Alyoshka

I'll never understand why it is that so many people oppose Tori Amos. I know her music can be dark, but I think she is honest with her lyrics, intelligent, and a very talented musician. Despite this, there are many people who literally hate Tori Amos's music.

Is there anyone you can't understand why people hate?

Jepthah

I can understand Tori. She gets under the skin, her vocal and musical style has a 'pinprick' aspect to it. Can't elaborate beyond that.

I'll never understand the hatred and/or indifference toward the great Captain Beefheart. While he gets his props among certain musical quarters, most people would consider at least some of his landmark records to be 'room-clearing music.'

das Monkey

Same here ... I enjoy Tori Amos, but it's easy to understand why someone would find her sound akin to fingernails on a chalkboard. She just has one of those "sounds."

das

Gdrlv

Count me as another one who likes Tori but understands why many don't.

I don't understand why a lot of people don't like Phish. Sure, their music takes some patience to get into, particularly the jam aspect of it. However, there's no other band that plays with as many musical styles as well as they do. At any given show, you can hear funk, balls-out rock, jazz, bluegrass, electronica, metal, singer-songwriter type ballads, prog rock and more. Sure, some of their fans can be pretty annoying, particularly when they only come to the shows to get as f**ked up as possible, but the band is so likeable...part of me wishes more would give 'em an honest try. However, in the end, more fans would probably only screw up their scene even more than it is right now...

Another for me is Bob Dylan. I know he's revered by many, but I know a lot of people who can't stand him. Many people say it's his voice that bugs them, but I think his voice is perfect for the stuff he does. Plus, it's hard for me to even entertain arguments that he's not the best American songwriter of the past 50 years.

Finally, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. I don't know anyone who loves this band as much as I do. They practically created the blueprint for the White Stripes and the Strokes and wipe the floor with either of those bands. A few years ago, I used to tell people that JSBX was the last real rock n' roll band. Sure, it's an act, but it's a damned good one, and nobody's going to convince me that Orange isn't one of the best pure rock albums of the past 10 years.

Hollowgen

agreed, gdrlv.

i notice that Rasputina doesn't seem to get positive or any attention at all. if more people would spend time to take in the extreme uniqueness of a strings & chamber music rock band, they would be surprised at just how cool these gals sound.

jkcarter

Neil Young
Living in the south, I am amazed after all these years he's still hated for that whole Southern Man, Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd thing. Hell, hollywood even made certain they included "the verse" in the movie Sweet Home Alabama"

Alyoshka

I thought of another one, Warren Zevon. I'm not sure why more people don't like him. Many people that I know loathe his music. I can't figure that out at all.

Josh H

None. Music is totally subjective. No matter how much I like an artists, I totally understand that others will hate them.

Everyone's favorite artists is someone else's most hated and vice versa.

Saying that it's unfathomable that someone can't stand an artist you like is pretty elitist IMO, and I can't stand when people have elitist attitudes over things as banal as entertainment/art that are totally subjective.

mordecai

It's funny because Lyrnyrd Skynyrd have never done a thing that comes close to Young's high points.

Goat3001

My sister hates Led Zeppelin but likes a lot of classic rock like it, and I'll never understand that.

atlantamoi

I guess any band has it's haters. While I don't hate Tori Amos I doubt I'd even want her music for free. Maybe listen once to see if it's different. At first, I was miffed she was becoming popular while Kate Bush goes ignored in this country. I'm not sure I ever got over that. (I felt the same way about Sarah McLachlan when she first started... thought she was a Sinead clone, but today I think Sarah is better).

I love Jon Spencer!

Alyoshka

uhhhh...

I think you're taking this thread a little too seriously Josh. It's just another discussion topic. I'm not suggesting that anyone is less because they don't like artist X. Just that I wonder why more people don't like that artist.

I think everyone in the world understands that music is subjective, so that not everyone will love a musician. But that doesn't change the fact that people are still curious as to where beauty originates. Why one type of music is prefered over another...etc.

Toad

Sounds like you have an "elitist" attitude toward those who you charge as being "elitist." Especially if you were using "banal" to mean dull and boring.

tommyp007

I'll give you 2 that I love that are polar opposites but are geniuses in there genre....Lyle Lovett and Prince. My 2 fave artists, and none (or few) of my friends understand it at all.....