# I fucking hate the music these days!!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [May 7, 2001, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615 "2001-05-07T05:09:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2001, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/21 "2001-05-08T00:25:43Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by black455 \*  
> \*\*And when you’re through with the emo that **pezpunk** and **MrVisible** are pushing,
> 
> No offense intended you two… but this ATDI thing is beginning to get on my nerves. I liked Fugazi the first time around. \*\*

Umm no offense taken although Hot water music is the only emo band I listed. Jets to brazil are more like rock, dillinger four is punk and luna is mellow velvet underground inspired rock.

[quote]

Shellac  
Burning Airlines

[quote]

great choices and you might as well add in the VERY closely related groups Big Black and Jawbox. Also J Robbins of both jawbox and burning airlines recorded Jets to Brazil’s cd’s. And in related news Jawbreaker is an oldie but goodie to try out.

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**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2001, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/22 "2001-05-08T00:51:58Z")

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I’m noticing this horrible trend as well. However, saying “today’s music sucks” is a gross generalization. Some of my favorite bands, such as the Offspring and the Suicide Machines, are very original and very talented, but some have started to “sell out”. They’ve become trendy. The Offspring and the Suicide Machines retain most of their emotion in their music, but you can tell that their newer albums differ greatly from albums several years ago.

Also, I’ve noticed that a lot of the really good bands never get albums out. My friend’s band tried to get a CD released, but every record label they asked essentially said “try to be more mainstream”. Well, mainstream sucks, IMHO.

I’ve listened to older music, and I agree: Bands like Social Distortion, Operation Ivy, and Nirvana didn’t care about trying to be popular; they became popular because it _wasn’t_ mainstream.

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**Author:** ![Suo\_Na](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@Suo\_Na](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suo_Na)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2001, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/23 "2001-05-08T04:53:05Z")

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This subject has been dear to my heart for the last few days as I search for a decent radio station in LA. I like alternative and indie stuff, but I also like more mainstream stuff. Unfortunately, all the stations I’ve found that play some of the mainstream go so far as to play Backstreet Boys/Britney Spears-type crap.

Anybody have any suggestions?

I miss “Toronto’s Best Music Mix, Mix 99.9”!

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**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2001, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/24 "2001-05-08T04:59:07Z")

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[hijack]

**Suo Na:**

Does your username mean what I think it means, and if so, shouldn’t it be _Cuo Na_?

Pretty cool.

[/hijack]

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**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2001, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/25 "2001-05-08T05:01:59Z")

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Yup, Pezpunk, that CD lives in my car and contributes to driving maneuvers that would make my insurance agent blanch.

Take my name off of the lease  
You can even keep the name  
It never suited me

And King Medicine… man, what an album.

And Gadgetgirl… I owe you one. Powderfinger is great.

Also try these fun new flavors:

Kingsbury Manx  
Magnetic Fields  
Idaho  
Lilac Time  
Chappaquiddick Skyline  
The Ladybug Transistor  
Bluetile Lounge  
Godspeed You Black Emperor!

And I also love the Elephant Six folks.

Who the hell needs radio?

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**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2001, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/26 "2001-05-08T05:04:49Z")

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OK, Mr. Nugget, here’s some more good stuff:  
punk/post-punk (old school)  
Husker Du  
Gang Of Four  
The Minutemen  
Buzzcocks  
The Replacements  
X  
The Feelies

newer guitar rock:  
Yo La Tengo  
Sleater-Kinney and their various side projects (Quasi, Cadallaca, etc.)  
Heavenly  
The Orange Peels  
Superchunk  
The Get Up Kids  
Drop Nineteens  
and I’ll second Luna

pop/wimp stuff:  
Cinerama  
Belle & Sebastian  
The Aislers Set  
Go Sailor!  
The Divine Comedy  
The Lucksmiths  
The Ladybug Transistor  
The Aluminum Group

For hip hop I’d go with Handsome Boy Modeling School  
And fair warning: any time you deal with indie music you’re gonna hear from snobs who’ll overrate mediocre groups. My picks for this category:  
The Magnetic Fields  
Modest Mouse

Neither of which is horrible, but not as great as the hype would lead you to believe.  
Have fun at the record store.

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**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2001, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/27 "2001-05-08T05:08:04Z")

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Oops, **MrVisible** , I didn’t read your post before I wrote in. Please ignore my remark about The Magnetic Fields.  
I wouldn’t have written it that way if I’d seen your post. But hey, we agree on Ladybug Transistor.

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**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2001, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/28 "2001-05-08T05:18:31Z")

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No offense taken; I like maybe five of their songs. But now I charge you to go out and listen to Wheat. Seriously. Now. Then let me know what you think.

Can you tell they’re my Current Favorite Unknown Band?

And Yo La Tengo, Belle and Sebastian, and Superchunk are ones we have in common too.

I didn’t know we were doing wimp/pop. Let me add…

Damon and Naomi  
The Softies  
Edith Frost  
Pernice Brothers  
Pedro The Lion  
Josh Rouse  
Rufus Wainwright  
Low  
Trembling Blue Stars  
Field Mice  
Ida

It’s a great time to be alive. And wimpy and poppy.

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**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2001, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/29 "2001-05-08T05:32:19Z")

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And, in case you don’t know…  
Spinanes

Really. Find them, listen to them, love them. Or, to be more precise, her. Great stuff.

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**Author:** ![Emperor\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c2a13f/32.png) [@Emperor\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emperor_Penguin)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2001, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/30 "2001-05-08T07:01:21Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by MrVisible \*  
> \*\*It’s a great time to be alive. And wimpy and poppy. \*\*

Rufus Wainwright is excellent. I would definetly recommend him.

Also in the wimpy/poppy category:

Sarah Harmer’s “You Were Here” and Gord Downie’s (Front man for The Tragically Hip) “Coke Machine Glow”. Two very good albums, albiet a bit laid back.

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**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2001, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/31 "2001-05-08T08:21:42Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by MrVisible \*  
> \*\*No offense taken; I like maybe five of their songs. But now I charge you to go out and listen to Wheat. Seriously. Now. Then let me know what you think.
> 
> \*\*

Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll try downloa- er, buying, some of their stuff tonight.  
And it is indeed a good time to be wimpy and poppy. Long live the underground!

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**Author:** ![gadgetgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c5a1d2/32.png) [@gadgetgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gadgetgirl)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2001, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/32 "2001-05-08T08:29:22Z")

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I second what blur said, the liner notes are the best way to find new bands. Look to those who you respect. And I tend to buy compilation albums with a band or two that I like.  
and black 455, no offense taken, that’s the great thing about this kinda music, everyone can like what they want, no worries. And yeah, fugazi’s great, saw 'em at ISU in Normal, Ill a few years back. Did you ever hear the Pailhead stuff? pretty fun.

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**Author:** ![Kyomara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kyomara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyomara)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2001, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/33 "2001-05-08T09:36:40Z")

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tired tired TIRED of Nirvana getting mentioned in the same sentence as the Beatles. Nirvana were really cool, but they were only groundbreaking in the general world of pop music (in that they got played on the radio), not the more specific world of rock music (which they also occupied). Their music was not unique, and their lyrics SUCKED. Don’t get me wrong, I liked them a lot. But they were not the second coming and Kurt Cobain was not a savior.

Now cut it out.

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**Author:** ![hardygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@hardygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hardygrrl)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2001, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/34 "2001-05-09T00:11:55Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Kyomara \*  
> \*\*tired tired TIRED of Nirvana getting mentioned in the same sentence as the Beatles. Nirvana were really cool, but they were only groundbreaking in the general world of pop music (in that they got played on the radio), not the more specific world of rock music (which they also occupied). Their music was not unique, and their lyrics SUCKED. Don’t get me wrong, I liked them a lot. But they were not the second coming and Kurt Cobain was not a savior.
> 
> Now cut it out. \*\*

Wrong wrong WRONG!!!

When Nirvana finally broke into the mainstream,the music scene was comprised of hair metal,dance music and easy listening/pop.

Nirvana blew open the doors for alternative music and brought punk back in the spotlight in a way it hadn’t been since it first emerged in the mid seventies.

And for the lyrics…I think of them as freeform poetry but I guess unless things rhyme some people just don’t get it.

Nirvana fan since 1990 when she heard the song “Love Buzz.”

hardygrrl

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**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2001, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/35 "2001-05-09T00:31:03Z")

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The key to music happiness (at least in my case) is to never listen to top 40 stations. I also love making my own mix cds. Think you could stand this play list?

Matthew Good Band- Hello Time bomb  
Brenden Benson- Emma J  
Death Ray- Now that I am blind  
Big Pun and Incubus- Still not a playa  
Biff Naked- Lucky  
Supergrass- Moving  
Ammie Mann- Save Me  
K’s Choice- Everything for free  
Hippos - Wasting my life  
Sublime- Date Rape  
Dada- Bob the drummer  
Goldfinger- Here in your bedroom  
Jump Little Children- Catherdrals  
G Love- Rodeo Clowns  
Angie Aparo- Space ship  
Cold- Just got Wicked  
Self- Cannon  
Sprits of the West- Bone of Contention  
PJ Harvey- C’mon Billy  
Phantom Planet- So I Fall Again  
God Lives Under Water- Mouth  
Beth Orton- Stolen Car  
Kent- If You Were Here  
Cat Power- Cross Bones Style  
Oleander- Are You There?  
Zebra Head- Get Back  
Catatonia - Mulder and Scully  
Long Pigs - On and On  
Taproot- I  
Powerfinger- My Happiness  
Tantric- Breakdown  
Radish- Drink Me Away

There’s a lot of good music, you just have to look for it. I miss Nirvana too, but I got over it.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kyomara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8edcca/32.png) [@Kyomara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyomara)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2001, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/36 "2001-05-09T01:43:25Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by hardygrrl \*  
> \*\*  
> Wrong wrong WRONG!!!
> 
> When Nirvana finally broke into the mainstream,the music scene was comprised of hair metal,dance music and easy listening/pop.
> 
> Nirvana blew open the doors for alternative music and brought punk back in the spotlight in a way it hadn’t been since it first emerged in the mid seventies.
> 
> And for the lyrics…I think of them as freeform poetry but I guess unless things rhyme some people just don’t get it.
> 
> Nirvana fan since 1990 when she heard the song “Love Buzz.”
> 
> hardygrrl \*\*

Blah. Nirvana did not blow open any doors. They were chosen and signed and promoted. There were a million better bands out there, they got lucky, and I bet you anything they would be the first to admit it.

The “alternative” moniker is totally meaningless, epecially when you consider that most mainstream “alternative” bands these days are more influenced by the pop music they listened to growing up than any kind of alternative scene. Which is fine, but call a spade a spade. Nirvana was not such a band, but the record industry’s lack of loyalty to really alternative music is betrayed by the swill they play on the radio these days.

Like I said. I love Nirvana. You REALLY live Nirvana. Great. But they are not this musical savior everyone makes them out to be. Bleach was by far their best album. “Love Buzz” was not their song, though.

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**Author:** ![hardygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@hardygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hardygrrl)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2001, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/37 "2001-05-09T01:49:56Z")

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I know…check the I Can Stump You thread in MPSIMS.

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**Author:** ![Nocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nocturne)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2001, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/38 "2001-05-09T04:33:50Z")

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I just have to add a few bands to the list of “definitely check out these!”

Stone Roses  
Soul Coughing  
The Eels  
Del Amitri  
Smoking Popes  
Cruel Sea  
Letters to Cleo  
Sparklehorse  
Jump Little Children  
Owsley  
Paul Weller  
Supergrass  
Spacehog  
Jude  
Imogen Heap

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**Author:** ![gadgetgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c5a1d2/32.png) [@gadgetgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gadgetgirl)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2001, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/39 "2001-05-09T08:07:35Z")

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ooh, ooh, I just thought of another thing you can d. If you can, try to make it to [SXSW](http://www.sxsw.com/2001/music/index.shtml) in Austin sometime. It is so unreal. A great way to have a holiday and see TONS of up and coming bands.  
And I thought of another band. If you can get your hands on the CD “Unit” by Regurgitator, snap it up, it is one of the best CDs ever. Oh, and a band called You Am I have a great sound too.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2001, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-fucking-hate-the-music-these-days/64615/40 "2001-05-09T08:22:29Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Kyomara \*  
> \*\*Blah. Nirvana did not blow open any doors. They were chosen and signed and promoted. There were a million better bands out there, they got lucky, and I bet you anything they would be the first to admit it.
> 
> The “alternative” moniker is totally meaningless, epecially when you consider that most mainstream “alternative” bands these days are more influenced by the pop music they listened to growing up than any kind of alternative scene. Which is fine, but call a spade a spade. Nirvana was not such a band, but the record industry’s lack of loyalty to really alternative music is betrayed by the swill they play on the radio these days.
> 
> Like I said. I love Nirvana. You REALLY live Nirvana. Great. But they are not this musical savior everyone makes them out to be. Bleach was by far their best album. “Love Buzz” was not their song, though. \*\*

According to “The Trouser Press Guide To '90s Rock”: “‘Love Buzz’ … is a cover of a silly obscurity by Holland’s Shocking Blue–probably the only group ever touched by the hand of Nirvana to get no career boost from it.”

“Trouser Press” also says “‘Nevermind’ turned the '90s–for better and _much_ worse–into the ‘alternative’ decade … That Nirvana–in fact, ‘Nevermind’–was a one-off explains why so much of what floated in with the subsequent backwash is so bad; that’s what floodgates are for in the first place.”

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