Way back when, before the earth had cooled and I was still in college, there seemed like there was a few albums you’d always hear if you went out to bars/parties. I remember the Pulp Fiction soundtrack and Rusted Root were regular staples at most gatherings. So what album or group do you most hear when you go out nowadays? Any surprises?
As a non-student, I mostly hear/read about the popularity of boy bands and the angry testoster-rock of Limp Biskit and friends. But these seem more marketed towards the high school kids. So what’s really getting played when you go out?
Well, you’re right about Testoster-rock, not too many people I know listen to that. Um, as for new stuff? Hip hop is good, techno is gaining more and more support amoung the people who, er, go to clubs and drink a lot of water- and even amoung other groups. RadioHead is not exactly declining in popularity either. Generally though, I would say what is most popular is the classics. The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, and so forth are probably the most popular on college campuses(as they have been since they were all recording- as far as I can tell at least.)
If you see a college kid with tousled hair, wearing a vintage shirt and Doc Martens, chances are he or she listens to Modest Mouse.
Some other bands that my indie friend, who is far more hip to these things than I am, put on the mix she made for me are Jets to Brazil, Sunny Day Real Estate, and the Magnetic Fields (all these bands make fine music, by the way).
For all I know, though, these bands could be out of date by now, too.
If you want to keep up with some good stuff, I recommend CMJ. It’s a monthly magazine (College Music Journal) that includes a full-length CD of stuff that’s topping the college charts around the nation, and articles on the bands featured. Lots of sweet, new music there. You can find it at most decent bookstores and almost all of the chain ones.
A lot of college kids listen to Dave Matthews Band. As a college student I must add that I personally despise his music because every damn song sounds the same to me. A DMB fan once told me when I asked about this “Because when you’re stoned, it doesn’t matter.” True story.
I personally listen to rock, and some alternative. Most students I talk to listen to alternative, hip hop, or pop. Including any combination thereof. At parties, though, it seems to be strictly hip-hop and a dash of techno.
Well I don’t know what everyone else listens to because I’m far too busy studying seriously The music I listen to has been the music I’ve always listened to Green Day, Blink 182 (since way back when), and Radiohead. Other than that I don’t really listen to anything else. Between the 3 bands I probably have about ehhh 150 or so songs.
UGH. The curse of Dave Mathews continues…
Started when I was in college. Seemed that our little school station felt obligated to play his stuff a couple times every hour without variation.
If I ever hear that God-forsaken “Satelite” song again, it’ll be too soon. I meant to add him in a couldn’t-escape-his-music-to-save-your-life-catagory.
So no real stand-out album/artist?
I can see how hip-hop has become even more popular since my U. days some 4 years ago. Techno? Like the Fatboy Slim stuff, or lesser known?
I’m a little surprised about Radiohead. Seems a little too headphone music-esque to be real popular for the masses.
I have admittedly varied musical tastes, but I can tell you what I like. I think it’s pretty representative of the masses. I went to Velvet Nation last weekend and this is what I heard (keep in mind, they have three dance floors on seperate sides of the building, so it gets crazy):
JayZ - “Give it to Me”
Anything by Ludikrous - “What’s Your Fantasy” stands out.
Shaggy - “It Wasn’t Me”
Mystikal - “Danger”
As for electronica, Alice Deejay is really hot at the clubs I go to. Fatboy Slim’s every present, but Moby gets requested more. That new song with Moby and Gwen Stefani played like four times in five hours.
Indie rock -Some cool college kids got me hooked on Ben Harper, Cowboy Junkies, and Joni Mitchell. No really! Last party I went to was filled with hippy-dreadlocked types, and we listened to that, and some Emmylou Harris, Boy Marley, and Jimi Hendrix.
Gotta give mad props to David Gray too - I’m taking bets that he’s going to be famous.
The only parties I’ve attended where *NSYNC was allowed were held by my best friend, who is gay, and most of the people there were gay too. Elsewhere, people suggesting such nonsense are strung up and slowly roasted over a roaring campfire.
So, seriousart, were you in school when, like, Hootie was popular?!?
Well…i’d have to concur with most of the posters on the current music scene in college(indie, alternative, some pop, techno, some rap…etc). But i seem to see a rise in popularity of music in the EBM, synth-pop, shoegazer and power electronics vain. Don’t be suprised to hear a VnV Nation song at local dance club in the near future.
Dave Matthews Band, Bela Fleck, Modest Mouse, Blink, Radiohead, lots of people like Tenacious D, and I’ve been hearing alot lately about a band called “Grasshopper Takeover” so I guess I’ll check them out.
Personally, I love Days of the New, Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Bush, U2, REM, and tons of old 60s and 70s classic and folk rock.
Still, nothing beats getting stoned and listening to the Beatles while watchin’ Geiss or Whitecap.
Har. Har. Sure Sara, make fun of the old guy.
But mark my words, someday not so far down the road, some youngster’s gonna ask you "So, were you like really into that Creed band? Or were you too busyletting the dogs out?!
Oh, and sadly, yes I was there to witness the shiny happy stylings of Hootie and Co…
This college kid is listening to roughly the asme stuff he listened to when he was young: oldies. Beatles, beach boys, S&G, dion and the belmonts, etc. But I have some more recent stuff, like whitesnake and firehouse and wilson phillips, and then some fairly recent like savage garden and assorted 90s crap and religious stuff.
Try “Dramamine.” That’s the song my abovementioned indie friend put on the abovementioned mix tape, and I like it a lot. I bought their first album recently, but haven’t really listened to it enough to formulate opinions about any of the other songs, just a general “Holy Pixies, Batman!” impression.
I’d just like to point out that I did not, in any way, ask ellis to post about Guster. I told you all they’d be huge. You just wait. (LOVE THEM. ::sigh: David Gray is everywhere. And I’m not a fan, but Dido is popping up everywhere.
Hmmm…some good electronica: Trans Am, Man or Astroman. And there’s always the Beta Band. Though they’re not really electronica.
OK, I’d just like to clarify that I was in no way responsible for this band, I was merely alive and in college at the time. I wasn’t in the band nor did I buy any of their music.
Just you pesky kids wait. Someday y’all are gonna be hiding your Puff Daddy CDs from the soon-to-be-taunting Generation Z kids.
The music I listen to has been the music I’ve always listened to Green Day, Blink 182 (since way back when), and Radiohead. Other than that I don’t really listen to anything else. Between the 3 bands I probably have about ehhh 150 or so songs.
David Gray is everywhere. And I’m not a fan, but Dido is popping up everywhere.