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Why do you like a band and loathe another? What about music genres? Be honest now…
Some people make a fuss about really hating certain styles of music. Let’s look at Pop as an example of this, shall we. Why would anyone hate pop music? It does little harm and doesn’t offend anyone (at least, not lyrically) so why all the big fuss about it?
Well, there is a well used argument that all of pop is artificially created and that pop musicians have absolutely no talent themselves, they are merely puppets to corporate suits who stand behind them working the strings. This may be true for a few bands or singers, but the whole of pop music? Well, that’s going a bit too far. Lets look at the argument in more detail.
Pop music is only about ‘suits’ making money.
The business men behind music know that they can make a lot of money. Is it only pop music they focus on? No, of course it’s not, they are often in charge of a whole lot of bands, from rock to pop and even dance, as long as they get their money, most are happy to sign and support any new band.
When (or if) the band becomes famous, they will celebrate. Of course, they will, in the same way that people will celebrate winning the lottery or making money any other way. Does this make the musicians any less musical? No, they are creating music because they want to and not because they are told to. Ok, so some of them merely sing music that other people have written for them, but then this has also been going on for years and it’s simply entertainment, whether you like the music or not.
There is no talent in pop.
The musicians themselves actually believe they are making music that people like to listen to, and why should we doubt them? Millions of people buy their singles and albums every day and are happy to listen to the music that their favourite bands produce. The argument goes that the artists haven’t got any talent, well who has? Talent can be shown in live performances. Some bands can’t sing for toffee live, a lot of singers for dance bands, metal, rock, indie and pop can’t do the live thing and have to resort to studio effects on their voices, but not everyone. There are plenty of pop bands and singers that can actually sing, and sing well. They can produce moving Ballards or shiny pop that is as innocent looking as the young band members themselves.
The bands are manufactured
Yes, from the Monkees to Heresay, quite a few bands have been put together by the business themselves. Is this a bad thing? Get together a whole bunch of people who can sing and make them a group. Does this make them any worse than, say, 3 friends who met in a pub and decided to form a band? I think not. Ok, so if they can’t sing then that’s a valid point and just reflects badly on the people who put the band together in the first place, same as any other genre of music really.
It’s too popular.
Funny that, pop music being popular! Who’d have thought? But it’s not just popular because a load of people have been hypnotised by evil men in suits either, a lot of people who have sound judgement go out and buy a Steps album or something by the Corrs because they like it. Not because the band stands for something or doesn’t like cruelty to animals or something, merely because they like the sound of the music. What’s wrong with that? Surely the same argument can be used against the other types of music, perhaps you are listening to music because it’s cool and others that you want to be like are also listening to it? Perhaps you hate pop music mainly for the image it represents? So what do you think that says about you? That you follow the crowd (be it the minority or whatever)? That you are forcing yourself not to like something that secretly you could actually listen to quite happily?
I hate pop.
So you really hate all pop music. Fine. Just so long as you hate it because you really can’t stand to listen to it, not because your friends would ridicule you for singing to S Club 7 or listening to Kylie. Even so, it’s very hard to believe that anyone could hate the sound of all pop music, given the extent of style and the many bands to choose from.
Some people make a fuss about really hating certain styles of music. Let’s look at Pop as an example of this, shall we. Why would anyone hate pop music? It does little harm and doesn’t offend anyone (at least, not lyrically) so why all the big fuss about it?
Well, there is a well used argument that all of pop is artificially created and that pop musicians have absolutely no talent themselves, they are merely puppets to corporate suits who stand behind them working the strings. This may be true for a few bands or singers, but the whole of pop music? Well, that’s going a bit too far. Lets look at the argument in more detail.
Pop music is only about ‘suits’ making money.
The business men behind music know that they can make a lot of money. Is it only pop music they focus on? No, of course it’s not, they are often in charge of a whole lot of bands, from rock to pop and even dance, as long as they get their money, most are happy to sign and support any new band.
When (or if) the band becomes famous, they will celebrate. Of course, they will, in the same way that people will celebrate winning the lottery or making money any other way. Does this make the musicians any less musical? No, they are creating music because they want to and not because they are told to. Ok, so some of them merely sing music that other people have written for them, but then this has also been going on for years and it’s simply entertainment, whether you like the music or not.
There is no talent in pop.
The musicians themselves actually believe they are making music that people like to listen to, and why should we doubt them? Millions of people buy their singles and albums every day and are happy to listen to the music that their favourite bands produce. The argument goes that the artists haven’t got any talent, well who has? Talent can be shown in live performances. Some bands can’t sing for toffee live, a lot of singers for dance bands, metal, rock, indie and pop can’t do the live thing and have to resort to studio effects on their voices, but not everyone. There are plenty of pop bands and singers that can actually sing, and sing well. They can produce moving Ballards or shiny pop that is as innocent looking as the young band members themselves.
The bands are manufactured
Yes, from the Monkees to Heresay, quite a few bands have been put together by the business themselves. Is this a bad thing? Get together a whole bunch of people who can sing and make them a group. Does this make them any worse than, say, 3 friends who met in a pub and decided to form a band? I think not. Ok, so if they can’t sing then that’s a valid point and just reflects badly on the people who put the band together in the first place, same as any other genre of music really.
It’s too popular.
Funny that, pop music being popular! Who’d have thought? But it’s not just popular because a load of people have been hypnotised by evil men in suits either, a lot of people who have sound judgement go out and buy a Steps album or something by the Corrs because they like it. Not because the band stands for something or doesn’t like cruelty to animals or something, merely because they like the sound of the music. What’s wrong with that? Surely the same argument can be used against the other types of music, perhaps you are listening to music because it’s cool and others that you want to be like are also listening to it? Perhaps you hate pop music mainly for the image it represents? So what do you think that says about you? That you follow the crowd (be it the minority or whatever)? That you are forcing yourself not to like something that secretly you could actually listen to quite happily?
I hate pop.
So you really hate all pop music. Fine. Just so long as you hate it because you really can’t stand to listen to it, not because your friends would ridicule you for singing to S Club 7 or listening to Kylie. Even so, it’s very hard to believe that anyone could hate the sound of all pop music, given the extent of style and the many bands to choose from.
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I still don't agree. I've seen a few live shows of different pop acts and most mime...the corrs are one of the few good pop acts in that they don't mime, and play their own instruments. What I want to know is, what is the point of miming? If you mime then it isn't even a live show.
And I still stick with my point about S Club 7 - why not just one male vocalist and one female vocalist?
And I still stick with my point about S Club 7 - why not just one male vocalist and one female vocalist?
Well Done...
I was going to reply first minutes after you wrote it... but I couldn't be bothered... never had a proper argument going in my head :)
I was going to reply first minutes after you wrote it... but I couldn't be bothered... never had a proper argument going in my head :)
Sorry folks, have to copy this to reply:
Blank wrote:
> Most of it sounds exactly alike. There is hardly
> any variety.
Are you sure you don't mean Dance? So there is no difference between, say, The Corrs, Britney Spears, Shaggy, Madonna..etc..?
It's all vocals. Take S Club 7
> for example - 7 vocalists, most of whom don't sing most of the time. Why do they
> need 7 vocalists? How about 2 - one man one woman?
Different songs require different singers, hence the band (or group) having 7 singers. Blokes do one song, ladies another.
>Most of the groups don't play
> their own instruments
Most 'dance' music is written on a computer or using electronic equipment. A lot of it could be said to contain little talent. Many bands DO play instruments, just that Top of the Pops only shows those ones which don't. Corrs are an example (again!)
>but it infuriates me that people can't see how poor it is... They mime when live,
Not all bands, and not the majority either. Live concerts are different to Top of the Pops, which is the main culprit for making bands mime, something that the show producers seem to ask bands more of the time. This happened in the 70's and got so bad that they were told to let bands sing live again, so they did for a while, till technical difficulties stopped it again.
So, a handful of bands mime, most don't. This is obvious from the many TV and concert shows (such as the pop bands doing the music from stage shows). As for playing instuments, do they need to? If the singing is nice and a lot of people like it and find it pleasing, then surely that's the main point of music.
I think the question is really 'what is music for?'. Once you've answered this, you'll have a better understanding of why people (and not just young kids either) like pop music.
Blank wrote:
> Most of it sounds exactly alike. There is hardly
> any variety.
Are you sure you don't mean Dance? So there is no difference between, say, The Corrs, Britney Spears, Shaggy, Madonna..etc..?
It's all vocals. Take S Club 7
> for example - 7 vocalists, most of whom don't sing most of the time. Why do they
> need 7 vocalists? How about 2 - one man one woman?
Different songs require different singers, hence the band (or group) having 7 singers. Blokes do one song, ladies another.
>Most of the groups don't play
> their own instruments
Most 'dance' music is written on a computer or using electronic equipment. A lot of it could be said to contain little talent. Many bands DO play instruments, just that Top of the Pops only shows those ones which don't. Corrs are an example (again!)
>but it infuriates me that people can't see how poor it is... They mime when live,
Not all bands, and not the majority either. Live concerts are different to Top of the Pops, which is the main culprit for making bands mime, something that the show producers seem to ask bands more of the time. This happened in the 70's and got so bad that they were told to let bands sing live again, so they did for a while, till technical difficulties stopped it again.
So, a handful of bands mime, most don't. This is obvious from the many TV and concert shows (such as the pop bands doing the music from stage shows). As for playing instuments, do they need to? If the singing is nice and a lot of people like it and find it pleasing, then surely that's the main point of music.
I think the question is really 'what is music for?'. Once you've answered this, you'll have a better understanding of why people (and not just young kids either) like pop music.
OK, you make SOME good points, but others I don't agree with. Here are my main complaints about pop music:
Most of it sounds exactly alike. There is hardly any variety. The music is all made to sound the same, because the producers know people will buy it. If people thought for a minute and didn't buy it the producers would be forced to do something new.
It's all vocals. Take S Club 7 for example - 7 vocalists, most of whom don't sing most of the time. Why do they need 7 vocalists? How about 2 - one man one woman? Most of the groups don't play their own instruments (that's why I say "groups" and not "bands"), and yet there is backing music on the songs. If someone else plays the music for them, they are in the group and should be mentioned. Take anyone like Britney Spears or Samantha Mumba for example - one person. But there are loads of other people playing music and DJ-ing etc who don't get mentioned.
People don't see through it. OK, so this isn't really to do with the usic, but it infuriates me that people can't see how poor it is.
They don't perform live or write their own songs. Most of them anyway. They mime when live, so there is no proof that they actually do anything, other than look pretty and do a nice little dance to entertain the crowds.
Most of it sounds exactly alike. There is hardly any variety. The music is all made to sound the same, because the producers know people will buy it. If people thought for a minute and didn't buy it the producers would be forced to do something new.
It's all vocals. Take S Club 7 for example - 7 vocalists, most of whom don't sing most of the time. Why do they need 7 vocalists? How about 2 - one man one woman? Most of the groups don't play their own instruments (that's why I say "groups" and not "bands"), and yet there is backing music on the songs. If someone else plays the music for them, they are in the group and should be mentioned. Take anyone like Britney Spears or Samantha Mumba for example - one person. But there are loads of other people playing music and DJ-ing etc who don't get mentioned.
People don't see through it. OK, so this isn't really to do with the usic, but it infuriates me that people can't see how poor it is.
They don't perform live or write their own songs. Most of them anyway. They mime when live, so there is no proof that they actually do anything, other than look pretty and do a nice little dance to entertain the crowds.
Damn, I can't seem to win, and pb wins yet again! Played, pb.
Solskjaer_24 wrote:
> Well done for the GAD, AGAIN!!
Thanks. You're making me feel guilty, again! ;-)
> Well done for the GAD, AGAIN!!
Thanks. You're making me feel guilty, again! ;-)
Well done for the GAD, AGAIN!!
Ali has a good approach, I think. After all, songs are there as part of that great 'entertainment' label and are merely there to serve us. Pop music is like any other music, it can make you sad or happy or intensify your feelings of love or hate.
I can't stand rap singers who simply sing about themselves all the time, what's the point in that? Even so, I don't hate all rap in the same way that I don't like all rock or metal bands (just a fair majority). Pop is the same, I like Nelly Furtado, some Robbie Williams and even a splattering of other bands and singers when the mood takes me. I don't like all pop music, it's such a broad band of music that anyone would have difficulty liking it all. I expect a few people have even got into Enya recently due to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack.
Dance music is similar in that I quite like some of the slow trance stuff and really like some of the eurodance that doesn't come over to these shores, but I can't stand some of the dance tracks played late night on the radio, they are so samey and repetitive to me.
Whatever you feel about pop, it's not going to go away and it will most certainly be used for many more film soundtracks to come, especially romantic ones.
I can't stand rap singers who simply sing about themselves all the time, what's the point in that? Even so, I don't hate all rap in the same way that I don't like all rock or metal bands (just a fair majority). Pop is the same, I like Nelly Furtado, some Robbie Williams and even a splattering of other bands and singers when the mood takes me. I don't like all pop music, it's such a broad band of music that anyone would have difficulty liking it all. I expect a few people have even got into Enya recently due to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack.
Dance music is similar in that I quite like some of the slow trance stuff and really like some of the eurodance that doesn't come over to these shores, but I can't stand some of the dance tracks played late night on the radio, they are so samey and repetitive to me.
Whatever you feel about pop, it's not going to go away and it will most certainly be used for many more film soundtracks to come, especially romantic ones.
pop is lame. how can you like it? it sounds realy bad. you are a bit strange sometimes pb.
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