Silversun Pickups, Smashing Pumpkins, The Beatles, Bob Marley, and Pink Floyd

Technology has definitely changed how we follow music. I pay for spotify but I havent bought an album in probably almost 20 years since napster became a thing. Before that I would spend hours at soundwaves or blockbuster music listening to albums and buying 3 or 4 at time. Before that I had to rely on word of mouth or buy an album and risk it was trash and I bought plenty of trash. I remember going to a music stores at midnight for album releases.

Think about the 8 track that did not fast forward or rewind. People had to listen to the whole thing. If you think about radio I grew up here in Houston listening to 93Q. They played everything. I remember listening to their top 9 at 9 every night with my brothers. Nowadays you don't get on the radio unless you get programmed into it. I haven't listened to the radio for music since probably 1994 or 93.

As far as music being as influential or more influential now I just don't think you can compare. You can't use youtube as the measure to gauge Drake being more popular than the Beatles (I'm not fan of either btw) because I'm sure there are plenty of people who consume the Beatles by other means than streaming. Sensationalism is another thing that i think influences how we perceive music and musicians. Everyone wants to be the one that discovers the new hot. Everyone is an expert on the subject. Anyone can go and write their opinion and then you have people who just want to be contrarians.

Another thing is who listens to whole albums? I use spotify just for that but it doesn't have all the music I am looking for. Listening to a whole album is a different way to consume than just listening to playlists, "radio station" or singles. How do you even know an album is going to be released? Sometimes it pops up on spotify or sometimes I will randomly catch wind. To discover new music I ask and search spotify "fans also like". There is a lot of popular music that I've never heard but I have heard of the musician(s) and that is because they can put your image almost anywhere and that has an influential outcome. Back in the days you could buy a music magazine or watch MTV and get a decent perspective as to what was out there.

 

I think not, for better or worse.

Let's look at the Beatles. First no band (IMO) comes close to their musical/vocal capability.

Second, yes you are right, the media is too fragmented now. Besides being the best musically, the Beatles also had the advantage of dominating the BBC when it was the only game in town, in Britain.

Somewhat relatedly, they also dominated the American scene by appearances on the Ed Sullivan show, when there were few if any competitors to that show in the US.

TV/radio channels don't have that type of monopoly any longer. So yes, things are too fragmented. But I also think that today's music is lacking in quality.

So there are a few factors at play.

 

No, I think you are correct. I saw a massive number of concerts at The Summit when I was 17-20.

Ticket prices also have to lot to do with it. I saw Bruce Springsteen at the Summit in 1984 for about $40. Now that would be a Benjamin or two.

As you get older and take on more responsibilities, you still love music, but going to a show is way down on the list of priorities. You've also got better or more important uses for that $100-$200.

 

It was the most amazing sounding guitar album I'd ever heard. And I think that's probably still the case. Manages to sound loud, distorted, clean, and polished all at the same time.

 

Was that guitar work not IHA'S, though?

 

I know some will think I'm pulling away from the original subject matter (but not really). What's everyone's favorite album of this century? I was never really that much into this band until this came out.....certainly my favorite of the 'aughts: https://www.revolvermag.com/music/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-tools-10000-days

 

No, Corgan wrote and performed all the music along with Jimmy Chamberlain on drums. Butch Vig has said in the past how difficult it was to work on Siamese Dream with Corgan, who would never accept anything as perfect. When D'arcy and James Iha originally played their parts, he scrapped it and recorded all bass and guitars himself.

On Melancholy , Corgan finally allowed D'arcy and Iha to record their parts after Flood (the producer of the album) was able to convince him to allow them to

 

It's a tricky thing. Back in the days of the Beatles there were very few ways to actually hear new music. It was either the small number of radio stations, or live shows, or word of mouth. Now it there are all of those ways plus 20 - 50 forms of social media, streaming, etc. So the choices are so much greater than they were back in the sixties. But that means the market is incredibly diluted.

The great thing is that means consumers can find more music to their liking. There are bands that will fill every small niche and people can find it. The most popular music isn't by the most original, best or creative musicians. They may be all of those things but they aren't the best at those things. They are the best at being decent at those things, plus social media marketing, looks, and all of the other stuff. The looks and marketing were used before, but that market was more limited as well.

It is stuff that everyone else has said, but there are both good and bad things about it. It's a mixed bag.

The thing that's great about SP, SSP, and the Beatles is that they all evolved as they went along. They sought out creativity and innovation at least with their own sound and music if not in recording in general. Bands that don't evolve don't stay relevant.

 

Close, but the GOAT album is Pearl Jam's 10. Every. Song. Is. Amazing.

Anyway, came here to say Silversun Pickups > Smashing Pumpkins.

 

As a whole, I think about this a lot.... you brought up a good point, "back-in-the-day" what were you and I most subjected to besides what the mainstream radio played? There was nothing else. If it wasn't on the radio and from a hit record company how can you find a less known more current artist's music like The xx, Bad Suns, or Bloc Party... no idea who those guys are, right? Exactly. I get it those type of bands may be outside of your particular genre of choice but they deliver pretty good music that hasn't become as mainstream as The Strokes, The Black Keys, The White Stripes, etc. and I'm almost 100% positive that you've heard of at least one of those 3 band's music.

I too pay for Spotify and find myself discovering new music and even old music that I remember listening to as a child. If I boxed myself to whatever the stations played out from the 80's, 90's, 00's I would probably be listening to the same crap day in and day out. The beauty of technology is that you can literally; make your own single, drop it on SoundCloud, gain a following, drop a hit, boom: you're the next Post Malone... you may not like his music, but you definitely know a song or two of his.

Technology has changed the music game and very possibly, to a fault, muddied the pool of talent a bit... whether it's for the better or the worse is entirely up to public opinion but I like the fact that I can create a playlist containing artists like Third Eye Blind, Radiohead, and The Goo Goo Dolls while at the same time have an entirely different playlist with The Clash, Fleetwood Mac, and Foreigner.

In the long run I feel like it's all for OUR benefit to whatever we love listening too whether current or more "stone aged" sounds.

On another side note, I bet you can't name the most followed or most streamed artist on Spotify....

Spoiler

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most-streamed_artists_on_Spotify

The stats on Wiki are sure to surprise you.

 

Swoon is close to a perfect album in my mind. The worst song on it, draining, is better than sweet sweet. But mannnn Siamese dream has so many jams.

After Swoon I haven’t been in love with any of their albums. They still make solid hits though.

total discography isn’t close for me between the 2 bands. SP has made soooo many amazing songs.

 

lol

 

Agreed, taken as a whole, Silversun Pickups has a much better catalog and their music has aged better.

 

**** you “an ode to Xerobull”

 

lol

 

Surfers know. SP > SP

 

Seems like some misunderstand the difference between influential and popular, equating fleeting viral popularity with lasting impact on culture.

The Beatles have not existed since 1970, yet we are talking about them 50+ years later.

Do you think anyone will be talking about Drake or Ariana Grande in 50 years? Really?