Because people often discuss pop from a position of total apathy towards to it. At least on here. If someone mentions something like Stars are Blind they're thought of as either a contrarian or ironic. It's as though nobody can 'genuinely' like this stuff. Personally, I could never fully trust the taste of anyone who doesn't believe that Sister Sledge's 'Lost in Music' is one of the greatest works of art of the 20th century.

Anyway, for the record the two greatest pop songs ever are (Lost in Music aside):

1.The Angels' 'My Boyfriend's Back'.





2. Dion's 'Runaround Sue'

 

So that's THAT settled then.

cathy denis' second alb8um "am I the kind of girl" is pretty fantastic pop. blackstreet no diggity, anything the ronettes ever did, noone should be without abbas greatest hits and bloc party are pretty sweet too. oh shit, and CSS are mind bogglingly good pop, if this was thread to gather suggestions for a purchase then css will definately brighten your day.

I concur. I know full well that Mr & B/ Iain are just trying to get a rise out of me because they're jealous of my fine, fine ass, but you have a good point that I'd direct elsewhere - there's a terrific amount of boorishness that surrounds music discussion which ignores the fact that music can just be simple and fun and something to dance around to, unironically and in a state of joy. I absolutely adore watching my little relatives dancing around without a care in the world to whatever they're into - and it should be noted, my neice is the only person I've ever seen dancing to Merzbow. Pop is not a dirty word, but I would concur when pop is equated to cynical money-making schemes like Westlife or the Spice Girls. It's very much a knife-edge argument - I have no idea why I absolutely adore Girls Aloud and think Boyzone are shit - but pop music can be some of the most exciting, life-affirming music out there that is enjoyed entirely un-pretentiously and without consideration for how 'important' (or whatever) it is. Again, the people calling me contrarian are very much not cunts, but there are a few people, some on this board, who treat rock/ pop as if it's some sort of rigorous academic discipline. Pop is fun, and ocassionally other things, but little else.

Anyway, after reading this thread yesterday I finally got round to watching the umbrella video, and I say crikey.

Also - Sophie Ellis Bextor has, once again, produced a brilliant song that's going to get ignored because she's got a terrible promotional team behind her. It's called today the sun's on us. Winner.

nancy sinatra
shes one of my favorites
the shangri-las
both have fantastic songs. plus each has one brilliant avant pop single
(NS's Lightnings girl, the SLS' leader of the pack)

The Shins!!!!!!

That sounds a little contradictory coming from you, though. And all purely for the fact that you seem to have a penchant for intellectualizing any music at any given turn. Apart from that, I agree with most of what you say on the above post. Music is there to be enjoyed, not just used as a weapon to make you look cool. Ah, the joys of thinking the obvious! In any case, this continuous over-analizing music is more a British malaise than anything. As far as I'm concerned it goes so far as to make music listeners feel ill, sometimes.

I agree that there's little need to intellectualise pop, so long as that doesn't lead to a simple trivialisation of it. Pop music is also capable of making quite insightful statements. Bernie Taupin's lyrics for Elton John are often quite brilliant in this respect (Rocket Man, for example). Where it differs from other, more 'intellectual' types of music is that it makes its statement in a very direct and accessible fashion.

Also, the artists themselves often have just as much integrity regarding their work as you'll find in other types of music. I don't think anyone would doubt that someone like Phil Spector took what he did very seriously indeed.

You're right, I can at times be the worst. In my defence I do recognise a necessary schism in both my own appreciation of music and other people's, to wit, there is such a thing as music which may be intellectualised (concurrent to pop, I'm listening to a lot of heavy classical things at the moment); there exists such a music as could be intellectualised (some very fleeting instances of rock music); there exists such a music as should very carefully and rarely be intellectualised (pop).

I realise this is a somewhat inane post, but felt it necessary nonetheless.

I ask myself, do you turds actually have the time to listen to music, instead of babbling about it all the time? Your opinions are very tiring sometimes. :)

You either like something, or you don't. Carry on.

That's what I was trying to explain to Glice taken to the worst possible ending. There is nothing wrong talking about music or writing about it, for as long as there is something intelligent or insightful to say about it. Second, if those opinions are so tiring, why the fuck do you read them, then? Third, I think there hasn't been a single day in my life when I didn't get up listening to music or went to bed with it in the background, how about that?

Fair enough. As to why I read this stuff? A lot of the times, I find these sort of threads very interesting, but sometimes I get the feeling that people argue just for the sake of arguing. Pushing your idea of what you personally consider good/bad music will only lead to pointless discussions. The only thing you can do, is make the information available. One of the main reasons why I hardly ever make a comment about music is because it's only my opinion, and means shit to anyone else.

Like the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
Let people decide for themselves.

Ps: I appreciate that you always reply to my posts.

My constant frustration is that I'd like to explain things in a decent fashion, but as soon as a post goes beyond x words, people switch off or say it's pretentious. Stick to saying cock, that's probably my lot in life.

Hehe. Cock [IT HASN'T BEEN FUNNY FOR MONTHS].

yeah, right.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

for me it's even more boring if you have to talk about it in a foreign language. time wasted for nothing.

Who says that humor doesn't belong in music?
For Glice, Sarra and anyone else who needs a good laugh from time to time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-MYVv4tgQc

HeHe!

Yeah, right.

I see what you mean. That's why I rarely participate in any serious discussion for more than a few posts. The way you put a point across on a messageboard is too disrupted by myriad inane 'Awesomes' or 'I Hate Its' to really keep concentration at bay.

You mean you couldn't even see the humor in that? You're just a hater man! You're just a hater. :D
I've given up to try and please you

Ok, Tokolosh. Whatever.

Agreed. It's a lot easier in person, methinks. Which reminds me, I'm due a trip up to the big gay smoke at some point, must catch up for a pint.

I don't know if they have already been mentioned here, but The Human League are great.

Their first two albums, "Reproduction" and "Travelogue" are very different from the later stuff (very dark). But the later stuff is fantastic too (especially "Dare"). I'm not typically a fan of "80's music", but I do love these guys/girls.