How did that song get popular?

[Danster]

Forgive the small talk, but I got a question just for fun. What songs that got popular (or got significant radio airplay) make you go, "Ugh? Why do people like that song?" Here's a short list of mine off the top o' me head:

I Shot the Sheriff - Clapton
Money - Pink Floyd
The Year of the Cat - Al Stewart?

[Rock_Rocket]

"Money" has got that catchy bass-groove... dum-di-da-dum-da...

"The Year Of The Cat" - I dunno, personally I don't like it that much.

Interesting question, btw.

Regards!

Rock_Rocket

[Cuno]

Well, you could ask that question everytime you listen to mainstream radio ;). I guess the record labels are to blame, with their strange combination of over -pushing crap, thinking rigid, and generally not understanding music at all. Sometimes they hit the jackpot, at the expense of pushing so much crap that the world regards music as being a nuisance to get drunk and get laid to, or to justify being a total *******, like the new band-in-a-bottle formula used in modern rap 'music'. And we all buy it! Being a part of a group is a strong genetic heritage inherent in all humans, and that heritage paired with our ability to think a little makes a lot of ugly things come true. Like kkk. Or mainstream radio. It makes a lot of good stuff come out too, of course. But that seems to take a little more work, so we mostly opt for the stupid stuff.
Nah, the world desperately needs a new order.

Sorry, i'm in one of my moods...

[B A Stone]

My 2 cents:

Most of the general population is pretty mindless when it comes to music. And the record companies know this. So they put out music that fits the flavor of the day, knowing if people hear it all the time, they will think it's good and buy the records.

It's kinda comical that "Money" is popular because it's in 7/4 time. That would be unheard of these days.

[DDTonFire]

Originally posted by B A Stone
My 2 cents:

Most of the general population is pretty mindless when it comes to music. And the record companies know this. So they put out music that fits the flavor of the day, knowing if people hear it all the time, they will think it's good and buy the records.


I couldnt agree more. You gotta have a freakin PA on your record for it to sell and you to break even. Most of the songs now wont last more than a month and if there are any pop songs that are actually ok, they get played to death anyways. But if theres anywhere that you have a chance to get rich, most people jump for it.
The songs that are worth listenin to are the ones that stand the test of time! Thats a reason moneys pretty popular and the lyrics are kind of humorous.

[The Bash]

Somebody bought it.
More likey lotta somebodys.
As long as those same somebodys continue to buy it either it or the band will continue to sell.
Once they stop buying the Band gets dumped and can now be spotted bagging gorceys at the local supermarket.
Well, except maybe the songwriter who's now living off all the royalties providing he didn't drink or snort it all away by then.

As far as my personal choice, too many to mention.
Then again who am I to say.
Just so the tune does something for someone.
So be it.
I ain't gotta listen to it.
I may actually have to play it, but I've made money doing worse (cleaning sewer lines comes to mind :) ).
I gotta enuff stuff in my music collection to both offend and please damn near anybody.

Then again the same goes for Writers and there's just as many of those crap for cash types as there are in music.

[ericgtr]

I personally think that The Year of the Cat is a great song. It's very full sounding and loaded with a variety of instruments, a well written song :)

[EricV]

It also depends on what time-period we´re talking about. Sure, a good song stays a good song, whether it was made in the 60s or in the 90s.
But some songs simply worked for the period of time they were made in, and might seem "odd" or nothing special these days.

sorry for getting a bit off topic, but...
I hear a lot of young players go "What is so special about Hendrix ? He didn´t shred a lot, his guitar was out of tune very often etc."
I can understand those questions, because, AFTER Eddie Van Halen, Yngwie Malmsteen, Vai and Satch, Hendrix might seem a bit outdated when it comes to the technical stuff. But after all, he was the one who kinda started it.
I mean, it´s tough to imagine that these days, but try to imagine the impact that a tune such as Voodoo Chile ( Slight Return ) must have had on the guitar players and listeners back then.
Sure, there were some guys who had done some loud, distorted stuff before, but all of a sudden, there was a record like "Are You Experienced" which was filled with overdriven, psychedelic feedback-guitar and some type of next-generation, super-charged blues-playing.
I think that if someone like Jimi would become famous these days, he might get credits for well-written tunes ( cuz after all, Jimi had some wonderful songs ), but I doubt he´d have an impact like that.

Now, to get back to the original topic... I gotta `fess up... I like the "Wall" record by Pink Floyd a whole lot, and I had heard many good things about "Dark Side Of The Moon". So I bought that, and... it did NOTHING for me. Really. Maybe it was because I had such high expectations ( after all, it´s one of the most successful records ever ). But I really couldn´tget into it.
I came to the conclusion that either it´s not for me because it´s not exactly "my cup of tea", or it´s simply because that record was most important for that era ( 1973, I believe ), and I had gotten it in like 1989.
Regarding "I Shot The Sheriff"... well, it´s a simple, quite memorable tune, and it´s interesting to hear Clapton do such a reggae-style tune... after all, he was known as a blues-freak before. Quite an interesting mixture.
Eric

[Koala]

First of all i think money is a great song, and the song got popular cuz the dark side opf the moon is one of the top 10 selling records in hisory, simple as that.

and i just cant figure out how ANYTHING by the white stripes can get famous.

[DDTonFire]

You know DSOTM stayed on the billboard charts for an astounding 741 weeks! thats 14 and a quater years! no one else can even say they came close to that feat!

[Cuno]

But then again, sales rates never had anything to do with the quality of music... You should come to Sweden sometime, we have a hideous obomination called 'Dansband', translated approx. 'Danceband' (now who would guess?). It has nothing to do with what people from other countries refer to as dance music. It´s only purpose seems to be an excuse to 'have a ball', i.e. get really really drunk. This is a kind of music unique to sweden, the worst kind of crap there is really. But is sells. And sooner or later, if you intend to make a living playing music here, you end up doing those gigs...and they ruin your musical spirit after a little while. Since i´m fortunate enough to have a day job, i have never done such a gig. But i´ve been asked several times. And i have a few musician friends, all whom have had to subdue to that force to buy food and stuff. And they´ve all changed somehow, not as naive and young 'n' reckless anymore. To them, music is just a job. Tradegy.

I saw a documentary on Douglas Adams yesterday. What a guy! There was this kid who really missed him, and when they asked why, he said: -'Because he made the best farts' :D

...ok, that´s somehow connected to my rambling, but i forgot how...just trying to prove my point: sales does not equal music. Or; never let other people think for you, no matter how many they are.

I like DSOTM myself.

[flathead]

"Don't worry be happy " by that guy who beats his chest when he sings it. I hate that song with a passion

[fred]

Enter Sandman by metallica. I don't know why. In theory I should like the song but I really dont.

Cuno.....although one can never really explain the horrors of "dansband" you did a damn good job :p

[metaljustice83]

the barbie girl song. if you don't know what I'm talkin about you haven't heard it. I hate that song, starts out "I'm a barbie girl in a barbie world......." then I block it out, and imagine bad things. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :confused:

[LarryJ]

I have to agree. I hate the song 'money' by pink floyd. it just gets on my nerves, another brick in the wall too. Neither are very good songs imo, and they get old so incredibly fast, it's almost grating by now, yet thats all the radio or people play.

On the topic though, it's almost a scientific fact that the more you listen to something, the more you like it. This is the entire basis pop works off of. If your forced to listen to Britney Spears 10x a day, eventually you will start liking it, those of us who work at jobs where you have to listen to preset store radio's can identify with this probably, or music in other peoples cars, eventually you start feeling guilty cause you like 'the fast food rockers - fast food song' instead of just metallica. Maybe Pink Floyd being a good band wasn't the only reason that album stayed up there so long...but also the constant airplay and media it got.

Theres quite a difference between what a musician listens for/to, and what the average listener listens to. I can listen to steve vai, and be amazed at his melody, which i find extremly catchy and beautiful and whatever else, and think it's universal, but then a friend in the car says its awful, and would rather listen to Tupac Shakur, which I can't find any type of melody, or catchiness or anything at all in. It's odd for me to get so fired up when listening to a kicking guitar riff, and pounding drums and whatever else, I mean, take ac/dc, if you didn't think they were rockin, you might as well be dead, but for most people, who come from the very same suburban white upper middle class upbringing as me, rap and hip hop is what does it for them.

It sure is a strange world out there. :rolleyes:

[Spin 2513]

Money ! i don't have any , yeah, it's a gas.

[Bizarro]

I liked Money and The Wall when they first came out. I don't listen to them anymore.

The Barbie Girl song is very catchy! I play the vocal lines on my guitar and jam over that tune every now and again. :) Seriously!
It has a good beat.

[RACWolfgang]

That "Stacy's Mom" song by Fountains of Wayne or whatever it is..

[Oceano]

by R.E.M has to be one of my all time most hated songs. That opening guitar melody makes me want to throw up, it sounds way too happy, sickening.

[snufeldin]

I can't understand why about 95% of those rap songs get popular.

[Koala]

Originally posted by Oceano
by R.E.M has to be one of my all time most hated songs. That opening guitar melody makes me want to throw up, it sounds way too happy, sickening.

LOLOL! I couldnt agree with you more!

[DDTonFire]

I can understand how any rap songs get popular. blech!

[TheCurse]

money... well i used to think it was alright but then once i went to a pinkfloyd laser light show at the imax theatre, i think i was on acid at the time, and man they started that song and just kept repeating the stupid cash register ringing up sound over and over and it really got on my nerves so now i hate money with a passion..

and as for popular music, its all about having a line you can sing over and over and over and over... its all about the vocals if you want to make money on a large scale out there.. no matter how inane and stupid they are

some songs that really rankle my last nerve are

that stupid nickleback song they used to play over and over on the radio
any song where they keep repeating the same line over and over (unless there is some really neato guitar stuff in it)
anything by paula abdul
that song by nelly where he keeps saying 'its getting hot in here so were gonna take off all our clothes' - hate it with a passion

and just so yous guys all know im not all hate
favorite album of all time - Megadeth, Rust in Peace
:cool:

[RACWolfgang]

Originally posted by DDTonFire
I can understand how any rap songs get popular. blech!

Amen.

[snufeldin]

Higher by creed (i hate that stupid guitar thing in the chorus)... actually anything by creed

[TheCurse]

Higher by creed (i hate that stupid guitar thing in the chorus)... actually anything by creed

Yes!

[french_miracle]

nu metal. It's a sickness, nobody can avoid it: Metallica was infected, Dream Theater was infected, it will kill us all.

[Guila]

man if you thing that thing is bad you should hear what is on the radio's here. the biggest crap ever.
PS: Im not disrespecting brazilian music but the musical taste of the brazilians :D

[2Girls]

Originally posted by LarryJ

On the topic though, it's almost a scientific fact that the more you listen to something, the more you like it. This is the entire basis pop works off of. If your forced to listen to Britney Spears 10x a day, eventually you will start liking it,

[/B]

Actually, I have to disagree with that. When "Theme from the Titatnic" was playing, the more I heard the song at work, the more I absolutely HATED it. The same goes for the song "It's all coming back to me."

I'll agree, though, that it's puzzling why some songs get popular. Then there's great stuff that artists put out that never gets put on the radio.

I love my classic rock station, but it's also comforting to know that if they come up with anything that makes me wonder why it got in, I can always change the channel.

Joanna, (1/2 of 2Girls)

[bilbo__baggins]

It seems strange to say this, because I know what a big success they were and that lots of people are absolutely devoted to their music, but I cannot stand a lot of Beetles songs. Songs like Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, and Oobladee (or whatever) just drive me nuts. I think it stems to when I was a child and they were played over and over again on the radio...

(the post earlier about the majority of mainstream radio I agree with wholeheartedly).

[flathead]

I'm with you bilbo.

[LarryJ]

It's funny, because I'm 19, and always wrote all that stuff off as garbage. I hated things like Sgt Peppers and some of the more 'far out there' songs like I am the Walrus, but just recently I listened to the anthology, and think they have a ton of really amazing stuff. The beetles have that really solid, simple songwriting and melody that is just killer, I'm fast becoming a devotee :D

Of course I wasn't around for any of the craze, but looking back in retrospect, I can see why. It's sort of like stripping everything off music today, and having a real gem underneath.