Who is the most popular of them all (Music artist)

[Rusty_Shackleford]

There's brain research saying most people's musical tastes are set by their late teens. I'm neurodivergent on that front as most of what I like I found after I was 18 and onwards.

Isn't that true of everything though? Don't we evolve as we get older? Our tastes change, we discover new things. Especially musically.
If you're a fan of the Foo Fighters, who are probably the biggest actual rock band around these days, don't you go back and trace the lineage back to punk and Led Zep and Black Sabbath? I like going back and listening to who influenced the bands that I like.

As I get older I still listen to new music. Not pop music mind you, no Sabrina Carpenter or Boy Bands or K-Pop. I don't want to listen to crap that's marketed to 13 yr old girls. But real artists and musicians.
In fact last year I discovered a group of 3 sisters making music on YouTube. They are the Castellows, now they are country and I don't really like country music. But their harmonies and the story telling in their songs are incredible. They have a gift well beyond their years. I remember telling my wife at that time that I wished I could be their manager because they are going places, and they are, opening for major country artists.

I was fortunate growing up in Chicago, there was one radio station that would play everything. WXRT. As a teenager I would hear everything from The Clash to Muddy Waters to James Taylor, to Leon Russell, to U2 played on their airwaves. The cool part about it is they are unchanged to this day, in fact many of the DJ's I listened to as a teenager are still there.

 

[seangee]

My 30s-ish daughters, nieces and nephews know the Beatles, but don't like them. They know the Stones, and 2 of them went to see them for the spectacle, but other than that, the sixties are just music on their grandmother's clock radio or at the dentist's. There's that thing with spotify and streaming making all music "new", but I find it generally only goes one way. Old people listen to the music of their times, young people prefer the music of their own times, and while young people explore back, old people tend to reject the new.

The really poppy bands like the Beatles, the Beach Boys etc are advertising jingles to the young crowd here, but they often like the guitar hero bands like Led Zeppelin and early metal, and a lot of old soul and funk have a following. Younger members here would know better, and depending on what country they're in, may have a better perspective.

All of that is just one corner of one culture.

When I used to go to the US, I'd listen to the radio on purpose (I never use radio in Canada) and the country music and pop all sounded the same to me. My grandfather used to say all modern music sounded the same to him, so I'm wary of falling into that trap. Never trust anyone over 30, especially if that person is you talking music.

There's brain research saying most people's musical tastes are set by their late teens. I'm neurodivergent on that front as most of what I like I found after I was 18 and onwards.

Mostly spot on from my own observations and looking at myself. In many ways though the likes of Spotify is changing some of that. I have discovered more new music (new to me as well as just new) in the last 5 years than I did in the previous 15. Of course the algorithms don't always get it right, but it costs nothing to listen to something to see if you like it, or even to add a few tracks to a playlist if the entire album doesn't appeal. When our listening was determined by what we bought the purchasing decisions were based on what we knew we liked or something we heard on the radio. The downside is I hardly ever listen to the radio (I mean music stations) anymore. Even when I'm in the car its Spotify. But I am happy to let it choose the music. Yesterday I just asked it to "play some rock and blues". I probably skipped less than 5% of what it selected, and listened to some music I have never heard before.

Its rare that I dive into the CD or vinyl collection because what I would choose would be quite predictable and available on-line anyway. But then I am fortunate in having a decent first world infrastructure and (for me) the premium subscription is a no brainer. I do confess that I resisted for a long time because of my huge personal investment in physical media. My argument was that I preferred to own my music - but that same argument limited my horizons.

 

[Magnum Man]

I'm pretty much a dead zone, as far as new music..., although I'm listening to a few new genera's, so, new to me music

 

[gwand]

I asked chat GPT why music is the most powerful art form. Here is its reply.

Music's profound power lies in its unique ability to transcend intellectual barriers and directly access our emotions, often without the need for conscious interpretation. Unlike visual arts or literature, which typically require a degree of cognitive processing to extract meaning, music can evoke immediate and visceral reactions—a surge of joy, a wave of sadness, a feeling of exhilaration or calm. This direct emotional pathway makes it universally accessible, bridging cultural and linguistic divides in a way few other art forms can. A melody or rhythm can communicate complex sentiments and shared human experiences, forging connections between individuals and across generations, regardless of their background or understanding of a specific culture's nuances.

Furthermore, music is inherently temporal and immersive, unfolding over time and often enveloping the listener completely. This dynamic quality allows for the construction of intricate narratives and emotional arcs that can parallel or even shape our own lived experiences. It can alter our perception of time, enhance our focus, or even influence our physical movements. From ancient rituals to modern-day therapy, music has been consistently employed for its transformative potential, demonstrating its unparalleled capacity to soothe, inspire, provoke, and heal. This pervasive and deeply personal impact, coupled with its universal appeal and immediate emotional resonance, solidifies music's position as arguably the most powerful and influential of all art forms.

 

[GaryE]

My Spotify problem is my ADD tastes. I jump around too much. I tend to listen a lot in the car, off USB thumb drives set on shuffle. This morning, I heard Elvis Costello, Junior Wells, Burna Boy, Little Walter, Fontaines DC and Peso Pluma on the way out, and the Rolling Stones, Augustus Pablo, Bad Bunny, the Clash, Toots and the Maytals and more Fontaines on the way back. Algorithms just don't work with my musical scatterbrain.

I know there are brilliant bands I've never heard. They don't qualify for the original question, but I have to find them. I love music but get bored quickly.

I love the baroque era in "classical", but not in the car. The background is too noisy.

Music is a lot like smell for how it works on us. A song or a small can take me place quicker than a visual can. If you say my tastes stink, then maybe that's a good thing.

 

[MaloK]

About brilliant unknown bands... Some have a real way to go under the radar.



6 years online, 26 subscribers, 163 views... The algorithm woes.
That sounds like it should have millions of views.

 

[gwand]

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.
- Aldous Huxley

 

[OldFishKeeper]

Three pages of responses and no mention of the '60s Soul and R & B, of Motown and others, of some of the greatest music. Artists such as The Temptations, Booker T and the MG's and many others. I was a bass player back then and am still alive which is probably why most responses here are from younger people in more recent times.

Yes, coming from the "old days", it is difficult to embrace the "music" of more recent times, (he said as he ducked for cover)

 

[seangee]

Three pages of responses and no mention of the '60s Soul and R & B, of Motown and others, of some of the greatest music

You do realise that R&B means something completey different nowadays don't you
Yup - some time ago I asked Spotify to create an R&B playlist for me

 

[GaryE]

I love old soul and old R&B. No question. But the thread wasn't about what we like. It was about what people around the world might sing along to. James Brown was huge in West Africa in the 70s, but the basic soul scene stayed regional to North America and parts of Europe.

James Brown singalongs... that scene could get weird fast.

 

[MaloK]

After quizzing gemini a little it seems that Queen is the band that had their music aired on radio in the most countries in the world. Followed by the Beatles, ABBA, Rolling Stones, and U2...

U2... What is that ?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I often listen to music recorded before I was born and that was in the late 1940s. I listen to almost nothing contemporary. It took me less than 30 seconds to turn off the Firebrand vid posted above.

In my sound company days in the 1970s we worked with a lot of artists, but just the rock folks of that era. We did country, blues, gospel, jazz, bluegrass, big band, Latin, big band etc.

I like quality music and can recognize it even when it is not my cup of tea. I do not like opera but the voices are amazing. I am not big on classical either even when I understand the quality of it. I am not fond of heavy metal nor rap which I have never considered to be music (just my opinion).

I listen to music on CDs, on YouTube and on the radio. I usually like it loud.

I started the music thread here because the last site I used for fish has slowed to a crawl, I have a much longer and more in depth musci thread there. It is 355 posts with 75k visits. I posted this as the intro to a few relevant songs:

No, Motown is not where Mariano Rivera lives.

No, Motown is not the birthplace of one of The 3 Stooges.

No, Motown is not a clever name for a lawnmower shop.

Motown, founded in Jan. 1959 was the source of some amazing artists and music. It still exists today. But its first decade or two were really amazing.

Unfortunately between 1/2 and 1/2 of the videos are no longer active. Some because they booted an account and others because they were blocked intentionaly and you can only listen/watch on YouTube.

 

[MaloK]

I often listen to music recorded before I was born and that was in the late 1940s. I listen to almost nothing contemporary. It took me less than 30 seconds to turn off the Firebrand vid posted above.

In my sound company days in the 1970s we worked with a lot of artists, but just the rock folks of that era. We did country, blues, gospel, jazz, bluegrass, big band, Latin, big band etc.

I like quality music and can recognize it even when it is not my cup of tea. I do not like opera but the voices are amazing. I am not big on classical either even when I understand the quality of it. I am not fond of heavy metal nor rap which I have never considered to be music (just my opinion).

I listen to music on CDs, on YouTube and on the radio. I usually like it loud.

I started the music thread here because the last site I used for fish has slowed to a crawl, I have a much longer and more in depth musci thread there. It is 355 posts with 75k visits. I posted this as the intro to a few relevant songs:





Unfortunately between 1/2 and 1/2 of the videos are no longer active. Some because they booted an account and others because they were blocked intentionaly and you can only listen/watch on YouTube.

I really love rock n roll... The great Big Bands of the 30's-40's, I'm just not into pop stuff" of any kind... I don't listen to rap but still there's a lot of killer stuff... And have a lot of Dance and Disco hit, oops that's pop.

But above all my preference goes toward any Diva of their craft... From classic to hard core metal. As long as it's a beautiful woman voice.

Celine Dion, Martine St-Clair, Lara Fabian, Isabelle boulay, Luce Dufault, France D'amour, Hayley Williams, Fiona Apple, Taylor Momsen, Sass Jordan, Mariah Carey, Barbra Streisand, Ella Fitzgerald, Patsy Cline, Darby Mills, Pat Benatar, Joan Jet, Hayley Westenra, Lisa Kelly.

And Many more...

 

[fishorama]

I love rock in many forms, punk, motown, blues, folky, pop, etc. But for a world wide audience I'm guessing the old classics like Bach & Bethoven etc. would beat the Beatles or any pop artists for recognition over all. Of course, I've never heard Taylor Swift or BTS. I think music should evoke an emotional response within the listener...Bollywood tripe doesn't do it for me, but a couple Broadway show tunes might.

 

[Mr Limpet]

I really love rock n roll... The great Big Bands of the 30's-40's, I'm just not into pop stuff" of any kind... I don't listen to rap but still there's a lot of killer stuff... And have a lot of Dance and Disco hit, oops that's pop.

But above all my preference goes toward any Diva of their craft... From classic to hard core metal. As long as it's a beautiful woman voice.

Celine Dion, Martine St-Clair, Lara Fabian, Isabelle boulay, Luce Dufault, France D'amour, Hayley Williams, Fiona Apple, Taylor Momsen, Sass Jordan, Mariah Carey, Barbra Streisand, Ella Fitzgerald, Patsy Cline, Darby Mills, Pat Benatar, Joan Jet, Hayley Westenra, Lisa Kelly.

And Many more...

Maddy Prior, Annie Haslam, Sandy Denny…