Quote:
I don't like her much but I do respect her.
She is defining herself, instead of the usual marketing people creating an image. After all she did start her career in Gay clubs with basically the same image that she has taken on to the mainstream.
She mostly produces her own music and writes her own stuff, unlike other female top forty artists of late who really have little or no talent.
This is how I feel about her as well. I know she has talent, I also know she chose to do what is popular. Her image however has been done before, and better, but at least she is setting herself apart from others as all who she is following in the footsteps of are not doing it anymore. I still feel like there is a lot more deserving music that belongs on the charts. I wish the 90s would return...
As for what ends up on radio, there are a few good radio stations here in NYC (perhaps 3 or 4 on FM and a few on AM just horrible quality), but I don't listen to them, I choose to listen to my collection on Google Music, if I am above ground, or my J3 if something happens to my phone or if I am underground. I also listen to Pandora. And I have always wondered how Slacker is, but Pandora serves the purpose well enough.
I might start alternating between the two if I find slacker good though.
I may not like artists but I respect the ability to play instruments highly. Creativity bumps you up a bit more, and if the artist breaches the realms of virtuosity, chances are even if I straight up don't like the music, I'll listen to it and enjoy it. Though that has never happened...
I really haven't gone too in depth here so here is my criteria "hating" artists:
1) Lack of instruments being played by talented musicians*
2) Lack of creativity (this is especially true of most modern pop and popular rap, because I swear... a lot of that stuff sounds the same)
3) Excessive use of technology** (ie autotune)
4) Blatant lack of any semblance of musical talent (in other words they got there because of who they know or what they look like)
5) Inability to create music that evokes any sort of emotion (I don't care if it makes me laugh or cry, but music should make you feel SOMETHING)
I think that is generally it. Basically, that covers the people that should never have become popular in the first place. I could hate the artist's music entirely, but not hate the artists themselves if they show promise or something that explains why they are popular in the first place. If all 5 of those conditions are met (like Ke$ha, or Rebecca Black) I consider them to be a plague upon the world of music.
*Exceptions include genres of music (trance, techno dubstep and so on that are meant not to have instruments) And even in those genres there is the occasional live instrument. However in such cases, talented musicians get replaced by talented DJs. Who know how to mix, and produce the sound they want electronically. The misuse of a drum machine in these genres is something that I cannot stand. (by that I mean putting the SAME looping drumbeat for music) I understand having a strong bass drum beat in dance music, but I also understand being a musician that IT IS NOT NECESSARY, and in fact, detrimental to some people's enjoyment on the dance floor because some REST is needed. The changing of tempo and the controlling of pacing is kinda important from what I have learned.
**If used properly, these are powerful tools, however, there are somethings you DO NOT DO, like use these digital augmentations in live performances! (Like the BEPs did) And again, they can help, or garter the kind of sound needed for certain electronica songs.
As I said earlier, I generally can't bring myself to hate ANY artist. If they are making music they should be respected, that said... Some of the stuff these artists are putting out cannot be defined as music, and it is that music that makes my ears bleed or make me want to stick ice picks through my ears to end the aural assault on my brain. I really try not to hate any artist, unless there is a damn good reason.
)
