The Completely Unprompted but ObligatoryTop-10 List
For no reason at all I've made a list of my top-10 favorite bands/artists:
1. Elliott Smith
2. Jack Johnson
3. The Postal Service
4. Third Eye Blind
5. Coldplay
6. Damien Rice
7. Weezer
8. The Strokes
9. Jay-Z
10. Modest Mouse
An interesting observation: In my opinion, A great majority of this list is "popular" music, with Elliott Smith and Damien Rice semi-exceptions. This is a little surprising considering how much "underground" music I've been listening to during the last year, mostly given to me from my brother. During the course of this experience, I've developed a very liberal view of music preference. But the conclusion I've come to is that most of this non-popular music is horseshit to me. If you like it though, that's great. If you have a penchant for Jets to Brazil or The Decemberists or MIA (or something in that popularity range), awesome, I have no qualms. However, I can say, after trying it, that I dislike much of it. Not all of it, but most of it.
If a band or artist is popular, likely there is a reason for it: they're good, talented, fun. Unless of course they're popular more for their appearance or persona than for their music. In that case, their music should be inspected with greater suspicion (i.e, Britney Spears). Now I'm not trying to say that one should not listen to Britney Spears, but that, in comparison to, say, a Nichole Nordeman, her musical talent is paltry. I'm not talking about musical enjoyment (I enjoy some Britney Spears, admittedly), but talent.
Creed is an exception to this rule, however. Why? My brother just found this T-shirt that says: "Even God Hates Creed". I rest my case.
Anyway, just some thoughts of mine.
1. Elliott Smith
2. Jack Johnson
3. The Postal Service
4. Third Eye Blind
5. Coldplay
6. Damien Rice
7. Weezer
8. The Strokes
9. Jay-Z
10. Modest Mouse
An interesting observation: In my opinion, A great majority of this list is "popular" music, with Elliott Smith and Damien Rice semi-exceptions. This is a little surprising considering how much "underground" music I've been listening to during the last year, mostly given to me from my brother. During the course of this experience, I've developed a very liberal view of music preference. But the conclusion I've come to is that most of this non-popular music is horseshit to me. If you like it though, that's great. If you have a penchant for Jets to Brazil or The Decemberists or MIA (or something in that popularity range), awesome, I have no qualms. However, I can say, after trying it, that I dislike much of it. Not all of it, but most of it.
If a band or artist is popular, likely there is a reason for it: they're good, talented, fun. Unless of course they're popular more for their appearance or persona than for their music. In that case, their music should be inspected with greater suspicion (i.e, Britney Spears). Now I'm not trying to say that one should not listen to Britney Spears, but that, in comparison to, say, a Nichole Nordeman, her musical talent is paltry. I'm not talking about musical enjoyment (I enjoy some Britney Spears, admittedly), but talent.
Creed is an exception to this rule, however. Why? My brother just found this T-shirt that says: "Even God Hates Creed". I rest my case.
Anyway, just some thoughts of mine.