Um, are there still any pop stars?

[chk071]

Well, like or not, but, i don't think anyone can argue that she is NOT a star, even today. TBH, i don't see much of a difference between stardom nowadays either.

I disagree. Nowadays, the stars are Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Alicia Keys, the rappers (I never know which one is on top each year, maybe the biggest of them all, at least judging for his own words, is that guy that married the Kardashian ) and, as a rising star, Ariana Grande.

So, where is the difference, apart from the different musical genres, and target audiences? Naturally, the things which are popular will shift with the time. In the 50ies, hysteric teenagers screamed when the King was playing. Nowadays, hysteric teenagers scream when Lady Gaga, or Justin Bieber are playing. I really don't see a difference. Of course, the stars will run around half naked on the stage nowadays (or act like pimps, when they're male). It will always get more and more extreme, i mean, the King used to shock parents in the 50ies, nowadays, it will probably make them yawn a bit.

I just disagreed when you said that Madonna still is a pop star nowadays.

Yeah, there's probably a lot of others these days which are more popular. Last thing i heard from her was something like "I'm Madonna bitch" or something. Horrible.

[aMUSEd]

Lady Gaga
Beyonce
Justin Bieber
Adele
Pink
Rihanna

Surely at least a couple of those sound familiar.

All of them sound familiar, yet I can't recall a single song to associate with any of those acts. There are no pop stars anymore, we upgraded to celebrities.

Adele did a couple of half decent songs at the start, Beyonce had maybe one or two I liked long ago, the rest mean nothing to me either.

[.jon]

If you think Biebers and Gagas as popular as the MJs, Madonnas and Metallicas of yesteryear you are the ones who are out of touch.

Yes, their fans obviously love their idols just as much as ever, but it's not about depth, it's about width. The kids of today have so much more to choose from, one little starlet does not command the attention of whole generations any more. There's not just all the new styles of music, but the whole historic list of stars to split attention of fans as well.

[fmr]

If you think Biebers and Gagas as popular as the MJs, Madonnas and Metallicas of yesteryear you are the ones who are out of touch.

Yes, their fans obviously love their idols just as much as ever, but it's not about depth, it's about width. The kids of today have so much more to choose from, one little starlet does not command the attention of whole generations any more. There's not just all the new styles of music, but the whole historic list of stars to split attention of fans as well.

Well, although reprotedly MJ sold more than the Beatles, I hardly believe he will last more than they. And he never was that big to me, anyway (maybe becausae I'm from an earlier generation), much less Madonna or Metallica. I'm more a Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis and the likes guy, but I guess those were never "stars" (although they also sold millions, and still sell).

[chk071]

Lady Gaga
Beyonce
Justin Bieber
Adele
Pink
Rihanna

Surely at least a couple of those sound familiar.

All of them sound familiar, yet I can't recall a single song to associate with any of those acts. There are no pop stars anymore, we upgraded to celebrities.

Adele did a couple of half decent songs at the start, Beyonce had maybe one or two I liked long ago, the rest mean nothing to me either.

Actually, IMO, it's quite interesting how Lady Gaga has been formed stylistically at least, and some of her songs are at least halfways interesting too, and, also, she has a nice voice (not that that would be surprising, after all, they all aren't amateurs). Rihanna also, but, her music, and anything else around her is just absolutely awful, and the pitch correction on most of her tracks also pretty obvious, especially when you listen to a live performance of her (which is subbed by the original vocal line btw...).

To say that everything nowadays is cr** by default doesn't do it justice IMO, of course there are talented people involved. The music itself, and, especially, the semi-hip hop/gangster style/whatever which drips from everything is pretty debatable though of course. Actually, i quite liked some pop hits from the 80ies, or, also, especially, the 90ies. Nowadays there are a few good songs too, but, you rather have to dig through the mass of negligible ones, IMO.

[fmr]

Adele did a couple of half decent songs at the start, Beyonce had maybe one or two I liked long ago, the rest mean nothing to me either.

Actually, IMO, it's quite interesting how Lady Gaga has been formed stylistically at least, and some of her songs are at least halfways interesting too, and, also, she has a nice voice (not that that would be surprising, after all, they all aren't amateurs). Rihanna also, but, her music, and anything else around her is just absolutely awful, and the pitch correction on most of her tracks also pretty obvious, especially when you listen to a live performance of her (which is subbed by the original vocal line btw...).

To say that everything nowadays is cr** by default doesn't do it justice IMO, of course there are talented people involved. The music itself, and, especially, the semi-hip hop/gangster style/whatever which drips from everything is pretty debatable though of course. Actually, i quite liked some pop hits from the 80ies, or, also, especially, the 90ies. Nowadays there are a few good songs too, but, you rather have to dig through the mass of negligible ones, IMO.

Actually I agree about Adele. Great voice, and some of the songs are very enjoyable, IMO. Not so much of Lady Gaga, and frankly, I expected more from a formally trained musician and singer.
Regarding great voices, Ariana Grande, which I already mentioned, is one of the greatest voices of this generation, IMO. Too bad that she doesn't have a producer or anyone which guide her to a style less hipster than what she does.

[Zombie Queen]

Adele did a couple of half decent songs at the start, Beyonce had maybe one or two I liked long ago, the rest mean nothing to me either.

I'm not saying the songs ain't good, I'm saying the songs are not important anymore. Music was never the most important factor of being a pop star, because most of the people are not interested in music. Most of the people are interested in other people. I guess the management finally sees that clearly, so they took music out of the picture.

[mitchiemasha]

Wow and here was me thinking KVR was a digital plugin Forum. Shouldn't you guys be playing with your guitars, amps and footpedals.

I'll apologise in advance... I'm sorry!!!

[chk071]

Adele did a couple of half decent songs at the start, Beyonce had maybe one or two I liked long ago, the rest mean nothing to me either.

I'm not saying the songs ain't good, I'm saying the songs are not important anymore. Music was never the most important factor of being a pop star, because most of the people are not interested in music. Most of the people are interested in other people.

Sorry, but where do you pull those "wisdoms" from? Of course it's about the music, it always has been, and always will be.

[jacqueslacouth]

Jeez, aren't we all sounding like our parents when we were teens? Now it should be clear than in fact, so many of us are officially old farts. If I need this question answered, I'll ask my teenage daughters. They, after all, are the ones who have pop stars in their eyes and are the main market for pop music. As far as I can tell, not much has changed since the 70s/80s, pop music is easily digested pulp and comes and goes in a heartbeat. I never really saw longevity as a characteristic of pop stars.

[harryupbabble]

Lady Gaga
Beyonce
Justin Bieber
Adele
Pink
Rihanna

Surely at least a couple of those sound familiar.

All of them sound familiar, yet I can't recall a single song to associate with any of those acts. There are no pop stars anymore, we upgraded to celebrities.

I can recall a few: the song Stay, by Rhianna. Let's Get This Party Started by Pink. And that one by Adele, Hello, is what it's called I think. But it's only the Rhianna song that I wish I could write, that one connected.

[fluffy_little_something]

I assume there are orders more pop music makers (I was tempted to say pop musicians, but I am not sure many of them actually are musicians in the sense that they can play instruments like many of the pop bands of the 80s could), but only maybe 1.5 times as many young people compared to the 80s. So naturally each of those pop music makers gets a much smaller share of fans, hence less stardom. At least that is my theory
And with the Internet things might simply be a lot faster, artists come and go faster.
Buying and collecting records has also gone away with many people, who only buy music files now.

Not sure about sounding like our parents. My parents for instance never listen to music from the 50 or so, i.e. when they were young. They also listen to 70s and 80s music mostly, just like me. So, I am not sure the whole thing repeats itself with every generation.

In many of those talent shows on TV even kids often sing 80s songs, although they were not even born back then. Basically they are singing their parents' songs

[.jon]

If you think Biebers and Gagas as popular as the MJs, Madonnas and Metallicas of yesteryear you are the ones who are out of touch.

Yes, their fans obviously love their idols just as much as ever, but it's not about depth, it's about width. The kids of today have so much more to choose from, one little starlet does not command the attention of whole generations any more. There's not just all the new styles of music, but the whole historic list of stars to split attention of fans as well.

Well, although reprotedly MJ sold more than the Beatles, I hardly believe he will last more than they. And he never was that big to me, anyway (maybe becausae I'm from an earlier generation), much less Madonna or Metallica. I'm more a Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis and the likes guy, but I guess those were never "stars" (although they also sold millions, and still sell).

Beatles and Elvis were even more universally loved... see the pattern? When there's less choices, the stardom becomes more polarized than in the overwhelming abundance of today.

If Yes made a record today, nobody would hear it beyond a few hundred Bandcamp fans. Note that this is not a dig at them, they are brilliant imho, but just to put things into perspective. Times have changed.

[aMUSEd]

The Beatles and Elvis suck

(don't like MJ either actually)

[fluffy_little_something]

The Beatles and Elvis suck

(don't like MJ either actually)

In hindsight the Beatles and Elvis were indeed pretty lame. But I suppose at the time they were new and interesting.