Does a Band's Popularity Affect Your Taste?

Hank The Drifter · 02-17-2011, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EazyMac

Very good! Now you're getting it...obviously we haven't done the RIGHT thing yet so NO we're not popular and I don't blame you for not liking it

If nobody ever likes your bands music you all will never be popular though.

Marcehmac · 02-17-2011, 08:03 PM

It depends.

Some of the bands are overated, but some of them are good in what they contributed musically. If a person likes them then it doesn't really matter on popularity.

However there are some overated bands that you make you go wth? Those are the bands that though they are popular their music really does no factor in the minds of those who listen, and whose bands are only there to milk out a ton of cash.

Those type of bands above though popular are best to be avoided.

duga · 02-17-2011, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian E Coleman

I think that when a band becomes popular, it does change my taste for them. That doesn't mean I wont like them anymore, but... what's that saying? "reality is 36/42nds perception" (or something). A really great band/artist/album is going to be great no matter how many people hear it. And for most musicians having more people hearing their music is a goal.

This isn't always the case, but:

A somewhat obscure or unheard of band is like the clearing in the forest where there's a waterfall and a great view, and it's a bit of a hike, but no one really knows about it except you.

When that band becomes popular, sometimes it feels like a bunch of fat american families are rolling in and setting up souvenir booths and making all kinds of noise and garbage and you can't see the view and someone's trying to sell you a tour.

I'm definitely wrong about this. But possibly not often if there's a chance I'm right.

I'm using this. Still, if I feel a band is really good and actually deserves to be popular, I would probably keep listening to them.

Charlemagne · 02-17-2011, 10:21 PM

Only if it causes them to change their style to appeal to the masses. If I like them, they become popular and they don't change their style then I'll still like them.
(Only exception is Iron & Wine, I like their new style)

Halpert · 02-18-2011, 09:03 AM

I think people think they are cool if they like a band that no one knows about, or will stop listening to a band if they "sell out". So I think the youth has that mindset and philosophy about music. I personally don't care if they are popular or not as long as they are good and I enjoy them.

Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra · 02-18-2011, 03:20 PM

Is there a crime in hating people for making something I don't like popular?

Palatable Vera · 02-18-2011, 07:09 PM

I don't think popularity has anything to do with whether I like a band or not. I mean, I try to listen to these popular bands, since they're popular for a reason, right? (Yeah... Not the best conclusion I've ever came to.)

But popularity doesn't really seem to bother me much. Take for example, I don't like the Beatles very much (but they still get the occasional rotation. Just 'cause) yet I absolutely love the Rolling Stones. Both bands are hyped to hell, and I don't think either are as good as what critics make them out to be, but I still like one of them, right? In fact, the Stones have the most plays on my last.fm, followed by that Zimmerman dude and the Doors in that order. And those are pretty popular, right? For a more recent example, I heard good things about the Decemberists' music, so I picked something by them up (of course, they aren't popular in the same regards as the Beatles or the Stones, and they may not be as popular in relativity to anything, but being popular is almost synonymic with "lots of praise", right? And I saw lots of praise for the Decemberists) and I liked it. For an even more recent example, I've heard really good things about Radiohead's new album, King of Limbs (ie: "Codex is the greatest song that they've down" and "Bloom is the best opener ever"), so I obviously want to check it out. In fact, I just bought myself a cheapo digital copy of the album of their website just a few minutes ago.

But that's not to say that I don't listen to unpopular things either. In fact, I have my fair share of "obscure" artists, from the Dirty Projectors to My Morning Jacket to Julian Lynch. And I like those too. However, as much as I do like them, they don't get as many listens as the more popular artist for the simple reason as I don't want to burn out on them. Some have an epochal quality about them and some of them just can't be listened to all that much before you're tired of it, which is why I save my "obscure" albums for a rainy day. And that's a problem I've been seeing with music. People who like these albums don't listen to these albums because they know (perhaps even unconsciously know) that they weren't made to last that long. That's why these "popular" albums are listened to more -- they're petty albums, but not petty in the conventional sense of the word. They're more accessible so they can be listened to for an extended period of time. Take this for example: You have two albums, The Epic Story of Oscar Wilde and His Army of Gnome People on Pogo Stilts and In the Court of That One Red Guy That Looks Rather Strange and Likes to Leave His Mouth Hanging Open a Lot For Some Reason. That Gnome People on Pogo Stilts album is short, fun, and full of pleasant pop hooks while That One Red Guy is a long, drawn out post-rock-esque work that's really good, but takes some stamina to get through. Which one would you rather listen to a few times in a row? Gnome People on Pogo Sticks, right? Which is probably why these "popular" albums are so popular, if you catch my drift. Also, I didn't mean to get so wordy or off-track. so... Whoops. >.>

Chrysalis · 02-18-2011, 07:15 PM

The popularity of a certain artist certainly doesn't affect my opinion of them. Granted, I stay away from the really popular ones that I've heard simply because I don't like them, but popularity doesn't even matter. All that matters to me is if I like it or not.

Howard the Duck · 02-19-2011, 10:25 AM

i think my main criteria for taste is how many times I've heard the song and still like it, and not its popularity

Love the Way You Lie doesn't grate on me no matter how many times I hear it, so I love it

Baby, on the other hand.....

BobLobLaw · 02-19-2011, 11:54 AM

No, it doesn't affect me.

If it's good, or at least in my opinion, I'll like it.

A lot of the bands I listen to are pretty well known anyway.

02-17-2011, 08:03 PM	#72 (permalink)
Marcehmac Groupie Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 4	It depends. Some of the bands are overated, but some of them are good in what they contributed musically. If a person likes them then it doesn't really matter on popularity. However there are some overated bands that you make you go wth? Those are the bands that though they are popular their music really does no factor in the minds of those who listen, and whose bands are only there to milk out a ton of cash. Those type of bands above though popular are best to be avoided. Last edited by Marcehmac; 02-17-2011 at 08:53 PM.

02-17-2011, 10:21 PM	#74 (permalink)
Charlemagne Say something vague Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,551	Only if it causes them to change their style to appeal to the masses. If I like them, they become popular and they don't change their style then I'll still like them. (Only exception is Iron & Wine, I like their new style) __________________ Charlemagne had eyes like a lover, but last winter there was weather and his eyes they iced right over. My Last.fm

02-18-2011, 09:03 AM	#75 (permalink)
Halpert Music Addict Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 141	I think people think they are cool if they like a band that no one knows about, or will stop listening to a band if they "sell out". So I think the youth has that mindset and philosophy about music. I personally don't care if they are popular or not as long as they are good and I enjoy them. __________________ My last.fm http://last.fm/user/af-halpert

02-18-2011, 07:09 PM	#77 (permalink)
Palatable Vera Quad? Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 125	I don't think popularity has anything to do with whether I like a band or not. I mean, I try to listen to these popular bands, since they're popular for a reason, right? (Yeah... Not the best conclusion I've ever came to.) But popularity doesn't really seem to bother me much. Take for example, I don't like the Beatles very much (but they still get the occasional rotation. Just 'cause) yet I absolutely love the Rolling Stones. Both bands are hyped to hell, and I don't think either are as good as what critics make them out to be, but I still like one of them, right? In fact, the Stones have the most plays on my last.fm, followed by that Zimmerman dude and the Doors in that order. And those are pretty popular, right? For a more recent example, I heard good things about the Decemberists' music, so I picked something by them up (of course, they aren't popular in the same regards as the Beatles or the Stones, and they may not be as popular in relativity to anything, but being popular is almost synonymic with "lots of praise", right? And I saw lots of praise for the Decemberists) and I liked it. For an even more recent example, I've heard really good things about Radiohead's new album, King of Limbs (ie: "Codex is the greatest song that they've down" and "Bloom is the best opener ever"), so I obviously want to check it out. In fact, I just bought myself a cheapo digital copy of the album of their website just a few minutes ago. But that's not to say that I don't listen to unpopular things either. In fact, I have my fair share of "obscure" artists, from the Dirty Projectors to My Morning Jacket to Julian Lynch. And I like those too. However, as much as I do like them, they don't get as many listens as the more popular artist for the simple reason as I don't want to burn out on them. Some have an epochal quality about them and some of them just can't be listened to all that much before you're tired of it, which is why I save my "obscure" albums for a rainy day. And that's a problem I've been seeing with music. People who like these albums don't listen to these albums because they know (perhaps even unconsciously know) that they weren't made to last that long. That's why these "popular" albums are listened to more -- they're petty albums, but not petty in the conventional sense of the word. They're more accessible so they can be listened to for an extended period of time. Take this for example: You have two albums, The Epic Story of Oscar Wilde and His Army of Gnome People on Pogo Stilts and In the Court of That One Red Guy That Looks Rather Strange and Likes to Leave His Mouth Hanging Open a Lot For Some Reason. That Gnome People on Pogo Stilts album is short, fun, and full of pleasant pop hooks while That One Red Guy is a long, drawn out post-rock-esque work that's really good, but takes some stamina to get through. Which one would you rather listen to a few times in a row? Gnome People on Pogo Sticks, right? Which is probably why these "popular" albums are so popular, if you catch my drift. Also, I didn't mean to get so wordy or off-track. so... Whoops. >.> __________________ http://www.last.fm/user/PalatableVera

02-18-2011, 07:15 PM	#78 (permalink)
Chrysalis ~de geso Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 495	The popularity of a certain artist certainly doesn't affect my opinion of them. Granted, I stay away from the really popular ones that I've heard simply because I don't like them, but popularity doesn't even matter. All that matters to me is if I like it or not. __________________ RateYourMusic A dead Last.fm account

02-19-2011, 10:25 AM	#79 (permalink)
Howard the Duck Live by the Sword Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Posts: 9,075	i think my main criteria for taste is how many times I've heard the song and still like it, and not its popularity Love the Way You Lie doesn't grate on me no matter how many times I hear it, so I love it Baby, on the other hand.....

02-19-2011, 11:54 AM	#80 (permalink)
BobLobLaw Music Addict Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: In a place. With a bed. Posts: 107	No, it doesn't affect me. If it's good, or at least in my opinion, I'll like it. A lot of the bands I listen to are pretty well known anyway. __________________ "I just want to be perfect."