Taylor Hicks performs on the PBS Special, A Capitol Fourth. “Soul Thing”, “Dancing in the Dark” and “This Land is Your Land” are right after the JUMP…
Soul Thing:
Dancing in the Dark:
This Land is Your Land:
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You are very wrong in your statements. People are influenced on what to buy on what’s considered “cool” and popular. And Taylor’s last CD was not considered “cool music” - not by a longshot!
Some people are. Other people, despite what the Clive Davises of the world would have us believe, are still capable of exercising independent thought. But isn’t there a difference between “cool” music and “good” music, or even between “uncool” music and “bad” music? I mean, it’s possible that a lot of people didn’t buy Taylor’s CD because it received no radio airplay or because it just…wasn’t very good — not because they heard from someone that it was “uncool.” There is also a lot of music out there that is considered hip and popular, but which, well, sucks. And we all have our own independent opinions about which music falls into which category.
But when we try to get into quantifying these things, we run into problems, because everyone’s opinions are different. So I have to respectfully disagree about my statements being “wrong,” because there is no Law of the Land governing coolness. It’s not written into the Constitution. As I stated before, what’s cool today will not be cool tomorrow. Our children will mock us as horribly uncool for listening to Fergie, Daughtry, and Rihanna.
Well, if no radio stations wanted to play it - what does that tell you? That music is AC music. AC music is background music for offices. Why don’t you face it? The music was bad!
Radio plays a LOT of bad music. What ClearChannel’s opinion of “bad” vs. “good” music is is not my personal opinion of what bad and good music is — thank God. As for “facing the fact that the music was bad” — that’s your opinion. It’s my opinion that Taylor’s last CD was not that great, although it wasn’t horrible. And there are a lot of people out there who really, legitimately enjoyed it.
We all have our own opinions, but the fact that you and I didn’t think the CD was that great doesn’t detract from someone else’s opinion that it was. It’s a highly subjective thing, music taste. In this area, there are no “facts.”
Radio plays whats popular - PERIOD! There is an audience that they cater to and that audience is NOT middle-age women!!! You might not like it, but that’s the way it is. It’s the same reason Clay Aiken does not get played - that music is NOT considered “cool”. His demographic is NOT considered cool!
I think we all know this. My contention is that just because it’s popular doesn’t mean it’s good, and vice versa.
This holds true for POP radio. There are many other stations and genres out there that cater to different audiences.
Except that it’s NOT the way it is. I can turn on my XM radio and get hundreds of channels that play more than current pop music and don’t cater to high schoolers. Or I can turn on my community radio station and get awesome independent music that will never make it onto Ryan Seacrest’s radio station. That music might never be popular and it might never sell millions, but it’s out there, and it’s out there to the extent that entire radio stations can devote themselves to playing that kind of music. I suppose that makes me horribly, terribly, irredeemably uncool. But it also makes me very, very happy.
But neither of us is going to change the other’s opinion. I hope that you find (or have found) artists who make music that you like — AND who are cool. :) In any event, it was fun chatting with you!
“Radio plays whats popular - PERIOD! There is an audience that they cater to and that audience is NOT middle-age women!!! You might not like it, but that’s the way it is.”
This isnt entirely true - I have been in Television or radio advertising for 6 years now and the demo group that we shoot for is 18-49 adults. We want the people who hold jobs and can afford to Purchase our “products” watching and listening and that includes middle aged women and men
I like what I like as far as music goes. I sure don’t wait for someone to let me know if it’s “cool” or not. That’s the problem with a lot of things going on in the country now. No one wants to make their own decisions. Just wait and let the crowd tell you what to believe in. Sorry, but this whole “cool” or “uncool’ thing as though one is good and one is bad really gets me riled up.
BTW I think Taylor is “cool”.
Wow, that’s a really rude statement. I don’t put up with childish rants here. More posts like this, glamour and YOU ARE BANNED. Read the guidelines:
http://mjsbigblog.com/?page_id=1172
Thank the lord we don’t all like the same kind of music. Trite but true…doesn’t it make the world a more interesting place? And hey, this is coming from a professional, semi-hip 30-something woman who doesn’t listen to radio because she feels pretty bloody disenfranchised by the whole industry. If you go for so called ‘cool’ music, great, enjoy the fact that it’s all over top 40 & MTV…and if you don’t, that’s cool too. Success is measured in different ways. Any artist who can make a living through their art is a success in my book, nevermind if they’re at the top of the pyramid.
Rather than trying to convince someone the music they like is bad, can’t we just agree we all love music and revel in that together? Nah, guess that was back in the 70’s. ;)
So, let me make sure I have this straight - it’s been a little difficult to keep up. Is it just middle-aged women that are perpetually uncool? Do they also have to be married to be uncool? And, can they be cool if they have jobs? Since it appears that the ultimate in uncoolness is the middle-aged housewife.
I enjoy seeing Taylor perform, regardless of how unfashionable that may make me. I’m not 40 yet, so maybe there’s still hope for me? Nah, I’ve been married a while, so I guess I lost my cool factor long ago.
Glamour, at some point, if they’re lucky, all women hit middle age. And ya know what - they can still miraculously be contributing members of society. Some of them also choose to get married and stop working to raise their children. And in my opinion, there is nothing about that that makes them worthless as people. And, most of them are far too busy to give a shit if DJ’s and blog posters think they’re totally uncool.
Exactly, SpenserJ — especially those of us with big fat check books — I have my *own* money, and I’m not afraid to spend it on what I like.
Thank God I’m old enough to not care about what’s cool. I also know what I like and don’t have to have some DJ (who doesn’t even get to pick his own music btw) tell me what I’m supposed to like because it’s cool. They wonder why radio is dying? I don’t. The stuff on popular stations is crap.
That right there pretty much sums it up.
Have you ever noticed that the people who worry the most about what’s cool are less cool than the people who don’t think much about it and just do their own thing?
As to Taylor’s fanbase, I would say the die hards are mostly women 35-60. Practically every artist that comes from American Idol has a predominately female fanbase anyway, and Taylor is no exception. His fanbase happens to skew older because he performs a style of music that these women grew up on - a mixture of sixties and seventies rock and soul. He has the showmanship that these women are familiar with, from Elvis, to Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart, and Freddie Mercury. These women have seen cool bands come and go. They know the difference in what is perceived to be cool today, and what they know has proven to be classic. As a lifelong (female) music fan who has followed music since the sixties, I strongly believe Taylor is a classic. He’s never been “cool” and I hope he never attempts to be. What I do notice is a lot of male fans are more open to Taylor than most Idol alums, they just aren’t as uh…intense.
Generally speaking, middle-age women in America are not considered to be cool. That’s not an insult, btw. When I reach middle-age, I don’t expect to be cool and I’m fine with that.
The “throw-back” idol went back too far! That’s the reason for the older fanbase, so i agree with you hoodathunk.
What Hicksaholic said is how I feel too. I like what I like, my teens like what they like. No matter how much a song or artist is pushed to appear the “coolest” none of us will listen to it or purchase it if we dont like it. The “sorry but you will have to just accept it that no one caters to middle aged women” completely offends me.” Ah young one, believe me you will still be considered “cool” when you are middle aged if you live and love your life with an open mind like this completely “cool” middle aged woman. There is hope for you too Glamour.
Who’s to say it’s “too far”? If he’s enjoying the music he’s making, earning a living and happy with that, there’s no reason for him to change his sound or his hair colour. Maybe you or the pop music industry would find him more appealing, but that’s hardly the point. Taylor and his place of personal happiness is the only thing in this equation that matters, perceptions be damned.
What’s considered “cool” is highly subjective. My teenaged nieces, and their friends, for instance, find Top 40 music highly HIGHLY uncool. The older girl listens to indie bands and the younger one loves classic rock AND emo.
Oh, and neither will ever read this, because they BOTH think American Idol sucks. lol.
So really, what the hell is this argument about?
Well, if he’s happy, i guess that’s what’s really important. i’m not exactly sure what his goals were by winning AI. i would imagine he wanted to be a superstar, have hit songs, sell CDs (that’s the only way to get his voice heard, btw), sell out concerts and have world-wide fame, but if he’s happy where he is, good for him. i’m still willing to give him a chance with his next CD, but i will not buy unless i love it and it gets good reviews. i’m not interested in buyin a cd of oldies music. If i want to buy that stuff, then i will buy it from the original artists that did it much better.
So if you love the CD but it gets poor reviews, you will not buy it?
Fair enough. But generally speaking, a lot of middle-aged women do not consider teenage girls to be cool, no matter how cool they *think* they are. Ah, the circle of life, it moves us all. :)
If it gets poor reviews, no, I will not buy it. If i like a few songs, i will most likely download the songs i like.
Generally speaking, most people stop thinking about what is and is not cool in high school. And - I believe when someone calls someone else “uncool”, they are indeed attempting to be insulting. Although, typically people over the age of 20 with any sense of self-awareness whatsoever are pretty much immune to that lame of an insult.
Gross generalities are problematic because they attempt to define people by such minute criteria. The fact that someone may enjoy a certain artist or a certain song really says nothing about them. It’s just so weird to me to make something like this seem so important.
For me, I think once you begin to no longer care what may or may not be cool, once you start to make decisions based on what you want, not what your friends think, that’s when life really starts to get good. That’s the beauty of getting older - defining your life on your own terms - not giving a rat’s ass what everyone else thinks - and just doing whatever the hell you want. And, from where I sit, that’s pretty fucking cool.
That saddens me. Your opinion should be more important than the opinions of reviewers or friends. Why let someone else’s tastes dictate yours? Well, IMO, of course.
SpenserJ, good for you. Unfortunately, society doesn’t look at it that way. Younger people are always looked upon for fresh ideas. It’s always been that way. i remember an intervew that Susan Sarandon gave on one of the talk shows how she is not offered the roles anymore that she used to get. we all age - there’s nothing anybody can do about it. i plan on aging gracefully and i’m not going to pretend that i’m cool when i’m not cool.
i don’t spend money on music i don’t like, sorry and music reviews are important to me.
SpenserJ, I think I love you. You say things the way I wish I could! We must both be very uncool. :)
Clearly, this is why teenagers hold political office and run the world’s most successful corporations.
Then you will not be aging gracefully, IMO. But Glamour — and I think we’re all assuming that you’re a young woman here — you will be surprised how your opinions will change when you reach the “uncool” age and realize that your life doesn’t have to be dictated by some VJ on MTV or by the cheerleading squad at your high school telling you what’s cool and what’s not cool. It will be a wonderful experience.
I realize that at your age you probably have “uncool” adults telling you this every single day, but somehow I predict that, as articulate as you are at your age right now, you will not look in the mirror one day and simply acquiesce to your “uncool” status. ;-)
Maybe that’s what’s wrong with this country. :)
I have no idea how i will age. but, my parents look very good for their ages!
I think what’s cool changes as we age. I certainly think my friend Spense is the coolest person in Tampa. :=)
I don’t spend money on music I don’t like, either. However, I figure that out for myself, rather then let reviewers dictate my tastes.
LOL, I can see it now…as its first order of business, the Middle School Congress rewrites the First Amendment as such:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, unless, of course, such speaker or journalist is deemed by the Middle School Congress to be uncool, in which case, they shall have absolutely no rights to freedom; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Yeah, but are they COOL?!?!?
Like i said, when i’m middle age, i don’t plan on being cool and it will not bother me in the least.
Parents are NEVER cool.
Something tells me your opinion on that subject will be drastically different in ten years.
LOL. You ARE young, aren’t you? ;-)
i usually agree with music reviews. i have bought cd’s w/o bothering to read reviews - big mistake!
No, it won’t. i’m 27, not married. in 10 years, i will be married with children - i could care less about being cool at 37.
If you are 27 years old and you are still influenced by what’s “cool” and what’s “not cool” to the point where it dictates the choices you make in entertainment and in life, then I am simply at a loss for words.
i like to be cool. what’s wrong with that? at 27, i am not old!!
Could we keep this conversation NON-PERSONAL and ON TOPIC? If it continues in this vein, I’m closing comments.
In fact, the cut off is HERE. Get back to talking about Taylor Hicks, NOT what you think of each other.
I think any artist wants to reach out and touch as many people as possible (as a visual artist, I desire the same thing), but if ’superstardom’ comes at the cost of your own taste in music, then selling out probably isn’t an option a lot of artists are willing to take. “Fame” just for the sake of fame is only vaulable to people like Paris Hilton, imo.
[edited] I think my parents are very cool. They are helping to support me through grad school. My dad has excellent taste in music and we share CDs all the time. He has taught me to keep a very open mind to all types of music. I hope to be as cool as he is someday.
Whoops sorry MJ. I posted before I read your warning.
BTW, my dad likes Under The Radar but not the new CD. Maybe he is not so cool after all, LOL.
You’re pretty freaking cool yourself girlfriend.
EDIT - sorry mj - I must have been posting at the same time you were! All done here :)
Sorry MJ - me too - I think I was blabbing on and on as you wrote that
the bottom line is i’m pretty sure his new cd’s won’t be very successful. just judging from his current “situation”.
first week sales will be less than 50k…yes my crystal ball told me…
But here is the question — so what? Those of us who listen to it and like it will buy it, and we (well, most of us) won’t throw it away when the numbers are released and it fails to sell 500,000 copies. Taylor will probably continue to tour small venues, and his fans will continue to go see him. Neither he nor his followers will commit suicide or submit themselves for a public stoning because of his lack of “success” or over his or our uncool status.
Life will go on, a new Idol will be crowned, crappy new music will continue to get played on the radio station, and independent artists a lot more interesting and talented than Taylor (and some less interesting and less talented) will come and go. Taylor will be there in the middle of it all. For me, that is good enough. I, and I think a lot of his fans, simply don’t need our CD purchase validated by sales or reviews.
As someone posted in another thread and I agreed with, there is something about seeing Taylor and hearing him sing that just makes a lot of people happy, no explanation for why that occurs. It just does, apparently to a lot of people.
To me that’s “cool”.