Some times I think I've lived too long...'cuz I really don't get it!

[Xulonn]

How do/did you (i.e., the OP) feel about (e.g.) Lorde, Meghan Trainor, Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne, or even Stefani Germanotta (Lady Gaga)?

I am only vaguely aware of them. They did not penetrate the barrier that often separates generations. My primary news feed is Google News. It's entertainment section is dominated by the Kardashians and their ilk - people who are famous for being famous, and who make a prodigious efforts to dominate social media. Those factors often overshadow traditional music, stage and film "entertainment" news by autogenerating "hit-counts" that apparently trigger automated systems to feature them as the most "desirable" news items.

Obviously, Billie Eilish's personality has penetrated those barriers to reach me - enough to prompt me to start this thread. I like what she is doing. I think that she is a "good" cross-cultural influence, and possibly a challenge to corporate planners' attempts to dominatw the determinination of what "entertainment" should be promoted to maximize their profits. But they will try to use her - and likely create imitations.

Are you old enough to remember "The Monkees" - a band that was a corporate creation ??

 

[mhardy6647]

Oh, yes.
I have all of the "classic" Monkees albums (purchased new) -- except Head.
I'm not even ashamed to admit it.

In fact, my wife's and my record collections didn't overlap much -- except for Monkees albums!

The Prefab Four

Steven Stills, famously, was rejected for Monkeedom -- but he ended up doin' OK.

My list, by the way, are a group of women who had some huge (pop) hits but, I would opine, have quite varying levels of "real" talent and 'staying power' -- the latter not necessarily being strongly correlated to the former.

 

[RayDunzl]

Are you old enough to remember "The Monkees" - a band that was a corporate creation ??

 

[mhardy6647]

Speaking of the Monkees. Two further things.

Thing the first.

Thing the second.

 

[mhardy6647]

aaahhhh! You posted faster'n me! (faster'n I...)

 

[Xulonn]

LOL Ray! Now what have I started. By comparison, Billie Eilish is starting to look better to me with every post in this thread - as a person, an entertainer, and a role model.

 

[Dimitri]

Where does this fit into the history of "music"?

It's a subwoofer test.
It allows tweeters to go to sleep.
It's useful in movies.

A lot worse than Janice Joplin, or Pink, but a hell of a lot better than Meg friggin Myers.

 

[oldsysop]

Ephemeral pop

This.

 

[mhardy6647]

The epitome of (American) pop music... The quintessential American pop song.
I give you... Dean Friedman.

... and I am not even being totally facetious. Not totally.

 

[Dimitri]

I give you... Dean Friedman.

Well, well ...

 

[Newk Yuler]

The Monkees had great song writers early and good music sense when producing their own music. They were worthy. They were also influenced a lot by the Beatles. Follow the compressed clever lyrics in this...

Gene Simmons famously and infamously proclaimed Rock is dead and challenged everyone who appreciates Rock music (not the modern definition that includes genres older rockers will exclude) to name more than a half dozen bands or similar entertainment acts since 1988 compared to those that would be called classic before 1988. Those weren't his exact words but IIRC you will see it in the recent excellent ZZ Top documentary.

Billie Eilish didn't know who Van Halen was a few weeks ago, as an iconic representative of her age group and a likely example of their general appreciation of classic rock, that says something. Younger people usually appreciate the simple pop music that's put under their noses like it's been for many decades. I don't give a flip about Billie Eilish but I appreciate that she's not another modern fabrication like many pop acts that sound like their songs were crapped out by an algorithm designed to appeal to modern simple minds. Although her music apparently goes a long way to fitting the description. She has a unique organic way of going about it.

 

[MZKM]

My new avatar and the boredom of quarantine has me thinking strange thoughts.

Where does this fit into the history of "music"? What do the youngest ASR members think about this song and its genre? Is it good? Bad? Dumb? Insightful? Lasting? Ephemeral pop? (Then again, long before the advent of music videos, my generation had songs in the 1950's like "Yellow Polka Dot Bikini", "Transfusion" by Nervous Norvus, "Stranded in the Jungle" and "The Purple People Eater".)

Wait, did he just say they don’t use pitch-correction (Melodyne/Autotune)?! That’s pretty interesting. Also, the mentioned one overtly auto tune they did was for the film Roma, I too do not like it:

 

[Xulonn]

The epitome of (American) pop music... The quintessential American pop song.
I give you... Dean Friedman.

Hah! I don't trust the artistic integrity of anyone who has rely on Cannibis Seed companies for sponsorship and bribe people with cannabis seeds to sell his CDs!

Recently, Friedman’s song, “A Million Matzoh Balls” was featured in an award winning indie film by acclaimed new director, Janizca Bravo, titled, ‘Lemon’. One of Friedman’s recent tours was almost cancelled when it was announced that his UK tour sponsor Golden Seeds would distribute packets of cannabis seeds to the first ten people that purchased CD’s at each of Friedman’s gigs. The controversy was only resolved after Friedman promised not to distribute the seeds within 50 yards of the venue premises.

Discover what legions of devoted fans have known for years – the sophisticated, funny and profound work of a master songsmith.

 

[mhardy6647]

I remember some critic's assessment of Mickey Dolenz' vocals in Goin Down as "Mose Allison on speed".

 

[scott wurcer]

I grew up with this, every age digs its own hole. No point in making a comment I can't listen to any current pop music at all.

 

[Newk Yuler]

The epitome of (American) pop music... The quintessential American pop song.
I give you... Dean Friedman. ... and I am not even being totally facetious. Not totally.

That is an awesome, worthy pop song. Organic perfection. Filled with great pop hook elements and nothing remotely offensive. Puts a big smile on my face. THANKS!

 

[mhardy6647]

I would opine/argue that I'm Telling You Now is great pop music (FWIW).

I did not know until @Dimitri's enigmatic post above -- which drove me straight to Google -- that Dean Friedman was still treadin' the boards.
The things we learn when we unleash the power of the internet.

 

[Daverz]

Not sure why you picked this particular song and artist for your "you kids get off my lawn" post. I'm 56 -- my knowledge of pop music ends even before grunge became popular -- and I kinda like the song, though it's not the kind of thing I'd normally listen to.

 

[kokishin]

How do/did you (i.e., the OP) feel about (e.g.) Lorde, Meghan Trainor, Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne, or even Stefani Germanotta (Lady Gaga)?

Not the OP but I like Avril Lavigne and Lady Gaga.

I also really like Christina Perri.

 

[RayDunzl]

I probably haven't "gotten it" since all the "big" names turned into "song and dance" acts.

I don't get the "rap" thing either, probably because I'm not personally aspiring to be an inner-city hustler/pimp/thug/drug dealer/cop killer of some sort.

So, when I semiannually cruise the current Top 40, I see what the intro sounds like, skip into the first verse, skip to see if there's a bridge or not, skip to see if the "second verse is same as the first", skip to the crescendo near the end (just to check that box off), and skip on to the next in the list.

Nothing, and I mean nothing, in the popular realm has stuck with me for a long long time.

I know who some of them are, can admire their ability to rake in the cash, but take it to heart and hum it in the shower or try to pick it out on a fretboard, no.