music being held back by big corporations

[TVD]

No, I agree with Falcon here. I often 'surf' Much Music and Much More Music when ad's come on other stations. It used to be in the 80's, it was three out of 5 clicks that tweed my interest - maybe it was a slice of Public Enemy, Public Image, General Public... But I liked what I heard. In the 90's maybe 2 down to 1 out of 5. Nirvana was ran into the ground (pardon the pun Kurt), Pearl Jam, Sound Garden - where's the freakin variety? Ahhh, My Bloody Valentine, Stereolab - good! But where the heck did those videos go? And of course late 90's to now - just laughable crap from Beyonce rolling around a loading dock to Blink Sum Linkin's Biscuit.
I think the last video that intrigued me to go out and buy a CD of it was Daft Punk?

And what gets me even more is these umpteen cable channels now up here, and I'm sure in the States as well? Much Vibe, Much Loud, Much Retro, Cool Jazz TV, etc. 24hours of 50cent, Jay Z, and Nelly - yet turn on Much Music any time of the day, there they are as well! Want 'retro' - Much More Music, which is actually becoming the 'Much M.O.R.' channel spewing out Celine Dijon Mustard and Jessica 'Homer' Simpson every 3rd video it seems?

As for product placement, that I don't get? Last I really watched rap/hip hop videos - all the T-shirts and Hats were 'blurred out', which looks even stupider. As well as every second word being silenced out... "You're like New Coke, you're a mother----- joke! I got my 9 primed, yo bit-- it's ----ing killin' time!

And they won't play Aphex Twin or NIN because it's 'too disturbing'. Yet if Marilyn Manson comes out with a strap on dildo singing a cover of Debbie Boones 'You Light Up My Life' - it's the talk of the town!

Video killed the intelligence star.

I miss the 80's too.

And BTW, Internet Kill The Video Star.

[TVD]

Well, I think MTv killed music. But computer music and internet will bring life back to music....the artist has control...and the abilaty to share. Not as much money in it, but that's not why it should be made. It's not ment to be a product, it's ment to send a feeling or message.

Acually, Satellite Radio is going to really change the game and make an impact this decade. Count on it.

[TVD]

Just had to share my opinion.

Maybe i am stupid and "wrong", but i like "pop" music (because i guess that's what your are talking about).

I am not so far off a teenager (i'm 17 too) and I do like many - not all of course - pop songs that i hear on commercial radiostations and MTV. Am I a sorry victim of the big bad labels aggressive marketing campains or do i just want to fit in the crowd and listen to what everyone else listens too?

I don't think so.

Think about it... why is it called "pop" music? It's a short term for "popular" music... Thats because it's easy to listen too and many people likes it (and no.. of course not everyone) - therefor it is popular.

I am a very musically interessted person and i like almost all music genres from rock/pop to trance to jazz to fusion to funk to classical to emocore and pretty much everything else. I go a musical school here in sweden and i compose with my computer and play 3 normal instruments.
Still i love great pop songs.

The two people i look up to most and get inspiration from are Max martin and Denniz Pop (Rip), two of the geniouses behind many of BSB's most succesfull hits, Britney's first hits, some N*sync songs and many more artist. I adore them because the can create music that the majority of people likes (again of course not all, but look at these artists sales and you get the picture).

So thats just my view... I love pop music because of the music - not couse some big corporation has brainwashed me into liking it.

Cheers

And most songs that can make it on Billboard Hot 100 Charts (USA) are popular music because it's "simple".

No, I'm not making fun of you or your taste in music. I'm speaking the fact.

The things that you & your generation are going through is nothing new. You like Britney Spears today (correction: for the last 5 years) for the SAME EXACT reason why I used to like Janet Jackson during my teenage years.

Music history repeating itself for the best & worst of times.

[TVD]

I like what GuyBrush and Rob says too (aside from Tuggers classic guerilla picture placements! )

Yes, I too am one of the biggest fans of older 'pop' music. Petula Clarke, The Archies, The Monkees, Sam The Sham, Mongo Jerry - you name them. (everyones saying WTF?) But as 'classy', 'well produced', or just 'one hit flukes' these songs were at the time - there was a 'dignity' about it all. Including The Monkees and Burt Bacharach - he was a talented songwriter, and The Monkees were likeable young men.
The first 'boy band' if you will? Mike Nesmith and/or Peter Tork hated being 'in the machine', while Davey Jones (causing a young brit to change his name to Bowie to not intrude) and Mickey Dolenz thought 'if we're IN THE MACHINE already, why don't we just go with it? They should be proud to be so lucky!'

Many successes came to be in the early days of MTV and Much Music as well. I never would've learned about Laurie Anderson if it wasn't for The New Music - which predates both stations by a few years. Ontario's publicly funded station TVO (ala PBS) even had a show in the early/mid 70's called 'Night Music' which had performers perform live on a 'closed stage' and had visual effects and crap applied during their performances - the first 'videos' being made! Nash The Slash, Bob Segarini, Murray McLaughlin - a whole variety of people and bands would be on.

But this 'constrictive' form video has taken on now is really sad. Folks like Tiny Tim and Donovan seemed to come 'out of nowhere'. Nowadays, Britney Spears and William Hung are rejects of Star Search and American Idol. Is it because they came up with an infectious ditty called 'Tiptoe Through The Tulips' or 'Mellow Yellow'? No, it's because Britney and William kept doing cover songs till someone 'noticed them at the right place and time'.
Yeah, same can be said for Tiny Tim or Donovan I guess - but those guys were truely 'unique' in their own right. Britney and William and Kelly and Ricky are so easily transferable to Christina and Clay, Lisa Marie and Enrique. It's like power generators switching grids for cities. You don't hardly notice the flicker of the light - but one huge generator on the east side just threw it to the west side to carry on. And that to me is what's happening with videos and 'pop' people - maintain the style and look, the format and delivery. If Mariah falls out, we'll seriously look into Mandy Moore. If Britney's on the skids, get Hillary Duff on the launch pad. They aren't people anymore, they're just names to do a job. Some are okay with that, but the sheer lose of 'dignity' to actually contribute anything worthwhile without being 'overly produced and choreographed' is what gets me.

I like the internet... Because I'm ugly and I don't dance.

CORRECTION: Britney and Christina were never the same kind of people (excluding that damn kiss with Madonna).

At least Christina was given classic vocal training during her childhood. Britney was never coached at all.

[TVD]

Interesting. I think I am far more likely to hear something I like on the radio than I am on the f**king Internet. Seriously, I have been listening to mp3's for 5 or 6 years and I have heard exactly two songs that I would pay money for. At least when I go to a record shop I can look at the covers and get some idea of what may be decent. I have no idea how you guys find stuff you like around here.

OTOH, at least its a little better for us than it is for your average school kid. The reason they are targeted is because they can more easily be converted to toe the corporate line. Their minds are malleable and their opportunity to be exposed to anything good is comparatively restricted. I despair for young people today who no longer have access to the kinds of aural stimuli that I was fortunate enough to have during the late 70's and early 80's.

As for hip-hop, over here we have this hideous westy version called skip-hop. I think it is the single most cringe-worthy cultural abberation I have ever come across. What I really fail to understand is how well-off white aussie kids can identify with any of it. in the end I think its just easier than getting rock band together.

In your honest opinion, which is worst:

skip-hop or crunk????

[BONES]

Dead-Heat - its all utter, utter shite!

[TVD]

Dead-Heat - its all utter, utter shite!

I quit.

[druid]

you are placing far too much emphasis on rap

who?

Oops, I meant the first post, the thread maker.

Bones, since you are quite forward with your opinions I hope you don't mind if I also am. Personally, I ONLY use the internet to find music, of both independant and label varieties. I hate radio, whenever someone turns it on in the car I drive I turn it straight off again, I've lowered my aerial because it gets in the way. I'd remove the radio unit if it were my vehicle. They always play the top 40s. No, not always. At certain times on certain stations they play experimental music that is only really interesting to listen to for people who find the science of making noises that aren't musical interesting. Weird beeps and clicks. And I just can't listen to all the trance/dance/pop/rap/rock stuff that permeates radio...

No radio for me. However, I have found several artists, even independant, that I would buy, and have bought, from through the internet. It all comes down to music taste though, obviously if you like all the popular stuff then radio is great for you and the internet is way less useful, but if you don't like radio, the internet is a good source. As long as you are willing to be patient and sift through a lot of stuff to find the occasional wonder (again, subjective).

And what is this "aural stimuli" to which you refer, from the late 70s and early 80s? I bet it was just the music around then, that is your taste, you probably grew up with that music which is why you like it. I argue that era makes no difference with aural stimuli. I've found a lot of older people don't like the newer stuff because they think it's unoriginal but they actually are just like their parents, they can't connect with it for whatever reason but they think that the music is worse because they don't understand it's just their own opinion.

As for well-off white kids liking hiphop, I think that it's probably because they don't like their lives currently, hiphop gives them the gang feel that they "wannabe". Though some listen to it purely to look rebellious. But it isn't always just easier than putting together a rock band.. While it is easier, that doesn't make rock bands any better. There's a lot of those sort of bands out there that shouldn't be.

[Chickenman]

At least Christina was given classic vocal training during her childhood. Britney was never coached at all.

Mmmmmm... Christina AND Britney


Christina definately has a mo' powermaful voice.

Are we all forgetting Celine Dion though?

Mmmmm.... Celine

[CypherOne]

haven't read the thread at all but I don't agree in the slightest. Cutting edge music has always been underground and I for one prefer it that way.

[clueless]

oh no it hasn't

[CypherOne]

panto season?

[clueless]

behind you

[Chickenman]

Ok!!!!


Everybody step away from the keyboard!!!

[Steven West]

Tony - I agree Christina is a much more talented singer than Britney. But I think in the 'corporate eyes' they demean her by packaging her in that realm of pop girls. To me, she should be in the 'Celine, Whitney, Tina' realm. And hopefully she will be a classy 'diva' one day? But I just see the marketing going the wrong way - and she comes off being called 'skank, slutty, wannabe' in this pop girl realm. In some ways she deserves it by allowing this marketing to happen - but in other ways she doesn't.
Poor girl's 'Damned if she does, dammed if she doesn't'.

Bones - Skip Hop, seriously? And what do you mean by 'Westy version'? As Kevin Spacey said about the dead animal in the movie Seven - I didn't do that?