Musical Ignorance

[Guitarmasterx7]

Have you ever considered that sometimes people dislike genres at least partially because of the lack of talent involved? I mean I'll admit there are probably exceptions (though I've never experienced any firsthand, so that's more obligatory than genuine) but at the end of the day, regardless of personal opinion, almost anyone can do this.

Really?
OK then, make a song that will make millions of people run to the dancefloor whenever it plays.
I dare you. After all, almost anyone can do that.
Or are you one of the few who can't?

That's all marketing. I'm saying that anyone can preform this song, or create something of similar complexity and composure.

Catchy music isn't as complicated as complicated music but it isn't much easier. Some of these talentless artists do better than the other talentless artists - why?

Well now were onto something else entirely, but catchyness doesn't imply anything about quality or talent. Soulja Boy was able to make a "catchy" song with the presets on the demo version of FL studio and the lyrics "Soulja boy up in this ho, watch me crank it watch me roll, watch me crank that soulja boy and superman dat ho" Which over the course of one single stanza reiterates the same thing twice and recycles the word "ho" to rhyme with itself. Catchyness comes with repetition, whether it be that the song plays on the radio constantly or that the song constantly repeats itself to create a similar sense of familiarity.

As for success, there are a number of factors involved in marketing a musician. The actual music definitely is a factor, but when it comes to mainstream success it isn't the only one, and probably not even the main one. Marketing to a demographic plays a huge part. For example, 50 cent has more appeal within his demographic than Eminem, who is similar and arguably better, because he's more "gangsta." There are less popular musicians have much catchier songs who aren't as big because they don't have the right agent or haven't been around as long. Rebbecca Black has made millions of dollars off marketing alone to the "I hate Justin Beiber" crowd, even though a majority of her consumers hate her music. Success doesn't necessarily imply anything of quality or talent either.

I could probably go off a lot more about this because I know a good amount about music and the entertainment industry, but basically the point I was trying to convey originally is that it takes a lot less to be like 50 Cent than it does to be like Dave Mustaine.

 

[Accountfailed]

Well I thought this was going to be something completely different.
Oh, well.
*leaves and politely shuts the door*

 

[Darius Brogan]

You are now officially my favorite person ever.

I haven't heard anything about LoD for... Uhm... EVER, and it's good to know that it hasn't been completely lost to the new generation of instant gratification games.

Totally agree with you on the song. It's a beautiful piece.

 

[Trololo Punk]

I don't say shit about other people's music because (or at least try to)I'd like the same sort of judgement from other people when their on about the music I listen to... Of course, it doesn't always work that way.

 

[pspman45]

First impressions are very difficult to break.
For example, when I first heard Jazz, I thought it was total crap.
It turns out I was just listening to the bad stuff, as when my high school music workshop teacher did a whole marking period about it (his favorite music, naturally) I found that all of the music he showed us was pretty good. I actually like Jazz a lot now.

Unfortunately, the same can not be said for Rap. every time I hear that stuff I feel like I have to cover my ears. Its just.. not good. Perhaps I have been hearing the bad stuff again, but the genre hasn't sold itself to me... like at all...

Nor has the genre of.. whatever Kanye West is "singing" Its just talentless people making money off of the work done by a computer rather than their own voice. not only that, but it just sounds awful, like robots singing into an old record player

 

[HardkorSB]

Have you ever considered that sometimes people dislike genres at least partially because of the lack of talent involved? I mean I'll admit there are probably exceptions (though I've never experienced any firsthand, so that's more obligatory than genuine) but at the end of the day, regardless of personal opinion, almost anyone can do this.

Really?
OK then, make a song that will make millions of people run to the dancefloor whenever it plays.
I dare you. After all, almost anyone can do that.
Or are you one of the few who can't?

That's all marketing. I'm saying that anyone can preform this song, or create something of similar complexity and composure.

So create it.

 

[Marble Dragon]

So, why does music exist anyway? Is it so we can all just sit around with smarmy looks on our faces, secure in the notion that our music is better than everyone else's music? Does a band get up on stage and perform a song so they can all be in some smug, superior state of being?

No. Fuck no. That is not the reason people make music, and when you imply that it is, you dishonor a lot of musicians. Of course, there are people out there who work only to make a profit, but that doesn't apply to most of the musicians people berate. Musicians are, first and foremost, entertainers. Who are you to say they entertain in the wrong way, so long as people enjoy it?

On topic: I agree with the OP, pretty much. It's stupid to listen to Nirvana and say all grunge sucks. It's stupid to listen to Kenny G and say all jazz sucks. It's stupid to listen to Justin Beiber and say all pop sucks. You're limiting only yourself. But why not? If you really, really don't want to listen to rap, you aren't hurting anything by saying it sucks. (Though it does push my buttons when people claim it's not music or that it's not emotional. But that's beside the point.)

 

[Vault101]

I know especially when it comes to rock or older songs

your taste in music isnt supiror to mine

anyway right now Im listening to kanye wests album "my beautiful dark and twisted fantasy" he's no eminem buts he's not bad

I will stop saying 'I don't like rap' when I hear rap I like.

I hear what you're saying. But I don't think I throw the words hate around that much.

But if you don't like rap, it's not like you're looking for things to prove yourself wrong.


Here is an example for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=125j6-Gt67k

Yeah, I don't find anything to like with what you linked. The monotone ramblings of a mush mouth do nothing for me.

then obviously rap isnt your thing but it doesnt mean its "crap" I dont like the beatles but that doesnt mean they are crap

 

[Xhoyl]

You are now officially my favorite person ever.

I haven't heard anything about LoD for... Uhm... EVER, and it's good to know that it hasn't been completely lost to the new generation of instant gratification games.

Totally agree with you on the song. It's a beautiful piece.

It's the first RPG I ever owned and finished. I had to work for it, because the timing in that game can get unholy at times. But when I did I was treated to this piece. It fit the ending absolutely perfectly, and at that moment I knew that gaming was something worth defending, and that I would spend my life doing just that, through my medium of writing. Part of the reason I love game music, is because it has to convey emotions that fit with the moment, but can still be appreciated by itself. More importantly (and to get back on point) in comparison to most rap, this song conveys deep emotions, namely the wish to have love in a world that simultaneously values and devalues it. That life not only throws crap at you, but sometimes good things. And ultimately, whether or not true love can even be contained in this life alone. I don't think something that strong can die just because your body does, but let's save that for a theological/philosophical discussion in another thread

 

[zerobudgetgamer]

I'm probably one of the most musically ignorant people out there. I still have trouble putting most music into it's respective categories (It was only until High School that I could separate Pop from Rock, and even then I still have difficulties with the modern versions). For the most part, I listen to what I like without care of genre, and that has served me well.

However, the only time I try to get behind the bashing of certain artists and/or bands is when I feel it is in the best interest to knock these people down a peg. Rebecca Black? Of all the music I've heard in my life, hers is the only thing I can't stand for longer than a minute; her popularity is grossly undeserved, and she needs to figure that out. Justin Beiber? I've never heard his music, but it's the pompous air that I get whenever I read or hear stuff about him. It sounds like he thinks he's god's gift to music or something like that. Lady Gaga? Eh...she's a hardcore cosplayer. I have to admit I've caught myself humming "California Girls" now and again, so I can hardly say she's bad, but then maybe this is for the best; if she wasn't famous, she'd probably be in an asylum right now for her twisted taste in fashion.

 

[Dexiro]

I agree that too many people jump to conclusions with music. I mean you have to be careful not to mistake opinions for ignorance, like I've seen people give each other flak over not liking X or Y or whatever, those are just opinions.

Musical ignorance is when people shun music before they even hear it. Like they'll refuse to listen to anything that isn't metal for example without even trying other genres and basing opinions off the few songs that they didn't like.

As for he Bieber thing, sure he's not harming me but I'm allowed to find him bloody annoying. I mean his music isn't even that bad, it's just a low-average sounding noise at most, It's bearable atleast. But when cardboard like that is made stupidly popular and is pushed in your face all the time (rants don't help either) it can get bloody annoying. And I seriously worry for a lot of the fans too.

 

[Johnny Impact]

I will stop saying 'I don't like rap' when I hear rap I like.

I hear what you're saying. But I don't think I throw the words hate around that much.

Exactly. Not only that, but according to the definition of music from my music theory teacher, rap isn't music at all. In the sense that it's more like a poem with some kind of beat in the background. Except without the "poem" part, and just words as far as I've heard. Not trying to be a stick in the mud, but I have to say I agree with him. Someone wants to change my mind, show me a rap song that actually brings any sort of emotion to the table.

10,000 rappers out there. Each one gets the most hoes, pops the most caps, drives the most expensive car, and is just generally the baddest n***** who ever walked. When you get right down to it there is only one rap song and the guys singing it don't qualify for the position they claim. The real baddest n*****s who ever walked are too busy being the baddest n*****s who ever walked to bother rapping about it. The fictional nature of the lyrics wouldn't be a problem if the fools singing it didn't take themselves so seriously.

I seem to remember rap being live, unrehearsed verses delivered off-the-cuff. To make up rhymes on the spot for three minutes straight while sounding cool and effortless -- the guys who can do that well have my respect. The pre-recorded stuff doesn't require any skill.

 

[Johnny Impact]

My gripe is with radio, or, more precisely, the people who run radio. Radio serves up the same forty songs -- for whatever genre the station represents -- over and over and over. Thousands of CDs these studios have in their closets, and it's the same forty songs, the same forty songs, the same forty songs.

Now why is this? Money is the obvious answer but I don't think it quite washes. There are loads of good songs out there, moldering away in obscurity. Surely a variety of good songs is more interesting -- and therefore more attractive to listeners -- than the same old stuff? I think we get same old, same old because the bigwigs who control the programming don't think we, the people can handle our own musical taste. By playing the same old stuff, they're telling us that's all there is. There are these forty songs, and nothing else.

They're spitting on our minds.

And the worst part isn't that they do this. The worst part is they get away with it. Listeners buy into this brainwashing so completely they will call the station to request a song that's already on the playlist. We have heard "More Than A Feeling" seven times a day since time beyond reckoning but somebody will still request it.

Thank you, lords of radio. Thank you for taking the miracle that is music and reducing its wonderful alchemy to the auditory equivalent of a sports drink: bland, overpriced, overhyped, and ultimately empty. Thank you for dimming the light of the world. Thank you for serving evil. Thank you for trying to make us all the same.

 

[Purple Shrimp]

but you should still have respect for the genre and artist (unless they really are a piece of talentless crap - Brokencyde, for instance).

why did you have to ruin such a reasonable post with this little piece of hypocrisy

 

[Tdc2182]

Whenever I say "I don't like rap" to people, they proceed to tell me I'm listening to the wrong stuff. And then they show me the "underground" rap.

The best thing I could say for underground rap is that sometimes it has a good message. A song is suppose to be enjoyable. If you can't make good music, you are just saying poetry. So do poetry.

 

[MysticToast]

but you should still have respect for the genre and artist (unless they really are a piece of talentless crap - Brokencyde, for instance).

why did you have to ruin such a reasonable post with this little piece of hypocrisy

Because it's a universal fact that Brokencyde sucks.

 

[blankedboy]

Well you can't deny that the various ammounts of -core genres are actually crappy despite having a few good bands.And funnily those same bands lean more on other genres instead of their -core genre.This includes gammacore and hard techno but it still appeals to candy ravers and it's pretty obscure not a lot in your face.

That's still ruling out a heck of a lot of genres. Breakcore, dubcore, terrorcore, they're all just as valid as any other genre.

 

[Nazulu]

Just let them live in ignorance. By dismissing genre's they miss out on the chance of finding songs they might enjoy so let them punish themselves.

I used to be like that, only listening to hard rock, then one day I thought to my self, "This is stupid! Bands are not football teams that rival against each other, just entertainers having fun". So then I went on my persoanl mission to find out what was so appealing about the other genre's. And you know what? I found it! I can listen to every genre and enjoy them equally; country, black metal, techno, folk, jazz, opera, etc.

As for Justin Beiber, I agree the hate is way over board, but I still believe he shouldn't be anywhere near as successful just because of his look and "Baby, Baby, Baby, Oohhh Baby".

 

[Darius Brogan]

You are now officially my favorite person ever.

I haven't heard anything about LoD for... Uhm... EVER, and it's good to know that it hasn't been completely lost to the new generation of instant gratification games.

Totally agree with you on the song. It's a beautiful piece.

It's the first RPG I ever owned and finished. I had to work for it, because the timing in that game can get unholy at times. But when I did I was treated to this piece. It fit the ending absolutely perfectly, and at that moment I knew that gaming was something worth defending, and that I would spend my life doing just that, through my medium of writing. Part of the reason I love game music, is because it has to convey emotions that fit with the moment, but can still be appreciated by itself. More importantly (and to get back on point) in comparison to most rap, this song conveys deep emotions, namely the wish to have love in a world that simultaneously values and devalues it. That life not only throws crap at you, but sometimes good things. And ultimately, whether or not true love can even be contained in this life alone. I don't think something that strong can die just because your body does, but let's save that for a theological/philosophical discussion in another thread

Good plan And I agree with you on the subject of music in video-games having to convey more than just tune.

Much of the time these days music is a pass-time, reserved for whenever one doesn't feel like hearing their own thoughts, instead of being brought into thought by the piece in question.

Rap is a good example: Despite it's ofttimes loud brash/offensive lyrics, it's almost completely lacking in any real emotion, and feeling. It's supposed to be for 'ears only' though I have trouble listening long enough to care, really.

I actually count myself lucky that most of the bands I like make attempts to incorporate emotion and power into their music. Not all of them are universally popular, of course, but that's a fact I live with, and I'll never begrudge one their tastes, as horrible as I think they are...

 

[Saelune]

Rap is primarily composed of people who not only are disrespectful, but overall terrible people who I will never respect. They are a bad influence on people and spread bad ideas and messages. Alot of pop does too, but hardly as severe. However Lady Gaga is a trashy shock artists who is even worse that she has a good voice which she wastes on being what she is.
It also is annoying that since I am part of the LGBT spectrum I am apparently expected to like her trash.