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Do you go beyond the mainstream?

post #1 of 40
11/27/09 at 10:38am
Thread Starter 
This is obviously a very conceited and subjective question on my part, but how many of you would say you make the effort to try music outside of the mainstream?

That is, outside of the artists that are well known, publicised and advertised. Beyond what even your friends would recommend you, especially if you'd say they're pretty closed minded in their music variety.

And for that matter, do you think it's worth doing, and what's your general opinion of lesser known bands versus their mainstream counterparts?
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post #2 of 40
11/27/09 at 10:52am
I don't actually listen to mainstream radio anymore, so I don't know what is and what isn't "mainstream". I think music is much better this way; it stops being a label and starts being music.

I can tell you that I listen to good music, though

I'd probably say I listen to mostly non-mainstream; with most of my suggestions coming from audiophiles/music enthusiasts as well as professional musicians. However I do have some things in my library which sound mainstream (eg. the Gossip, Metric and La Roux).

If you want to talk about very mainstream bands, I would say that I typically think that less-mainstream bands are generally more talented; and are typically well known for great music rather than great marketing (eg. Lady Gaga is just horrible but amazingly famous and people actually believe she is talented, even though she hasn't shown any talent yet). Theres always the turd in non-mainstream though - which is in part due to the notion of being "hip".

Weezers ratitude is just terrible, and bands that have female vocalists putting-on queer vocal habits, or bands going out of their way to sound indie generally dont do it for me.


Hit and miss with mainstream vs not mainstream, but generally not mainstream due to my listening preferences (jazz, classical and electronic).
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post #3 of 40
11/27/09 at 11:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrGreen View Post
I don't actually listen to mainstream radio anymore, so I don't know what is and what isn't "mainstream". I think music is much better this way; it stops being a label and starts being music.
I have the same experience. I don't listen to radio anymore except for classical and some jazz. After a while, what is or isn't "mainstream" becomes just another label. When radiohead and sonic youth are "mainstream," I'm not even sure what that means anymore.

And just because something might be so-called "mainstream" doesn't have to mean it's bad, either. In one respect, a lot of things are mainstream precisely because... people like it!
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post #4 of 40
11/27/09 at 12:44pm
I haven't listened to radio for years. I get my news & info from podcasts and my music from my collection. Radio annoys me and I rarely like anything on it anyway. I really don't have a good idea on what's considered mainstream as I just don't participate in that music or movie type. Though I do like watching NFL and that's about as mainstream as you can get! So I'll define it as something that I might encounter as I go about my day, that I don't choose to hear/watch including the gym.

Having a lot of Thrash, Death and other varities of the (apparently) thousand sub-genres almost my entire collection is outside the mainstream. I love jazz as well and I don't hear a lot of it during my day unless I choose. Most, if not all, mainstream stuff I just find boring. Again, I don't have a great idea of what's in the mainstream, so there's probably some good stuff, I just don't know about it.

I love trying new music and actually find a lot of suggestions here. Found some great bands suggested by fellow head-fi'ers.
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post #5 of 40
11/27/09 at 1:03pm
Indeed!
I am mostly into trance, ambient, chillout, .. and few of those artists are mainstream.
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post #6 of 40
11/27/09 at 1:13pm
I spend a great deal of time searching the the dark realms of the net to find those hidden gems. Been on a Japanese hardcore noise binge lately, f.ex.
But I don't discard any music just because it's popular, much of the stuff that's being played on the radio here is quite enjoyable, it's just played way to often, that's all.
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post #7 of 40
11/27/09 at 2:32pm
Depends how you define mainstream. Mainstream is different for different people in my opinion depending on where/what circle of music/radio/etc that you "reside" in.

Radio6 Music is less mainstream than Radio2 and Radio2 is less mainstream than Radio1.

I listen to Radio6 (Well, just the Freak Zone and Guy Garvie) and I find the bands that I consider to be my most least mainstream, the likes of, Smog, Emiliana Torrini, Joanna Newsom, etc etc.

I do like finding smaller bands and artists out there that aren't really known to the majority of people- it's like finding a beautiful little secret :P

I don't really go out my way to find the newest obscurest bands though. Usually I find music by relation to other music.
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post #8 of 40
11/27/09 at 3:29pm
seeing as how most of what I listen to is metal, and a majority of that is Christian metal, I'd have to say that I don't listen to much main stream music; but I do listen to some 'main stream' metal/hard rock, such as Disturbed or Creed every once in awhile.
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post #9 of 40
11/27/09 at 3:47pm
The only mainstream I really listen to is music that was considered popular and mainstream 30+ years ago, and in terms of today's music, I don't think my tastes would qualify as mainstream as I don't even know who is popular any more.

I tend to avoid all radio stations apart from the CBC as they all tend to play the same bands over and over with very little change, and I haven't watched any music on TV in ages as well.
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post #10 of 40
11/27/09 at 4:39pm
I was working at my college bookstore. Cliff's Notes had a free sampler CD (1998ish). It was decent. I offered a copy to a girl at the register checking out. She looked the track list over and said "I've never heard of any of those." I said "well, they aren't bands that would really get played on the radio, but some of it is really good." She said "why would I listen to it if it's not on the radio?"

Whew. Generally I try to stay away from anything generating big sales, network TV exposure, or breakneck indie hipster hype. If I catch it real early before anyone knows, or perhaps years after the fact when it's fallen into obscurity, I can often appreciate it.

I'm up here at work on the day after Thanksgiving doing a twelve hour day and here's what I've listened to so far:

Zumpano -- Goin' Through Changes
Game Theory -- Real Nighttime
Ours -- Mercy
Broken Social Scene -- You Forgot it in People
Depeche Mode -- Black Celebration (original)
Cornelius -- Fantasma
Leaves -- We Are Shadows
The Life and Times -- Suburban Hymns
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post #11 of 40
11/27/09 at 8:01pm
No one I know has heard of the people I listen to. I find it difficult when people ask "so, what music do you listen to?" I can real off a string of great, unknown (mainstream wise) female artists and people look at me with a blank expression just waiting to say "Who?"

I'm very proud of the music I listen to and while I wish it was more well known, I'm not afraid to say I've found my own sound and I love it and I'm still finding it today; try turning off commercial radio and find music you like, and not what Simon Cowell likes!
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post #12 of 40
11/27/09 at 8:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KevDo View Post
Depends how you define mainstream. Mainstream is different for different people in my opinion depending on where/what circle of music/radio/etc that you "reside" in..
You are not alone. I can talk myself into circles where the term mainstream is concerned, let alone try to convince anyone else of its meaning.
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post #13 of 40
11/27/09 at 8:39pm
I never listen to the radio. In fact, I detest it. It's like browsing without AdBlock to only the websites you hate.
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post #14 of 40
11/27/09 at 8:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sithompson View Post
No one I know has heard of the people I listen to. I find it difficult when people ask "so, what music do you listen to?" I can real off a string of great, unknown (mainstream wise) female artists and people look at me with a blank expression just waiting to say "Who?"

I'm very proud of the music I listen to and while I wish it was more well known, I'm not afraid to say I've found my own sound and I love it and I'm still finding it today; try turning off commercial radio and find music you like, and not what Simon Cowell likes!
It's okay, you can admit you listen to Susan Boyle, we won't laugh.
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post #15 of 40
11/27/09 at 10:29pm
I think I only tend to listen to mainstream music coincidentally, which is to say that I don't really consume mainstream media, so I wouldn't know how 'popular' my music choices are. I guess my opinion that most of my friends music is garbage would indicate that I probably listen to artists outside the mainstream. I know I'm rarely a fan of anything near a 'top 40'...

So here's a little list of abums from my iTunes (mainstream app, I know ) 'recently played' list so you can decide and let me know...

Ginnungagap - Remeindre
The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - Two Live Tracks
Latitudes - Agonist
The Mercury Program - Chez Viking
Grails - Take Refuge In Clean Living
Grails - Burning Off Impurities
Black Math Horseman - Wyllt
Baroness - Blue Record
Meniscus - Meniscus
Cult of Luna - Somewhere Along The Highway
Bohren & der Club Of Gore - Sunset Mission
The Dead Weather - Horehound
Pelican - What We All Come To Need
Tides - Resurface
Morphine - Yes

I guess some of it's a bit mainstream.
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