"stars" succeed with weak songs - WHY?

Alright, here goes...

Exposure is the key. Poeple need to be exposed to as much variety as possible. I have two girls and BSBoys, Spears, NSync, BBMak, etc. are big medicine in their worlds. I was rather fond of the pop when I was that age also, you know. What were you listenin' too when you were 5-15 years old. Fess up...I bet it was pretty catchy and in the top 40. I myself find myself hummin' along to "Shape of My Heart" or "Oops, I Did it Again." Can't help it. It's my nature. Meanwhile, I've been reading up on Minimalism and Ambient. (My brother used to complain because I'd sing along to commercials and songs I confessed I didn't even like.) The hook is there, and if the hook is there people listen and buy. That is part of the process. Can't deny it. Can't really criticize those who are able to produce it. But yes, listen to it, and it all sounds pretty much the same. Could be the same for heavy metal, same for classical...If you aren't very aware of a certain genre, it "all sounds the same." We all grow up and go our seperate musical ways, but we are weened on similar material.(Again, speaking from a western culture perspective)
On the otherhand, and back to exposure, I listen to all types of music. Mostly for myself, but I also make the effort to put other stuff on, especially in the car, (because then the kids are a captive audience.) Now my 11 year old has some favorite Who tunes, knows what the Stones sound like, listens to classical at bedtime, and To Sir With Love is one of her favorite videos. My 7 year old gets into oldies like the Supremes and Herman's Hermits and old black and white movies. The other day we played a game of Stratego and she put on BSB and me The 'Oo. She thought Baba O'Riley was pretty slick. What they listen to at this age is part of a natural progression. I'm relectant to have them take instrument lessons because of the total indoctrination into Western style (they get enough of that at school). I'd rather give them the instrument and let them find their way.
Yes, it is unfortunate what is fed to the masses. But most kids find their way out of it.
Do y(our) best to show others the differences.
Support the stations that play the different music.
Support the artists that make it different.

Enough, already, eh?...Thanks for your time.
 
This has probably already been said but since I don't feel like reading every single response heres my .02.
The Public doesn't care whether a song is good or not from musical or lyrical quality viewpoint. All they really care about is whether they can go on the dance floor and shake their ass to it or not. By and large you can take a really shit song, put a kickin 4 to the floor beat to it. Have some pop hero sing to it and you got yourself a hit.
There are some bands out there puttin out good music and still manage to be succesful but for the most part, as far as I'm concerned, *popular* music SUCKS.
 
imho,

stars you are all bashing are stars and not musicians, of course they will irritate us, they don't care bout the lyrics they're businessmen/women.

i never listen to big radiostations or mtv because i know they suck and i feel quite fine doing so..

greetz guhlenn
 
I have a couple of questions concerning this extremely entertaining debate:

1. What exactly makes a song good? You are blanket stating that all these songs are horrible, without giving any reason as to why? I don't own any n*sync, but when I hear Bye Bye Bye on the radio, it strikes me as an extremely catchy song... and isn't that the point of any song? To create an emotional response? So what if none of these people write or play... did Sinatra? did Bennett? When you listen to orchestra's playing Beethoven or Bach, do you turn away in disgust, because they didn't write the music?

2. You make it sound like it's easier to write catchy pop songs, than to not write them... if that was the case, why wouldn't we all write a few, just to give out bank accounts enough oxygen so that we could quit our real jobs? I think writing a great catchy song is extremely difficult, or at least that's how I rationalize the fact that most songs I hear on the radion and on the internet, are not that catchy or memorable. Pick 10 artists from mp3.com and tell me how many of them have songs that you can recall 10 minutes later and (even better from a financial standpoint) would like to hear again.

It IS the music business, it's all about selling product. We all know and agree with it up to there. It's not up the Arista or Columbia to make great art anymore than it's up to McDonalds and Wendys to provide gourmet meals. You don't buy a Britney Spears cd expecting Abbey Road... but then again, if it touches you that greatly, that's an added bonus.

Bottom line, it's all subjective. The record companies and radio are obviously making money playing this music, so they are successful at what they are trying to do. Those of us that don't like it are in the great minority of music buyers.
 
My head is exploding! I am new hear and have just scanned 3 pages of debate. I have forgotten the original question. Great stuff! endless, endless, endless.
>>Hey Memphis Sound, Don't the Beatles have like one of the best selling albums right now? How long ago did they break up? Your point exactly.
>> The best thing on MTV is the Tom Green Show and it even has a catchy theme song.
Just to let you all know I live on a tiny island in the middle of the pacific and have not had cable for over four years until just recently. There were not to many radio stations either here until just recently either, so I 've been way out of touch. It does wonders for my musical creation though, there is great music here, it's all around.
Oh yeah! I think the original question was something about why crappy songs or crappy bands make it.
I guess the same reason I bought a pint of ben & jerry's in the supermarket last night and I don't even eat ice cream !!!
Consumeconsumeconsumeconsumeconsumeconsumeconsume!!!!!!!!!!!
The packaging was sooo pretty though.
 
Re: Gibs is Right.

Dougie Johnson said:


I recently went into a music store looking for a CD by a band called "Sparks", which came out around 1977.
DJ
Click to expand...

Hey Dougie...isn't Sparks the two brothers that formed Yellow? (the "Oh Yeah" song from Ferris Bhuler's Day Off)

I remember the name Sparks.


Tim
 
When my son gets limp bizkit
tabs thats where i draw the line
i have yet to hear any good guitar solos in long time
except for maby aerosmith -during this depraved era of generation x
BUT thats good for me cause now i can play
guitar on my demos no?
just gotta get that ac dc
shorts wearin buckin to and fro look down
thats why stars succeed
they to and fro
for a long time
 
great promoters.you can sell snake oil if it's promoted correctly.you just have to make people think you have something to make them feel better about their life.wish i had that talent.i could try selling dollar bills for a nickle and people would walk by saying 'aint that cheep' and never buy one.oh well at least i don't have to wax my mustache.
 
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