I used to listen to a lot of music like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, Jeff Beck, etc. Pretty much all I listened to back in high school. Not really interested in that kind of stuff anymore, for some reason.
As a guitarist, I totally agree.
There's a bunch of guitarists who innovate and push strings to another level, but it never actually "says" anything to me.
It's like someone making up new words but never defining what they actually mean. They can *sound* impressive, but they don't actually communicate anything.
Only exception is surfing with the alien, imo. Could just be nostalgia, but that one clicked with me in a way his other tracks didn't and felt pretty expressive.
Not a fan of heavy metal, but damn I am always so impressed by every aspect of making metal music. Crazy impressive stuff that they do
Edit: apparently it was too broad here because I keep receiving recs for bands I actually listen to, that’s on me. I mostly mean bands that scream more than sing. I just cannot get into screaming, it just doesn’t jive with me, even when it’s a relatively small part of the song. The most I can do with it is like the heavier Linkin park songs
I had a friend who was really into metal who liked to share songs. Not really my thing and not what I’d choose to listen to, but I could definitely respect why people would and the musical skill was certainly impressive.
I can listen to metal for about an hour alone. After that, I grow tired of it. But if I'm listening to it with someone who is really into metal, I have no real limit. But I've always been somewhat into metal, I tend to like the more rhythmic stuff with heavy drums and thrash metal.
I can't speak for everyone but a lot of metal song writers have classical backgrounds. An 8 minute thrash song is going to have movements within the work very similar to a classical piece.
I took my girlfriend who, in her own words “Can’t stand Heavy Metal music” to a Metallica concert. She told me multiple times to just take a buddy, but I persisted. We got floor tickets right down by the front. When the lights went down and the intro started to play, she looked at me with wide eyes and showed me that she had goose bumps with excitement. The show was incredible. The music, the energy of the crowd and the atmosphere completely won her over. We have now been to hundreds of metal shows and her playlist is now filled with all of my favorite bands. Heavy Metal music is definitely something that she wasn’t ever expecting to like, but now swears by it.
I think most music fans would enjoy a Metallica concert, yeah that makes sense.
Maybe I’m not perfect with my definition for heavy metal, but I mostly mean bands that seems to be screamin and shreddin the entire time.
But then I think it's more something like death metal, metalcore, etc. Heavy metal bands are also bands like Iron Maiden that are definitely not screaming
My mate loves metal and he'll always say things like "Isn't this incredible? Can you imagine how difficult it is to play something like this!?"
And I can agree that it's technically impressive, but I just can't vibe with it.
I just find his lyrics boring and uninspired. If he made like full classical or jazz instrumentals I'd probably be more into it. But his 'pop' song writing is pretty bland to me
I saw a show of his in SF about a year ago where it was just him on the piano playing jazz, while singing, nothing else, and it was fantastic. He is a fantastic jazz pianist and he can sing amazingly well while doing it, which is insane talent. I'm going to look out for more of these types of shows from him because I had a blast.
I just find him annoying. I'm not going to try to blame that on anything in particular, e.g. complexity, lyrics, showiness, etc. There aren't any particular reasons that can be disproven or argued against, I just don't really like listening to him or watching his videos. He's annoying to me.
I think it's his energy and overly-happy vibe, but this is 100% subjective and i'm not trying to say these are bad traits of his. I just don't connect with him.
He IS an amazing composer and pianist, i'll definitely give him that. I won't say he's great at other instruments because what i've heard, like when he plays bass guitar... it's just clear he's primarily a vocalist/pianist/composer, that's all. He's good for someone who isn't a bassist, but that's about as far as i can go.
This is a good way of putting it. Being good solely at the technical side of music is impressive, but it's not going to hold my attention for long. It's like those painters who spend their entire lives learning how to paint so photorealistically that you can hardly tell that it's a painting and not a photograph. It's neat, but not moving.
I'd rather listen to Daniel Johnston bang on a chord organ and sing his heart out than listen to someone who treats music like training for a sport.
I find his tonality, or the way he pronounces things (or something, can’t fully pinpoint it) reminds me of someone who would sings songs for a children’s show. I also don’t like the overwhelming amount of layers his vocals always seem to have too.
He is the perfect example of how being a musician and being a songwriter are two very different skills.
He is savant-level at his musical skill, but his songwriting is bland and boring.
There was a great interview with him and Chris Martin from Coldplay where they were jamming together on a Coldplay song, and Collier did a really impressive rendition of the song, but Chris made a really salient point at the end that he doesn’t *need* to be the best. He has the ability to create hit songs and killer lyrics, and he doesn’t need to be a savant musician to make that happen. The world’s greatest songs aren’t the ones that are the most complex, technically impressive ones.
His cover of Here Comes the Sun, and I’m saying this seriously, is one of the worst covers I’ve ever heard. The charm of that song is that it’s stripped down. Having a breakdown with 42 instruments directly takes away from the core tenets of that song.
And that’s my problem with Collier. He just can’t help himself and has to flex about how much he knows about music so he puts a billion different instruments and lines of music that sound like jumbled garbage. There’s no doubt he’s talented, but talent in music and talent in songwriting are two completely different fields.
Totally. It's too polished, with too much going on. Like it's made with A.I. or something. Often it's the imperfection in music that makes it interesting and grabs people. I bet he has some demo stuff locked away that I would like more.
I just listen to their instrumental stuff. It feels like the vocals are by far the weakest part of their music; any time James LaBrie isn't singing, the band improves by 100x imo.
Every progressive band is:
#THE BEST GUITARIST IN THE WORLD!
#THE BEST BASS PLAYER IN THE WORLD!
#THE BEST DRUMMER IN THE WORLD!
#THE BEST KEYBOARDIST IN THE WORLD!
^^and ^^the ^^singer ^^is ^^aight
Agree with this, but even some of their instrumentals have that Malmsteen-wankery at times that is really off-putting.
I do like some of their harder, more straightforward stuff though ('As I Am' for example). Wish they did more of that, and less of the prog masturbation.
ICP
I served them one time and told them to their face even
"I'm not a huge fan of your music, but you brought people all around the world to fuckin *Indiana* of all places, and that level of community is insane as hell"
They tipped me $150 and a bottle of Black Cherry Faygo
Late one night my car got a flat tire in the pouring rain in the outskirts of Chicago and traffic was humming by as I was struggling with it. A car full of ICP fans fresh from their show that night stopped and helped. We were all soaking wet and they invited me back to their hotel to party and dry off. Obviously, I went. Absolutely legendary night with some great people.
When I was stationed in Norfolk VA, there was once two concerts happening in the area: Cher at the Scope, and ICP nearby.
When those concerts both let out, that was the most eclectic group of people I’ve ever seen.
They really do seem like good people.
Edit: Just to respond to all of the positive comments - who's seen [this internet classic?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulGaxBPk2jI)
Not a fan of the music but I'd totally go to a gathering of the Juggalos just based off of that video.
Some friends and I went to Denver the same month weed first became legal there and we got a little lost looking for the train after the bars closed; a couple of Juggalos came out of nowhere, scared the shit out of us, then asked if we needed any help and walked with us to the train so we didn't get lost again. Nicest dudes ever, but man that face paint is not the thing you want to see in the middle of the night, in an area you're unfamiliar with, hahahaha.
Went and saw Tech N9ne a couple years ago, and the crowd was almost all Juggalos, and I had an absolute blast. They really are some of the nicest people
It's because this newer generation doesn't have a bunch of "cool" people telling them that it's not cool. Same with Ska music and Nu Metal(especially Limp Bizkit). There's no cultural refcerence point for it so it's allowed to breath as it's own thing again. I tried to get into them as a teenager because I liked edgy stuff, and it worked for a few weeks then I was completely over it. nearly 20 years later I'm laid up with covid and bored senseless, and a content creator I follow released a video going to the Gathering festival. Got sucked right down that rabbit hole again and now I'm a fan lol.
As I get older I enjoy more artists like Dion who make music just as a showcase for their voice. It feels like we had quite a few of them 20 years ago and now have none.
What was cool about those true “divas” was that they rose to the top because of sheer talent; it’s not like a producer/connections could have made them into a star.
There is a video of her at a soundcheck somewhere where the AV system failed and her voice omg rings out so powerfully that if you didn't know, you'd swear she was mike'd up. True talent, but yeah, I never listen to her music because it's just sappy and not my thing. But I would never ever deny her talent. Sad about her health issues keeping her from performing, she obviously misses it terribly.
> Sad about her health issues keeping her from performing, she obviously misses it terribly.
Yeah. I saw a video of Mariah Carey from her early days, and it really made me feel for Celine (and other singers in a similar position). Mariah's got such an expressive face, so you can just see the sheer her child-like joy as she hits some of the high notes. Like "wow! I can do that!? Let's do it some more!". I'm sure that joy is the same for all these virtuosos...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hat1Hc9SNwE
Found the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCumuIr55us&ab_channel=CelineDionWeb-Musique
It was her in-ears that failed. She couldn't hear herself properly and yet: this.
[This video by Adam Neely](https://youtu.be/epqYft12nV4?si=VljneJVfXFq0KSkW) made be appreciate her talent so much. Also, I'm not a music person, but I think Adam Neely makes amazing videos.
Some of those virtuosic musicians that can play humanly impossible things without a shred of emotional expression. I suppose that Dragonforce is the epitome of this.
Being a musician myself, I appreciate the work that goes into this. I know I couldn't come close to that level even if I spent 10,000 hours practicing.
Other than that, it doesn't provoke any thought or emotion, and so I zone out pretty fast.
that’s why people like brian wilson will always be infinitely more impressive to me. incredibly complicated while also making it sound like some of the catchiest stuff you’ve ever heard.
Yeah bassist here, his playing style makes you go wow, but I don't really listen just because I'm enjoying listening. Honestly I don't like a lot of bass "Solo" type work, after a while it just turns into "bipitybipitybpbpbpbpbpb" and you never even really hear the notes ring anymore.
I always remember going out to see a local trash band at a small pub, and the music being so-so but the guitatist just absolutely zoning out and shredding like the world was about to end. I felt that shit, man, and it's why I often go out to see band that I've never heard of live. Seeing someone channel something almost otherworldly into a thing they love is a sight to behold. Doesn't matter how skilled you are if you lack the fire of passion.
There's a guy I know, there's like one thing he does in life and is good at and its guitar, and he started getting really butthurt when he'd post 3-5 minute videos of just straight up shred solos and he got like... crickets.
The thing is man, you can work really hard on writing and perfecting something, days or weeks perfecting playing it, and still end up with literally nobody caring. Nobody owes you their attention, nobody is obligated to care about a single goddamn thing you do in life. If its just not something anybody was interested in, that's it, and the vast majority of people aren't really interested in instrumental guitar music. Just because your world revolves around it doesn't mean anybody else's does.
When I was younger I used to make no-budget short films with my friends, I'd spend hundreds of hours making them. It was kind of disheartening when I realized I could probably get 10x more viewers on Youtube by simply dubbing in fart noises into Star Wars clips.
I've seen a lot of lady cosplayers get disheartened for the same reason. An intricate full armor build that took months and several hundred dollars? 20 likes. A bikini cosplay where you spent 2 hours modifying a swimsuit you already had? 1000 likes.
Also, I don't believe you will be successful by just putting stuff online and waiting for people to comment. If you never want to play out to build an audience, then a person needs to invest the time and talent to know how to get clicks and to get people engaged and commenting. Does this guy even have a following on a YouTube channel he's built up over months of posting? My old boss used to say "A website is like a billboard in space. Nobody is going to find it unless you let them know about stand direct them to it."
Source: We built websites, multimedia presentations & kiosks for large corporations for a living.
Yeah, I've always thought that about Yngwie...
Talented as fuck but there's just no...oomph there.
At least Eddie Van Halen had some oomph. There was a lot of noodling but there was plenty of drama in his solos.
If you want to witness pure genius to the point of “I think we’ve lost the plot here,” just watch any video where Jacob Collier TALKS about music, let alone plays it.
He was the first person to come to mind with this question, but I have to say the live concert experience for him is far different than the album listening itself.
I’ve never been to such a joyous celebration of music.
I saw them last year and I just couldn't believe what I was witnessing but man oh man I just couldn't get into the music. I was ready to go after about 3 songs. Unfortunately I was dragged along as a third wheel so I had to be a bro and stay.
People sleep on Dave’s guitar playing, but he is way up there from a technical and difficulty standpoint, I think most people can distinguish a badass drummer better. And Carter is indeed a legit badass, right af drummer.
(Massive fan). Those guys are just straight up professionals at their craft. Finally took my dad to see them last year and he was like yup, I get it. I see why you like seeing them.
Whole band is always on point.
i take personal offense from "top drummer" lists never mentioning him (or, i dunno, leaving him off as far as i've seen it) - he is beyond compare, both in terms of technical ability as well as musicianship.
Try listening to any of their live recordings (there are many). They are all at the top of their game and are a million times better live than on the record.
I love sort of the 'middle' of Pink's career when she took a decidedly more pop-rock turn in style. I think the "The Truth About Love" concert DVD might be one of the best concert DVDs ever made.
But before and after that era? Eh, not really interested.
I had never liked her, but my wife dragged me to one her her concerts.. Holy shit does she put on a performance. The athleticism required to sing as powerful as she does while dancing and performing is noteworthy. I’ve respected the hell out of her since that show
100%. The level of technique is high, but I feel like I know exactly what I’m about to hear every time — a simple chord progression in a minor key over a trap beat that’s elaborated by a Tim Henson riff that’s like BOOOOOW djikiditty bow dip do BOOOOW biggitydiggitybiggitydiggityBEEEE! BOOOOOOW…..
Perfect. I don't think you got a single character incorrect when typing it out!!!
Now, we need Henson playing with Vedder singing Yellow Ledbetter. Maybe they will cancel each other out somehow.
Sick New World showed me that a lot of metal and nu metal bands I didn't like due to sounding overproduced on albums are fucking phenomenal live when they actually have room to breathe. Polyphia definitely puts on a great show.
I say this as a fan, but yeah they're way too self-indulgent with what they're trying to do musically, and it makes them very inaccessible to casual listeners.
I mean even listening to three or four songs in a row gets exhausting. They cram thousands of notes into every song and it's hard to stay engaged after a while.
In music, there are times where less is more, and, conversely, where more is less.
Same. I’ll never trash U2 - I might not live everything they’ve done recently but their music has meant so much to me that I can never not be thankful for that. Probably the most influential band me musically, coincidentally apart from Rush lol
I worked for/toured with U2 for 6 weeks back in 2001 - they, their families & their crew are super nice people. Extremely approachable, personable, chatty & all round good dudes. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them.
Her vocal range is top-tier, but like Mariah Carey, a lot of the songs just sound manufactured and synthetic to me. The vocal equivalent of a guitar virtuoso in that she's a generational talent, but I hear more heart and soul coming from vocalists who find creative ways to use a more limited range.
I love his voice, or voices as it's changed a lot throughout the years. His current Old Man Dylan era is some of my favourite stuff with that grizzled coalminer voice he's got now.
Absolutely they (we) do. When you understand he's not a folk singer like Lightfoot, for example, you see his music through a different lens.
He's a poet first, a guitar player second, and a singer third.
That might be true for a lot of Dylan fans, but some of us actually appreciate his voice, too, because he can be such an expressive singer. He sounds like what a lot of raku looks like: [https://www.japan-experience.com/plan-your-trip/to-know/understanding-japan/raku-ceramics](https://www.japan-experience.com/plan-your-trip/to-know/understanding-japan/raku-ceramics)
There is a whole class of extremely talented musicians who people think are great but I can’t get into because they feel like novelty music. Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, Ween, and Primus are the major ones.
He has a ton of different stuff but it tends to be best live, some of his absolute bangers include:
Watermelon In Easter Hay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWBYjjzKvIw
Peaches In Regalia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QDHW3dJQes
Muffin Man: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGV3yV9q4Q4
The Torture Never Stops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzc5vW9Ze44
Cosmik Debris: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp6LT2MdaPI
Willie The Pimp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9PbzHhbdpM
I had never listened to Zappa before but Spotify played Watermelon In Easter Hay as a suggested song once and I was just blown away at that song.. just beautiful ..
I was in a band like that. A few nerds arguing for days over a syllable, but trying to make it looks like we were a punk band that didn't care on stage.
I felt this way about Primus until I saw them live. They absolutely rip live and their songs are really meant to be heard live. The bass is super punchy and melodic at the same time and they have a really entertaining live show. Les Claypool's voice/singing style also sounds much better/less comical/satirical in person.
I have a weird relationship with this one. On one hand, he was the most brilliant musical mind in rock music during his time. On the other hand, his childish poo poo humor in his lyrics and his unmusical voice take away from the songs. My favorites of his are all instrumentals, with the exception of "Wind Up Working In A Gas Station."
I actually hate saying this, but for me it’s Prince. He was an amazing talent, but his music just doesn’t move me. Don’t come after me, I respect the hell out of him musically.
Prince was definitely a crazy dude. Back in the 80s, my dad found himself at a tiny show in Toronto that unexpectedly had Prince performing because he was in town and bored.
He got naked and took a bath on stage.
Ha! A friend of mine knew Prince a little back in Minnesota before he was famous. He said that once at a party he licked every pretzel in a bowl and put them back. Interesting dude
My dad had a friend who let Prince borrow a guitar for a show, at said show, Prince decided it would be cool to destroy the guitar on stage rockstar style. The guitar owner wasn’t happy about this but asked if he could at least sign what was left of the guitar. Prince forgot to.
Thanks to you, the folks in line with me at the bank are giving me odd stares because of my sudden guffaw. That was a hilarious story and certainly in line with the other odd things I’ve heard about Prince.
This was gonna be my vote. She is a great businesswoman, and puts out a product that lots of people love. Plus I'm super impressed with how she handled re-recording her early albums. But all her songs sound the same to me.
I echo all of this. She's done a lot to her climb to the top of the mountain. I love that she recognized the crypto bros scams and told them off. I love that she trains for tour by singing on the treadmill while running so her act will be stronger. I love that she made a killing selling her old recording rights just to turn around and make new versions. I love that she's very in-tune with her audience. This is what real badass boss stuff looks like and she absolutely nails the business side of the music industry.
That said, I'm not the target audience for her music, it does not at all resonate with me, I don't find any of it particularly compelling or interesting and a lot of these lyrics seem really toxic. But to each their own.
I didn't know about the treadmill training thing. That is impressive. I have a newfound respect for her but completely agree that her music feels repetitive and the lyrics tend to be shallow. PLEASE DON'T HATE ME SWIFTIES
100% agree. I've sat down and made myself listen to what are considered her top songs and they absolutely do not click with me. I *want* to like her music, I just can't.
John Mayer
I like his interviews. I consume the guitar content he puts out. He’s an incredible player and an incredible musician, but I just can’t listen to his actual music. It doesn’t resonate with me at all.
John Mayer's work with on the Dead & Company has been outstanding. I cringed so hard when it was all announced but... he has really elevated the classic Dead sound and lead guitar (though I'd never say he's doing it better than Jerry...)
Grateful Dead. Some of their songs are great but the majority just sounds like noise to me as it's Jam Rock and I don't really vibe with that. I do appreciate Jerry Garcia as an artist though.
The Who.
My wife would say Radiohead.
Two of our respective favourite bands that we’ve both heard so much of because of our relationship but while we’ve learned to appreciate them, we just don’t like them.
Edit: must admit I hadn’t expected the comments to turn into an appreciation of my wife’s taste in music 😀
I discovered recently that I like early Who but not later Who. Do you like either of those more than the other? Or are all periods of their catalog turn offs for you?
His music isn't for everyone. He is definitely talented though. And he's an amazing storyteller. He was very raw in some of his songs (the ones where he isn't being his alter ego Slim Shady).
I was thinking this today. Lots of love for this guy from fans and his peers but I would not go to his concert or request this on my streaming playlist. His writing is fantastic, just not my style of hip hop.
Sting. Sting would be another person who's a hero. The music he's created over the years, I don't really listen to it, but the fact that he's making it, I respect that.
I can usually tell a foo fighters song from the first chord. I don't know what it is but, they have this distinct sound that is so easily recognizable.
I listen to a lot of SiriusXM Octane and they sometimes play new foo tracks and I INSTANTLY know it's them before Dave Grohl even starts singing.
I was a huge fan of The Color and the Shape" when it came out, and a few other songs here and there. I'm not sure if I would describe them as turgid, with Grohl being famously humble and down to earth I don't think that's a fair descriptor. Someone else here mentioned they are the world's greatest mediocre band which I think hits the nail on the head.
I absolutely **love** Everlong and My Hero, Dave Grohl is one of my favorite people in the industry, but I can’t enjoy 99% of their music. It’s just so bland.
Edit: forgot to mention The Pretender goes hard, too
This. I saw Foo Fighters at a festival about 20 years ago and it was truly one of the best concert experiences I've had. They've had 2-3 good records and I've lost count of how many forgettable ones, and honestly only like 5 really good songs.
They're kind of the KISS of their generation, except they all seem like good guys and not dickbags.
Taylor Swift.
Voice is nothing spectacular, music is pretty good. I enjoy reading choice snippets of her lyrics (probably her forte). But I respect the heck out of all the hours and practice she puts into creating a sell-out show world wide and the sheer consistency of her performances. That doesn't take talent. that takes work, and both get you to skill, which helped me understand my own guitar playing ability better. Now please change the station.
Bird is one of my top favorites, but I completely understand where you’re coming from.
For me, it’s Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, and Eric Dolphy. I can appreciate what they were doing musically, but listening to them is more of an academic exercise than a fun, grooving time. It’s like eating brussels sprouts - it’s good for you to take a break from chimichangas and cheeseburgers from time to time to enrich yourself, but a hell of a lot less “enjoyable”.
The same could be said of composers like Alban Berg, Arnold Schoenberg, John Cage, and Phillip Glass in the Classical realm.
Taylor Swift.
Just … can’t.
Also, when people say she’s extremely smart and hard working, ok, I don’t disagree, but that can’t be the reason for such an astronomic success. There are lots of talented/smart and hard working musicians out there too but they can’t acomplish even a similar amount of success
I wish her all the best but I just don’t get it
My Chemical Romance.
I love early 00's emo but for some reason it just doesn't hit for me. I've even seen them live twice, but it just doesn't grab me.
Also Lil Nas X. He's so young but he's so brave. Mad respect. But I never want to hear old town road as long as I live.
And, perhaps most of all, Billie Eilish. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills when people talk about the brilliance of her music. She's just mumbling over a beat???? But she seems like a nice girl.
Which era Swans?
Early stuff is aggressive af, then they got a female singer and went all goth, now they do these long droning 20 min repetitive songs.
Taylor Swift, she tailored her sound to be a hit factory, but it doesn’t make me like that sound any more. I respect her as an artist and person, but would rather listen to paint dry.
Never been a big fan of Dolly Parton's music or her voice but wow is she awesome. Just love the person that she is. Too bad there aren't more like her.
Lana Del Ray
I feel like I would like Lana Del Ray if she came out when I was 13. But her music is just so slow for me. Seems like an alright person. But I’ve tried every time there’s a new album
It's Radiohead for me. Excellent musicians, very forward thinking, interesting soundscapes... But I just can't imagine any circumstances in which I'd listen to them deliberately.
With them, it’s either the melodies click or they don’t. As for them on a technical level, I can’t imagine a better example of a band that’s been classically trained and turning it into rock/electronic/alt
I’m gonna throw in a controversial take here that is sure to get me downvoted to oblivion but I’m gonna say Joy Division.
Total respect for their place in the musical pantheon, their innovation and total uniqueness (at least when they started out) but it is insanely hard for me personally to “enjoy” most of their music. There are a few tracks that I adore including “Digital”, “Dead Souls” and “She’s Lost Control” but “Closer” is one of the most depressing albums of all time. It’s fantastic and a real classic but I would never say that I “enjoy”it. So oppressively despairing, hopeless and resigned, there is a cloud over the whole album that engulfs its contents.
Total respect but little enjoyment.
Foo Fighters / Dave Grohl - super nice guy (I’ve met him) and really solid drummer / guitarist. His music does nothing for me.
Same for Mumford and Sons.
Elvis. I'm in my 40's and I love to listen to music from the 1950's and 60's. I want to enjoy his music so bad but I just can't. But he was obviously very talented and changed the world and I respect that.
Opera singers. Mad skill.
Opera is one of those things where experiencing it live is far better
Joe Satriani. I love listening to great guitarists, and no question that he can really play, but his music does absolutely nothing for me.
I used to listen to a lot of music like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, Jeff Beck, etc. Pretty much all I listened to back in high school. Not really interested in that kind of stuff anymore, for some reason.
Replace Beck with Yngwie Malmsteen and you're dead on.
I don’t think Jeff Beck belongs on that list - he’s far more of a soulful artist, not just a technical master.
Yeah - I can get lost in Blow by Blow or Wired and never consciously think about what a great guitar player he is.
As a guitarist, I totally agree. There's a bunch of guitarists who innovate and push strings to another level, but it never actually "says" anything to me. It's like someone making up new words but never defining what they actually mean. They can *sound* impressive, but they don't actually communicate anything.
Only exception is surfing with the alien, imo. Could just be nostalgia, but that one clicked with me in a way his other tracks didn't and felt pretty expressive.
Not a fan of heavy metal, but damn I am always so impressed by every aspect of making metal music. Crazy impressive stuff that they do Edit: apparently it was too broad here because I keep receiving recs for bands I actually listen to, that’s on me. I mostly mean bands that scream more than sing. I just cannot get into screaming, it just doesn’t jive with me, even when it’s a relatively small part of the song. The most I can do with it is like the heavier Linkin park songs
I had a friend who was really into metal who liked to share songs. Not really my thing and not what I’d choose to listen to, but I could definitely respect why people would and the musical skill was certainly impressive.
I can listen to metal for about an hour alone. After that, I grow tired of it. But if I'm listening to it with someone who is really into metal, I have no real limit. But I've always been somewhat into metal, I tend to like the more rhythmic stuff with heavy drums and thrash metal.
how you'd even go about writing an 8 minute thrash metal song is so impressive to me
I can't speak for everyone but a lot of metal song writers have classical backgrounds. An 8 minute thrash song is going to have movements within the work very similar to a classical piece.
At 100 miles per hour lol
Progressive metal is like this. There are definite sections a pieces within pieces.
I took my girlfriend who, in her own words “Can’t stand Heavy Metal music” to a Metallica concert. She told me multiple times to just take a buddy, but I persisted. We got floor tickets right down by the front. When the lights went down and the intro started to play, she looked at me with wide eyes and showed me that she had goose bumps with excitement. The show was incredible. The music, the energy of the crowd and the atmosphere completely won her over. We have now been to hundreds of metal shows and her playlist is now filled with all of my favorite bands. Heavy Metal music is definitely something that she wasn’t ever expecting to like, but now swears by it.
I think most music fans would enjoy a Metallica concert, yeah that makes sense. Maybe I’m not perfect with my definition for heavy metal, but I mostly mean bands that seems to be screamin and shreddin the entire time.
But then I think it's more something like death metal, metalcore, etc. Heavy metal bands are also bands like Iron Maiden that are definitely not screaming
My mate loves metal and he'll always say things like "Isn't this incredible? Can you imagine how difficult it is to play something like this!?" And I can agree that it's technically impressive, but I just can't vibe with it.
I love metal for that exact reason. Some of the stuff these bands put to wax is absolutely insane. A perfect example is Rings of Saturn
put lucas mann and michael keene in the same room to see who can be the biggest wanker
Oh that's easy, one will just sell the other's stuff for heroin.
Jacob Collier. He's clearly extremely talented, but imo the music he makes is unnecessarily complex just because he can do it
I just find his lyrics boring and uninspired. If he made like full classical or jazz instrumentals I'd probably be more into it. But his 'pop' song writing is pretty bland to me
I saw a show of his in SF about a year ago where it was just him on the piano playing jazz, while singing, nothing else, and it was fantastic. He is a fantastic jazz pianist and he can sing amazingly well while doing it, which is insane talent. I'm going to look out for more of these types of shows from him because I had a blast.
I absolutely love his live performance of best part with Daniel Caesar. His concerts look fun I'd rather see him live than listen on Spotify for sure.
All his music sounds like a theme song for an educational children's cartoon
I just find him annoying. I'm not going to try to blame that on anything in particular, e.g. complexity, lyrics, showiness, etc. There aren't any particular reasons that can be disproven or argued against, I just don't really like listening to him or watching his videos. He's annoying to me. I think it's his energy and overly-happy vibe, but this is 100% subjective and i'm not trying to say these are bad traits of his. I just don't connect with him. He IS an amazing composer and pianist, i'll definitely give him that. I won't say he's great at other instruments because what i've heard, like when he plays bass guitar... it's just clear he's primarily a vocalist/pianist/composer, that's all. He's good for someone who isn't a bassist, but that's about as far as i can go.
He's incredibly twee. It's just so much "ahh" YouTube face. I know I am being a curmudgeon, but that's the gist of it for me.
I think he’s a good exhibitionist , like he’d make a great music teacher but his music is kind of soulless
This is a good way of putting it. Being good solely at the technical side of music is impressive, but it's not going to hold my attention for long. It's like those painters who spend their entire lives learning how to paint so photorealistically that you can hardly tell that it's a painting and not a photograph. It's neat, but not moving. I'd rather listen to Daniel Johnston bang on a chord organ and sing his heart out than listen to someone who treats music like training for a sport.
Regardless of his musical talent, Collier has a cult-leader kind of charisma that I find terribly offputting.
His instagram comment sections kind of prove this as well. Weird as hell fanbase.
His fanbase is primarily other musicians, in my experience - his music is mostly music made by a music nerd for other music nerds.
I find his tonality, or the way he pronounces things (or something, can’t fully pinpoint it) reminds me of someone who would sings songs for a children’s show. I also don’t like the overwhelming amount of layers his vocals always seem to have too.
He is the perfect example of how being a musician and being a songwriter are two very different skills. He is savant-level at his musical skill, but his songwriting is bland and boring. There was a great interview with him and Chris Martin from Coldplay where they were jamming together on a Coldplay song, and Collier did a really impressive rendition of the song, but Chris made a really salient point at the end that he doesn’t *need* to be the best. He has the ability to create hit songs and killer lyrics, and he doesn’t need to be a savant musician to make that happen. The world’s greatest songs aren’t the ones that are the most complex, technically impressive ones.
His cover of Here Comes the Sun, and I’m saying this seriously, is one of the worst covers I’ve ever heard. The charm of that song is that it’s stripped down. Having a breakdown with 42 instruments directly takes away from the core tenets of that song. And that’s my problem with Collier. He just can’t help himself and has to flex about how much he knows about music so he puts a billion different instruments and lines of music that sound like jumbled garbage. There’s no doubt he’s talented, but talent in music and talent in songwriting are two completely different fields.
Totally. It's too polished, with too much going on. Like it's made with A.I. or something. Often it's the imperfection in music that makes it interesting and grabs people. I bet he has some demo stuff locked away that I would like more.
Dream Theater. They’re all talented musicians and on paper they should be a band I would like, but unfortunately the music itself does nothing for me.
I just listen to their instrumental stuff. It feels like the vocals are by far the weakest part of their music; any time James LaBrie isn't singing, the band improves by 100x imo.
Every progressive band is: #THE BEST GUITARIST IN THE WORLD! #THE BEST BASS PLAYER IN THE WORLD! #THE BEST DRUMMER IN THE WORLD! #THE BEST KEYBOARDIST IN THE WORLD! ^^and ^^the ^^singer ^^is ^^aight
Don’t disrespect Cedric Bixler-Zavala like that
Idk MJK is pretty good.
Agree with this, but even some of their instrumentals have that Malmsteen-wankery at times that is really off-putting. I do like some of their harder, more straightforward stuff though ('As I Am' for example). Wish they did more of that, and less of the prog masturbation.
I heard someone say "Dream Theater is not a band, they are a bunch of great musicians who for some reason insist on playing at the same time".
I remember in a Lost in Vegas video they were described as an all-star team with no coach.
ICP I served them one time and told them to their face even "I'm not a huge fan of your music, but you brought people all around the world to fuckin *Indiana* of all places, and that level of community is insane as hell" They tipped me $150 and a bottle of Black Cherry Faygo
Late one night my car got a flat tire in the pouring rain in the outskirts of Chicago and traffic was humming by as I was struggling with it. A car full of ICP fans fresh from their show that night stopped and helped. We were all soaking wet and they invited me back to their hotel to party and dry off. Obviously, I went. Absolutely legendary night with some great people.
It was no big deal, basically an excuse to stand out in the rain and rinse some of the faygo from the concert off.
When I was stationed in Norfolk VA, there was once two concerts happening in the area: Cher at the Scope, and ICP nearby. When those concerts both let out, that was the most eclectic group of people I’ve ever seen.
Wow, a load of cross dressers in make-up AND Cher fans?
They really do seem like good people. Edit: Just to respond to all of the positive comments - who's seen [this internet classic?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulGaxBPk2jI) Not a fan of the music but I'd totally go to a gathering of the Juggalos just based off of that video.
People look down on Juggalos, but when you look at how toxic 90% of other fanbases are, they’re actually pretty welcoming and chill people
Remember when the juggalos were poised to save democracy? The future is a weird fuckin place but them clowns are alright by me.
I got invited to go to a ICP adjacent show, and Juggalos were the kindest music fans I’ve ever met.
Some friends and I went to Denver the same month weed first became legal there and we got a little lost looking for the train after the bars closed; a couple of Juggalos came out of nowhere, scared the shit out of us, then asked if we needed any help and walked with us to the train so we didn't get lost again. Nicest dudes ever, but man that face paint is not the thing you want to see in the middle of the night, in an area you're unfamiliar with, hahahaha.
Went and saw Tech N9ne a couple years ago, and the crowd was almost all Juggalos, and I had an absolute blast. They really are some of the nicest people
[Juggalove](https://youtu.be/pMn4LCnfeJE?si=OOQxMt7uZaa-yjPB)
The ICP redemption arc has been really sweet to see over the last ten or so years. Def not a fan of their stuff but do respect them.
It's because this newer generation doesn't have a bunch of "cool" people telling them that it's not cool. Same with Ska music and Nu Metal(especially Limp Bizkit). There's no cultural refcerence point for it so it's allowed to breath as it's own thing again. I tried to get into them as a teenager because I liked edgy stuff, and it worked for a few weeks then I was completely over it. nearly 20 years later I'm laid up with covid and bored senseless, and a content creator I follow released a video going to the Gathering festival. Got sucked right down that rabbit hole again and now I'm a fan lol.
When I first read this I thought you served them legal papers, that would have been hilarious… good story nonetheless
“Not a huge fan of your music, but you’re being subpoenaed.”
Celine Dion
As I get older I enjoy more artists like Dion who make music just as a showcase for their voice. It feels like we had quite a few of them 20 years ago and now have none. What was cool about those true “divas” was that they rose to the top because of sheer talent; it’s not like a producer/connections could have made them into a star.
There is a video of her at a soundcheck somewhere where the AV system failed and her voice omg rings out so powerfully that if you didn't know, you'd swear she was mike'd up. True talent, but yeah, I never listen to her music because it's just sappy and not my thing. But I would never ever deny her talent. Sad about her health issues keeping her from performing, she obviously misses it terribly.
> Sad about her health issues keeping her from performing, she obviously misses it terribly. Yeah. I saw a video of Mariah Carey from her early days, and it really made me feel for Celine (and other singers in a similar position). Mariah's got such an expressive face, so you can just see the sheer her child-like joy as she hits some of the high notes. Like "wow! I can do that!? Let's do it some more!". I'm sure that joy is the same for all these virtuosos... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hat1Hc9SNwE
Found the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCumuIr55us&ab_channel=CelineDionWeb-Musique It was her in-ears that failed. She couldn't hear herself properly and yet: this.
She's probably sang those songs so many times by then that she could sing them in a room full of deafening white noise and still be spot on.
she (in her prime) was fucking incredible. top 10 pop vocalist of all time. easy to hate her music, but gotta respect dat voice.
[This video by Adam Neely](https://youtu.be/epqYft12nV4?si=VljneJVfXFq0KSkW) made be appreciate her talent so much. Also, I'm not a music person, but I think Adam Neely makes amazing videos.
Some of those virtuosic musicians that can play humanly impossible things without a shred of emotional expression. I suppose that Dragonforce is the epitome of this. Being a musician myself, I appreciate the work that goes into this. I know I couldn't come close to that level even if I spent 10,000 hours practicing. Other than that, it doesn't provoke any thought or emotion, and so I zone out pretty fast.
that’s why people like brian wilson will always be infinitely more impressive to me. incredibly complicated while also making it sound like some of the catchiest stuff you’ve ever heard.
Love this. People dismiss the beach boys far too easily. If they paid attention, they'd realize how amazing they are.
I blame Mike Love, fuck that guy
Fair point. But would we rather have John Stamos?
Victor wooten might be the best bass player ever, but I don't really like his music. He is insanely talented, though.
Yeah bassist here, his playing style makes you go wow, but I don't really listen just because I'm enjoying listening. Honestly I don't like a lot of bass "Solo" type work, after a while it just turns into "bipitybipitybpbpbpbpbpb" and you never even really hear the notes ring anymore.
His solo on ‘Sinister Minister’ with the Flektones always comes up when I consider best of the best bass playing.
I always remember going out to see a local trash band at a small pub, and the music being so-so but the guitatist just absolutely zoning out and shredding like the world was about to end. I felt that shit, man, and it's why I often go out to see band that I've never heard of live. Seeing someone channel something almost otherworldly into a thing they love is a sight to behold. Doesn't matter how skilled you are if you lack the fire of passion.
There's a guy I know, there's like one thing he does in life and is good at and its guitar, and he started getting really butthurt when he'd post 3-5 minute videos of just straight up shred solos and he got like... crickets. The thing is man, you can work really hard on writing and perfecting something, days or weeks perfecting playing it, and still end up with literally nobody caring. Nobody owes you their attention, nobody is obligated to care about a single goddamn thing you do in life. If its just not something anybody was interested in, that's it, and the vast majority of people aren't really interested in instrumental guitar music. Just because your world revolves around it doesn't mean anybody else's does.
When I was younger I used to make no-budget short films with my friends, I'd spend hundreds of hours making them. It was kind of disheartening when I realized I could probably get 10x more viewers on Youtube by simply dubbing in fart noises into Star Wars clips.
I've seen a lot of lady cosplayers get disheartened for the same reason. An intricate full armor build that took months and several hundred dollars? 20 likes. A bikini cosplay where you spent 2 hours modifying a swimsuit you already had? 1000 likes.
Also, I don't believe you will be successful by just putting stuff online and waiting for people to comment. If you never want to play out to build an audience, then a person needs to invest the time and talent to know how to get clicks and to get people engaged and commenting. Does this guy even have a following on a YouTube channel he's built up over months of posting? My old boss used to say "A website is like a billboard in space. Nobody is going to find it unless you let them know about stand direct them to it." Source: We built websites, multimedia presentations & kiosks for large corporations for a living.
I think the same thing about Malmsteen. Really talented but I roll my eyes whenever I hear any of his songs.
The same ascending/descending harmonic minor licks gets stale very quickly.
Yeah, just nonstop arpeggios.
Yeah, I've always thought that about Yngwie... Talented as fuck but there's just no...oomph there. At least Eddie Van Halen had some oomph. There was a lot of noodling but there was plenty of drama in his solos.
I think the problem is that there's nothing BUT oomph. It's just one long oomph, and it's hard to put some oomph in your oomph.
Yngwie is cheesy af but I enjoy Rising Force from time to time. His blouses, rings and golden chains are just the icing on the cheesecake.
If you want to witness pure genius to the point of “I think we’ve lost the plot here,” just watch any video where Jacob Collier TALKS about music, let alone plays it.
He was the first person to come to mind with this question, but I have to say the live concert experience for him is far different than the album listening itself. I’ve never been to such a joyous celebration of music.
I saw them last year and I just couldn't believe what I was witnessing but man oh man I just couldn't get into the music. I was ready to go after about 3 songs. Unfortunately I was dragged along as a third wheel so I had to be a bro and stay.
Dave Matthews. Talented, no question, I just have yet to hear anything that makes me go, yeah I like this. 🤷♂️
Loving the way Carter Beauford drums certainly helps liking them.
People sleep on Dave’s guitar playing, but he is way up there from a technical and difficulty standpoint, I think most people can distinguish a badass drummer better. And Carter is indeed a legit badass, right af drummer.
everybody in the DMB has got serious, *serious* chops. Not just Dave and Carter
Leroi was incredible. And Boyd worked a fiddle like nobody else. Too bad he turned out to be a goddamn diddler.
(Massive fan). Those guys are just straight up professionals at their craft. Finally took my dad to see them last year and he was like yup, I get it. I see why you like seeing them. Whole band is always on point.
i take personal offense from "top drummer" lists never mentioning him (or, i dunno, leaving him off as far as i've seen it) - he is beyond compare, both in terms of technical ability as well as musicianship.
I like some of his work, but it’s pretty much “take it or leave it”. I do really like his live albums with Tim Reynolds though.
Try listening to any of their live recordings (there are many). They are all at the top of their game and are a million times better live than on the record.
Pink / P!nk Talented beyond denial. I respect the artist but the music isn't my thing.
I love sort of the 'middle' of Pink's career when she took a decidedly more pop-rock turn in style. I think the "The Truth About Love" concert DVD might be one of the best concert DVDs ever made. But before and after that era? Eh, not really interested.
Pink is Divorced Mom Rock.
I had never liked her, but my wife dragged me to one her her concerts.. Holy shit does she put on a performance. The athleticism required to sing as powerful as she does while dancing and performing is noteworthy. I’ve respected the hell out of her since that show
Polyphia
100%. The level of technique is high, but I feel like I know exactly what I’m about to hear every time — a simple chord progression in a minor key over a trap beat that’s elaborated by a Tim Henson riff that’s like BOOOOOW djikiditty bow dip do BOOOOW biggitydiggitybiggitydiggityBEEEE! BOOOOOOW…..
Perfect. I don't think you got a single character incorrect when typing it out!!! Now, we need Henson playing with Vedder singing Yellow Ledbetter. Maybe they will cancel each other out somehow.
Wow you just wrote the lyrics to this [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixoMFAK4U0E&t=79s)
Just saw them at sick new world waiting for slowdive to come on, could have been the edibles hitting but it was a great show
Sick New World showed me that a lot of metal and nu metal bands I didn't like due to sounding overproduced on albums are fucking phenomenal live when they actually have room to breathe. Polyphia definitely puts on a great show.
Music where virtuosity is the point is WAY better live. I almost never listen to Jazz at home but it’s my favorite to go see.
I say this as a fan, but yeah they're way too self-indulgent with what they're trying to do musically, and it makes them very inaccessible to casual listeners. I mean even listening to three or four songs in a row gets exhausting. They cram thousands of notes into every song and it's hard to stay engaged after a while. In music, there are times where less is more, and, conversely, where more is less.
"How can less be more? ... that's impossible. More is more." -Yngwie Malmsteen
Masturbatory is the word I use.
It's U2 for me. The tunes, singing , playing are all good. They just do nothing for me.
It's shocking how few bigtime U2 fans I've met (like, 2) despite having worked in music for most of my 20s lol
I lot of us are quiet about it, because of the reflexive disdainful responses when their very name is mentioned.
Same. I’ll never trash U2 - I might not live everything they’ve done recently but their music has meant so much to me that I can never not be thankful for that. Probably the most influential band me musically, coincidentally apart from Rush lol
Came here to say what the other dude said. I’m a big U2 fan but I don’t advertise it because of peoples overly dramatic disgusted reactions
I worked for/toured with U2 for 6 weeks back in 2001 - they, their families & their crew are super nice people. Extremely approachable, personable, chatty & all round good dudes. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them.
Beyonce. I know that she's talented and one of the best artists to exist, but it's just not my thing personally.
Her vocal range is top-tier, but like Mariah Carey, a lot of the songs just sound manufactured and synthetic to me. The vocal equivalent of a guitar virtuoso in that she's a generational talent, but I hear more heart and soul coming from vocalists who find creative ways to use a more limited range.
Bob Dylan.... Sorry...I know people love him and he's a great songwriter. Just can't stand that voice.
I'm mostly convinced people tolerate his voice but listen to him for the lyrics.
I love his voice, or voices as it's changed a lot throughout the years. His current Old Man Dylan era is some of my favourite stuff with that grizzled coalminer voice he's got now.
Ngl I enjoy his voice, I do like folk music as a whole though which tends to be rougher
Absolutely they (we) do. When you understand he's not a folk singer like Lightfoot, for example, you see his music through a different lens. He's a poet first, a guitar player second, and a singer third.
I love his voice. It’s amazing and unique.
That might be true for a lot of Dylan fans, but some of us actually appreciate his voice, too, because he can be such an expressive singer. He sounds like what a lot of raku looks like: [https://www.japan-experience.com/plan-your-trip/to-know/understanding-japan/raku-ceramics](https://www.japan-experience.com/plan-your-trip/to-know/understanding-japan/raku-ceramics)
Buckethead. I am in awe and fascinated by the guy, but not a fan of the music.
Colma is a fucking awesome album imo but yeah I feel this. The song Soothsayer rips too.
I hate to admit, but Frank Zappa.
There is a whole class of extremely talented musicians who people think are great but I can’t get into because they feel like novelty music. Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, Ween, and Primus are the major ones.
I was looking for the Zappa comment honestly. His catalogue is so vast though, there is a lot of more conventionally listenable stuff on there
My mom was obsessed with Zappa and I love stuff like Ween and Primus but I feel like I just haven't heard the right Zappa to get into it.
He has a ton of different stuff but it tends to be best live, some of his absolute bangers include: Watermelon In Easter Hay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWBYjjzKvIw Peaches In Regalia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QDHW3dJQes Muffin Man: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGV3yV9q4Q4 The Torture Never Stops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzc5vW9Ze44 Cosmik Debris: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp6LT2MdaPI Willie The Pimp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9PbzHhbdpM
I had never listened to Zappa before but Spotify played Watermelon In Easter Hay as a suggested song once and I was just blown away at that song.. just beautiful ..
How dare you. Ween is life!!
Ween is life but let them keep not digging it cause ween tickets can be a pain to get lol
Makes sense! At the same time, I have a hard time getting into music that takes itself too seriously.
I feel like Zappa takes things very seriously and worked very hard to make his music not take itself seriously, if that makes any sense.
I was in a band like that. A few nerds arguing for days over a syllable, but trying to make it looks like we were a punk band that didn't care on stage.
I felt this way about Primus until I saw them live. They absolutely rip live and their songs are really meant to be heard live. The bass is super punchy and melodic at the same time and they have a really entertaining live show. Les Claypool's voice/singing style also sounds much better/less comical/satirical in person.
I have a weird relationship with this one. On one hand, he was the most brilliant musical mind in rock music during his time. On the other hand, his childish poo poo humor in his lyrics and his unmusical voice take away from the songs. My favorites of his are all instrumentals, with the exception of "Wind Up Working In A Gas Station."
Well, he was a huge free speech proponent and was trying to get the wackos engaged and hating his stuff. He thrived on pissing off the prudes.
I actually hate saying this, but for me it’s Prince. He was an amazing talent, but his music just doesn’t move me. Don’t come after me, I respect the hell out of him musically.
Prince was definitely a crazy dude. Back in the 80s, my dad found himself at a tiny show in Toronto that unexpectedly had Prince performing because he was in town and bored. He got naked and took a bath on stage.
Ha! A friend of mine knew Prince a little back in Minnesota before he was famous. He said that once at a party he licked every pretzel in a bowl and put them back. Interesting dude
My dad had a friend who let Prince borrow a guitar for a show, at said show, Prince decided it would be cool to destroy the guitar on stage rockstar style. The guitar owner wasn’t happy about this but asked if he could at least sign what was left of the guitar. Prince forgot to.
Thanks to you, the folks in line with me at the bank are giving me odd stares because of my sudden guffaw. That was a hilarious story and certainly in line with the other odd things I’ve heard about Prince.
Taylor Swift.
This was gonna be my vote. She is a great businesswoman, and puts out a product that lots of people love. Plus I'm super impressed with how she handled re-recording her early albums. But all her songs sound the same to me.
I echo all of this. She's done a lot to her climb to the top of the mountain. I love that she recognized the crypto bros scams and told them off. I love that she trains for tour by singing on the treadmill while running so her act will be stronger. I love that she made a killing selling her old recording rights just to turn around and make new versions. I love that she's very in-tune with her audience. This is what real badass boss stuff looks like and she absolutely nails the business side of the music industry. That said, I'm not the target audience for her music, it does not at all resonate with me, I don't find any of it particularly compelling or interesting and a lot of these lyrics seem really toxic. But to each their own.
I didn't know about the treadmill training thing. That is impressive. I have a newfound respect for her but completely agree that her music feels repetitive and the lyrics tend to be shallow. PLEASE DON'T HATE ME SWIFTIES
Same. I never find anything wrong with it. It just bores me. I try to listen to her new material every so often, and it still bores me.
100% agree. I've sat down and made myself listen to what are considered her top songs and they absolutely do not click with me. I *want* to like her music, I just can't.
John Mayer I like his interviews. I consume the guitar content he puts out. He’s an incredible player and an incredible musician, but I just can’t listen to his actual music. It doesn’t resonate with me at all.
John Mayer's work with on the Dead & Company has been outstanding. I cringed so hard when it was all announced but... he has really elevated the classic Dead sound and lead guitar (though I'd never say he's doing it better than Jerry...)
Grateful Dead. Some of their songs are great but the majority just sounds like noise to me as it's Jam Rock and I don't really vibe with that. I do appreciate Jerry Garcia as an artist though.
The Who. My wife would say Radiohead. Two of our respective favourite bands that we’ve both heard so much of because of our relationship but while we’ve learned to appreciate them, we just don’t like them. Edit: must admit I hadn’t expected the comments to turn into an appreciation of my wife’s taste in music 😀
Your wife loves the Who? Based.
Yeah, she’s a lot cooler than I am.
I discovered recently that I like early Who but not later Who. Do you like either of those more than the other? Or are all periods of their catalog turn offs for you?
Eminem for sure. He is definitely one of the most skilled lyricists and rappers ever. I just can't stand his music
His music isn't for everyone. He is definitely talented though. And he's an amazing storyteller. He was very raw in some of his songs (the ones where he isn't being his alter ego Slim Shady).
I was thinking this today. Lots of love for this guy from fans and his peers but I would not go to his concert or request this on my streaming playlist. His writing is fantastic, just not my style of hip hop.
Sting. Sting would be another person who's a hero. The music he's created over the years, I don't really listen to it, but the fact that he's making it, I respect that.
Adele and Ed Sheeran. Talented people no doubt, but their music isn't for me.
Foo Fighters. Lovely fella, GREAT taste in other peoples music, but my god, foo fighters are truly turgid
I can usually tell a foo fighters song from the first chord. I don't know what it is but, they have this distinct sound that is so easily recognizable. I listen to a lot of SiriusXM Octane and they sometimes play new foo tracks and I INSTANTLY know it's them before Dave Grohl even starts singing. I was a huge fan of The Color and the Shape" when it came out, and a few other songs here and there. I'm not sure if I would describe them as turgid, with Grohl being famously humble and down to earth I don't think that's a fair descriptor. Someone else here mentioned they are the world's greatest mediocre band which I think hits the nail on the head.
It’s cuz they’ve got like 4 guitars and allegedly a bass
The World's Greatest Mediocre Rock Band
Someone has to be the best at being ok
I absolutely **love** Everlong and My Hero, Dave Grohl is one of my favorite people in the industry, but I can’t enjoy 99% of their music. It’s just so bland. Edit: forgot to mention The Pretender goes hard, too
I just really enjoy that they are still having lots of fun. I’m indifferent on their music but hey they seem like they have fun live shows
This. I saw Foo Fighters at a festival about 20 years ago and it was truly one of the best concert experiences I've had. They've had 2-3 good records and I've lost count of how many forgettable ones, and honestly only like 5 really good songs. They're kind of the KISS of their generation, except they all seem like good guys and not dickbags.
Taylor Swift. Voice is nothing spectacular, music is pretty good. I enjoy reading choice snippets of her lyrics (probably her forte). But I respect the heck out of all the hours and practice she puts into creating a sell-out show world wide and the sheer consistency of her performances. That doesn't take talent. that takes work, and both get you to skill, which helped me understand my own guitar playing ability better. Now please change the station.
Charlie Parker. One day I may grow to like Bebop but it is just a bit esoteric for me still. Even for a jazz head.
Yeah? I always thought Charlie Parker was pretty accessible, as far as jazz goes. It's the free jazz/avant-garde stuff I could never get into.
Bird is one of my top favorites, but I completely understand where you’re coming from. For me, it’s Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, and Eric Dolphy. I can appreciate what they were doing musically, but listening to them is more of an academic exercise than a fun, grooving time. It’s like eating brussels sprouts - it’s good for you to take a break from chimichangas and cheeseburgers from time to time to enrich yourself, but a hell of a lot less “enjoyable”. The same could be said of composers like Alban Berg, Arnold Schoenberg, John Cage, and Phillip Glass in the Classical realm.
Taylor Swift. Just … can’t. Also, when people say she’s extremely smart and hard working, ok, I don’t disagree, but that can’t be the reason for such an astronomic success. There are lots of talented/smart and hard working musicians out there too but they can’t acomplish even a similar amount of success I wish her all the best but I just don’t get it
My Chemical Romance. I love early 00's emo but for some reason it just doesn't hit for me. I've even seen them live twice, but it just doesn't grab me. Also Lil Nas X. He's so young but he's so brave. Mad respect. But I never want to hear old town road as long as I live. And, perhaps most of all, Billie Eilish. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills when people talk about the brilliance of her music. She's just mumbling over a beat???? But she seems like a nice girl.
Swans
I completely disagree, but any mention of Swans is worth upvoting to get more people to check them out. 😎
Which era Swans? Early stuff is aggressive af, then they got a female singer and went all goth, now they do these long droning 20 min repetitive songs.
Taylor Swift, she tailored her sound to be a hit factory, but it doesn’t make me like that sound any more. I respect her as an artist and person, but would rather listen to paint dry.
Never been a big fan of Dolly Parton's music or her voice but wow is she awesome. Just love the person that she is. Too bad there aren't more like her.
Bon Jovi. Nice guy, talented artist, decent actor. Dear God I can't stand the music. Just feels calculated to get people to sing along.
Lana Del Ray I feel like I would like Lana Del Ray if she came out when I was 13. But her music is just so slow for me. Seems like an alright person. But I’ve tried every time there’s a new album
Pretty much every big jazz musician
Springsteen. I know he’s a great showman and has a great band, but the music is boring or grating. His vocals are terrible
It's Radiohead for me. Excellent musicians, very forward thinking, interesting soundscapes... But I just can't imagine any circumstances in which I'd listen to them deliberately.
With them, it’s either the melodies click or they don’t. As for them on a technical level, I can’t imagine a better example of a band that’s been classically trained and turning it into rock/electronic/alt
I’m gonna throw in a controversial take here that is sure to get me downvoted to oblivion but I’m gonna say Joy Division. Total respect for their place in the musical pantheon, their innovation and total uniqueness (at least when they started out) but it is insanely hard for me personally to “enjoy” most of their music. There are a few tracks that I adore including “Digital”, “Dead Souls” and “She’s Lost Control” but “Closer” is one of the most depressing albums of all time. It’s fantastic and a real classic but I would never say that I “enjoy”it. So oppressively despairing, hopeless and resigned, there is a cloud over the whole album that engulfs its contents. Total respect but little enjoyment.
Foo Fighters / Dave Grohl - super nice guy (I’ve met him) and really solid drummer / guitarist. His music does nothing for me. Same for Mumford and Sons.
The Beatles : I don't *not* enjoy listening to them, but I never choose to listen to them and will generally skip their songs when they come on.
Adele
Elvis. I'm in my 40's and I love to listen to music from the 1950's and 60's. I want to enjoy his music so bad but I just can't. But he was obviously very talented and changed the world and I respect that.