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Is Lady Gaga as good as Janis Joplin or Green Day as exciting as the Clash?

Has popular culture declined?

Have people like Simon Cowell cut its throat and bled it dry of talent?

I don't think so. You can find great music in the last twenty years just as much as before. Sufjan Stevens, Silver Jews, Radiohead, Joanna Newsom, Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, PJ Harvey, Jeff Buckley, Tori Amos, Elliott Smith, Tool, Grandaddy, Godspeed You Black Emperor, ...

No, but she's better than "The Monkees". Obviously, comparing shitty pop of the present with classics of the past, the past wins. How about if I compared Modest Mouse to, say, The Archies? All of a sudden, the present doesn't sound quite so bad.

There are some terrific present-day artists/stars. But IMO, the entertainment industry has become -- more than ever -- an assembly-line marketing, $$$centric machine catering to the inflated notion that everyone can be a star (indeed, it's everyone's 'right' to be celebrated). As such, there is a larger percentage of garbage that hits the airwaves.

Originally posted by King Kandy
No, but she's better than "The Monkees". Obviously, comparing shitty pop of the present with classics of the past, the past wins. How about if I compared Modest Mouse to, say, The Archies? All of a sudden, the present doesn't sound quite so bad.

You see I would dispute she is better than the Monkees. I also doubt people will play her as much in the future as they still will play the Monkees.

Originally posted by Bardock42
I don't think so. You can find great music in the last twenty years just as much as before. Sufjan Stevens, Silver Jews, Radiohead, Joanna Newsom, Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, PJ Harvey, Jeff Buckley, Tori Amos, Elliott Smith, Tool, Grandaddy, Godspeed You Black Emperor, ...

Ahh, Marius, most of those you mention are not really 'popular' music, they are 'niche' artists. They may be extremely successful 'niche' artists. Janis and the Clash were 'popular mainstream', rather than alternative artists, no matter how successful, they may be.

I'm not sure how well either of those artists sell, and I don't know how much airtime they get and got as I don't listen to Music Radio.

So lets say I only replied to the "Are modern performers as good as those from the past?" with a "yes" and to "Has popular culture declined?" with an "I don't know"

I think the older singers and groups are so much better then the ones now adays.They seem to have more talent and better songs!

http://www.smbc-comics.com/comics/20110522.gif

Originally posted by Bardock42
I'm not sure how well either of those artists sell, and I don't know how much airtime they get and got as I don't listen to Music Radio.

So lets say I only replied to the "Are modern performers as good as those from the past?" with a "yes" and to "Has popular culture declined?" with an "I don't know"

I think as Phil Spector said Marius there is some truth in this. I would dispute though that modern performers are as great as those from the past, certainly in terms of originality and innovation, however, it must be harder to be innovative. I repackaged rock and roll in the 70's and made it far more accessible for people to make there own music. I also through my shop 'Sex' changed fashion far more than someone like Lady Gaga, who wishes she could be as talented as me.
I think we can also say, pop musicians are far less likely to buck against the establishment. As Mindship said it's all about corporate pop/rock and the bottom line. I was very mercenary and created, the great rock and roll swindle by repackaging three chords and 50's 'stylee'.
Originally posted by ADarksideJedi
I think the older singers and groups are so much better then the ones now adays.They seem to have more talent and better songs!

I agree ADarksideJedi, the lyrics to 'Rhinestone Cowboy' are far superior to anything by the Vengaboys.

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos

http://www.smbc-comics.com/comics/20110522.gif No pop peaked with bands like Cream and artisits like Jimi Hendrix. When they were top of the charts rather than bands like the cast of Glee and some no name from Pop Idol

Originally posted by King Troll
Is Lady Gaga as good as Janis Joplin or Green Day as exciting as the Clash?

Has popular culture declined?

Have people like Simon Cowell cut its throat and bled it dry of talent?


That's an odd comparison. A better would be Lady Gaga of today to Madonna of say the 80-90's. Which if course, Lady Gaga sucks in comparison.


But yeah, there's still good music to be found today, just have to look a bit harder.

Originally posted by Robtard
That's an odd comparison. A better would be Lady Gaga of today to Madonna of say the 80-90's. Which if course, Lady Gaga sucks in comparison.


But yeah, there's still good music to be found today, just have to look a bit harder.

The point you have to look harder is the point it's not popular culture.

I take exception to these comments, nothing I do has not been done before with things like the Partridge Family. It is just the scale of my atrocities are so much greater. I am the ultimate expression of Warhol, everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes. In fact I have made it the average persons aspiration and entitlement.

Originally posted by Robtard
That's an odd comparison. A better would be Lady Gaga of today to Madonna of say the 80-90's. Which if course, Lady Gaga sucks in comparison.


But yeah, there's still good music to be found today, just have to look a bit harder.

Is this good music mainstream and generally popular?

Originally posted by Simon Cowell
The point you have to look harder is the point it's not popular culture.

I take exception to these comments, nothing I do has not been done before with things like the Partridge Family. It is just the scale of my atrocities are so much greater. I am the ultimate expression of Warhol, everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes. In fact I have made it the average persons aspiration and entitlement.

Mr. Cowell, whilst you may be in many ways my most enduring legacy. At least some of the overhyped atrocities I served up were art. In your case, I find very little art, however, perhaps it is high art as Warhol said you can only measure success through money (paraphrased).

Originally posted by MalcolmMaclaren
Is this good music mainstream and generally popular?



Mr. Cowell, whilst you may be in many ways my most enduring legacy. At least some of the overhyped atrocities I served up were art. In your case, I find very little art, however, perhaps it is high art as Warhol said you can only measure success through money (paraphrased).

I resent the fact you claim I have tried to turn the world into an endless end-of-pier talent show.

Five and Westlife as bands certainly stand against anything talent you discovered.

Oh my God...Phil Spector, Malcolm MacLaren and Simon Cowell join KMC all on the same day to have a debate. This forum is sooo awesome.