I'll just take The Zac Brown Band or Eric Church.

Perfect example of why Nashville — where 5 or 6 people write 95 percent of the hit songs — sucks.

 

Assuming you are not exaggerating too much, if those guys/gals make a residual off each album sale and possibly each play on the radio, those are 5 or 6 extremely wealthy song writers. Not saying that makes their songs good, just thinking about the money these people must make.

Assuming you are not exaggerating too much, if those guys/gals make a residual off each album sale and possibly each play on the radio, those are 5 or 6 extremely wealthy song writers. Not saying that makes their songs good, just thinking about the money these people must make.

 

Diane Warren, who writes cheeseball songs that get recorded across all genres, is worth $60 million. She's had her hands in more than a few of the Nashville lowlights.

I'll just take The Zac Brown Band or Eric Church.

 

And Sundy Best, Sturgill Simpson, Jamey Johnson, Jason Isbell, Trampled By Turtles, Reckless Kelly, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Corey Smith, Son Volt, Drake White, Hank III, Grayson Capps, Kacey Musgraves, Tedeschi Trucks, Kevin Fowler, Gunnar and The Grizzly Boys, Ryan Bingham, Son Volt, and Whiskey Myers to name a few others.

Since I am a fan of all kinds of music, I would offer that much music, includes classics has a formulaic basis. I took a music theory and a music-writing class (not song-writing) many years ago. From the musical standpoint, there are many pretty basic progressions and rythms that one could say are common in many songs whether country rock or not. There are common constructions for chords and chord progression that, when NOT followed, create some strange sounds....try a major 7th. The current, pop-country is big money, so it make sense that the producers and money people get involved just as they did in the British invasion in the 60's and create acts and market them to the public. Out of that, we get some good and some not so good.

I forgot Cory Morrow

And Sundy Best, Sturgill Simpson, Jamey Johnson, Jason Isbell, Trampled By Turtles, Reckless Kelly, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Corey Smith, Son Volt, Drake White, Hank III, Grayson Capps, Kacey Musgraves, Tedeschi Trucks, Kevin Fowler, Gunnar and The Grizzly Boys, Ryan Bingham, Son Volt, and Whiskey Myers to name a few others.

 

I enjoy a few of those too. :thumb:

For the record, I don't have a definition of "good music." I either like it or I do not and it can be formulaic or it can be groundbreaking. It's just a vibe I get. It's either good or it's not.

For the record' date=' I don't have a definition of "good music." I either like it or I do not and it can be formulaic or it can be groundbreaking. It's just a vibe I get. It's either good or it's not.[/quote']

 

I'm with you, and there isn't much worse than somebody telling you that the song/music you like sucks because it doesn't meet their standards.

I'm with you, and there isn't much worse than somebody telling you that the song/music you like sucks because it doesn't meet their standards.

 

Got a hypothetical for you:

 

Suppose your friend is using sandpaper-quality toilet paper. They think it's the greatest thing in the world. It leaves you totally puzzled, until you find out they are totally unaware of any other brands.

 

Wouldn't you, as a friend, try to steer them toward the good stuff, like Cottonnelle? Isn't that the right thing to do for a friend, if for no other reason than to save them from years of painful abrasions to their backside?

Got a hypothetical for you:

 

Suppose your friend is using sandpaper-quality toilet paper. They think it's the greatest thing in the world. It leaves you totally puzzled, until you find out they are totally unaware of any other brands.

 

Wouldn't you, as a friend, try to steer them toward the good stuff, like Cottonnelle? Isn't that the right thing to do for a friend, if for no other reason than to save them from years of painful abrasions to their backside?

 

Lol

 

I think "good" music to some people is like award winning movies. To some, the Oscar winning 5 star movies are not appealing, they prefer movie that the "experts" bashed but still did well with the General public. With music, similar types probably enjoy music the music snobs call mass produced music and fall asleep to the independent, original "better" music. I see both sides.

Lol

 

I think "good" music to some people is like award winning movies. To some, the Oscar winning 5 star movies are not appealing, they prefer movie that the "experts" bashed but still did well with the General public. With music, similar types probably enjoy music the music snobs call mass produced music and fall asleep to the independent, original "better" music. I see both sides.

 

I might argue that most folks never hear the "better" music.

Lol

 

I think "good" music to some people is like award winning movies. To some, the Oscar winning 5 star movies are not appealing, they prefer movie that the "experts" bashed but still did well with the General public. With music, similar types probably enjoy music the music snobs call mass produced music and fall asleep to the independent, original "better" music. I see both sides.

 

Not a knock, but with a lot of people it's not simply just about the music as it is what bigger group of the masses that it makes them feel "in with", or a part of.

 

It might be what they're sharing with their friends, or what makes them reflect back to a time when they were younger, and might remind them of fun times.

 

If it's popular music that a larger portion of the general public are aware of, then it can make some people feel "with it".

 

On the other hand, counter culture types might prefer listening to stuff that the masses are unaware of for a variety of reasons, such as the music itself tends to be more original where the artists are not trying to formulate it for the masses, but for their own artistic expression.

 

Some enjoy feeling the sense of individuality that comes with listening to stuff that they're certain that the masses are unaware of, and can make them have a sense of being "with it", but only in a cutting edge, not so mainstream, sorta way.

 

Some like to, or feel more in line with a part of the public that is more interested in an underground world than jumping on the train that the majority are on. A road less travelled, if you will, is what stimulates them, while they can find mainstream dull and unadventurous.

 

If you introduce underground stuff to a mainstream minded person, they typically have no interest in it, even if it's tasty music, if they're under the impression that it will never be heard by the masses, so they'll feel it a waste of their time because it won't make them feel "with it" with the general mainstream public.

 

I used to work with a guy that found me to be odd and was always rolling his eyes at my musical taste, while his collection of jams was always always always mainstream as it made him feel a part of something big, while at times I found his unadventurous and shallow because while he thought that he was being individualistic, certain music didn't pass his approval until it proved to be mainstream enough.

 

Underground people are typically exposed to mainstream music all the time because it's simply hard to ignore it if it's everywhere around you.

 

While some need the approval of the masses, some enjoy not needing it and enjoying a sound that feels all their own.

 

Some are not caught up one way or another whether or not it's mainstream or underground, and just dig what they dig no matter what, just simply because they dig it.

 

I'll freely admit that I personally am a bit of the underground person that enjoys the sense of individuality, however I too am very much into just enjoying what I like no matter mainstream or underground.

 

I'll use one mainstream tune that really caught my attention a couple of years ago that was for me a good example of something that I found artistically original and it didn't matter to me at all that it became a massive hit because I just really liked the song.

 

Gotye's "Somebody that I used to know".

 

It actually surprised me a bit that the mainstream world took to it and that it was fed to them.

 

It seemed a bit like a tune that would've typically had stayed within the underground, sadly unheard ranks, however I assume through good marketing, got heard and was appreciated by the masses, which tells me that there's a ton of other underground mostly unheard music as well floating around out there that could easily be appreciated by the masses, but they won't touch it if it doesn't get the almighty anointing of radio air play.

 

Good and Bad music is a bit hard to define exactly, and no doubt what people dig is a good driving force behind why they listen to it, but I feel a huge portion of people also include with their choices, whether they're aware of it or not, is how it makes them feel in relationship to others, be it mainstream or underground.

Not a knock, but with a lot of people it's not simply just about the music as it is what bigger group of the masses that it makes them feel "in with", or a part of.

 

It might be what they're sharing with their friends, or what makes them reflect back to a time when they were younger, and might remind them of fun times.

 

If it's popular music that a larger portion of the general public are aware of, then it can make some people feel "with it".

 

On the other hand, counter culture types might prefer listening to stuff that the masses are unaware of for a variety of reasons, such as the music itself tends to be more original where the artists are not trying to formulate it for the masses, but for their own artistic expression.

 

Some enjoy feeling the sense of individuality that comes with listening to stuff that they're certain that the masses are unaware of, and can make them have a sense of being "with it", but only in a cutting edge, not so mainstream, sorta way.

 

Some like to, or feel more in line with a part of the public that is more interested in an underground world than jumping on the train that the majority are on. A road less travelled, if you will, is what stimulates them, while they can find mainstream dull and unadventurous.

 

If you introduce underground stuff to a mainstream minded person, they typically have no interest in it, even if it's tasty music, if they're under the impression that it will never be heard by the masses, so they'll feel it a waste of their time because it won't make them feel "with it" with the general mainstream public.

 

I used to work with a guy that found me to be odd and was always rolling his eyes at my musical taste, while his collection of jams was always always always mainstream as it made him feel a part of something big, while at times I found his unadventurous and shallow because while he thought that he was being individualistic, certain music didn't pass his approval until it proved to be mainstream enough.

 

Underground people are typically exposed to mainstream music all the time because it's simply hard to ignore it if it's everywhere around you.

 

While some need the approval of the masses, some enjoy not needing it and enjoying a sound that feels all their own.

 

Some are not caught up one way or another whether or not it's mainstream or underground, and just dig what they dig no matter what, just simply because they dig it.

 

I'll freely admit that I personally am a bit of the underground person that enjoys the sense of individuality, however I too am very much into just enjoying what I like no matter mainstream or underground.

 

I'll use one mainstream tune that really caught my attention a couple of years ago that was for me a good example of something that I found artistically original and it didn't matter to me at all that it became a massive hit because I just really liked the song.

 

Gotye's "Somebody that I used to know".

 

It actually surprised me a bit that the mainstream world took to it and that it was fed to them.

 

It seemed a bit like a tune that would've typically had stayed within the underground, sadly unheard ranks, however I assume through good marketing, got heard and was appreciated by the masses, which tells me that there's a ton of other underground mostly unheard music as well floating around out there that could easily be appreciated by the masses, but they won't touch it if it doesn't get the almighty anointing of radio air play.

 

Good and Bad music is a bit hard to define exactly, and no doubt what people dig is a good driving force behind why they listen to it, but I feel a huge portion of people also include with their choices, whether they're aware of it or not, is how it makes them feel in relationship to others, be it mainstream or underground.

 

Why do I feel like I've just been psychoanalyzed?

Why do I feel like I've just been psychoanalyzed?

 

I was sorta psychoanalyzing myself, but happy to know that it rubbed off onto you.

 

The good news is that you've got the underground Louisville area covered, and I'm taking care of my duties here in the Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati region.

 

It's hard and sometimes lonely work man, but somebody's gotta do it.

 

All that originality does at times quietly manage to bleed its way into the mainstream to at least keep them honest and moving forward whether they're aware of it or not. If not for the underground, popular culture however formulated it may seem, would just completely stagnate.

 

The visionaries, however never given due credit, keep that undertow rolling.

 

Progressive originality forever, stagnation never.