They sound better.

So you've never heard of these things called casettes? or CD's? or MP3's?

j/k with you Subnet.

Posted: 12/23/2005 11:50:12 AM EDT

[#32]

and the big wheel turns on and on......

Posted: 12/23/2005 11:54:00 AM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
I would rather look at Mariah's naked body than John Lennon's.

I think that is the key, and she really does have a great range.

(I don't own any of her music.)

RACK is key...along with a sort of clueless persona....everyguy's afternoon dream..

It's a marketing miracle....a confluence of the heights and the depths...

Posted: 12/23/2005 12:03:04 PM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:
MTV killed rock.

In as much it is not about the songwriting, the playing or the singing now. It's about the look, the gimmick, the slick production of the videos the artist hire to direct and produce for them.

Ding Ding Ding! Folks, we have a winner! You are right on the money, my friend.

Posted: 12/23/2005 12:25:22 PM EDT

[#35]

The problem is that popular culture- not just music, but especially music- has run out of ideas.

yep

Posted: 12/23/2005 12:27:38 PM EDT

[#36]

I miss the days when www.mp3.com was up. You could taste all sorts of different music by independent artists. There was some really good stuff up on there. The free market was winning.

Now it's gone.

Posted: 12/23/2005 12:45:01 PM EDT

[#37]

I gotta weigh in on this one. IMO there are two problems here. One is that the entire music catalog of the late 50's through five minutes ago is available at this moment. Any artist out there has to be better than the top 2% of all that has gone before to be worth any kind of mention at all.

Consider that the top twenty albums of each of those years were all at least decent. And if it wasn't a Top 20 album that year but was widely recognized as being a classic that's fine too. So, that's about 1000 albums of good music that's out there right now. You have to be in the top 2% to even break into that group.

How many people do you know that have 1000+ CD's?

ANd why bother sifting through all the pablum that's out there to find something better? You can just go check a list and see Johnny Cash, Robert Johnson, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, The Bee Gees, The Ramones, Slayer, Satriani, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Nirvana, Ministry, Queen, Bach, Duke Ellington, Alfred Brendel, Harry James, a dozen different swing box sets, 60's girl group box sets, the Beach Boys, The Eagles, Hank Williams (the First), where does it end? Why should I bother spending a hundred hours researching little-known metal acts when I can just pick up the top 50 giants and then move on to something amazing like Pink Floyd - Animals? Why bother?

Betcha the music industry is figuring this out. They need to get their asses in gear and come up with something better than what they've got now.

Posted: 12/23/2005 12:46:38 PM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:
Quoted:
MTV killed rock.

In as much it is not about the songwriting, the playing or the singing now. It's about the look, the gimmick, the slick production of the videos the artist hire to direct and produce for them.

Ding Ding Ding! Folks, we have a winner! You are right on the money, my friend.

This is true, would Janis Joplin have a chance in hell of getting a video on MTV? No way in hell. How about Bob Dylan? Nope.

Posted: 12/23/2005 12:54:33 PM EDT

[#39]

"Speed of lightning............"

Quoted:
I can sing the theme from "Under Dog"...

Posted: 12/23/2005 1:00:35 PM EDT

[#40]

Quoted:
Popularity is the primary factor in determining validity.

Does this apply to Presidential elections?

Posted: 12/23/2005 1:27:37 PM EDT

[#41]

Sounds like you are all a bunch of old goats who don't remember how bad music once was.

For every Beatles, there was ten poor imitations.

For every Led Zeppelin, there were 20 bad impersonators.

And there has always been bad pop music. At least the boy bands are gone.

Posted: 12/23/2005 1:33:54 PM EDT

[#42]

Quoted:
There's still plenty of good metal being made...it's just that alot of it is from overseas.
And really metal is all I listen too, I accepted anything that will get airplay is for the most part going to suck long ago.

List some bands so we can check it out.

Posted: 12/23/2005 1:38:09 PM EDT

[#43]

Quoted:
Sounds like you are all a bunch of old goats who don't remember how bad music once was.

For every Beatles, there was ten poor imitations.

For every Led Zeppelin, there were 20 bad impersonators.

And there has always been bad pop music. At least the boy bands are gone.

Yeah, but there was a Beatles, and a Led Zeppelin, and a lot of others.

Posted: 12/23/2005 1:39:12 PM EDT

[#44]

The best music was made during the 70's. Period!

Posted: 12/23/2005 1:45:34 PM EDT

[#45]

Quoted:
Sounds like you are all a bunch of old goats who don't remember how bad music once was.

For every Beatles, there was ten poor imitations.

For every Led Zeppelin, there were 20 bad impersonators.

And there has always been bad pop music. At least the boy bands are gone.

LOL- The problem with your argument is that every one of those "poor imitations" and "bad impersonators" were better than what's going on today!

Posted: 12/23/2005 1:47:37 PM EDT

[#46]

Quoted:
I gotta weigh in on this one. IMO there are two problems here. One is that the entire music catalog of the late 50's through five minutes ago is available at this moment. Any artist out there has to be better than the top 2% of all that has gone before to be worth any kind of mention at all.

Consider that the top twenty albums of each of those years were all at least decent. And if it wasn't a Top 20 album that year but was widely recognized as being a classic that's fine too. So, that's about 1000 albums of good music that's out there right now. You have to be in the top 2% to even break into that group.

How many people do you know that have 1000+ CD's?

ANd why bother sifting through all the pablum that's out there to find something better? You can just go check a list and see Johnny Cash, Robert Johnson, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, The Bee Gees, The Ramones, Slayer, Satriani, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Nirvana, Ministry, Queen, Bach, Duke Ellington, Alfred Brendel, Harry James, a dozen different swing box sets, 60's girl group box sets, the Beach Boys, The Eagles, Hank Williams (the First), where does it end? Why should I bother spending a hundred hours researching little-known metal acts when I can just pick up the top 50 giants and then move on to something amazing like Pink Floyd - Animals? Why bother?

Betcha the music industry is figuring this out. They need to get their asses in gear and come up with something better than what they've got now.

Problem is, Peak: We want to roll with the new from time to time.

And the music industry will continue to miss the point until the day they realize that people downloading MP3s isn't/wasn't the problem in the first place, it was the utter dearth of talent they were putting out.

Posted: 12/23/2005 1:49:42 PM EDT

[#47]

Quoted:
Sounds like you are all a bunch of old goats who don't remember how bad music once was.

For every Beatles, there was ten poor imitations.

For every Led Zeppelin, there were 20 bad impersonators.

And there has always been bad pop music. At least the boy bands are gone.

But the Backstreet Boys are still performing(UGH)