Do you ever wonder?


Do you ever wonder why some artists (individuals or groups) attain success through critical acclaim and/or record (cd) sales?

Here is my list of those who have made it in the recording/entertainment industries and is completely puzzling to me.

Please list your own; it's irrelevant what you think of mine.

OK, here you go (in no particular order):

Sheryl Crow
Norah Jones
Michael Bolton
Celine Dion
Joe Cocker
Manhattan Transfer
Boston
Rickie Lee Jones
Pink
Phil Collins

That's enough to get started; show me what you got.
audiofeil
I too am not a fan of anyone in Audiofeil's list, nor own anything by them. (And I could say the same about almost anything and everything played on popular radio these days, irrespective of genre.) But that's not the same as asking how they can move units and put butts in seats, which they do plenty well without me. I can easily understand why the answer to those is affirmative, and recognize, even appreciate, their talent -- which is not to say artistry or integrity. I may (may!) even slightly enjoy some small percentage or aspect of their work, in an incidental, disposable way. Or not.

Personally I think it's naive, snobbish, or disingenuous to imply that, if you or I don't like something, no one else should. The answer, in case it needs spelling out, is that there's simply no accounting for taste -- in any direction. I take it for granted that if somebody enjoys something which I don't, the feelings it generates in them are just as valid, for them, as those I feel listening to something that pushes my own buttons (and which they may hate). We're just different; no way am I gonna say I'm somehow better. (Which is what this query is really about, IMO. I might think it -- I might even say it, in so many words, to friends who share my tastes. But I'm not gonna be insecure jerk enough to feel I need to proclaim my supposed superiority in public to those I don't know.)

Vive la difference! (...Just don't make me have to shop to your crap!)
Ever wonder how boring it would be if we all had the same tastes? We'd have nothing to complain about...
To each is there own I guess but hasn't this been going on for decades? Subpar musicians sell millions of records based on looks, the time their hit single broke out, the push they get from their record companies etc etc.

Well this weekend I got stuck in the car listening to Pop radio stations. Nothing like hearing the same songs over and over and over on pretty much every radio station my car antenna could pick up.

The "artists" I'd like to add to this thread are:

Ke$ha
Britney Spears
Justin Beiber
Jason Derulo
Ne-Yo
Any of the boy bands from the late 90s.

Pretty much if the artist needs a lot production tricks or Autotune to make their voice sound palatable their name should be on this list.
You know Dave (Corazon), I thought the same thing about Queen for over 10 years. Never took the band seriously. Then I saw their performances at Live Aid and Wembley. Been a big fan ever since.

As always YMMV