# When did it become uncool to like the Dave Matthew’s Band? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 6, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581 "2009-05-06T20:04:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/101 "2009-05-08T20:36:08Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Which is fine, you are obviously not a pretentious music snob. You understand why some people could like a style of music and _why they think it would be good_. > > I put almost no stock in someone who tells me they don’t like a performer or an album just because. And I put even less stock in them if they pull out words like boring, trite and predictable. Those words have no meaning in a discussion of music. Somebody is wearing a polo and a hemp bracelet right now. 😃 ---
**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, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/102 "2009-05-08T20:36:19Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Please don’t misunderstand what I meant. I’m saying it’s wrong to say DMB (or any band for that matter) is objectively bad. And that’s what threads like this always devolve into. True enough. I never take offense when somebody hates my favorite band(s), because there’s no objectivity involved in such matters. I always find it strange when people _do_ take such things personally. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/103 "2009-05-08T20:39:18Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > Somebody is wearing a polo and a hemp bracelet right now. Sorry. I’m wearing a Bubba Ho-Tepp t-shirt. I’ve never worn a baseball cap backwards and I don’t even own a pair of flip flops. Oh, never been in a frat and am practically a teetotaler too. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/104 "2009-05-08T20:48:43Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > And I put even less stock in them if they pull out words like boring, trite and predictable. Those words have no meaning in a discussion of music. Boring, I will grant you, is pretty subjective. But trite and predictable? M-W’s online dictionary gives trite as “hackneyed or boring from much use” and “not fresh or original.” That certainly has application to music. As for predictable: when I can be correct in most of my guesses about what a melody or harmony is about to do, what would you call that if not “predictable”? I think you have been confusing \*bad \*with _not enjoyable_. For instance, right now, I am eating a slice of chocolate-chip pumpkin bread. I am quite sure that it is packed with calories and has little to no redeeming nutritional value. However, it is delicious, and I enjoy it, despite it being “bad” in the food sense of “not healthful.” ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/105 "2009-05-08T20:49:12Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > True enough. I never take offense when somebody hates my favorite band(s), because there’s no objectivity involved in such matters. I always find it strange when people _do_ take such things personally. I, for one, am offended! Offended. You, sir, need a spanking. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/106 "2009-05-08T20:50:13Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > I assumed at that point that there was no more real rock coming out that it was all focus group rock industry machine crap. (I generally still think that’s correct) Rock has included large helpings of focus group rock industry machine crap ever since Sun Records began to make money with something that _certainly wasn’t_ rhythm and/or blues. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/107 "2009-05-08T20:50:40Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Sorry. I’m wearing a Bubba Ho-Tepp t-shirt. I’ve never worn a baseball cap backwards and I don’t even own a pair of flip flops. > > Oh, never been in a frat and am practically a teetotaler too. Relax, man. I was teasing you. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/108 "2009-05-08T21:11:43Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > Relax, man. I was teasing you. I know. I just like mentioning my Bubba Ho-Tep shirt as often as I can. It’s geektastic. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/109 "2009-05-08T21:13:16Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > I just like mentioning my Bubba Ho-Tep shirt as often as I can. It’s geektastic. Now \*that \*we can agree on. I really gotta watch that again. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/110 "2009-05-08T21:17:16Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > I know. I just like mentioning my Bubba Ho-Tep shirt as often as I can. It’s geektastic. Fair enough. ---
**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, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/111 "2009-05-08T21:31:10Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > I, for one, am offended! Offended. You, sir, need a spanking. Indeed I do, madam. _Indeed I do_. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/112 "2009-05-08T21:42:40Z")
I’m mystified as to how the DMB could ever have been considered cool. But then again, I’ve never lived in the US. Over here we tend to view them as a curiously American thing of which we’ll never understand the popularity. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/113 "2009-05-08T22:06:31Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Rock has included large helpings of focus group rock industry machine crap ever since Sun Records began to make money with something that _certainly wasn’t_ rhythm and/or blues. True but I think it’s been a steady decline ever since. Weren’t the Monkees the first 100% manufactured pop act? It seems to me that bands were discovered with an established sound and promoted with that a lot more a few decades ago, and then it got to a point where originality simply could not compete. At this point we are at a place where even top 40 rock stations cannot compete with homogepop stations. New York City’s last current rock station folded and became another Pop station. Dave Matthews Band is just way too easy listening for me. ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/114 "2009-05-09T07:12:25Z")
> [@Algorithm](#): > > I can’t really think of any other band that inspired such cult-like behavior in my time. Sublime. Sublime… Ugh…FUCK Sublime! For all the same reasons you just condemned DMB. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/115 "2009-05-09T07:19:21Z")
What?! Sublime is awesome! They shouldn’t even be spoken of in the same thread as DMB. Sublime had genuine talent, quirky lyrics with a great sense of humor, awesome instrumentals and great guitar riffs, and an all around “fun” sound that was an exquisite soundtrack to the high school years of weed, booze and partying. I can’t think of a single Sublime song that I DON’T like (except maybe What I got, which is WAY overplayed on the radio) - Sublime knew their shit, musically and instrumentally, and it also had SOUL which is severely lacking in today’s lame-ass mediocre bands. I will defend them to the death. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/116 "2009-05-09T07:25:21Z")
> [@Soapbox\_Monkey](#): > > Sublime. > > Sublime… > > Ugh…FUCK Sublime! For all the same reasons you just condemned DMB. Whuuuu? I’ve easily met 10 Dave fanatics for every Sublime fan I’ve ever met (not counting the people who just like Santeria or What I Got or whatever.) Plus everything Argent Towers said. They were practically the soundtrack of my teen years. Granted, I think I was actually on the leading edge of that one, and the fans might’ve gotten douchier and more numerous as I grew up and stopped noticing, but . . . they were a fucking amazing band. ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/117 "2009-05-09T07:34:47Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > soundtrack to the high school years of weed, booze and partying. I rest my case. To quote almost every person I’ve ever met in both high school and college “Sublime man! They’re singing about WEED, MAN! WOOO!!! AAAAHHH!!! OOOOWW! WOOOO!!!111!!!1” I enjoyed some of Sublime’s songs…the first 2000 times I was subjected to them. But then their fans just wouldn’t. shut. the. fuck. up. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/118 "2009-05-09T07:37:07Z")
I totally will concede that individual peoples’ experience will be unique. But in my own personal life, I have NEVER encountered militant, obsessed, annoying fans of Sublime the way I have with the crazy DMB frat cult. ---
**Author:** ![Soapbox\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Soapbox\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soapbox_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/119 "2009-05-09T07:38:03Z")
Oh, and I didn’t start high school until '99, so it’s not like these were kids who were getting into the band while Brad was still alive. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2009, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581/120 "2009-05-09T17:11:56Z")
I brought this up in the 24/7 DMB thread, but the reason people hate Dave Matthews is not because of his music. It is because of the lifestyle they feel his music represents. Nearly every band that everyone thinks is awesome eventually becomes hated. If the dude from Sublime didn’t die and they put out 4 more albums, I would bet that they would be as hated as Dave Mathews. Maybe even as much as Fred Durst. > [@mswas](#): > > The difference between Tool and the other bands mentioned here is that Tool is awesome. ;p > > It’s funny, almost all the bands being compared to DMB were bands I immediately hated. Coldplay and Green Day I couldn’t stand. Nickelback was a bit after my time of listening to teeny bopper rock, so they didn’t make an impression on me. I assumed at that point that there was no more real rock coming out that it was all focus group rock industry machine crap. (I generally still think that’s correct) Staind/Creed and any other band like them fell somewhere between the Pearl Jam/Stone Temple Pilots spectrum. [I’ll find out in about a month if Tool or Coldplay are more awesome in concert.](http://www.apwfestival.com/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-uncool-to-like-the-dave-matthew-s-band/495581.md?page=7)