Your most controversial music opinions

[CaledonianGonzo]

Elvis arguably also has timeless tunes, but the as the generation that made him a star passes away he's becoming less and less of a touchstone.

It's too early to say that's also happening to The Beatles, but logic says that it might. The recent reissues of things like the new Abbey Road mix and the Esher demos came and went with hardly anyone giving a fiddlers.

[Avalon_Fields]

I guess being pedantic it's highly unlikely anything is literally timeless. As the earth and therefore us are most probably (increasingly) time limited, meaning the best chance of any music being timeless is that sent with the spacecraft Voyager, which includes Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Goode. Now there's a thought!

[CaledonianGonzo]

Planet Earth, represented for eternity by a bloke who installed a spy cam in the women's lavvies.

[Hugh Jass]

1 hour ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Do they though?  How do we know? People also probably thought that about about Al Jolson.

We know that because Pepper was released over 50 years ago yet people still talk about it. Beatles tunes are still prevalent on the radio. Their re-re-re-re-released albums still sell.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Whos still talking about Sergeant Pepper?

Other than ourselves, obviously.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Actually, I do think the Fabs' likeliest paths to bona fide immortality lie in the way their music has been used outwith the usual rock music channels - namely as children's music (Yellow Submarine, Blackbird, etc) and in religion (Let It Be).

[maelzoid]

I wouldn't write Elvis off just yet. He's still pulling in more listeners on Spotify than Radiohead are.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Well who isn't?

[Alex DeLarge]

I remember that Macca carpool karaoke going fairly viral so there's clearly some interest among the yoof. Yesterday was a fairly good box office success. They have that new documentary coming out on Disney+

I think their relevance is continued by the fact Paul's still touring as well and working with younger artists. Elvis has been dead for forty odd years now so it's easier for him to fade in people's minds.

Edited February 27, 2021 by Alex DeLarge

[stuartbert two hats]

9 hours ago, eastynh said:

Pearl Jam are the most dull and insipid band to have walked the earth.

Radiohead is just Joy Division for bed wetters.

No one will remember Daft Punk in 10 years.

The first two are opinions, which are fine (especially the first one), but the prediction that no-one will remember Daft Punk in 10 years is clearly nonsense, given that they're not exactly exactly a new act.

[Gnomicide]

While we're (sort of) on New Order, Peter Hook is a shit bassist.

[guypjfreak]

4 hours ago, Avalon_Fields said:

Well of course we don't, Mozart isn't then, Michelangelo isn't. But it's more than reasonable to expect they & The Beatles are timeless.

When we were in Rome in this BIIIIIIG house I found out that mozart had a played one of his early gigs in that very room so I took my wife's hand and as we were the only ones there I danced her majestically across the room..... Not very controversial but true nonetheless.. And imo Beethvon is the best composer ever 

[stuartbert two hats]

9 minutes ago, Gnomicide said:

While we're (sort of) on New Order, Peter Hook is a shit bassist.

You could probably make a good argument that he doesn't play bass guitar parts at all, he plays something in between, like alto.

[CaledonianGonzo]

1 hour ago, Alex DeLarge said:

I remember that Macca carpool karaoke going fairly viral so there's clearly some interest among the yoof. Yesterday was a fairly good box office success. They have that new documentary coming out on Disney+

I think their relevance is continued by the fact Paul's still touring as well and working with younger artists. 

The Music Roast thread is the other way my dude.

[dentalplan]

I had electric shock therapy to forget that Yesterday movie existed. Money down the drain now.

[Alex DeLarge]

2 hours ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

The Music Roast thread is the other way my dude.

Might pop in there and just list every artist that's done carpool karaoke. But the worst is Kylie who invited Corden on her own bloody album for some reason.

[CaledonianGonzo]

So did Taylor Swift tbf

[bamber]

The White Album somewhat saves the Beatles rep, Blackbird. Many duds even there.

Fool on the Hill is the one for me though, always.

 

Edited February 28, 2021 by bamber

[bamber]

My truly controversial opinion for tonight is that, the truth is that the Jamaican cover is nearly always better than than the original.

Even the Beatles, even Blackbird.

 

[Homer]

12 hours ago, dentalplan said:

I had electric shock therapy to forget that Yesterday movie existed. Money down the drain now.

I think it was Richard herring who said that the plot was ripped off goodnight sweetheart (I’ve not seen it sadly... despite having a Cineworld pass meaning I could have effectively watched it for nothing)

[Zoo Music Girl]

23 hours ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

I wonder if the listenership went up or down when Craig Charles stepped in last year. 

I would also love to know this. He was great in that slot.

[Zoo Music Girl]

Also I'm 38 so both are before my time, but would rather listen to Elvis than the Beatles. Better tunes. And I do like the Beatles.

[Homer]

20 hours ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

Not an opinion so much as a suspicion - but The Beatles seem to be becoming less culturally ubiquitous and their popularity may slowly go the way of Elvis - where people are generally aware of him and his importance to previous generations, but these days he has relatively few dedicated listeners.

Such a suspicious mind 

[grumpyhack]

I think you have to take two things into account.  Clearly there is the long view of what music (before many people's time) still lasts and appeals.  But you also have to look at the impact people had at the time - the game-changing 'without this, what followed would not have happened.'

Bill Hailey was kocking thirty when he had his first Number One with Rock Around the Clock.  But looking at videos now he looks like a middle-aged man and it seems like music from a byegone age.  But you have to remember the impact that it had at the time, which was enormous.  The same with Elvis and The Beatles.  The impact they had at the time was huge.  Equally, credit has to be given to Lonnie Donnegan and the arrival of skiffle  All of those encouraged other young people to pick up guitars, form groups and have a go.

My final vote for a game-changer would be Jimi Hendrix who re-defined what a guitar was capable of.

[WestCountryGirl]

Disclaimer: not a controversial opinion, just musings on the topic of the moment:

I do wonder sometimes what it would have been like to have to 'find' The Beatles for myself, to have just heard the 'big hits' maybe and then have chosen to explore their full discography under my own steam.

As it was though, I just happened to be born into an entire family of Beatles obsessives. Of course we all have our own opinions on the songs themselves and have gone on to broaden our musical horizons but The Beatles are just so steeped in sentiment, nostalgia and all of my fondest memories are soundtracked by them that I genuinely can't imagine what my life would have been without them. They are a constant. And that Beatles love is now already being imprinted on my nephews and nieces.

I just can't imagine any other act around today that the Grandparents right down to the 5 year old grandchildren are all on the same page about being one of their favourite bands/musicians of all time. Of course, this will inevitably fade out in time, but I think there is plenty of gas in the Beatles fandom tank to last a while yet.

Semi-related: uni of Liverpool have just launched an MA on them https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/music/study/postgraduate-taught/the-beatles-ma/