Maybe it's just me, but...

[Sljslj]

Why is mainstream music constantly complete garbage? If it's mainstream, that means the majority of music fans like it (?)... how can so many people like these songs that are generally sh*t?
I know it's all a matter of opinion, but I also know, for a fact, that I'm not the only person that feels this way.

The top 5 songs atm according to myspace.com:

1. Find Your Love, by Drake
2. OMG, by Usher
3. Billionaire, by Travis McCoy
4. Drop The World, by Lil Wayne
5. Not Afraid, by Eminem

I really did try to give each of these songs a chance and I'm now suicidal (not really).

[RVCA]

Eminem's new stuff is great

[Sljslj]

Originally Posted by RVCA

Eminem's new stuff is great

I will say the Eminem song is the only one that I started to get some sort of enjoyment out of.

[Janszoon]

Originally Posted by mr dave

and yeah, the new Eminem single is the best thing i've ever heard from him.

Originally Posted by Sljslj

I will say the Eminem song is the only one that I started to get some sort of enjoyment out of.

Are you guys talking about "Not Afraid"? I just watched the video on YouTube because of this thread and I have to say I thought it was pretty weak. It's not even close to the same level as his late 90s/early00s stuff.

His new look cracks me up though. Looks like he should be the singer for some NYC hardcore band back in the day.

[mr dave]

mainstream music is garbage because it's sold as a product to passive listeners who are more interested in having the 'correct' topical background soundtrack to their daily lives as per their peers than they are interested in actively searching for music that speaks to their soul.

and yeah, the new Eminem single is the best thing i've ever heard from him.

[CAPTAIN CAVEMAN]

Originally Posted by mr dave

mainstream music is garbage because it's sold as a product to passive listeners who are more interested in having the 'correct' topical background soundtrack to their daily lives as per their peers than they are interested in actively searching for music that speaks to their soul.

i don't think the bolded is true for most; but definitely some. i think these three things are true for most mainstream (by which i mean music featured on popular TV and radio programmes) music listeners:

- they have generally conservative tastes (no musical extremes) and mainstream music is probably the least extreme in musical aspects.
- they do not grow bored of what they like as often/quickly, and mainstream music provides more than enough fodder presented in slightly different styles for them to occupy themselves with.
- they are either not motivated to find (or are not interested in finding) new artists.

of course, these three things are not dependent on one another.

this doesn't mean they are more interested in fitting in with their peers necessarily, -though that may be the case for some- just that they have no interest, no internal reason to expand their musical tastes. which is fine, who cares? i think that applies more to most mainstream music fans than mainstream the group you mean, who have externally caused reasons for listening to music, such as to gain approval, impress others, fit into a group, etc. this is more appropriately contemptible, but not true for the majority of mainstream listeners, i think.

[Sljslj]

Originally Posted by flo

Yeah, it's great!

I wouldn't go (even nearly) that far! But as I said before it's a matter of opinion.

[Tea Supremacist]

Originally Posted by Sljslj

Why is mainstream music constantly complete garbage? If it's mainstream, that means the majority of music fans like it (?)... how can so many people like these songs that are generally sh*t?
I know it's all a matter of opinion, but I also know, for a fact, that I'm not the only person that feels this way.

The top 5 songs atm according to myspace.com:

1. Find Your Love, by Drake
2. OMG, by Usher
3. Billionaire, by Travis McCoy
4. Drop The World, by Lil Wayne
5. Not Afraid, by Eminem

I really did try to give each of these songs a chance and I'm now suicidal (not really).

Surely it's just a matter of personal taste? Each to their own and all that? Ok, so if we look at stuff like X Factor winners, manufactured boy bands (do they even still make those anymore?) then I think we can agree that any 'original' music they do is pretty non-descript, standard stuff that my 4 year old neice could write, given the chance. But you've made a pretty sweeping statement about mainstream music. I think a majority of it is just where people can't be bothered to give other genres a chance. I guess some people are just happy listening to whatever's there and not really delving any deeper.

I have a friend who stops listening to material from a band once they've appeared on a 'Now that's what I call music' album, purely on the basis that he thinks that being in the mainstream is a kind of sell out these days and that the band will now probably go downhill (granted, some do...), which I think is kind of sad.

Saying that, Apart from Eminem (not a massive fan but even I rate his new stuff) I haven't actually heard any of that list. Usher and Lil Wayne can suck balls as far as I'm concerned, so I merely stay away from it. I can't remember the last time I listened to a local radio station or a music channel so I'm kind of out of touch with what's in the charts now. I know what I like and tend to stick to those areas.

[Dom]

I think the problem is the majority of people either can't be bothered to look deeper for music and are content to have it spoonfed to them or just assume that, because it's not from a big name, it's automatically crap, or both. Also a lot of mainstream listeners in pop aren't willing to give any other genres a try and make generalisations like all metal is smashing dustbins together and shouting.

[Sljslj]

Originally Posted by Dom

I think the problem is the majority of people either can't be bothered to look deeper for music and are content to have it spoonfed to them or just assume that, because it's not from a big name, it's automatically crap, or both. Also a lot of mainstream listeners in pop aren't willing to give any other genres a try and make generalisations like all metal is smashing dustbins together and shouting.

One could argue that listeners of other genres sometimes do the same sort of the thing, I know I do. I (as a metalhead) make alot of generalizations about other genres and sometimes see a band isn't metal and automatically think I won't like it before listening to it. A big difference between myself and the common mainstream listener is that I have a basis to judge the other genres, as I've given non-metal genres a chance: country (which I do like sometimes), rap, indie rock, and even pop (in the boy band era *shudders*) to name a few.