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Exposure to new music: List the best from your country!

post #1 of 76
4/21/09 at 1:53am
Thread Starter 
I'm trying to become more exposed to the great artists from around the world and I figure this may be a fun way to source some out! The idea is to choose the top in each category. This is not necessarily a personal choice but rather what is likely universally held by your country based on sales, influence and longevity.

Coming from Canada, this might be rather simple for some genres but for Americans and Brits, this will get quite a bit more complicated since there are just so many contenders in each. Likewise, it will get equally difficult no doubt for Italians and Germans when it comes to classical music for instance.

Here are my picks for Canada:

Classical Composer: Marjan Mozetich

Classical Performer: Glenn Gould

Country Group: Cowboy Junkies (not strictly country but the best we've got by a country mile )

Country Solo Artist: Shania Twain

Electronica Group: Junior Boys

Electronica Solo Artist: Richie Hawtin

Folk Group:The Mamas & the Papas (yeah yeah, I know, not really Canadian, but Denny Doherty was a founding member and he's Canadian. About the only famous and influential folk group I could think of)

Folk Solo Artist: Leonard Cohen (though some may argue Gordon Lightfoot)

Jazz Band Leader: Guy Lombardo

Jazz Solo Artist: Oscar Peterson

Jazz Vocalist: Diana Krall (I prefer Holly Cole)

Heavy Metal Group: Steppenwolf (more like proto-Heavy Metal)

Hip-hop/Rap Group: Dream Warriors

Hip-hop/Rap Solo Artist: k-os

Movie Score Composer: Howard Shore

Pop Group: Broken Social Scene (not strictly pop, but not strictly rock either, highly influential and composed of many break-out solo artists)

Pop Female Solo Artist: Celine Dion

Pop Male Solo Artist: Bryan Adams

R&B Group: The Philosopher Kings

R&B Solo Artist: Deborah Cox

Rock Group: Rush

Rock Solo Artist: Neil Young

Artist(s) that truly exemplify(ies) the heart of the Nation: The Tragically Hip

One to keep your eye on: The Arcade Fire
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post #2 of 76
4/21/09 at 3:42am
no alanis?

how you you miss out she who was the founder of the "i can be angry and moany " generation
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post #3 of 76
4/21/09 at 4:16am
I would say that Arcade Fire is past the keep an eye on phase and well into the annals of indie rock history, even with just Funeral. That is one of the best albums I have heard overall and definitely the best out of the 90s and 00s for me. Great list, though. Thanks. I'll have to start working on the US.
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post #4 of 76
4/21/09 at 5:37am
Oh good, I'm glad you did this. The previous thread died too quickly:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f9/local-music-417011/
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post #5 of 76
4/21/09 at 1:14pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mark2410 View Post
no alanis?

how you you miss out she who was the founder of the "i can be angry and moany " generation
Alanis sadly is less popular and substantial worldwide than Celine Dion So Celine gets solo Pop artist nod here.
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post #6 of 76
4/21/09 at 1:30pm
Yay, a list of Canadian artists that doesn't include Nickleback.
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post #7 of 76
4/21/09 at 1:37pm
Not a bad list, Zanth, although I'd have to put Blue Rodeo ahead of Cowboy Junkies (more country, I think more "successful") as the Country group, and replace Steppenwolf with either Cryptopsy or Voivod on the Metal front. No question Steppenwolf would be more successful than either band (and probably combined), but I'd really hesitate to let a harder-edged rock band take the Metal spot when there is so much on offer.
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post #8 of 76
4/21/09 at 1:46pm
Canadian artists and no mention of Godspeed You! Black Emperor? That'd be unthinkable to me.
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post #9 of 76
4/21/09 at 2:24pm
Thread Starter 
Duggeh, I would mention them (and not only are they one of my favourite bands, but I actually know the band quite well ) but I didn't want to start breaking down into post-rock, indie rock etc. Had I, they would get top top, but for now, best Canadian Rock band is Rush by a wide margin.

GV, the only reason I put Steppenwolf there is because they are heralded as being either one of hte very earliest metal bands or at the very least being a proto-metal band. Since they are far more popular and influential than the two bands you listed, I threw them in there.

Remember, this isn't a list of MY favourite artists, but rather what I as a Canadian think the rest of the world would perceive as our top artists based on sales, breaking into other markets and influence on other acts.

No doubt for me, The Tragically Hip are way up in my list of top acts period! However, they have barely made a dent outside of Canada and therefore can't make the list aside from the courtesy spot I have reserved there for the artist/s who in a way really defines a nation. The Hip are that band in Canada without a doubt.

As for Blue Rodeo, I was thinking about them and wasn't sure if they were more popular or not. I checked some stats and it seems CBJ has made it up more international charts than BR.
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post #10 of 76
4/21/09 at 2:47pm
I have to say, it really surprises me that CBJ has done better than Blue Rodeo - I wouldn't have expected a landslide margin, but I did assume they'd have garnered a larger international fan base.

But I'm with you 100% about the Hip. See them at a sold-out stadium on one of three nights in Toronto... or drive an hour and a half to Buffalo and catch them in a bar. I can't figure it out - their discography has morphed and progressed over the years to include a wide range of rock styles, penned by one of our best active lyricists, but they just don't catch on.

TOO quintessentially Canadian perhaps? What I've heard of the new album is fantastic, by the way, but let me end my derailment right there.
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post #11 of 76
4/21/09 at 2:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by scott_d_m View Post
Yay, a list of Canadian artists that doesn't include Nickleback.
Heh, sad enough to say, Nickelback's one of my guilty pleasures, even though it's the same thing trailer trash listen to. Something about their raunchy lyrics (LOLs) and their ability to write memorable melodies.
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post #12 of 76
4/21/09 at 5:20pm
Okay, this may be somewhat subjective at times, but here I go trying to do it for the U.S.

Classical Composer: Aaron Copland

Classical Performer: Phillip Glass?

Country Group: Oh God...by popularity maybe Big and Rich?

Country Solo Artist: Conway Twitty

Electronica Group: Ministry (sort of electronica...)

Electronica Solo Artist: Trent Reznor

Folk Group:Simon and Garfunkel

Folk Solo Artist: James Taylor

Jazz Band Leader: Guy Lombardo

Jazz Solo Artist: wow...um...Louis Armstrong maybe? (I'm sure a debate will ensue on that one, I'd also throw in Thelonius Monk and several others, but I digress)

Jazz Vocalist: Norah Jones

Heavy Metal Group: Metalica (unfortunately one of my least favorite bands...)

Hip-hop/Rap Group: Public Enemy

Hip-hop/Rap Solo Artist: Kanye West (bleh)

Movie Score Composer: Danny Elfman

Pop Group: N'Sync (sold more records than the Beatles or something)

Pop Female Solo Artist: Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus) [why? really not sure]

Pop Male Solo Artist: Justin Timberlake

R&B Group: I have no idea...

R&B Solo Artist: see above

Rock Group: Journey

Rock Solo Artist: Really subjective, but I'll go with David Lee Roth here.

Artist(s) that truly exemplify(ies) the heart of the Nation: um...Francis Scott Key? Not sure really, there are a lot of "hearts" in the U.S.

One to keep your eye on: Mastodon
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post #13 of 76
4/21/09 at 5:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zarathustra19 View Post
Okay, this may be somewhat subjective at times, but here I go trying to do it for the U.S.

Classical Composer: Aaron Copland

Classical Performer: Phillip Glass?

Country Group: Oh God...by popularity maybe Big and Rich?

Country Solo Artist: Conway Twitty

Electronica Group: Ministry (sort of electronica...)

Electronica Solo Artist: Trent Reznor

Folk Group:Simon and Garfunkel

Folk Solo Artist: James Taylor

Jazz Band Leader: Guy Lombardo

Jazz Solo Artist: wow...um...Louis Armstrong maybe? (I'm sure a debate will ensue on that one, I'd also throw in Thelonius Monk and several others, but I digress)

Jazz Vocalist: Norah Jones

Heavy Metal Group: Metalica (unfortunately one of my least favorite bands...)

Hip-hop/Rap Group: Public Enemy

Hip-hop/Rap Solo Artist: Kanye West (bleh)

Movie Score Composer: Danny Elfman

Pop Group: N'Sync (sold more records than the Beatles or something)

Pop Female Solo Artist: Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus) [why? really not sure]

Pop Male Solo Artist: Justin Timberlake

R&B Group: I have no idea...

R&B Solo Artist: see above

Rock Group: Journey

Rock Solo Artist: Really subjective, but I'll go with David Lee Roth here.

Artist(s) that truly exemplify(ies) the heart of the Nation: um...Francis Scott Key? Not sure really, there are a lot of "hearts" in the U.S.

One to keep your eye on: Mastodon
I'd replace kanye with Lupe fiasco. His first album was especially good and I know him and kanye are connected but lupe's delivery is much smoother and lyrics are way about kanye's.
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post #14 of 76
4/21/09 at 5:48pm
Thread Starter 
But Eminem is easily a far bigger artist than either of those folks, Dr. Dre... Jay Z...

I'm looking for historically massive, so like for Journey, they wouldn't hold a candle to Aerosmith's numbers and prestige even though I prefer Journey, and keep your hands off of Lombardo! He's ours! You have Louis Armstrong, Dizzyy, Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck etc. etc.

Male Pop solo artist? Michael Jackson, absolutely no contest. Pop Female Solo artist? Madonna or Barbara Streisand. Jazz vocalist? Ella Fitzgerald... So again, the rules are that they must be the best of the best in sales, world domination and endurance to last the decades. For this reason, it will be tough for someone new to make this list for most countries but definitely for the US and UK.

Goldman or John Williams over Elfman any day too.
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post #15 of 76
4/22/09 at 2:44am
Australia:

The Mark of Cain (Metal)
Horsehead (Hard Rock)
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds (Rock/Alternative)
Virgin Black (Metal)
Alchemist (Metal)
Damaged (Metal)
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