The whole concepts of legends and superstars seems less important to kids these days. My daughter and her friends write songs and play music casually like lots of other kids these days and it is very easy for them to record and “produce” their own tracks to an acceptable level. They trade tracks with each other and make playlists that may include, say, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, The National and Josh Ritter, some classic blues, some local bands known only in their area, and then, critically, a bunch of their own songs and songs of their friends. It is all mushed together, and it is not always easy to tell the DYI stuff from the professional stuff.
And so many established bands and performers these days seem to be consciously avoiding a certain level of status by, for example, changing their names on every project. As an old fogey, I am driven nuts by this because it seems so counterproductive, but there must be a reason for it. Also, big established stars want to seem warm and approachable, oftentimes. Even Adele did a Tiny Desk Concert at NPR, right before some total unknown who sent in a few tracks.
When I was young, the big thing was eclectic music with mix tapes with tons of world music, music spanning historical periods, and spanning genres. That’s still big with the current generation but there wasn’t as much DYI stuff going on when we were young. The punk scene was supposed to be DYI but there were usually punk record labels recording the music of the obscure bands that people liked (or claimed to like).
At least it feels that way to me. Anyone want to weigh in?
^^ During the punk era, you had to look for the music because there was no internet. You had to seek out the local record store who specialized in getting the little punk label, indie, and import pressings. I had to seek out newspaper vendors who sold the week’s NME from England to see what was going on over there and which were the new bands of the week. It was an exciting time. The music didn’t get any airplay on the radio except for obscure low power college stations. I read each week’s Village Voice to see which acts were coming to play. Saw many of those bands of the era that way.
Pizzagirl, I’m sure your parents are not typical representatives of the entire 80 yr old group. Most would know Madonna - mostly because of her antiques but not necessarily because of her music. U-2 - I am not so sure about.
My sister worked in the education department of an art museum in the late 90s. When giving a tour of an Andy Warhol exhibition to a group of inner-city eighth-grade kids, she was trying to explain who Marilyn Monroe was – whom none of the kids had heard of. She explained to them that Marilyn Monroe had been really, really famous – “like Madonna.” The kids looked at her blankly and said, “Who???”
That taught me that our assumptions as to who is “universally” known could be way off and conpletely dependent on our own cultural frame of reference.
@NoVADad99, in LA in the late 70s, early 80s, we had this insanely weird DJ on commercial radio named Rodney Bingenheimer who did all that work for us. For several hours a week he played only obscure imports and unknown domestic bands and claimed to have partied with every single one of them. He claimed to have discovered every single punk or new wave band single-handedly (all tall tales I’m sure).
As young teens, we hung on every word.
It was pretty amazing that they let him on the commercial airwaves. Anyone else out there from Southern California who remembers Rodney on the ROQ?
Same with the year or so that WPIX FM in NYC went to a ‘new wave’ format around 1979. It was such an exciting time to hear all those bands I’ve never heard of. Meg Griffin, who’s was one of the DJs at the time, is now on SiriusXM, and I love hearing her reminisce about those days.
My dad loved music, and installed an audio system throughout house. He loved Beatles, especially Wednesday’s Child. Still, he loved classical, Ella F, etc. anyone know where I could donate his 100’s albums of all the old jazz musicians?
Anyway, I grew up hearing every Broadway show. Among the females, would you consider legends to include Judy garland, Liza minneola, Julie Andrews, Barbra Streisand, Sarah bright man, Bernadette peters, Mary Martin, Julie Andrews, Carol Channing, Carol Burnett, Kristen chenoweth, Chita Rivera?
We’d have to go back through the top-five (let alone three) of the weekly countdowns since then to see if there have been other weeks like it. Growing up in the '80s I know there were some pretty awesome weekly top-5s, but we’d have to check.
As for big songs since 2000, I can start a list of tunes that will probably be remembered:
I'm Like A Bird -- Nelly Furtado
I Gotta Feelin' -- Black Eyed Peas
Hearts All Over the World -- Chris Brown
Lollipop -- Lil Wayne
Umbrella -- Rihanna
Bad Romance -- Lady Gaga
Roar -- Katy Perry
A Thousand Years -- Christina Perry
Just the Way You Are -- Bruno Mars
Uprising -- Muse
She Will Be Loved -- Maroon 5
Whatcha Say -- Jason Derulo
Clocks -- Coldplay
How to Save a Life -- The Fray
Drops of Jupiter -- Train
Hello -- Adele
Love Me Like You Do -- Ellie Goulding
Big Girls Don't Cry -- Fergie
Those are some of them anyway. Many of these artists have more that will probably fit the bill.
@bookworm, your dad had a nice collection. I just listened to John Coltrane a few minutes ago.
I don’t want to put added pressure on you but don’t screw things up.
There are people out there that are going to be interested in those records. Some people love vinyl.
“PG, I’m sure your parents are not typical representatives of the entire 80 yr old group. Most would know Madonna - mostly because of her antiques but not necessarily because of her music”
They went to these kinds of concerts with their same-age contemporaries. These were the big artists of the day and they had the disposable income to do so.
If we on this board in our 50s and 60s know who the top acts of today are - the Taylor Swifts and Adeles and so forth - why would they in their 40s not have known the top acts of that day? That’s like saying in 30 years we will say “who?” if someone asks if we’ve heard of Taylor Swift or Adele.
I take a class in a pool where they also have a senior aerobics class. These women are typically 65 plus. After Prince’s death, several of them asked the instructor if she could create a Prince playlist for the next class.
I know enough about the Beatles to teach a class, and I don’t know what this means. Are you trying to say Lady Madonna? Or is there a reference I’m missing? Thanks!
Regardless, I don’t think that anyone is claiming that teenagers of today are listening to the hits of the '80’s, but I am certain that many are aware of some of the “legendary” artists of the era, even as you must have been aware of the artists of the 40’s and 50’s even if you did not listen to them.
And I’m not knocking the Bee Gees (or Rock of Ages, apart from the dreadful film), but I would not call them legends.
Exactly. I know who Marilyn Monroe and Elvis are, even though they were “before my time.” Even much of the 60s music in a fan of, I only vaguely remember the first time around.
Following up on my last post … Propriety prohibits me from inserting a link to Lucille Bogan’s Shave 'Em Dry (1935), the filthiest song ever written and the direct source of some of the Stones most, uhhhh, memorable lyrics which were taken directly from the song. Do NOT i repeat do not listen to it with children around.
Put my 80 year old parents in the same camp as @Pizzagirl’s as knowing who Madonna, Coldpay, or U2 are. They’ll pass on the concerts at this point and would rather go out to hear some local jazz although Mom went to a Bruno Mars concert a few years back with some of her grandkids. Plus, she hears a lot of music in her exercise classes.
“Propriety prohibits me from inserting a link to Lucille Bogan’s Shave 'Em Dry (1935), the filthiest song ever written and the direct source of some of the Stones most, uhhhh, memorable lyrics which wrre taken directly from the song. Do NOT i repeat do not listen to it with children around.”
Oh so now we are going blue!! I offer up Gloria - the version by the Doors.
I take burlesque classes for exercise (it’s a very coquettish pin-up girl aesthetic, not a sleazy strip aesthetic, and we are all fully dressed). We use songs like Fever by Peggy Lee and You Can Leave Your Hat on by Joe Cocker and Candy Man by Christina Aguilera - who come to think of it, hasn’t been mentioned on this thread, I don’t think. Lots of songs with delicious double entendres!
PG, I believe you are right. That was what my dad called that song, when a relative was going thru a rough time. I will have to read the lyrics of Lady Madonna to see why that song affects him so. He would play it repeatedly.
I believe I inherited every Nina Simone, Ella f, etc record. He would also buy classical music with different conductors/ orchestras, and point out the differences. I can’t recall how many concerts we went to.i was fortunate to have a course in opera while in HS.
Most would know Madonna - mostly because of her antiques but not necessarily because of her music. U-2 - I am not so sure about.
