Post something you LIKE about today's music

[mvd]

We have had so many positive threads that I think it's time for a positive thread. You can post one thing or more if you want to.

Here are things I like:

- Although I'm not crazy about artists such as Hilary Duff, Jennifer Lopez, Maroon 5, Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, Ashlee Simpson, Miley Cyrus, most rap/hop hop artists, most nu-metal artists, Demi Lovato, James Blunt, Rascal Flatts, Nickelback, Creed, Daughtry, Lady Gaga (with some exceptions,) etc., I think mainstream pop offers these good artists:

The Corrs, Michelle Branch, Aly & AJ, Avril Lavigne, Kelly Clarkson, Jimmy Eat World, Taylor Swift, Hey Monday, Sarah McLachlan, Duffy, Amy Winehouse, Pink, Carrie Underwood, Sheryl Crow, Indigo Girls, Sugarland, Barenaked Ladies, A Fine Frenzy, Kate Voegele, Alicia Keys, She & Him, Coldplay, Anthony Hamilton, Jessica Harp, The Killers, The Veronicas, Melinda Doolittle, many of Rihanna's songs, and more.

- Artists like The New Pornographers, Decemberists, The Hold Steady, and even Animal Collective (I'm not crazy about Animal Collective) do better on the charts than one might think.

- There's XM satellite radio to give you a much more expanded listening experience than than regular radio does.

- I've found many artists by looking on things like iTunes, review sites (finding music is why I go to those sites - not to get their opinion,) sites like ilike.com, myspace.com, and discoveringartists.com, amazon.com recommendation and upcoming release lists. Some lesser known artists I've found are he Pierces, Karmina, The Love Willows, Kay Hanley, Nina Gordon solo, Gaslight Anthem, The Like, Cindy Alexander, Brandi Carlile, The Weepies, Eliza Gilkyson, Tilly & the Wall, and Duncan Sheik, All Girl Summer Fun Band, Josh Ritter, Rosi Golan, and Cara Luft.

[XemaSab]

1. .

:popcorn:

[mvd]

2. LOL

This was not intended to flame people who don't like today's music, but even some of them could probably post an artist they like. :hi:

[Arkansas Granny]

3. The thing I like about today's music is that I don't have any kids living at home

so I don't have to listen to is very often.

Sorry, that's the best I can come up with.

[SacredCow]

4. I like that I'm not forced at gunpoint to listen to 99% of it...

:hide:

Truth be told, there's a track that gets my attention every now and again.

[NYC_SKP]

5. I like that the Internet gives lesser knowns a shot at success.

While the record labels are as ornery and powerful and greedy as ever before (why isn't Jack Valenti in jail or something?), imagine how hard it was to get a single on the air.

I loves the intertubes, iz good for the indies!

:silly:

[mvd]

6. Yes, it's a pretty good time for singer/songwriters

Many of them are promoting their music out there, but the problem sometimes is finding it.. I'm always open to new sites for that kind of thing.

[keroro gunsou]

23. simple

he's dead.

[Arugula Latte]

7. I LIKE the neo-80s bands.

Editors, Interpol, Killers, etc.

I love anything out of Manchester in the past three decades, it seems. A current Manchester band I like is the Doves.

[TrogL]

8. OMG Symphonic Metal

I had no idea until my daughter dragged me kicking and screaming to a concert. I was expecting rap 'cause I thought that's all anybody was playing anymore other than teeny bop stuff (Miley Cyrus) and I didn't want her going alone.

Then they played this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eTX-rjGcw8

I was so blown away she had to drag me kicking and screaming out of the venue. I didn't want to leave and wanted to talk with the band and the sound guys. I've got the ticket on my office wall.

Since then I've discovered speed metal and prog metal. I haven't seen such accomplished musicianship since prog-rock in the 70's.

[Burma Jones]

10. You would like the Trans-Siberian Orchestra

[Initech]

27. Check out Symphony X and Dream Theater.

I highly recommend both Symphony X's latest "Paradise Lost" and Dream Theater's latest "Systematic Chaos".

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

9. I like alot of the artists you mention in your "good section"

and what I enjoy about todays music is that is seems to me there is a return to an intelligent pop sensibility. I kind of turned off to new music during the 90's. Now, I listen to a radio station that bills itself as "adult alternative" and it feels good and right to discover new music.

I think it is weird that a lot of people my age just listen to "oldies" stations and haven't fallen in love with a new artists or song since the 70's.

[mvd]

14. Thanks

It's also nice that older artists like Bruce Springsteen and U2 are still going strong. Bruce's Working On A Dream CD has more of the 60s pop sound than he's ever had.

[Bertha Venation]

11. AFAIK, it's still written on a staff. That's good.

So much else has changed.

[Burma Jones]

12. I like the extraordinary variety that gets exposure these days

My favorite lesser knowns are: Bodies of Water, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Circulatory System, The Polyphonic Spree, Sufjian Stevens, Explosions in the Sky, The Ditty Bops....

And I sometimes crave Gogol Bordello......

[RagAss]

13. Sorry.....Can't do it.

[TK421]

15. I'm trying to...I just can't

I heard "something" on the radio this morning that I can't quite describe, and missed the DJs intro as to what band it was. I can't even describe the sound, but the closest thing I can come up with would be emptying out my trash can of recyclables the night before pickup and the sound that makes.

[no name no slogan]

16. Emo doesn't completely suck donkey balls

As long as Fall Out Boy makes one good record every five years, it's still got something going for it.

Coldplay, however, eats a giant bowl of deep fried dicks.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

17. It makes yesterday's music sound better in comparison.

:P

[fizzgig]

18. i was just going to say that

it's horrifying to me :rofl:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

21. Musically and movie-wise, I'm about 30 years older than I am.

Today, I was talking to a coworker who's a few years older than me, and for some reason I can't remember, I mentioned Jimmy Stewart.

And she said -- I swear to God -- "Who's Jimmy Stewart?"

:banghead:

If she was a recent immigrant or something, I'd understand, but she was born and raised here.

[fizzgig]

25. oh gods

i may not necessarily like older movies or music, but i know enough to not make a total ass of myself

[Deja Q]

20. Damn, you're good!

:evilgrin:

[keroro gunsou]

19. that i don't have to listen to it.

all hail itunes!

[Deja Q]

22. The voice modulator protects us from how bad their voices truly are.

:hide:

[Xipe Totec]

24. They're very short.

[Initech]

26. There's quite a few modern bands I absolutely love:

Queens Of The Stone Age
Nine Inch Nails
Rage Against The Machine
Tool
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
P-Funk
Iron Maiden
Beck
Isis
Depeche Mode
TV On The Radio
The Black Keys
Porcupine Tree
Gogol Bordello
Foo Fighters
Tenacious D
Flogging Molly
Damian Marley
The Mars Volta
Muse
Radiohead
Neurosis

And a bunch of others.

[mvd]

28. TV On The Radio is definitely a bright spot

I also really like Radiohead and Foo Fighters.

[MrSlayer]

29. I like that I have an mp3 player so I don't have to hear any of it.

Today's music is flat out garbage. And it's been bad for 15 years with very, very few exceptions.

[LeftyMom]

30. Technology allows me to avoid most of it.

:bounce:

[GOPisEvil]

31. I like that I can go to the internet (slacker.com) for one, and be exposed...

...to all manner of music styles and artists. I truly can find anything to fit a mood. :)

That said, I really like a lot of wonderful independent artists. Just ask me about them. :)

[mvd]

32. I'll take a look

Hi, GOPisEvil - haven't seen you in a while. I can find good things about today's music and like older music (even big band) all at once. :hi:

[GOPisEvil]

33. I've said this before, but there's plenty of good music out there.

You just have to take ownership of your entertainment and go looking. So many people just hear what's on the radio then decry what they hear. It really isn't that hard to find all sorts of interesting music, you just have to commit to it.

:hi: Nice seeing you again as well.

[mvd]

34. Well put IMO

How's Kelly Willis doing these days, BTW? Any new stuff out?

[GOPisEvil]

35. She put out an album last year (or late in 2007).

Translated From Love, I think. It's really good.

[mvd]

36. Thanks for the info.

:hi:

[Amerigo Vespucci]

37. Services like Rhapsody let you hear every note of every song on the whole album

The days of paying 20 bucks for a CD, getting it home, and finding out you hate it are gone.

When I read a glowing review by a "rock critic" about the new My Morning Jacket album being so good that it is like the second coming of Christ, I can listen for myself without paying a penny.

I like some of MMJ's stuff, but they will NEVER be as good as their reviews. NEVER.

If it's good, I can buy the CD. If it's one killer track and the "rock critic" is hallucinating and / or on the take from the record label, I can buy one (or none) of the songs from iTunes.