Given that fact, I would submit to you that regardless of one’s personal tastes, anyone who ever “made it” in the music business does NOT in fact suck because they worked extremely hard to get there.(yes even Lady O’Gaga) This simple fact is one that is often overlooked by critics and let’s face it, if they were ever to accept this simple truth, they wouldn’t have a job.
So it is a matter of opinion , and it is a matter of taste. Even though I agree with about 90% of the list that was cobbled together by our esteemed co-editors, I would never go out of my way to convince anybody that they listen to bad music. Chiefly because they are only going to dig in their heels to disagree. Moreover, how can anything that makes anybody feel good and celebrate life in this otherwise horseshit world be bad?
So yeah, I listened to Nickleback and I do in fact want my nickel back for doing so. But that’s just me. I will never , ever be a Journey fan but one simply cannot ignore that their music speaks to millions of people. They trend too much towards the melodramatic for me personally, but there is no doubt that it is well written and immaculately performed. Even as someone who would not recommend them ever to anybody, I would still begrudgingly admit that the ride cymbal section towards the end of “Any Way You Want It” is one of the most bitching grooves ever recorded. Even Steve Perry’s annoying warbling cannot ruin it.
Led Zeppelin, now this is where the big boss follows his typical MO which is to go as far out of his way as possible to be controversial. I haven’t exactly figured out why yet, but it’s either to try and get 100 dissenters to post comments (a’la Kings Of Leon) or to try and get a rise out of me. Probably both. Cause he’s the same guy who will fall over himself praising the output of all the gangster rappers that display just as much of an “abysmal lifestyle” as they go around toting guns and beating up women.
Jimmy Page was known to knock a few chicks around, but he never worked that uncorrected personality trait into his music, know what I mean? There’s no “bitches” or “ho’s” in any Zeppelin lyrics. Plus they were smart enough to let their manager do the gun-toting FOR them, which was why three of them are still alive. It’s no secret that Robert Plant was a shitty lyricist, but you can’t understand what he’s saying half the time anyway, and that’s probably by design.
With the Zep, it’s all about the backbeat and the groove. The pulsating steam train that was John Bonham’s drums along with Page taking Les Paul’s influence to the ninth degree by layering multiple guitar and bass parts on top of each other, resulting in some of the most remarkable music ever made by anybody. Now, if you want to say that the same dozen or so Zeppelin songs that have been played to death by radio have outlasted their welcome I’d be right there with you. I NEVER need to hear “Stairway To Heaven” or “Rock And Roll” ever again. But by the same token, “Achilles Last Stand” never really got played enough by those FM radio clowns, and you simply can’t appreciate the guitar riff from “Black Dog” as the genius songwriting that it is until you actually sit down behind a guitar and figure it out.
I never did like Counting Crows, but back in the Syd Barrett days, Pink Floyd refused to perform “See Emily Play” live as well. So I actually GIVE THEM CREDIT for this.
I also hate Bob Seger, but it’s common knowledge that before he sold out he created some of the greatest rock music to ever come out of Detroit, MI. Check out his early stuff, really. It’s still not my cuppa, but the power is undeniable.
Green Day- again , I hate them too, and of course their music is derivative, but if they steered even the most minute percentage of the kids that love them towards Husker Du, The Replacements, or The Minutemen, then their existence is more than validated.
Lastly, I simply cannot believe that U2 didn’t make their way onto either one of your lists! You two are really slacking off!