# “Whitest” music you can think of that’s still cool? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 24, 2017, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666 "2017-10-24T00:12:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/41 "2017-10-24T03:50:15Z")
Beck > **[Beyoncé and Jay Z had the best reaction to Kanye West interrupting the Grammys](https://www.theverge.com/2015/2/9/8004825/beyonce-jay-z-react-to-kanye-west-grammy-2015)** > > The Verge is about technology and how it makes us feel. Founded in 2011, we offer our audience everything from breaking news to reviews to award-winning features and investigations, on our site, in video, and in podcasts. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/42 "2017-10-24T03:51:34Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > “Come on Eileen” > > “Safety Dance” > > “Video Killed The Radio Star” Ill take the opportunity to say No No No Although I enjoy some New Wave but they haven’t been cool in 30 years. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/43 "2017-10-24T03:55:27Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > All White Music is cool. How do you feel about Burzum or Mayhem? ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/44 "2017-10-24T04:03:08Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > How do you feel about Burzum or Mayhem? Or boy bands or Polka? ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/45 "2017-10-24T04:46:06Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > I think virtually every one of these would respond violently to that statement. Of course they would. That’s what makes them cool. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/46 "2017-10-24T05:06:43Z")
[Average White Band](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnH_zwVmiuE) ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/47 "2017-10-24T05:29:34Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [Average White Band](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnH_zwVmiuE) I guess you’re trying to be funny. This band’s music isn’t “white” in the way the OP wants. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/48 "2017-10-24T06:11:26Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Ill take the opportunity to say > > No > > No > > No > Although I enjoy some New Wave but they haven’t been cool in 30 years. You do realize “cool” is subjective right? All I know is when the DJ at my local neighborhood bar plays anyone of those songs, the bar patrons lose their shit. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/49 "2017-10-24T06:29:28Z")
I see a couple of mentions of Beck,but his stuff is extremely influenced by blues and jazz and hip hop and world (non-white) music. I mean, take something like “Loser.” It starts with a bluesy acoustic guitar riff, has a distinct 16-note R&B beat (lifted from a Johnny Jenkins record), has a rap over it, has a funky sitar sample in the back. I mean, Beck may be “white” and his music make be “white,” but his influences are hardly “white.” ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/50 "2017-10-24T06:41:48Z")
ABBA, Ace of Base, The Dropkick Murphys, Falco (Rock me Amadeus), The Doors, Ramstein, Hank Williams Sr., Patsy Cline and anything Polka related. ---
**Author:** ![Enlightening\_Meditation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecc23a/32.png) [@Enlightening\_Meditation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enlightening_Meditation)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/51 "2017-10-24T06:57:38Z")
Upon reading the thread title, I immediately thought of Weird Al Yankovic rapping alongside Donny Osmond in front of the time-independent Schrödinger equation. This is probably more hilarious than ‘cool’. Link: [‘White and Nerdy’](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9qYF9DZPdw) by Weird Al Yankovic ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/52 "2017-10-24T06:58:26Z")
[Arvo Pärt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arvo_P%C3%A4rt) Your definition of “cool” may not include Arvo Pärt, but mine definitely does. And he is widely admired in arty circles, so if you’re not familiar with his work, maybe it’s _you_ that’s not cool. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/53 "2017-10-24T07:01:15Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > [Arvo Pärt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arvo_P%C3%A4rt) > > Your definition of “cool” may not include Arvo Pärt, but mine definitely does. And he is widely admired in arty circles, so if you’re not familiar with his work, maybe it’s _you_ that’s not cool. I was going to mention him, but classical music composers were preempted in the thread. Definitely cool, though. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/54 "2017-10-24T08:20:47Z")
pet shop boys new order riders in the sky anything sang by boy George ---
**Author:** ![Lorne\_Armstrong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@Lorne\_Armstrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorne_Armstrong)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/55 "2017-10-24T09:33:54Z")
Really racist OP. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/56 "2017-10-24T10:19:04Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > [Arvo Pärt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arvo_P%C3%A4rt) > > Your definition of “cool” may not include Arvo Pärt, but mine definitely does. And he is widely admired in arty circles, so if you’re not familiar with his work, maybe it’s _you_ that’s not cool. Oh, man, I love his stuff. Tabula Rasa just blows my mind. Okay, how about **Steve Reich, Music for 18 Musicians**? [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXJWO2FQ16c](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXJWO2FQ16c) **Lorne** , dude, it’s fine. It’s just a lack of swing. Songs with no stank on them or funk in them. It’s all good. **Metallica**. When Lars finally swung on **Sad But True** , I did a spit take. **Marianne Faithfull** singing **As Tears Go By** : [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=j8JJ6du3Vio](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=j8JJ6du3Vio) ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/57 "2017-10-24T10:46:45Z")
I’m going old school. Wagner. You’d get them plates dried pretty quickly with _Ride of the Valkyries_ blasting out. Wash the DISHes Wash the DIIIISHes Wash the DIIIIIIIIIIIIISHes … ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/58 "2017-10-24T10:57:23Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I’m going old school. Wagner. In this vein, I’m going to suggest a pepper and ham omelette. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/59 "2017-10-24T12:29:20Z")
[These guys](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfoqTnsXJ20) just reek of cool. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2017, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666/60 "2017-10-24T13:29:38Z")
I know this is classical, but I think it should count since the version I’m about to give was made in modern times: [Beethoven, Moonlight Sonata, movement 3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6rBK0BqL2w). The original has often been called metal, so people made it metal. I’d say that should qualify as not bringing “black” music. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitest-music-you-can-think-of-that-s-still-cool/799666.md?page=4)