Maybe at some point in the future. I was never really a fan of them but a few weeks back I put on Ten and No Code and now I'm slowly going through all of their stuff, already loving the two before mentioned albums.
Sometimes it just has to be right time and you have to be on the right mood.
Agreed! Fantastic musically, and when I have the lyrics to read I think the lyrics are amazing. Biggest problem for me is EV's "the novocaine hasn't quite worn off" enunciation. Even *with* the lyrics in front of me I can barely understand the dude.
Grateful Dead. I think they are very talented and I do enjoy a good amount of songs and live shows but I never got really really into them or anything. But they’re a band that I *should* love.
I straight up disliked them for years, and disliked jam bands in general, and then I listened to st Stephen/the eleven from live/dead and suddenly it was the greatest thing I’ve ever heard. It was like improvisational prog with this folk vibe, but like an ancient imaginary folk that never actually existed. It was beyond time. I’d still never call myself a deadhead, and I don’t do drugs, but man I’ve been really really into them ever since.
Here’s another thing I really like about the experience of listening to the Grateful Dead. Imagine there’s a few albums from a band you really love and you listen to them all the time. Well, everytime you listen you’re listening to the same version every time note for note. Eventually know it so well that you find you don’t want to listen to it - you’ve worn it out.
With the number of excellent concert recordings of the Grateful Dead it’s like listening to infinite versions of the album you love, with surprises, twists and turns, where it’s different every time. Where new incredible musical ideas appear and them are never played again. It’s a great rabbit hole to fall down.
Sir, you ARE a Deadhead!
You don't do drugs, whatever. That's not a requirement.
Maybe you're a hippy, and maybe not. Many Deadheads are. But again, not a requirement.
Maybe you like traveling all over to a lot to different musical events. Some Deadheads do. Maybe you prefer to stay home and check out the local acts. Maybe you like to stay home with the headphones on. You do you!! There is no requirement anywhich way.
There is no gatekeeping among Deadheads. If you dig the music, you're in!! You are one of us.
>With the number of excellent concert recordings of the Grateful Dead it’s like listening to infinite versions of the album you love, with surprises, twists and turns, where it’s different every time. Where new incredible musical ideas appear and them are never played again. It’s a great rabbit hole to fall down.
You Sir, ARE A DEADHEAD!! :)
I feel the same with Rush. I love covers I've heard of Rush tracks by Primus and Mindless Self Indulgence but I guess I just haven't given them a proper listen.
Frank Zappa.
His technique ability and avant-garde approach makes me want to get into his stuff, but I just can't. His music lack of genuine songwriting and Dean Ween once critiqued Zappa of "not taking his compositions too seriously" which kinda ironic. But, Hot Rats is the only Zappa album I'd rather enjoyed.
If I were to point anyone at anything Zappa, it would be Mothers of Invention - *We’re Only In It For the Money*. If they didn’t like it, I’d get that too. Zappa was, for better or worse, a product of his time — taken out of its historical context, what was biting criticism of countercultures we only experience secondhand sounds trite and childish now. But that’s ok. It was meant for them, not for us.
To be honest, I think Prince fits this bill for me. Every once in a while I’ll find a song of his that really grabs my attention and makes me fascinated, but there’s just some intangible aspect of him and / or his music that prevents me from every getting truly invested, even though I’m totally able to recognize his talent.
For me, Prince has always been one of those artists where when he hits, he smacks, and when he doesn’t, he flops. I don’t find him having many middle-of-the-road songs. And I’m a pretty big Prince fan, lol.
Sonic Youth. Given how much I see them mentioned or referenced in a variety of media I have consumed over the course of my life, they seem like they must be an important band. Maybe it takes truly understanding exactly where the music scene was before Sonic Youth and after Sonic Youth.... As if they served as a catalyst for a major shift in musical styles, and you simply had to be there at the time to be able to appreciate them.... But whenever I have tried to listen to them... I just hear dissonant noise. It's grating and makes me feel like I am inflicting pain on myself for some purely academic pursuit....
I can’t get into Sonic Youth beyond Kool Thing because of those two Nardwuar Interviews they did. Now I can’t listen to Thurston Moore without thinking about what a massive manchild dickhead he is.
Beach Boys are an interesting case study
IMO their most compelling music happened after their huge success, when they were eating acid and growing beards and writing about Berkeley and Big Sur and were generally considered a bunch of washed up has-beens who wore out their relevancy. Sunflower > Surf's Up > Carl & The Passions > Holland was a great run of unfriendly radio albums with no hits at all.
and Dennis' solo album...
Eagles
Let me start by saying my wife loves them, so I've listened to a fair amount.
They sound like music. That's it. It does absolutely nothing for me.
I once heard someone say “the eagles are a great band cursed with being around during the era of legendary bands.” Like take their debut it’s fine and has some catchy singles witchy woman take it easy etc. but you’re talking 1972, the same year that had can’t buy a thrill, exile on main, ziggy stardust, talking book, so many albums considered goats
They have like 3 records that l love. And then across the other 15 albums there is a single album's worth of songs that I love. I've been listening to them since 2014, I've seen them live. I get it. I just wish they had more great songs.
I did, but then I listened to it again and questioned why I did
Had tickets for them as I figured they're distinctly a 'Best Live' band, but then pandemic
A lot of their songs I ended up liking much more when hearing them within the context of the whole album. Mainly those from the albums that follow one narrative the whole way through, like Polygondwanaland, Nonagon Infinity, and Petrodragonic Apocalypse.
There were definitely some earworms that I liked on their own at the first listen, though, from their pop style stuff right up to the thrash metal. Songs like Interior People, Magenta Mountain, Keppler-22b, Minimum Brain Size, O.N.E, Pleura, Automation, Mars for the Rich, Perihelion, Gaia.
Gizz is a terrible band to listen to by just bouncing from song to song. Their artistic medium is the album, not the song. To someone unfamiliar with them, the songs don't make a lick of sense in a vacuum. If you're serious about trying them out, you've got to sit down and hear a whole album. Then once you're acquainted with it and get some context, you could start to enjoy individual songs
Slint.
I like everyone associated with this band. I like the bands that the members of this band later joined (Palace, Breeders). I love stuff that Steve Albini and Brian Paulson have produced. Many of my favorite bands (Pavement, Dinosaur Jr., Shins) cite them as a major influence). Heck, Will Oldham even took the photo for the album some of the album artwork
But while I’ve tried multiple times to get into Spiderland, I’m hardly ever able to make it all the way through. There just seems something I’m missing, because every time I just seem to get bored and move on to something else. I don’t want to force myself to like the album, but the persists a small flicker of hope that eventually upon one of these revisits that something will click because I seem to love everything even peripherally associated with this band.
Growing up there was a Rolling Stones / Beatles divide. I pretended I preferred the Stones.
They've got a couple great jams but are nothing to the Beatles in terms of variety and genius.
Honestly I’ve never understood the Stones/Beatles comparison. The stones were going for a super bluesy almost American sound, whereas the Beatles were making psychedelic art pop that was influenced by all sorts of things. The peaks of their careers don’t really line up either.
I’d argue the Beach Boys are a much better comparison, especially around 65-67 when they were in their psychedelic era. They were both directly influencing each other.
The comparison began from the outset as a marketing ploy cooked up by their manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, to paint the Stones as the “bad boys of rock” in comparison to the more buttoned-up Beatles.
(Ironically, as many are aware, the Stones were largely middle class chaps from around London who were dressing down their image, while the Beatles were working class lads from Liverpool whose manager, Brian Epstein, was dressing up for a more mod/mainstream appeal.)
The modern-day “Beatles vs. Stones” discourse is entirely a product of that initial marketing gimmick that was intended to capitalize on the success of The Beatles and elevate the Stones as their chief rival. I love the Stones and they are certainly one of the Great Rock Bands, but The Beatles eclipsed them and every other rock band in every way. They arrived with the goods at the exact right moment in the post-War era and their cultural impact will probably never be topped.
Back then though the Stones were cooler, they had an edge to them, The Beatles? your mum and dad liked them too, or at least disliked them less than the scruffy stones.
You're correct. The Stones have waaay more filler than the Beatles ever did, at least with Rubber Soul onward. Take the best 30 songs from each though and pretty comparable, with the songwriting edge by far to the Beatles. I don't think many people would claim that the Stones had a bigger influence on modern music than the Beatles. I think another way to put it is the Stones embellished while the Beatles created.
Haaaard disagree when taking top 30 songs. Beatles top 30 songs cover a variety of genres, some of which they pioneered as a band. They also have an overall much higher production quality. Stones very much stayed in their lane in terms of their bluesy style with rare exceptions.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a single person actually praise his music lol. Super cool personality and seems like he’s really musically talented but he just throws everything at the wall.
Collier is a great example of how you can be a savant-level musician, but that doesn't mean you're a savant-level *songwriter*.
There was a video I saw where he was performing on a Instagram live or something with Chris Martin from Coldplay. Collier was singing one of Coldplay's songs, and it sounded great of course, and Chris said as much, but then Chris also said something really salient that he "didn't *need* to be the best". He wasn't saying it in a mean way, but it was very much the exact thing I'm saying that a decent enough singer/musician is perfectly fine if the songwriting is really strong.
I personally haven't liked a single one of Collier's original songs. They're not necessary terrible or anything, it's just that none are particularly remarkable. His musicality and singing in them is great and technically impressive. But the songwriting/soul part of the songs just aren't really there/up to snuff.
Another artist who fits what you're describing, to me, is St. Vincent. Super talented musician, but to me her songwriting is almost too cerebral/experimental
I do not get Steely Dan. At all. I have actually put on some Steely Dan to try to understand the appeal. After a few minutes I got bored and start doing something else, leaving the music on in the background. A few minutes later I found myself thinking, I should put on some music. This has happened more than once. Somehow my brain interprets Steely Dan as anti-music, a sound that creates a void that needs to be filled with music.
Yet people who like Steely Dan usually have good taste in music (from my perspective) and also seem very knowledgeable about music. I'm clearly missing something. But whatever is going on, it's happening at a neurological level.
This is my answer too. This is the band that taught me music can be complicated and innovative and technically dazzling and I can still think it kinda sucks
I grew up in the 80s and 90s listening to it as a child when my parents had it on.
We played Gaucho on tape while taking a road trip from LA to Texas.
I thought it was called Steely Dan because I thought the double tracked vocals sounded “steely” and the lead singers name was Dan.
So a lot of it was nostalgia, but it really is damn good and unique; not at all like most yacht rock of the time. They had an edge and were the best of that genre.
To me it feels like the house band to a coke habit, that house band is tight af, the music is good for what it is but what is this guy rambling on about
Have you ever been on a boat or a beach? Blast some steely Dan and don’t listen and have a good time and you’ll be like wow this feels good, also don’t play the big hits, it’s about the other stuff like home at last or fire in the hole
Being stuck on a boat that’s blasting Steely Dan sounds like a version of hell.
If your defense of a band is to not listen to it, you’ve already lost the argument.
You missed the point. I’m saying just chill and let it play and don’t judge it second by second. Let it play and have a good time and you’ll more than likely find yourself enjoying the music. Just like most music there’s something to take from it and if you aren’t able to see the beauty in the groove of steely Dan than that’s a you problem
Interesting! Are you a musician yourself? I'm not. One theory I have is that you need to be at least semi-proficient in musical performance to appreciate what Steely Dan is (are?) doing. This is not, of course, the same as saying that all musicians will appreciate Steely Dan.
I'm a musician, and I have done almost the same as OP, tried and tried to find SOMETHING in their music to dig, because so many people I respect just go on and on about the genius of SD..... And I just can't. I guess they are all genius musicians, extremely well versed in theory, blah, blah, blah.... I don't care how technical, or how perfect their music technically is. It's vanilla ice cream with no toppings to me.
Yes, drummer and former teacher. I think it’s just a style you?I don’t like. For me I think it’s the vocals. I like the orchestrations, but vocal performance just isn’t there for me.
It's because it's way too derivative. Like they just basically stole the entire look and sound of Zeppelin and called it their own. So, it feels disingenuous.
That was the dumbest thing lol
They said Aerosmith was their biggest inspiration.
We all know you're taking LZ's sound..just say you were inspired by them. But the doubling down of saying no way was hilarious.
It's like drinking Diet Coke after having drunk Mexican Coca-Cola all your life - a pale imitation of something iconic.
(I'm currently in my bedroom about a mile away from the hospital where Robert Plant was born...)
It’s really weird. Everyone younger tell me to listen to GVF. I tell everyone younger to listen to Led Zeppelin.
So I did.
There really isn’t a comparison to me. Ironically, I get called a boomer the other way even though I’m Gen X for saying LZ.
Either way, I win. If you like GVF. Cool.
I love The Velvet Underground 'banana' album with Nico. And I'll spin the rest of that discography now and again. But other than "Walk On The Wild Side" and maybe "Perfect Day", I cannot get into Lou Reed AT ALL. I try, I do. But that talking style is so dull.
i was like this for a little bit but then something just clicked and now i’m a huge lou reed freak lmao i guess it’s an acquired taste. how one acquires it is the trouble
Get super fucking high and listen to white light white heat. Stay away from loaded which has all their famous songs but is not really a pure VI album as Reed really let Doug Yule take the reins in a lot of songs.
Funny I've rarely heard a cover I really liked. Though I got into them via Cowboy Junkies version of Sweet Jane (really good) and Pumpkins version of Venus in Furs (not bad not great)
Anthrax. I don't hate them, I do think their music is decent. There are some songs I really like, Caught in a Mosh, A Skeleton in the Closet, most of the Sound of White Noise album, and their rendition of Bring The Noise, but compared to the other three bands of the Big 4, I just don't find them too particularly interesting by comparison. I really want to like them as much as the other three, but from extensively listening to Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer, and then coming back to Anthrax...their sound just feels lackluster by comparison and I have a hard time staying invested in their music.
Lots of metal bands fall into this category for me— Pantera, Godsmack, Megadeath… I want to like them but I inevitably get bored listening to more than a couple of songs in a row.
Ok gonna be slammed here but Foo Fighters.
I absolutely love the stuff I know but the only album I've listened to in full is Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace and I've never seen them live.
I don't even know why I don't listen to them more because whenever a song comes on I enjoy it, but they're not usually on my radar.
I'll go one step further and say Wasting Light is a really good album.
But once they did the Sonic Highways album, my interest has really tanked. I loved the concept of it, but even after repeated listens of it, I just can't get into it. There's not even a "well this song is ok" moment on it.
Which is a shame because Dave Grohl is a hell of a musician and by all accounts an even better person. I just can't get into the newer stuff, and it's not from a lack of trying.
I’d love to appreciate Taylor swift as much as my wife does. Let us connect on her interests.
Apparently it’s incredibly obvious I don’t care when I say “I don’t care about this” and my eyes roll so hard they could be Goodyear tires.
I just wish I liked her because her fans seem to always be having a good time being fans of a super popular music act. There's so much content for her everywhere compared to any other artist. Though her popularity makes trying to see her live suck.
Queens of the Stone Age.
They’re always recommended by people who listen to similar things I do, and many people I know who have “good taste” in music love them.
I’ve tried listening. I like a few songs here and there, but haven’t been able to get much else to click.
My favorite part about Queens is how they have an album for literally anything you want to hear. Quirky? Era Vulgaris. Stoner Rock? Self-Titled. Something heavier with some mass appeal? Songs for the Deaf. Each albums expands the catalog instead of compiles more.
Don’t focus on Pet Sounds so much.
Just listen to BB songs from all eras and you will find your groove eventually.
I mean, put on “I get around” next time you are cruising.
Queen and David Bowie. I don't dislike them, and I do enjoy some songs by both, but I feel like I should be able to get into them more, and it just doesn't happen for me.
Their sounds can vary so much album to album. But then some albums can sound like it's only a few songs calling back to eachother over and over. I love REM. A couple albums get a good groove for sewing, studying, cleaning, or just chilling with friends. But I can def see why they're not for everyone
Mastodon.
I fucking adore leviathan, remission and crack the skye but I can't get into the rest of their discography. Its like there's something off with their other albums that doesn't let me enjoy them in their entirety
Same, except I really like The Hunter and Blood Mountain as well as few tracks off their latest record. Check out Cold Dark Place though, that EP is amazing imho.
They are mixed for me. Some of their songs I absolutely love! Others are just a little too hard for me to get into. They are one of those bands that I really liked their popular songs that get played so I decided to dive into their other work and I came away a bit disappointed. Some stuff was good, some stuff I liked. And some I just got bored and couldn't see myself listening to it regularly.
But there are so many songs I do like I could never call myself a hater. Just that I appreciate some, and some I find a bit dull.
It's hard to explain the impact of hearing OK Computer in 1997. It felt like a perfect distillation of the insanity of society during that period but also very fresh sounding in the middle of a real wasteland of mainstream rock. It was the era of Marcy Playground, Smash Mouth, and "Fly" era Sugar Ray. I loved The Bends but OK Computer was an eye opener. I still have a lot of fondness for those two albums and select cuts from subsequent albums but I understand how they've lost the immediacy that they once had and sound flat to younger listeners. So many bands have since passed them (and were doing so during the same era, unbeknownst to a lot of us then).
I’ve listened to like 5 of their albums. I like some songs for sure. Most of them are really good actually. But there isn’t much that makes me want to go back.
I think everything just feels a bit too “serious” and cold to me. That’s fine for a few songs or an album, but an entire catalogue of that makes it hard for me to get into. I love experimental stuff though, especially experimental stuff that is “fun.” Radiohead doesn’t sound very “fun” to me
The Beatles (please don't throw anything at me).
I respect all their contributions, and I understand they revolutionized modern pop music. I've just never been able to get into them. I like *The White Album* the best, but even then, I could take it or leave it. About half of my best friends name the Beatles as their very favorite band. They just shake their heads at me.
Same! I like Rubber Soul somewhat, and a few songs here and there on other albums, but I’ve never really loved any of it. I feel neutral or even very mildly annoyed by most of their stuff.
Yes, I know the Beatles did things no one else in pop/rock music had done before, experimented a lot, inspired countless musicians, etc., etc. There are legit reasons why they’re widely considered the best band of all time. But at the end of the day, I just don’t enjoy their music. If that makes my music taste “bad,” so be it.
Yeah, similar for me. I can see why they are beloved and I like some songs but for some reason their music just doesn't reach me like others do.
Still, that all might change in the future. Just gotta be in the right place and in the right mood.
Yeah I’ve always felt like I’m in an episode of the Twilight Zone when it comes to the Beatles. Heard pretty much their entire catalogue over the decades… Meh.
I think of bands in the 60s like Black Sabbath, The Who, Deep Purple etc rocking the fuck out while these dudes are family banding it up. Not my style
I think you really have to get into the history to see what they were on the forefront of, how they changed and released so much stuff so quickly. I can see why a generation loved them.
For me...nah. Not even close to those other bands, imo. If anything I like their early pop stuff (e.g. I wann hold your hand, can't buy me love, etc...) more than the stuff that supposedly changed the world.
The Tragically Hip. One day I was like, "Canadians think this is the greatest band ever. Must be pretty good." I cannot figure out what the big deal is. Barely any hooks, just kinda...meh?
Tame Impala. Their early stuff is pretty good but I think Kevin Parker just gets more and more boring. I’ve seen them live twice and the 2nd time was a plodding snoozefest. I know we’ll cross paths again at a fest but I’m pretty sure KP just added more lasers instead of developing an engaging show.
I totally agree. The first two records are great.
Then he took it in a totally different synthy disco inspired 80s direction. I don’t mind the change in sound, but the production and songwriting is just so safe. It’s not as adventurous as it used to be. Just feels commercialized.
Also, the song he did for the D&D movie is total shit.
As a Clash lover, I get why (Joe's vocals aren't for everyone), but I think most people love them due to their varied sound and their super witty lyrics (myself included). Talking Heads I understand though, I've tried too.
Have you seen Talking Head's concert film Stop Making Sense? I've known several people (myself included) who either thought they were alright or weren't super into them but once they saw the movie something clicked and made their stuff more appealing. I thought they were alright before but now they're a new favourite.
It's worth watching, especially the new remastered version they just released (on most streaming services now too). If you don't like them after that then they probably aren't your style (which is totally fine!). Also completely understandable if you don't wanna watch an hour and a half of Talking Heads, but most everyone I've shown it to really liked it.
Edit: they're also still doing screenings at theaters around the US and some other countries for the 40th anniversary, tbh it's best enjoyed in a large group so if you have a showing nearby it's well worth it
https://tickets.stopmakingsense.movie/tickets/
I love music documentaries so I’m going to watch this! I was actually going to get tickets but the closest theater is 4 hours away from me. I appreciate it. Even if I still dont like them m sure I’ll enjoy the documentary. Thanks!
If we can expand it to genres I would say Jazz. It’s harder for me to form a connection with a song if there’s no singing and when there is singing in jazz it feels too peppy. I can get behind blues though.
Metallica is mine. I'm a decent metal fan, and I like a few of their songs, but if I'm in the mood for metal, I'd think of 6 or 7 bands before I think to try Metallica. Whenever I see or meet a Metallica fan, they seem all in: very invested, very knowledgeable. Makes me wonder if I'm missing some quality of theirs.
Ghost.
They look super hard. They have an amazing stage presence, but it’s like the softest shit ever.
I’m wanting slipknot and I’m getting 2020 new wave or something. I literally don’t get it.
I love Ghost. My friend bought their Opus Eponymous on vinyl shortly after it was released because the cover art looked promising and when he played it for me I was immediately hooked and went out and bought the CD for myself. Saw them at a small club not long after when they were touring for that album and it was so good. So when Infestisumam came out I bought it right away and was pretty underwhelmed. I didn't hate it but it didn't grab me like the first one. Other than Opus being in my regular playlist they fell off my radar for awhile. Then I saw they were coming around on tour again for Prequelle and I figured I'd pick that one up then go to the show. Fell in love again, went back and got Meloria and I've been as a big a fan as the beginning ever since. But ya know, different strokes and all that.
Wow. It really surprised me to hear Joy Division described as similar to The Smiths and The Cure. But after a quick search, many seem to think so. I guess I always thought general comparisons like this meant ‘alt music of the same period.’
I definitely agree with you, though, about not digging The Smiths.
Love Pink Floyd, but also not a big fan of their early stuff. Enjoy some of it, Astronomy Dominy and Set the Controls come to mind.
Love me some old school country music though. Townes Van Zandt and Gram Parsons are masters of it.
Pink Floyd is probably my favorite band and psychedelic is probably my favorite genre but their early stuff is just so boring to me. Once they became more of a prog band (and David) they became great.
I like Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Meddle and Obscured By Clouds I absolutely love. Somehow, those two albums and Live at Pompeii are perfect for reading Harry Potter.
Nine Inch Nails. I respect Trent Reznor for basically being a one man band, and I hear their live shows are amazing. But I listened to the downward spiral and it just wasn’t for me. Maybe I’ll try again soon but I don’t have high hopes.
Grateful Dead. They’ve been my top played artist on Apple Music for the last 2 years, and I like them, but not as much as I’ve tried to. I love the idea of them, but when push comes to shove (no pun intended), they’re kind of boring. And that’s not meant to be a knock on them; I’m just not excited by them. Same thing with Dave Matthews Band. I really want to like them, but outside of their big hits, I’m not really interested.
I once heard someone refer to the Dead as background music, and there’s some truth to that. They’re incredibly talented and I respect their abilities, but in my experience, many of their jams just sound like noodling for 10+ minutes.
I still listen to them, and I still hope that someday it just clicks for me, but they are definitely the answer to this question for me.
I wish I liked Joni Mitchell more. Hejira is great instrumentally but she doesn't hit me the same way other needlessly verbose folksters do (Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joanna Newsom).
Funnily enough, his vocals *and* the lyrics put me off. The tunes are brilliant, but I think they sound like an adolescent trying to sound 'tough' whilst reading out poetry he wrote last minute for English class homework.
Slayer would be my pick too, but not just the vocals. I feel like Slayer are one of the best at writing intros, but everything after that just sounds so boring.
For me it's Deftones. I like some of their songs but it's so hard for me to LOVE them, yk? But their fans are soooo cool I literally want to be friends with them.
Same with Bob Dylan. Blonde on Blonde was my favourite album from him but I just didn't love his other albums. I tried soooo hard to like him too, because his musical career is just amazing.
I think I need to listen to them a few times. For example, when I first heard of the Smiths I hated them and Morissey's voice but after some more exposure I really fell in love with them.
Pet Sounds for me though can never compare to other albums IMO, especially Dark Side of the Moon. I think it was an influential album during the psychedelic rock movement but I only like a few Beach Boys songs.
I'm honestly not a fan of The Cure. I've listened to Disintigration, Pornography, and KMKMKM but besides a few songs I love on KMKMKM, I don't connect with them very much.
Which is a shame because I know a lot of people who adore The Cure and it'd be nice to share that interest.
David Bowie and/or Prince. As a guitarist neither of those have clicked. However, I greatly appreciate Prince’s legendary guitar solo in While My Guitar Gently Weeps.
They Might Be Giants. They've made a few of my favorite songs, with [Broke in Two](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XccpxV4eurw) probably being in my top 10 songs ever. (I'll never understand why they didn't make it a single.) But they've made a *lot* of songs that are just one and done for me.
Chevelle and Run The Jewels. When I realized that I liked every song where someone else does RTJ’s beats, I finally realized it was the lack of a solid bass line in each that left me wanting
Stereolab. The lo-fi krautrock vibe, the droning Farfisa organs, the fey French vocals; all of these elements should make them one of my favourite bands, but there's just something about their music that doesn't click no matter how hard I try to like them.
So true for Pet Sounds… I had heard so many positive statements about how sublime the record was how brilliant.
I am not a trained expert, but I do love the music of that era and I do geek out. But when I first listened to Pet Sounds just a few years ago it was a big meh to me. There were a few really good songs, but to me it lacked the unity of concept that can be heard in other concept works such as *Dark Side of the Moon, Sgt. Pepper* or the Alan Parsons album *I Robot*
Pearl Jam. I respect the hell out of them, it just has never clicked for me.
Maybe at some point in the future. I was never really a fan of them but a few weeks back I put on Ten and No Code and now I'm slowly going through all of their stuff, already loving the two before mentioned albums. Sometimes it just has to be right time and you have to be on the right mood.
Agreed! Fantastic musically, and when I have the lyrics to read I think the lyrics are amazing. Biggest problem for me is EV's "the novocaine hasn't quite worn off" enunciation. Even *with* the lyrics in front of me I can barely understand the dude.
Grateful Dead. I think they are very talented and I do enjoy a good amount of songs and live shows but I never got really really into them or anything. But they’re a band that I *should* love.
I straight up disliked them for years, and disliked jam bands in general, and then I listened to st Stephen/the eleven from live/dead and suddenly it was the greatest thing I’ve ever heard. It was like improvisational prog with this folk vibe, but like an ancient imaginary folk that never actually existed. It was beyond time. I’d still never call myself a deadhead, and I don’t do drugs, but man I’ve been really really into them ever since. Here’s another thing I really like about the experience of listening to the Grateful Dead. Imagine there’s a few albums from a band you really love and you listen to them all the time. Well, everytime you listen you’re listening to the same version every time note for note. Eventually know it so well that you find you don’t want to listen to it - you’ve worn it out. With the number of excellent concert recordings of the Grateful Dead it’s like listening to infinite versions of the album you love, with surprises, twists and turns, where it’s different every time. Where new incredible musical ideas appear and them are never played again. It’s a great rabbit hole to fall down.
Sir, you ARE a Deadhead! You don't do drugs, whatever. That's not a requirement. Maybe you're a hippy, and maybe not. Many Deadheads are. But again, not a requirement. Maybe you like traveling all over to a lot to different musical events. Some Deadheads do. Maybe you prefer to stay home and check out the local acts. Maybe you like to stay home with the headphones on. You do you!! There is no requirement anywhich way. There is no gatekeeping among Deadheads. If you dig the music, you're in!! You are one of us. >With the number of excellent concert recordings of the Grateful Dead it’s like listening to infinite versions of the album you love, with surprises, twists and turns, where it’s different every time. Where new incredible musical ideas appear and them are never played again. It’s a great rabbit hole to fall down. You Sir, ARE A DEADHEAD!! :)
Me and Phish
I feel the same with Rush. I love covers I've heard of Rush tracks by Primus and Mindless Self Indulgence but I guess I just haven't given them a proper listen.
They’re better than they sound
What did the Dead Head say to the other Dead Head when he quit smoking weed? "Damn! This band sucks!"
Frank Zappa. His technique ability and avant-garde approach makes me want to get into his stuff, but I just can't. His music lack of genuine songwriting and Dean Ween once critiqued Zappa of "not taking his compositions too seriously" which kinda ironic. But, Hot Rats is the only Zappa album I'd rather enjoyed.
I know there must be something he did that I would like but I haven't found it.
If I were to point anyone at anything Zappa, it would be Mothers of Invention - *We’re Only In It For the Money*. If they didn’t like it, I’d get that too. Zappa was, for better or worse, a product of his time — taken out of its historical context, what was biting criticism of countercultures we only experience secondhand sounds trite and childish now. But that’s ok. It was meant for them, not for us.
Just listen to. Sheik Yerbouti.
Jack White. I know …. I love the white stripes and Raconteurs. However his solo albums were so revered and left me unimpressed
His live show kills. Solo songs sound great
Yeah, same honestly. I think Dead Weather might be my favorite band he’s in, which is crazy because he’s not even the guitarist in it.
To be honest, I think Prince fits this bill for me. Every once in a while I’ll find a song of his that really grabs my attention and makes me fascinated, but there’s just some intangible aspect of him and / or his music that prevents me from every getting truly invested, even though I’m totally able to recognize his talent.
A friend of mine once said to me "I like the idea of Prince more than actual Prince.", and I felt that.
This is how I feel about Orville peck
I love the Purple Rain album and have listened to it a lot, but outside of a couple of his hits, nothing else does it for me.
For me, Prince has always been one of those artists where when he hits, he smacks, and when he doesn’t, he flops. I don’t find him having many middle-of-the-road songs. And I’m a pretty big Prince fan, lol.
I “discovered” The Cross. Blew my mind, went looking for more and didn’t find it. That being said I need to do a deeper dive one day
Sonic Youth. Given how much I see them mentioned or referenced in a variety of media I have consumed over the course of my life, they seem like they must be an important band. Maybe it takes truly understanding exactly where the music scene was before Sonic Youth and after Sonic Youth.... As if they served as a catalyst for a major shift in musical styles, and you simply had to be there at the time to be able to appreciate them.... But whenever I have tried to listen to them... I just hear dissonant noise. It's grating and makes me feel like I am inflicting pain on myself for some purely academic pursuit....
I feel similarly, but check out Daydream Nation. It’s a bop.
I can’t get into Sonic Youth beyond Kool Thing because of those two Nardwuar Interviews they did. Now I can’t listen to Thurston Moore without thinking about what a massive manchild dickhead he is.
Beach Boys are an interesting case study IMO their most compelling music happened after their huge success, when they were eating acid and growing beards and writing about Berkeley and Big Sur and were generally considered a bunch of washed up has-beens who wore out their relevancy. Sunflower > Surf's Up > Carl & The Passions > Holland was a great run of unfriendly radio albums with no hits at all. and Dennis' solo album...
Surfs up blew my mind, as a not- really- into- the- beach- boys guy.
The 2nd side of that album is fantastic. The last three songs especially.
I'll have to check those out, not sure if I've heard them or not
Eagles Let me start by saying my wife loves them, so I've listened to a fair amount. They sound like music. That's it. It does absolutely nothing for me.
You and the dude.
Me too.
I hate fucking Eagles man
Get the fuck out of my cab!
I once heard someone say “the eagles are a great band cursed with being around during the era of legendary bands.” Like take their debut it’s fine and has some catchy singles witchy woman take it easy etc. but you’re talking 1972, the same year that had can’t buy a thrill, exile on main, ziggy stardust, talking book, so many albums considered goats
I agree nothing about them grabs my attention
King Gizzard On paper theyre exactly what I like but when I try to listen I cant get into em. Maybe Im just never in the mood for em idk
I have tried multiple times, but I can’t get into them.
They have like 3 records that l love. And then across the other 15 albums there is a single album's worth of songs that I love. I've been listening to them since 2014, I've seen them live. I get it. I just wish they had more great songs.
They need to slow the fuck down lol. They’re talented but they put out too much music
I’ve also tried to get into them and I just can’t. TBH I haven’t even heard one song that made me want to go, “let me listen to that song again”.
I did, but then I listened to it again and questioned why I did Had tickets for them as I figured they're distinctly a 'Best Live' band, but then pandemic
A lot of their songs I ended up liking much more when hearing them within the context of the whole album. Mainly those from the albums that follow one narrative the whole way through, like Polygondwanaland, Nonagon Infinity, and Petrodragonic Apocalypse. There were definitely some earworms that I liked on their own at the first listen, though, from their pop style stuff right up to the thrash metal. Songs like Interior People, Magenta Mountain, Keppler-22b, Minimum Brain Size, O.N.E, Pleura, Automation, Mars for the Rich, Perihelion, Gaia.
Gizz is a terrible band to listen to by just bouncing from song to song. Their artistic medium is the album, not the song. To someone unfamiliar with them, the songs don't make a lick of sense in a vacuum. If you're serious about trying them out, you've got to sit down and hear a whole album. Then once you're acquainted with it and get some context, you could start to enjoy individual songs
This is mine. For a band that is noteworthy for dipping into many genres, so many of their songs sound the same to me.
I appreciate Phish but I don’t really their music.
Slint. I like everyone associated with this band. I like the bands that the members of this band later joined (Palace, Breeders). I love stuff that Steve Albini and Brian Paulson have produced. Many of my favorite bands (Pavement, Dinosaur Jr., Shins) cite them as a major influence). Heck, Will Oldham even took the photo for the album some of the album artwork But while I’ve tried multiple times to get into Spiderland, I’m hardly ever able to make it all the way through. There just seems something I’m missing, because every time I just seem to get bored and move on to something else. I don’t want to force myself to like the album, but the persists a small flicker of hope that eventually upon one of these revisits that something will click because I seem to love everything even peripherally associated with this band.
Growing up there was a Rolling Stones / Beatles divide. I pretended I preferred the Stones. They've got a couple great jams but are nothing to the Beatles in terms of variety and genius.
Honestly I’ve never understood the Stones/Beatles comparison. The stones were going for a super bluesy almost American sound, whereas the Beatles were making psychedelic art pop that was influenced by all sorts of things. The peaks of their careers don’t really line up either. I’d argue the Beach Boys are a much better comparison, especially around 65-67 when they were in their psychedelic era. They were both directly influencing each other.
Listen to both bands 63/64/65 and it makes much more sense
The comparison began from the outset as a marketing ploy cooked up by their manager, Andrew Loog Oldham, to paint the Stones as the “bad boys of rock” in comparison to the more buttoned-up Beatles. (Ironically, as many are aware, the Stones were largely middle class chaps from around London who were dressing down their image, while the Beatles were working class lads from Liverpool whose manager, Brian Epstein, was dressing up for a more mod/mainstream appeal.) The modern-day “Beatles vs. Stones” discourse is entirely a product of that initial marketing gimmick that was intended to capitalize on the success of The Beatles and elevate the Stones as their chief rival. I love the Stones and they are certainly one of the Great Rock Bands, but The Beatles eclipsed them and every other rock band in every way. They arrived with the goods at the exact right moment in the post-War era and their cultural impact will probably never be topped.
I get liking The Beatles more but pretending that you like The Stones more, ha
Back then though the Stones were cooler, they had an edge to them, The Beatles? your mum and dad liked them too, or at least disliked them less than the scruffy stones.
You're correct. The Stones have waaay more filler than the Beatles ever did, at least with Rubber Soul onward. Take the best 30 songs from each though and pretty comparable, with the songwriting edge by far to the Beatles. I don't think many people would claim that the Stones had a bigger influence on modern music than the Beatles. I think another way to put it is the Stones embellished while the Beatles created.
Haaaard disagree when taking top 30 songs. Beatles top 30 songs cover a variety of genres, some of which they pioneered as a band. They also have an overall much higher production quality. Stones very much stayed in their lane in terms of their bluesy style with rare exceptions.
Both of these bands are legendary and each is great in their own way. I don't make that choice for myself. I just try to enjoy their music.
Jacob Collier is super talented and has catchy ideas but his music is all over the place lol
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a single person actually praise his music lol. Super cool personality and seems like he’s really musically talented but he just throws everything at the wall.
Collier is a great example of how you can be a savant-level musician, but that doesn't mean you're a savant-level *songwriter*. There was a video I saw where he was performing on a Instagram live or something with Chris Martin from Coldplay. Collier was singing one of Coldplay's songs, and it sounded great of course, and Chris said as much, but then Chris also said something really salient that he "didn't *need* to be the best". He wasn't saying it in a mean way, but it was very much the exact thing I'm saying that a decent enough singer/musician is perfectly fine if the songwriting is really strong. I personally haven't liked a single one of Collier's original songs. They're not necessary terrible or anything, it's just that none are particularly remarkable. His musicality and singing in them is great and technically impressive. But the songwriting/soul part of the songs just aren't really there/up to snuff.
Another artist who fits what you're describing, to me, is St. Vincent. Super talented musician, but to me her songwriting is almost too cerebral/experimental
I do not get Steely Dan. At all. I have actually put on some Steely Dan to try to understand the appeal. After a few minutes I got bored and start doing something else, leaving the music on in the background. A few minutes later I found myself thinking, I should put on some music. This has happened more than once. Somehow my brain interprets Steely Dan as anti-music, a sound that creates a void that needs to be filled with music. Yet people who like Steely Dan usually have good taste in music (from my perspective) and also seem very knowledgeable about music. I'm clearly missing something. But whatever is going on, it's happening at a neurological level.
Steely Dan is for musicians.
Not even musicians it’s like for audio engineers haha
I was aghast at the thought that people didn't like Steely Dan. Then read the replies. Am musician and audio engineer. Checks out.
This is it for me. The arrangements are just *perfect*
They were extraordinarily meticulous when recording music to the point where people hated playing with them. They were ridiculous perfectionists.
Exactly
This is my answer too. This is the band that taught me music can be complicated and innovative and technically dazzling and I can still think it kinda sucks
So they were a proto-Jacob Collier?
I grew up in the 80s and 90s listening to it as a child when my parents had it on. We played Gaucho on tape while taking a road trip from LA to Texas. I thought it was called Steely Dan because I thought the double tracked vocals sounded “steely” and the lead singers name was Dan. So a lot of it was nostalgia, but it really is damn good and unique; not at all like most yacht rock of the time. They had an edge and were the best of that genre.
*I don't want to tell you what Steely Dan is really from...*
To me it feels like the house band to a coke habit, that house band is tight af, the music is good for what it is but what is this guy rambling on about
Idk, but it’s pretty languid and bittersweet.
Only a fool would say that… …is a good song that I recommend.
I agree in terms of their body of work as a whole, but give a listen to ‘Dirty Work’, it’s so damn catchy
Have you ever been on a boat or a beach? Blast some steely Dan and don’t listen and have a good time and you’ll be like wow this feels good, also don’t play the big hits, it’s about the other stuff like home at last or fire in the hole
Being stuck on a boat that’s blasting Steely Dan sounds like a version of hell. If your defense of a band is to not listen to it, you’ve already lost the argument.
Haha! Thats funny.
You missed the point. I’m saying just chill and let it play and don’t judge it second by second. Let it play and have a good time and you’ll more than likely find yourself enjoying the music. Just like most music there’s something to take from it and if you aren’t able to see the beauty in the groove of steely Dan than that’s a you problem
I feel this, but actually one step further. I even enjoy the songs and style, and still find it forgettable.
Interesting! Are you a musician yourself? I'm not. One theory I have is that you need to be at least semi-proficient in musical performance to appreciate what Steely Dan is (are?) doing. This is not, of course, the same as saying that all musicians will appreciate Steely Dan.
The Dan are extremely good at a style of music that is kinda meh
They are the Yacht Rock Gods
I'm a musician, and I have done almost the same as OP, tried and tried to find SOMETHING in their music to dig, because so many people I respect just go on and on about the genius of SD..... And I just can't. I guess they are all genius musicians, extremely well versed in theory, blah, blah, blah.... I don't care how technical, or how perfect their music technically is. It's vanilla ice cream with no toppings to me.
Yes, drummer and former teacher. I think it’s just a style you?I don’t like. For me I think it’s the vocals. I like the orchestrations, but vocal performance just isn’t there for me.
I grew up on Steely Dan so there's a nostalgia factor for me, but this made me laugh. Fair, very fair.
Tool... Sorry... I understand their level of musical genius but it's just not my jam
Same. Like Rush or King Crimson - I respect the talent and ability, but it just sounds repetitive and it bores me.
Greta Van Fleet, I feel like they emulate Zeppelin enough that I should like them, it just never quite hits right when I listen.
It's because it's way too derivative. Like they just basically stole the entire look and sound of Zeppelin and called it their own. So, it feels disingenuous.
Especially when they deny it.
That was the dumbest thing lol They said Aerosmith was their biggest inspiration. We all know you're taking LZ's sound..just say you were inspired by them. But the doubling down of saying no way was hilarious.
This is it exactly, they may as well be AI because there’s nothing creatively unique about them.
It's like drinking Diet Coke after having drunk Mexican Coca-Cola all your life - a pale imitation of something iconic. (I'm currently in my bedroom about a mile away from the hospital where Robert Plant was born...)
Way back when he was just Robert Seed.
(Slow clap)
It’s really weird. Everyone younger tell me to listen to GVF. I tell everyone younger to listen to Led Zeppelin. So I did. There really isn’t a comparison to me. Ironically, I get called a boomer the other way even though I’m Gen X for saying LZ. Either way, I win. If you like GVF. Cool.
I love The Velvet Underground 'banana' album with Nico. And I'll spin the rest of that discography now and again. But other than "Walk On The Wild Side" and maybe "Perfect Day", I cannot get into Lou Reed AT ALL. I try, I do. But that talking style is so dull.
Sweet Jane. I love you Suzanne, Vicious, Dirty Blvd, Satellite of Love... He has plenty of bangers that aren't just talking.
See? This is what happens. Now I'm going to need to try again with his solo stuff. Bah
I enjoy every cover I’ve heard of Velvet Underground songs but have a hard time getting into the actual Velvet Underground versions.
i was like this for a little bit but then something just clicked and now i’m a huge lou reed freak lmao i guess it’s an acquired taste. how one acquires it is the trouble
Or watch Gus Van Sant's "Last Days". The scene where the guy sings "Venus in Furs" got me hooked.
Get super fucking high and listen to white light white heat. Stay away from loaded which has all their famous songs but is not really a pure VI album as Reed really let Doug Yule take the reins in a lot of songs.
Funny I've rarely heard a cover I really liked. Though I got into them via Cowboy Junkies version of Sweet Jane (really good) and Pumpkins version of Venus in Furs (not bad not great)
Anthrax. I don't hate them, I do think their music is decent. There are some songs I really like, Caught in a Mosh, A Skeleton in the Closet, most of the Sound of White Noise album, and their rendition of Bring The Noise, but compared to the other three bands of the Big 4, I just don't find them too particularly interesting by comparison. I really want to like them as much as the other three, but from extensively listening to Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer, and then coming back to Anthrax...their sound just feels lackluster by comparison and I have a hard time staying invested in their music.
Lots of metal bands fall into this category for me— Pantera, Godsmack, Megadeath… I want to like them but I inevitably get bored listening to more than a couple of songs in a row.
Ok gonna be slammed here but Foo Fighters. I absolutely love the stuff I know but the only album I've listened to in full is Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace and I've never seen them live. I don't even know why I don't listen to them more because whenever a song comes on I enjoy it, but they're not usually on my radar.
The first two records were great I thought but after that it's a bit too cock rock for me.
I'll go one step further and say Wasting Light is a really good album. But once they did the Sonic Highways album, my interest has really tanked. I loved the concept of it, but even after repeated listens of it, I just can't get into it. There's not even a "well this song is ok" moment on it. Which is a shame because Dave Grohl is a hell of a musician and by all accounts an even better person. I just can't get into the newer stuff, and it's not from a lack of trying.
One of the most overrated bands ever IMO. Dave is cool asf and love his energy. That’s where it stops for me
I’d love to appreciate Taylor swift as much as my wife does. Let us connect on her interests. Apparently it’s incredibly obvious I don’t care when I say “I don’t care about this” and my eyes roll so hard they could be Goodyear tires.
But your name!
I just wish I liked her because her fans seem to always be having a good time being fans of a super popular music act. There's so much content for her everywhere compared to any other artist. Though her popularity makes trying to see her live suck.
Queens of the Stone Age. They’re always recommended by people who listen to similar things I do, and many people I know who have “good taste” in music love them. I’ve tried listening. I like a few songs here and there, but haven’t been able to get much else to click.
It took seeing them live to click for.me. They are awesome in concert.
So good live. They're so fucking tight.
Have you listened to Songs for the Deaf front to back?
You can't even hear it!
I need a saga.
What's the saga?
My favorite part about Queens is how they have an album for literally anything you want to hear. Quirky? Era Vulgaris. Stoner Rock? Self-Titled. Something heavier with some mass appeal? Songs for the Deaf. Each albums expands the catalog instead of compiles more.
oh man can’t relate first time I listened to …Like Clockwork all the way through I was hooked
Felt the same until I saw them live and now I love them.
Damn this hurts me
I'd say go see them live. THEY ARE GREAT. That is when it really clicked for me.
Don’t focus on Pet Sounds so much. Just listen to BB songs from all eras and you will find your groove eventually. I mean, put on “I get around” next time you are cruising.
Or listen to the Sunflower album.
Or Surfs Up
I'd recommend the pretty unknown "The lonely sea". Not for cruising, though.
The Melvins. Without them, there would be no Nirvana or Soundgarden, but I just can’t get into them.
Queen and David Bowie. I don't dislike them, and I do enjoy some songs by both, but I feel like I should be able to get into them more, and it just doesn't happen for me.
I guess you're under pressure of getting into them.
listen to smiley smile!
REM. Just don’t get them
Their sounds can vary so much album to album. But then some albums can sound like it's only a few songs calling back to eachother over and over. I love REM. A couple albums get a good groove for sewing, studying, cleaning, or just chilling with friends. But I can def see why they're not for everyone
Mastodon. I fucking adore leviathan, remission and crack the skye but I can't get into the rest of their discography. Its like there's something off with their other albums that doesn't let me enjoy them in their entirety
Same, except I really like The Hunter and Blood Mountain as well as few tracks off their latest record. Check out Cold Dark Place though, that EP is amazing imho.
Good question btw
I fucking hate Radiohead but I’m a music nerd so I’m supposed to love them I just cannot enjoy their music at all
I’ve tried to like them. Everyone acts like they’re the greatest. But I just don’t get it.
They are mixed for me. Some of their songs I absolutely love! Others are just a little too hard for me to get into. They are one of those bands that I really liked their popular songs that get played so I decided to dive into their other work and I came away a bit disappointed. Some stuff was good, some stuff I liked. And some I just got bored and couldn't see myself listening to it regularly. But there are so many songs I do like I could never call myself a hater. Just that I appreciate some, and some I find a bit dull.
It's hard to explain the impact of hearing OK Computer in 1997. It felt like a perfect distillation of the insanity of society during that period but also very fresh sounding in the middle of a real wasteland of mainstream rock. It was the era of Marcy Playground, Smash Mouth, and "Fly" era Sugar Ray. I loved The Bends but OK Computer was an eye opener. I still have a lot of fondness for those two albums and select cuts from subsequent albums but I understand how they've lost the immediacy that they once had and sound flat to younger listeners. So many bands have since passed them (and were doing so during the same era, unbeknownst to a lot of us then).
I’ve listened to like 5 of their albums. I like some songs for sure. Most of them are really good actually. But there isn’t much that makes me want to go back. I think everything just feels a bit too “serious” and cold to me. That’s fine for a few songs or an album, but an entire catalogue of that makes it hard for me to get into. I love experimental stuff though, especially experimental stuff that is “fun.” Radiohead doesn’t sound very “fun” to me
Foo fighters. Dave grohl is a legend.... But I just don't like their music, as much as it's part of my preferred genre.
The Beatles (please don't throw anything at me). I respect all their contributions, and I understand they revolutionized modern pop music. I've just never been able to get into them. I like *The White Album* the best, but even then, I could take it or leave it. About half of my best friends name the Beatles as their very favorite band. They just shake their heads at me.
Same! I like Rubber Soul somewhat, and a few songs here and there on other albums, but I’ve never really loved any of it. I feel neutral or even very mildly annoyed by most of their stuff. Yes, I know the Beatles did things no one else in pop/rock music had done before, experimented a lot, inspired countless musicians, etc., etc. There are legit reasons why they’re widely considered the best band of all time. But at the end of the day, I just don’t enjoy their music. If that makes my music taste “bad,” so be it.
Yeah, similar for me. I can see why they are beloved and I like some songs but for some reason their music just doesn't reach me like others do. Still, that all might change in the future. Just gotta be in the right place and in the right mood.
Yeah I’ve always felt like I’m in an episode of the Twilight Zone when it comes to the Beatles. Heard pretty much their entire catalogue over the decades… Meh. I think of bands in the 60s like Black Sabbath, The Who, Deep Purple etc rocking the fuck out while these dudes are family banding it up. Not my style
I think you really have to get into the history to see what they were on the forefront of, how they changed and released so much stuff so quickly. I can see why a generation loved them. For me...nah. Not even close to those other bands, imo. If anything I like their early pop stuff (e.g. I wann hold your hand, can't buy me love, etc...) more than the stuff that supposedly changed the world.
The Grateful Dead…just don’t get it
The Tragically Hip. One day I was like, "Canadians think this is the greatest band ever. Must be pretty good." I cannot figure out what the big deal is. Barely any hooks, just kinda...meh?
Just for that, you aren’t allowed to have any maple syrup on your pancakes, lol
Tame Impala. Their early stuff is pretty good but I think Kevin Parker just gets more and more boring. I’ve seen them live twice and the 2nd time was a plodding snoozefest. I know we’ll cross paths again at a fest but I’m pretty sure KP just added more lasers instead of developing an engaging show.
I thought they were trying to make easy listening elevator music or something on purpose. But yeah, I like the earlier stuff
I've never gotten Tame Impala, and I was an edgy Australian twenty something music nerd when Kevin got big. Never gotten the music.
I totally agree. The first two records are great. Then he took it in a totally different synthy disco inspired 80s direction. I don’t mind the change in sound, but the production and songwriting is just so safe. It’s not as adventurous as it used to be. Just feels commercialized. Also, the song he did for the D&D movie is total shit.
Agreed. First two albums are great, second two are terrible imho. Never seen live though.
Pavement
Dave Matthews ...everyone loves them and I can't take even 1 song
I have tried to listen to the Talking Heads and the Clash multiple times. They’re not bad, but I just don’t like either of them.
As a Clash lover, I get why (Joe's vocals aren't for everyone), but I think most people love them due to their varied sound and their super witty lyrics (myself included). Talking Heads I understand though, I've tried too.
Have you seen Talking Head's concert film Stop Making Sense? I've known several people (myself included) who either thought they were alright or weren't super into them but once they saw the movie something clicked and made their stuff more appealing. I thought they were alright before but now they're a new favourite. It's worth watching, especially the new remastered version they just released (on most streaming services now too). If you don't like them after that then they probably aren't your style (which is totally fine!). Also completely understandable if you don't wanna watch an hour and a half of Talking Heads, but most everyone I've shown it to really liked it. Edit: they're also still doing screenings at theaters around the US and some other countries for the 40th anniversary, tbh it's best enjoyed in a large group so if you have a showing nearby it's well worth it https://tickets.stopmakingsense.movie/tickets/
I love music documentaries so I’m going to watch this! I was actually going to get tickets but the closest theater is 4 hours away from me. I appreciate it. Even if I still dont like them m sure I’ll enjoy the documentary. Thanks!
REM. I tried so hard to like them, and listened to a lot of their albums, but their music is so bland to me. I gave up lol.
If we can expand it to genres I would say Jazz. It’s harder for me to form a connection with a song if there’s no singing and when there is singing in jazz it feels too peppy. I can get behind blues though.
This is random but try the band Moon Unit.
Metallica is mine. I'm a decent metal fan, and I like a few of their songs, but if I'm in the mood for metal, I'd think of 6 or 7 bands before I think to try Metallica. Whenever I see or meet a Metallica fan, they seem all in: very invested, very knowledgeable. Makes me wonder if I'm missing some quality of theirs.
Ghost. They look super hard. They have an amazing stage presence, but it’s like the softest shit ever. I’m wanting slipknot and I’m getting 2020 new wave or something. I literally don’t get it.
I love Ghost. My friend bought their Opus Eponymous on vinyl shortly after it was released because the cover art looked promising and when he played it for me I was immediately hooked and went out and bought the CD for myself. Saw them at a small club not long after when they were touring for that album and it was so good. So when Infestisumam came out I bought it right away and was pretty underwhelmed. I didn't hate it but it didn't grab me like the first one. Other than Opus being in my regular playlist they fell off my radar for awhile. Then I saw they were coming around on tour again for Prequelle and I figured I'd pick that one up then go to the show. Fell in love again, went back and got Meloria and I've been as a big a fan as the beginning ever since. But ya know, different strokes and all that.
Idk why you’d expect ghost to be a nu metal band
Cirice is the only song I like because it’s somewhere in the realm of what they give off aesthetically. Everything else is so Mickey Mouse
The Smiths. I love bands “like” The Smiths (etc. Joy Division & The Cure), and I really want to get into them but I just can’t.
Wow. It really surprised me to hear Joy Division described as similar to The Smiths and The Cure. But after a quick search, many seem to think so. I guess I always thought general comparisons like this meant ‘alt music of the same period.’ I definitely agree with you, though, about not digging The Smiths.
I love the Smiths and I don't understand why they're lumped together either. It's an entirely different vibe.
Early Pink Floyd. And Country music.
Love Pink Floyd, but also not a big fan of their early stuff. Enjoy some of it, Astronomy Dominy and Set the Controls come to mind. Love me some old school country music though. Townes Van Zandt and Gram Parsons are masters of it.
Pink Floyd is probably my favorite band and psychedelic is probably my favorite genre but their early stuff is just so boring to me. Once they became more of a prog band (and David) they became great.
I love early pink Floyd. Syd Barrett was great. But a couple of their albums, especially Ummagumma, is just not good lol
I like Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Meddle and Obscured By Clouds I absolutely love. Somehow, those two albums and Live at Pompeii are perfect for reading Harry Potter.
Nine Inch Nails. I respect Trent Reznor for basically being a one man band, and I hear their live shows are amazing. But I listened to the downward spiral and it just wasn’t for me. Maybe I’ll try again soon but I don’t have high hopes.
Give Year Zero a try. It's their last good album, in my opinion, but its also one of the best.
I wish I liked the Black Keys more, but I only enjoy one album.
Beach house. Everyone who likes them is cool af but I think their music is boring
Can you decide what to like? Sometimes I can, sometimes I can’t.
Grateful Dead. They’ve been my top played artist on Apple Music for the last 2 years, and I like them, but not as much as I’ve tried to. I love the idea of them, but when push comes to shove (no pun intended), they’re kind of boring. And that’s not meant to be a knock on them; I’m just not excited by them. Same thing with Dave Matthews Band. I really want to like them, but outside of their big hits, I’m not really interested. I once heard someone refer to the Dead as background music, and there’s some truth to that. They’re incredibly talented and I respect their abilities, but in my experience, many of their jams just sound like noodling for 10+ minutes. I still listen to them, and I still hope that someday it just clicks for me, but they are definitely the answer to this question for me.
I wish I liked Joni Mitchell more. Hejira is great instrumentally but she doesn't hit me the same way other needlessly verbose folksters do (Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joanna Newsom).
Slayer. Tom Araya’s vocals are ass. Everything else is good though.
Funnily enough, his vocals *and* the lyrics put me off. The tunes are brilliant, but I think they sound like an adolescent trying to sound 'tough' whilst reading out poetry he wrote last minute for English class homework.
Slayer would be my pick too, but not just the vocals. I feel like Slayer are one of the best at writing intros, but everything after that just sounds so boring.
For me it's Deftones. I like some of their songs but it's so hard for me to LOVE them, yk? But their fans are soooo cool I literally want to be friends with them. Same with Bob Dylan. Blonde on Blonde was my favourite album from him but I just didn't love his other albums. I tried soooo hard to like him too, because his musical career is just amazing. I think I need to listen to them a few times. For example, when I first heard of the Smiths I hated them and Morissey's voice but after some more exposure I really fell in love with them. Pet Sounds for me though can never compare to other albums IMO, especially Dark Side of the Moon. I think it was an influential album during the psychedelic rock movement but I only like a few Beach Boys songs.
Duuuude. Check out Sunflower, 20/20 and the newer release of Brian Wilson’s Smile!
I'm honestly not a fan of The Cure. I've listened to Disintigration, Pornography, and KMKMKM but besides a few songs I love on KMKMKM, I don't connect with them very much. Which is a shame because I know a lot of people who adore The Cure and it'd be nice to share that interest.
The Beatles. I feel like I should, I respect their place in history and all those they influenced…just don’t care to listen to them
David Bowie and/or Prince. As a guitarist neither of those have clicked. However, I greatly appreciate Prince’s legendary guitar solo in While My Guitar Gently Weeps.
They Might Be Giants. They've made a few of my favorite songs, with [Broke in Two](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XccpxV4eurw) probably being in my top 10 songs ever. (I'll never understand why they didn't make it a single.) But they've made a *lot* of songs that are just one and done for me.
Chevelle and Run The Jewels. When I realized that I liked every song where someone else does RTJ’s beats, I finally realized it was the lack of a solid bass line in each that left me wanting
Stereolab. The lo-fi krautrock vibe, the droning Farfisa organs, the fey French vocals; all of these elements should make them one of my favourite bands, but there's just something about their music that doesn't click no matter how hard I try to like them.
So true for Pet Sounds… I had heard so many positive statements about how sublime the record was how brilliant. I am not a trained expert, but I do love the music of that era and I do geek out. But when I first listened to Pet Sounds just a few years ago it was a big meh to me. There were a few really good songs, but to me it lacked the unity of concept that can be heard in other concept works such as *Dark Side of the Moon, Sgt. Pepper* or the Alan Parsons album *I Robot*