Beach Boys vs. Beastie Boys
 

Who do you prefer? I'm just curious...

The Beach Boys.

i prefer the Beach.

beastie boys for sure.

if i had to choose only one? beastie boys

I'm going to be shot for this.

If you're comparing 'experimental' to 'mainstream' (a generic and fallible comparison as it is, so take this all with a grain of salt), in many cases, producing something commercially successful is much more difficult to do.

If you cut away all the bullshit, experimental music is a license for free rein. You have no standards up to which your music is held, no precedents to follow, and no structure to adhere to. You can throw together any combination of sound and method and conceivably fall into the experimental category. Granted, some artists produce more aurally intriguing work than others, but by definition of 'experimental,' any asshole can say, "Right, this sounds weird, I'm like, creative 'n that."

You venture into popular music, and there are (albeit misguided at times) definitive standards and structures there. Very few artists churn out popular music that has substance enough to be both massively appealing and stand the test of time. While some of the elements that result in this - memorable lyrics, catchy bass lines, momentous guitar riffs, etc. - seem stock, it is in actuality quite difficult to make a truly "good" popular album. Think of how few rock, pop, and rap artists have longevity within their respective genres.

This is why I pick the Beastie Boys. Not only did they forge some serious new frontiers with 'white rap,' but they consistently put out good albums. They retained the core of their style, musically evolving over time without either straying too much from their roots or stagnating. They were and still are popular for all the right reasons, and this is an almost unheard of feat achieved by musicians, regardless of genre.

the beach boys! i'm sorry to say i own most of their albums and have even seen them live with only mike love from the original line up! i should definitely be shot for this!

I'll go for the Beastie ones

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You shouldn't be ashamed to be a fan of one of (if not THE) greatest pop acts ever.

I prefer the Beach Boys. Not because i dislike them Beastie Boys, Sabotage was one of the greatest songs of the 90's, but i just like The Beach Boys better.

I can't compare them. I love them both.

beastie boys all the way

the beach boys,

surf > rap anyday....

Beach Boys! Pet Sounds is one of my all time favorite albums.

And I love the Beastie Boys!!!

This one isn't even close.

I think you're right about pop music, but the Beach Boys certainly paved as much in the ways of music as the Beastie Boys did. Brian Wilson was pretty revolutionary, and with his come back he shows that it wasn't a temporary thing. I saw him recently on his first tour and it was impressive, to say the least.

hard to say, but probably beach boys just for pet sounds. Though paul's boutiqe is my favorite rap album.

The Beastie Boys because they have good morals, I prefer their music, and because, as truncated rightly hints, they refuse the pop music demon of languishing egoism.