"The most popular artists in the world are popular for a reason. Let's try and work out why. Do they have a wide range of songs appealing to a lot of folk, or do they lean on the glory days of one big hit/album?"
My thesis at uni was on something like this. More towards are the record companies producing what the average music listener wants to listen to? I’d post it here but I only have 2 copies leatherbound and no one is reading a 1000+ page essay.
My research said, yes. Was great fun though trying to get access to artists / producers / A&R / sound engineers / managers from around the world to understand their point of view.
Also I looked at your list compared to wiki and you certainly have cherry picked it. Madonna and Kanye only artists with anything major (afterall we are talking why they are popular based on album sales) from 2000+. Only 3 with females. No country music artist. I think you need to balance your list more to make it more rounded, then you can have a proper discussion on why they are popular.
I was waiting for you to jump in.
I cherry picked those most likely to garner a response from the Blitz demographic. I didn’t imagine receiving much other than “I dunno” on the likes of Rihanna, Mariah Carey, TayTay, Garth Brooks and Bruno Mars.
You are right with regards to the demographic here but you may not have owned a Mariah Carey album but you damn well know of the song when you hear it. As another example, you may never owned a Led Zeppelin album but you may know at least one of their songs as it was the theme song to Top of the Pops. Led is actually an interesting case to discuss. Huge band. Never had a number 1 single in Australia or the US. Celine Dion, well the Titanic movie was pretty much everywhere you go and we all remember how it goes on and on. In fact you demonstrate a bit of this theory yourself with “TayTay”.
What potentially makes the list of why they are popular is the fact that you may not be able to name the song or the artist but you do ‘know’ the song.
The I dunno aspect also helps with your question. Why are they popular then?
I’m being rather picky but i’m only trying to help your discussion
Who could we add to make it more representative then? Johnny Cash, Kylie, Leonard Cohen? Bieber? Nirvana are kinda more of the same, but 90s rock rather than 80s. Beyonce? I’m having real problems with female artists, they tend to skew towards non-Blitz-friendly genres, and lots of female pop artists in particular don’t have long careers. Patti Smith? Garbage? The Carpenters? I’d suggest the Andrews Sisters, they were huge for decades, but only me and AN10 would be able to answer that one…
Yep it’s true that female artists do tend to struggle after a big album. Doesn’t mean to say they aren’t still writing or recording songs. Carpenters were hard to have a long career when their lead had passed on. Aretha Franklin maybe? Cher? Tina Turner? Diana Ross? Annie Lennox / Eurythmics? Gwen Stefani / No Doubt? Pink?
Tori Amos? Spice Girls? The Divinyls? Whitney Houston? You run into problems with more niche genres though - not many people with a favourite Nightwish song are also going to have a Reba Macintyre favourite or a go-to Iggy Azalea track as well…
The Beatles - Yesterday
Elvis Presley - In The Ghetto
Michael Jackson/The Jackson 5 - P.Y.T or Off The Wall
Madonna - Cherish
Elton John - Candle In The Wind
Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love
Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall Pt 2.
AC/DC - It’s a Long Way to the Top
Queen - Don’t Stop Me Now / Somebody to Love
Rolling Stones - (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
ABBA - Fernando
The Eagles - Heartache Tonight
U2 - Hold me, Thrill me, Kiss me, Kill me
Billy Joel - She’s Always a Woman
Phil Collins - Against All Odds (Take a Look at me Now)
Frank Sinatra - Love and Marriage / I Won’t Dance
Kanye West - Stronger
Bruce Springsteen - I’m on Fire
Metallica - The Unforgiven II (yeah, yeah I know)
Bon Jovi - Always
Fleetwood Mac - Dreams
Guns N Roses - Welcome to the Jungle
Prince - When Doves Cry
Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing
David Bowie - Fame
The Beatles - Back in the USSR
Elvis Presley - none
Michael Jackson/The Jackson 5 - none
Madonna - none
Elton John - Rocket Man
Led Zeppelin - Black Dog
Pink Floyd - Brain Damage/Eclipse
AC/DC - It’s a Long Way to the Top
Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar
ABBA - none
The Eagles - Life in the Fast Lane
U2 - When Love Comes to Town
Billy Joel - Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight
Frank Sinatra - My Way
Kanye West - none
Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
Metallica - none
Bon Jovi - Livin’ on a Prayer
Fleetwood Mac - Tusk
Guns N Roses - Sweet Child O’ Mine
Prince - none
Dire Straits - Skateaway
David Bowie - The Man Who Sold the World
The Beatles – Strawberry Fields Forever*
Elvis Presley – That’s Alright, Mama
Michael Jackson/The Jackson 5 – Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’
Madonna – Live To Tell
Elton John – I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues
Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven
Pink Floyd – Comfortably Numb
AC/DC – Who Made Who
Queen – Hammer To Fall
Rolling Stones – Paint It Black
ABBA – S.O.S
The Eagles – Hotel California
U2 – A Sort of Homecoming (live)
Billy Joel – Always A Woman
Phil Collins – Take Me Home
Frank Sinatra – My Way
Kanye West - nope
Bruce Springsteen – Bobbie Jean
Metallica – Enter Sandman
Bon Jovi – Wanted Dead or Alive
Fleetwood Mac - Tusk
Guns N Roses – Welcome to the Jungle
Prince – The Beautiful Ones
Dire Straits – Private Investigations (live)
David Bowie – Ashes to Ashes
*Come Together and Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds very close
"The most popular artists in the world are popular for a reason. Let's try and work out why. Do they have a wide range of songs appealing to a lot of folk, or do they lean on the glory days of one big hit/album?"
My thesis at uni was on something like this. More towards are the record companies producing what the average music listener wants to listen to? I’d post it here but I only have 2 copies leatherbound and no one is reading a 1000+ page essay.
My research said, yes. Was great fun though trying to get access to artists / producers / A&R / sound engineers / managers from around the world to understand their point of view.
Also I looked at your list compared to wiki and you certainly have cherry picked it. Madonna and Kanye only artists with anything major (afterall we are talking why they are popular based on album sales) from 2000+. Only 3 with females. No country music artist. I think you need to balance your list more to make it more rounded, then you can have a proper discussion on why they are popular.
I was waiting for you to jump in.
I cherry picked those most likely to garner a response from the Blitz demographic. I didn’t imagine receiving much other than “I dunno” on the likes of Rihanna, Mariah Carey, TayTay, Garth Brooks and Bruno Mars.
You are right with regards to the demographic here but you may not have owned a Mariah Carey album but you damn well know of the song when you hear it. As another example, you may never owned a Led Zeppelin album but you may know at least one of their songs as it was the theme song to Top of the Pops. Led is actually an interesting case to discuss. Huge band. Never had a number 1 single in Australia or the US. Celine Dion, well the Titanic movie was pretty much everywhere you go and we all remember how it goes on and on. In fact you demonstrate a bit of this theory yourself with “TayTay”.
What potentially makes the list of why they are popular is the fact that you may not be able to name the song or the artist but you do ‘know’ the song.
The I dunno aspect also helps with your question. Why are they popular then?
I’m being rather picky but i’m only trying to help your discussion
Start your own ■■■■■■ thread!
Who TF is TayTay??
ok…i googled it.
Who TF is Taylor Swift?
ok then, Who TF came up with such a cringe worthy nick name such as TayTay?
The Beatles - Paperback Writer
Elvis Presley - Heartbreak Hotel
Michael Jackson/The Jackson 5 - Beat It
Madonna - Like a Prayer
Elton John - Kiss the Bride
Led Zeppelin - Communication Breakdown or Rock and Roll. Tie between those two.
Pink Floyd - Money
AC/DC - Whole Lotta Rosie
Queen - Tie your Mother Down
Rolling Stones - Get off my cloud
ABBA - Does your mother know
The Eagles - Hotel California
U2 - With or without you
Billy Joel - You may be right or Only the good die young. Another tie.
Phil Collins- Another day in Paradise
Frank Sinatra - My Way
Kanye West - Gold Digger
Bruce Springsteen - Glory Days
Metallica - Whiskey in the jar
Bon Jovi - Bed of Roses
Fleetwood Mac - Rhiannon
Guns N Roses - You Could be Mine
Prince - 1999
Dire Straits - Lady Writer
David Bowie - Rebel Rebel
Beatles, stones and pink floyd the hardest. Could have listed many others.
The Beatles - across the universe
Elvis Presley - Suspicious minds
Michael Jackson/The Jackson 5 - billie jean
Madonna - Meh - into the groove
Elton John - rocket man
Led Zeppelin - Stairway to heaven
Pink Floyd - Wish you were here
AC/DC - Long way to the top
Queen - don’t stop me now
Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the devil
ABBA - meh - knowing me knowing you
The Eagles - New kid in town
U2 - Sunday ■■■■■■ Sunday
Billy Joel - Piano man
Phil Collins- meh - take a look at me now
Frank Sinatra - New York New York
Kanye West - None
Bruce Springsteen - Born to run
Metallica - None
Bon Jovi - None
Fleetwood Mac - Rhiannon
Guns N Roses - None
Prince - purple rain
Dire Straits - Sultans of swing
David Bowie - Space oddity
The Beatles - I’ll follow the sun
Elvis Presley - If l can dream
Michael Jackson/The Jackson 5 - Give in to me
Madonna - Borderline
Elton John - Your song
Led Zeppelin - Stairway to heaven
Pink Floyd - Wish you were here
AC/DC - jailbreak
Queen - don’t stop me now
Rolling Stones - You can’t always get what u want
ABBA - the winner takes it all
The Eagles - Desperado
U2 - Party girl
Billy Joel - only the good die young
Phil Collins- meh - Against all odds
Frank Sinatra - My way
Kanye West - school spirit
Bruce Springsteen - Born to run
Metallica - One
Bon Jovi - Wanted dead or alive
Fleetwood Mac - Rhiannon
Guns N Roses - Civil war
Prince - sign of the times
Dire Straits - romeo and juliet
David Bowie - Starman
I just imagined I was at karaoke with a bunch of Japanese coworkers making artist requests for me to sing, and me having to choose a song to belt out for them that I could get into too. (Yes, this happens often.)
The Beatles - Dear Prudence
Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds
Michael Jackson/The Jackson 5 - Billie Jean
Madonna - Into The Groove
Elton John
Led Zeppelin
Pink Floyd
AC/DC - Jailbreak
Queen
Rolling Stones - Satisfaction
ABBA
The Eagles
U2 - New Years Day
Billy Joel
Phil Collins
Frank Sinatra
Kanye West
Bruce Springsteen - Dancing In The Dark (I know)
Metallica - One
Bon Jovi
Fleetwood Mac
Guns N Roses
Prince - Kiss
Dire Straits - Romeo And Juliet
David Bowie - Life On Mars
The Beatles - A Day In The Life
Elvis Presley - (Not a fan)
Michael Jackson/The Jackson 5
Madonna - Live To Tell
Elton John - Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding
Led Zeppelin - Kashmir
Pink Floyd - Sheep
AC/DC - Hell’s Bells
Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter
ABBA - (got nothing)
The Eagles - The Last Resort
U2 - The Unforgettable Fire
Billy Joel - The Stranger
Phil Collins - Don’t Let Him Steal Your Heart Away
Frank Sinatra - (Nup)
Kanye West - (fark Off)
Bruce Springsteen - Jungleland
Metallica - The Unforgiven
Bon Jovi - Wanted Dead or Alive
Fleetwood Mac - Gold Dust Woman
Guns N Roses - Sweet Child O Mine
Prince - Money Don’t Matter 2 night
Dire Straits - Telegraph Road
David Bowie - Lady Grinning Soul
The Beatles – Ticket to ride
Elvis Presley – Jailhouse rock
Michael Jackson/The Jackson 5 – Beat it
Madonna – none
Elton John – none
Led Zeppelin – Stairway to heaven
Pink Floyd – Another brick in the wall
AC/DC – If you want blood
Queen – Bohemian rhapsody
Rolling Stones – You can’t always get what you want
ABBA – none
The Eagles – Hotel California
U2 – Gloria
Billy Joel – none
Phil Collins – none
Frank Sinatra – Fly me to the moon
Kanye West - none
Bruce Springsteen – Born to run
Metallica – Fade to black
Bon Jovi – Wanted dead or alive
Fleetwood Mac - Go your own way
Guns N Roses – Paradise city
Prince – Nothing compares to you
Dire Straits – Brothers in arms
David Bowie – Under pressure
The Beatles - Run For Your Life
Elvis Presley - The Fool
Michael Jackson/The Jackson 5 - The Girl Is Mine
Madonna - Meh
Elton John - Yellow Brick Road
Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song
Pink Floyd - The one about drugs
AC/DC - Big Gun
Queen - Meh
Rolling Stones -
ABBA - LOL Nope!
The Eagles - Take It Easy
U2 - Discoteque
Billy Joel - Piano Man
Phil Collins - Susudio
Frank Sinatra - Meh
Kanye West - LOL Nope.
Bruce Springsteen - I’m on Fire
Metallica - Enter Sandman
Bon Jovi - Nope
Fleetwood Mac - Silver Heels
Guns N Roses - Locomotion
Prince - 7
Dire Straits - Romeo & Juilet
David Bowie - Cracked Actor
