Eminem is this decade's best selling artist...

[scouser1]

A sad indictment of our society indeed...

nah the only indictment and conviction should go to that Q107 generation who ran around stoned and naked, preaching love and peace only to turn into the biggest corporate leeches when the 80's came around. Yet they go around stating over and over what their generation created was the pinnacle of human culture and everything else is crap.

I think that Sgt Pepper nonsense should be declared a crime against humanity for giving us the evil that is the "concept album" A more boring, self righteous, pompous invention I cant think of

 

[GotGusto]

Most of that stuff is very far indeed from the quality and innovation of the music I grew up with - rock in the late 60's to mid '80's. Reading through that list and perusing the manufactured plastic pop stars and brain-dead, no-talent rappers, it is difficult to perceive any promising future for American music.

There are a few good rock bands - U2, Green Day - but where the hell are today's equivalents of the Stones, Doors, Zeppelin, Clapton, Hendrix, Springsteen or Bob Dylan??

Tellingly, 2 of the 60's and 70's best acts - The Beatles and Santana - still make the list in some form.

The 60s and 70s are widely considered the golden age of music in human history, so it shouldn't surprise you that there aren't many or any musical equivalents today. What you're asking of artists today is virtually impossible. Everything in music has been done already.

You grew up with rock music and you think it's the best thing since bread, which is fine. However, some people aren't into your type of music; they too think their music is the best. That's just how opinions work, isn't it?

Some may say the real quality were Bob Marley, The Wailers, Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, The Temptations, Aretha, Barbara Streisand, etc etc.

These groups are from the 60s and 70s - the same era Oagre refers to.

 

[scouser1]

The 60s and 70s are widely considered the golden age of music in human history.

ARE YOU FRIGGING KIDDING ME!!!!! by whom exactly? there is a whole world outside of Love Love Me Do and Stairway to Heaven grandpa!!! you just have to take time and seek it out

This is exactly the grandiose self delusional behaviour of that particular generation I was talking about.

 

[mandrill]

ARE YOU FRIGGING KIDDING ME!!!!! by whom exactly? there is a whole world outside of Love Love Me Do and Stairway to Heaven grandpa!!! you just have to take time and seek it out

This is exactly the grandiose self delusional behaviour of that particular generation I was talking about.

Okay, Scouser. Who would YOU nominate as the epitome of musical creativity?

 

[mandrill]

You grew up with rock music and you think it's the best thing since bread, which is fine. However, some people aren't into your type of music; they too think their music is the best. That's just how opinions work, isn't it?

Some may say the real quality were Bob Marley, The Wailers, Fela Kuti, Public Enemy, Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, The Temptations, Aretha, Barbara Streisand, etc etc.

I'm quite happy to listen to everybody in your list except Streisand and Public Enemy.

Here's my point though. The headline groups in the 60's not only pioneered a sound and an attitude, but they wrote and often arranged their own music. And some - but by no means all - of that music has a depth and sophistication which appeals to adults as well as 16 year old idiots. You can't really say that about Eminem, can you?

 

[WoodPeckr]

ARE YOU FRIGGING KIDDING ME!!!!! by whom exactly? there is a whole world outside of Love Love Me Do and Stairway to Heaven grandpa!!! you just have to take time and seek it out.

Pray tell, what music do you consider better than, skippy?......

 

[GotGusto]

ARE YOU FRIGGING KIDDING ME!!!!! by whom exactly? there is a whole world outside of Love Love Me Do and Stairway to Heaven grandpa!!! you just have to take time and seek it out

Of course there is, but the 60s and 70s aren't defined simply by Love Me Do or Stairway to Heaven either.

There has been a lot of amazing music in the past 100 years. The 60s and 70s was especially prolific. The musical output and innovation from America, Britain, and Jamaica during those decades drew the musical landscape for the world for the next 40-50 years.

I'm not going to argue quality since that's a matter of taste. I enjoy and prefer a lot of older styles and singers/bands such as Nat King Cole over the vast majority of what you'll hear on any classic rock station. Most rock music is overrated and while I understand the emphasis on writing and playing one's own music, it doesn't always lead to better music. Lots of my talented oldschool bands and singers (e.g. Sinatra, The Drifters) didn't write their own material but the total package is undeniably good.

We're living in a post-rock world but few seem to know it yet. One hundred years from now nobody is going to care that some musical style or band came out in the 40s versus the 60s. It'll all be old music by then. But people will still listen to it because good music is timeless.

This is exactly the grandiose self delusional behaviour of that particular generation I was talking about.

You've mischaracterized what I wrote.

 

[spatial_k]

Here's my point though. The headline groups in the 60's not only pioneered a sound and an attitude, but they wrote and often arranged their own music. And some - but by no means all - of that music has a depth and sophistication which appeals to adults as well as 16 year old idiots. You can't really say that about Eminem, can you?

Actually you can. Just because you don't like Eminem doesn't mean he is not an extremely skilled artist. Face it, the older generation will hate almost all of the new generation's music.

 

[Berlin]

Can't argue taste.

Whatever floats your boat, dudes. It's all good.

 

[Rantsalot]

...

nah the only indictment and conviction should go to that Q107 generation who ran around stoned and naked, preaching love and peace only to turn into the biggest corporate leeches when the 80's came around. Yet they go around stating over and over what their generation created was the pinnacle of human culture and everything else is crap.

I think that Sgt Pepper nonsense should be declared a crime against humanity for giving us the evil that is the "concept album" A more boring, self righteous, pompous invention I cant think of

I'm thinkin' he likes Michael Bolton

 

[rockl]

The 60s and 70s are widely considered the golden age of music in human history,

if you are talking 18th cent. you might have something there. otherwise - meh

 

[WoodPeckr]

I'm thinkin' he likes Michael Bolton

What?
You don't like Michael Bolton?....

 

[D@EBW]

I'm quite happy to listen to everybody in your list except Streisand and Public Enemy.

Here's my point though. The headline groups in the 60's not only pioneered a sound and an attitude, but they wrote and often arranged their own music. And some - but by no means all - of that music has a depth and sophistication which appeals to adults as well as 16 year old idiots. You can't really say that about Eminem, can you?

And I would rather listen to Public Enemy than Led Zepplin, the Beatles et al. Public Enemy put out stuff I could relate to, and that I thought was better. Just my opinion. Fight the Power, Burn Hollywood Burn, Can't Trust it, It Takes a Nation of Millions are all powerful songs, as are many of their songs. However, you can't relate, but I - as well as others - can.

As for Eminem, his delivery skills have to be commended. I found him to be unique, and a Stan a great tune.

 

[Mia.Colpa]

And I would rather listen to Public Enemy

Who? What type of music does he/she/they play? Was he/she/they in jail prior to making music?

 

[GotGusto]

if you are talking 18th cent. you might have something there. otherwise - meh

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Classical_era_composers

Perhaps that was the first golden era. While I love many of those composers, if I were stranded on a island and told that I could only keep a music collection comprising all music that came out in the 20th century or all music released in the 18th century, it would be a no-brainer for me: 20th century with a good portion of the cream of the crop being in the 60s and 70s.

For all the brilliance and sophistication of the 18th century's classical period, I don't think that it eclipses the 20th century's best. It's a matter of taste, however there is a greater range of musical forms in the 20th century than in any period before. Part of the beauty of 20th century music is that it incorporated elements of music from earlier times. For example, there are classical elements in some rock music, but there is no rock music in any of the classical music from the 18th century.

In terms of raw mathematical complexity, 18th century classical music is certainly the winner. That's just objective fact. But that's academic and I listen to music for more than that.

 

[freespirit]

Everything in music has been done already.

Along this line, I can't belive how many "artistS" these days remake old songs and get famous off of them. Even funnier is when I sing along to one of these songs and my kids look at me amazed and say "YOU know this song????" LMAO!

 

[WoodPeckr]

Along this line, I can't belive how many "artistS" these days remake old songs and get famous off of them.

LOL!
That's because the song writers of today are even worse than today's pop artists!
It's easier to redo an oldie, than write a new song.....

 

[Thunderballs]

To me "best selling" has no bearing on quality of the music. Music is much more widely distributed now and people have more disposable income to spend on it so it is no surprise that mediocre artists today are outselling what some may consider legends of the past.

Great music should speak to each successive generation of young people with its own unique voice. And as such, it is unfair to judge its "greatness" out of its own time period. I don't particularly care for the Beatles but their music defined a generation. Who am I to say the Beatles suck when their music had so much power and influence in its time? Similarly the depressive grunge sound that came out of Seattle spoke to the kids of the early 90's who were facing few job prospects in a deep recession. To be fair, you can't judge music out of its era and beyond the experiences of its primary audience.

Just shutup and enjoy it, whatever it is.

P.S. To me the greatest musician was Beethoven. Let's see anyone write his 9th symphony while being stone deaf.

 

[GotGusto]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Classical_era_composers

Perhaps that was the first golden era. While I love many of those composers, if I were stranded on a island and told that I could only keep a music collection comprising all music that came out in the 20th century or all music released in the 18th century, it would be a no-brainer for me: 20th century with a good portion of the cream of the crop being in the 60s and 70s.

Let's not forget, lots of terrific classical music was made in the 20th Century too. Who doesn't love the work of John Williams? The Superman Theme, Indiana Jones theme, Star Wars theme. Fucking brilliant.

And he's just the tip of the iceberg.

 

[Toke]

Cool link that helps to show that loving 'hip-hop' and other forms of music isn't that far of a stretch.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPWGa0MyZpA