Popularity vs. Importance (of music, art, books, etc.)

Depends on what one means by "some popular success." When I think of literature or music or art, sometimes greatness isn't discovered until much later, and sometimes by then it isn't "popular" because it isn't contemporary.

 

You showed me it was wrong? Let me get this straight. Here are the facts at hand: The Beatles hadn't been a band in over a decade. John Lennon gets shot and killed. Beatles records sales spike the next day. And this proves that all those loved the Beatles and counted them as their favorite band? You can't think of any other reasons. I mean, do you enjoy being told your points are terrible? Because it's almost as if you give me no other option.

That's not an objective example at all. I appreciate Biggie's rhyming structure. I appreciate the way Eminiem has mastered the art of rhyming words that don't really rhyme. Those things don't make them objectively great. You can't quantify art. They don't give extra credit for the number of consecutive "s" sounds.

 

Astral Weeks.

 

the wrong two beatles are dead.

 

who is more talented/important musically, iyo, taylor swift or adele?

 

Culturally, Adele is more important because she is fat and has a cleft chin. Kind of a rare thing in today's pop culture to be on the low end of the attractiveness scale and still be popular.

Musically, I don't think either is very important.

 

great observation, hahaha.

let me ask that question in a differently and more broadly, who is the most important/talented musician of the last, 10, 20 and 30 years? iyo

 

Cobain was pretty huge for the 90s and a host of people afterwards. I wouldn't say he was most talented, but very influential.

Also I dunno who it would be because it's not really my thing, but somebody from the hip-hop/rap world.

 

She will be forever associated with Skyfall.

She will be Shirley Bassey at the 100th Anniversary for Bond.

 

tupac and biggie. imo

 

Yeah I was maybe even thinking farther back than those guys

 

Last thirty+ years has to include Michael Jackson, perhaps Run-DMC for rap (and maybe even the Beastie Boys) and Nirvana for the 90's. The 2000-now I really have no clue, but I am sure KidB can fill in for that.

 

Can't overlook The Clash and the Pixies

 

What are you talking about? John Lennon died in 1980. The album I have been talking about released in 2000.

That's one example. I can show you more. You can say it's subjective all you want, but there are reasons Virgil is considered the greatest Roman poet. I can point out those reasons to you. There are specific elements of art that are objective. There's a reason Michelangelo and Da Vinci are considered the best painters/sculptors of the Renaissance, and if you spend enough time with their works, you see why. It's not just because people find their paintings more visually appealing. You can say the importance of all these elements are subjective, but you can't deny that the elements exist. And if they exist in one work and not in the other, doesn't it seem fair to deem one work better than the other?

 

grand master flash?


i once read/heard an interview with michael jackson where he emphatically declared that the vincent price voice over on thriller was in-fact the first ever rap recording.

 

btw, karen carpenter. g.o.a.t. imho

 

I had Wendell. I knew about The Clash before. I appreciated them after.

 

In what category, since it isn't vocalist.

 

every category, ever. she touched me in places that i can't even show you on the doll.

 

KB, what are your thoughts on Stairway to Heaven?