The two bands have a similar style. But which do you prefer?
I love them both, but I give the edge to Roxy Music. I think their overall musicianship is better; they were more innovative (they came first) and more experimental; and I think Bryan Ferry seems like a cooler guy than David Byrne and also has a better voice.
But it’s close. Like I said, I love them both. They’re both awesome bands.
Other than being popular during the same general time and both being “alternative” for the time, I’ve never considered their styles similar. I wasn’t a huge fan of either but off the top of my head I’d say I enjoyed TH more. They have many more songs I like, however none of them compare to Slave to Love, one of my all time favorites.
Slave To Love is a Bryan Ferry solo song, not a Roxy Music song. But it’s a great song with a great video too.
Talking Heads has more range than I’ve observed from Roxy Music, probably because I own multiple Talking Heads albums from different points of their career and only one Roxy Music album.
Which is a strong indication of which I prefer, anyway.
The upshot is, Talking Heads did Stop Making Sense and that alone tilts things so far in their favor it isn’t even close.
As a non-musician, I’m not very good at comparing what musicians have better skills, more range, talent, etc. than another, but since you’re just asking who we prefer, it’s TH hands down. I just can’t get into the sound at all of RM. I don’t see them as very similar, but I know they are often compared.
On preview I see Jacquernagy beat me to it.
They both got Brian Eno. It’s a wash.
I definitely was a bigger fan of Talking Heads than Roxy Music back in the day. Also, Rolling Stone once called them America’s Best Band! I have all or most of their albums, but I rarely listen to them anymore. I still like Fear of Music the best. I have a Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry greatest hits album, and it’s good, but somewhat homogenous. Maybe that’s just how greatest hits albums are.
Talking Heads had a better-looking bass player.
I never got into Roxy’s early stuff. I do like Manifesto and Flesh and Blood.
Talking Heads is (are?) among the 80s groups I loved at the time, but who nowadays get on my last nerve. Also included: Timbuk 3 and They Might Be Giants, among others.
I was a teenager in the 1980s, and while I have heard of Roxy Music, I cannot honestly say that I’ve ever knowingly heard one of their songs. I was at least aware of Talking Heads’ hits.
You’ve probably heard More Than This and Love Is The Drug, but maybe without knowing who did them.
Love both groups, and their stuff is in regular rotation around Casa Silenus. Entirely depends on my mood which group is “best.” Derleth and blondebear also make good, but opposing points.
In the end, I’m going to go with which group gets turned up LOUD when the mood hits, so Talking Heads it is.
Two great bands who are barely within the same generic category of rock, let alone have similar styles.
I took time to get into Roxy Music, or maybe it’s that their music changed over time, becoming more orchestral by the end. Avalon is flat out one of the great albums, timeless excellence. Phil Manzanera and Andy Mackay are fantastic musicians. Check out Live at the Apollo for what they were capable of.
David Byrne is obvious a quirky genius, but he was never trying to be a rock god the way Brian Ferry was, and the rest of the band weren’t either. There were perfect for the sound they wanted and created a sensibility all their own.
Roxy Music, who put out eight top ten albums out of eight, still hasn’t been inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame. This has to look insane to people from Britain.
And if turn up loud is the criterion, try “My Only Love.”
Without Byrne, Talking Heads was the Tom Tom Club, and they were fine.
Without Eno, Roxy Music was still the same, but most of the interesting stuff filtered away. First two albums were great, but while Avalon is the most popular I just think it’s merely okay. A little bit too slow jam for my taste.
I always preferred The Talking Heads, love ‘em in fact.
Roxie was much more popular than the talking heads earlier. Psycho killer was the first Talking Heads song I ever remember hearing and that hit the sorta alternative FM radio in 1978 IIRC. Love is the Drug came out in 1975 and Roxie was big time.
Roxy Music put out a pretty good live DVD “At The Apollo”. Talking Heads put out “Stop Making Sense”. Advantage: Heads.
Doesn’t count. “Stop Making Sense” had so much post-concert “sweetening” as to make it a studio album.
Just give me Eno. He is the musical genius, and everyone knows it. Those other bands (I am looking at you too) were just session support for him. Side gigs.
Was definitely more of a fan of Roxy back then, and still have more of their albums than TH. Never saw them live, tho, and TH put on a hell of a show.
Never woulda thought to compare the 2.
