I've often wondered at how some of those artists which formed such an integral part of the 90s Alt rock zeitgeist haven't really stood the test of time among the current masses:
REM
10000 Maniacs
Jane's Addiction
Collective Soul
and others.
Is R.E.M. underrated by new music nerds?
I've been in a R.E.M. phase in late 2018, they kept me going through the toughest period of my life. A lot of their stuff especially in their incredible 1987-1996 run means a lot to me and have been pivotal in growing my music taste but emotion aside I think quality-wise they were one of the greatest rock band of all time, if not one the best band. I actually think this is not a hot take.
What I think is an interesting thing to discuss is how R.E.M. are relevant to new audiences of my age (I'm 20 btw) like all the music nerds that grew on the Internet (RYM or /mucore) or the music channels or profiles on YouTube and Instagram that review or examine music.
I think that in this demographic area R.E.M. are underrated or more specifically they are put inside the categories of "Gen X bands" like U2 or similar. And i think it's a shame because they have one the best musical palettes of all time provided by really skilled musicians and an incredible and eclectic vocalist and songwriter like Michael Stipe. A band that even when they became globally famous they managed to stay coherent to their sound (until at least the early 90s) and political ethic. Their material should get more recognition among younger audiences like mine considering the huge influence they had on a lot of artist.
What do you think?
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@simao I love Jane’s Addiction. They didn’t get the credit they deserved imo but I don’t really care cause I think they’re great and they always seem to make it into a playlist or two of mine. |
@jastralfu Same here. They were such a part of my musical tapestry, but now no one under the age of 35 has listened to them. Which is not surprising considering those that are now 35 were in single digits when Jane's hit the scene. |
@simao same here, just like most, if not all here, music is associated with a time and place. As much as it brings back memories, I'm certain I would still like it if I heard it for the first time today, it's just really good music. I had never heard anything like them before and would say still haven’t heard anything like them since. The first time I heard Three Days or Then She Did I was floored. My brother and I have played all sorts of music, including Jane’s, to his son. So at least my nephew will carry on. As far as REM goes, after reading this thread I went and listened to Murmur. Radio Free Europe is a good tune but I had forgotten how much I like it. I hadn’t intended to but I ended up listening to the entire album. I don’t know if they are underrated but I like them and they made some very good music. Certainly was like nothing else at the time. |
- 95 posts total