Billy Bob Thornton And Great Performers Post-1980

BainbridgeShred · Post by **BainbridgeShred** » 27 Jul 2009 19:29

I don't know if any of you watch "Real Time with Bill Maher", but a few weeks ago he had on BBT and they were discussing music. Now I'll confess immideatly that even before this interview, I have had a festering hatred for BBT. Anyways, he was recalling to Bill an argument he had with a girl where his thesis was that the only great bands post-1980 have been REM and U2. He said he could name hundreds of bands from 1955-1979 that fit the bill, which is a stretch, but regardless you cannot deny the quality of a lot of the artists from this period in time.

His exact wording of the argument was actually "which artists, post-1980, will be remembered 100 years from now?" But that's a stupid fucking way to frame the argument. So let's discuss.

Which artists post-1980 are comparable to the greats of 1955-1979? Add on with your own. I will give some leniency to artists who maybe started in 78 but created the majority of their work post 1980 (Example: The Police). Please try and keep it to music than generally can be considered "pop" insofar as the definition is that it is "popular" amongst a somewhat signifgant portion of people.

Sublime
REM
U2
Radiohead
White Stripes
Public Enemy
Run DMC
Barrington Levy
NWA
Eminem
Dr. Dre
Depeche Mode
Aphex Twin
Nirvana
Pearl Jam
Violent Femmes
Tenor Saw
Weezer
The Police
AC/DC
Sizzla
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Whitney Houston
Dead Kennedy's
The Clash
The Police
Tupac

I will also admit here that I've never been huge on "classic" rock. I think the Beatle's are wildly overrated (Yes they have a huge number of great, mind blowingly influential tracks but they also have a ton of mediocre stuff) and I laugh when people try and say Hendrix is the best guitarist (This coming from a Seattle boy who walks passed his statue every day).

Please though, try and keep it to music that is popular, not neccesarily whatever bullshit you have on your Ipod.

BainbridgeShred · Post by **BainbridgeShred** » 27 Jul 2009 19:35

Buju Banton

I'm going to be adding on reggae artists for weeks.... Reggae is undeniably the most creative, adaptable, socially relevent music being put out post-1980. Honestly what could you use to argue against that?Grunge? Techno? 80's rock? Alternative? 3rd wave Ska? Rap? Rap has definitely been the most influential of them all and has influenced Reggae greatly but it's kind of taken a creative nose dive post 1996 while Reggae chugs along and adapting.

Post by **Zac Miley** » 18 Aug 2009 22:48

Third Eye Blind
Korn
Smashing Pumpkins
Incubus
Gorillaz
Ben Gibbard (Postal Service/Death Cab)
Coldplay
Hot Hot Heat
Daft Punk
Soundgarden
Guns n Roses
Fuel

Also, mostly any 80's hair metal band.

hacksterbator · Post by **hacksterbator** » 19 Aug 2009 08:18

I also have a burning hatered for BBT. Was it him who said there were no good bands since 1980? I'd expect it to be him, (but it could have been bill, i can see that) especially since that shit interview he did on QTV a couple years ago. Fuck, that was just embarrassing for him, and his band mates.

This reminds me of the hottest 100 of all time, which Tripple J radio in Australia were doing this year. They had a big poll/ debates/ consumer research thing for the 100 greatest songs of all time, and while i missed the day they announced their top 100, my friends and i spent many enjoyable hours arguing and debating which songs should be on there and why.

Zac Miley wrote:Also, mostly any 80's hair metal band.

fuck, if there are any bands that should be forgotten about in 100 years from now, it's mostly any 80's hair metal bands.

i'm also going to challenge your ben gibbard, hot hot heat, and sound garden suggestions. i don't think any of them have been influential enough to make a serious dent in the top 100 post 1980. As for Third eye blind, i'm gonna have to pass on forming a judgement, because i couldn't name, or for that matter even whistle a tune from one of their songs... but that should tell you something.

i think to go along with depeche mode and for pushing the envelope of synth music the following should be considered:
New Order
Gary Numan
Human League

Post by **Zac Miley** » 19 Aug 2009 09:24

I can see how you could challenge Hot Hot Heat and Soundgarden, but Ben Gibbard?

Didn't see that one coming

A lot of people have at least heard every single song from the one Postal Service album, which says a lot. Death Cab is mostly just an extension of that, but with more albums and more songs that people haven't heard.

Third Eye Blind is sort of like a stepping stone into emo music. Their first album was really popular, I'm sure you've at least heard 'Jumper'.

Also, I never said I liked 80's metal.

There's no denying it will be remembered, though.

habitat · Post by **habitat** » 19 Aug 2009 12:23

Zac Miley wrote:Third Eye Blind is sort of like a stepping stone into emo music.

No. Emo is emotional hardcore, not anything that you think sounds sad. Just look it up. Emo is the most abused and misused term ever. Shit, let's call Death Cab country because they were born in one eh?

Who the fuck is Hot Hot Heat, Sizzla, Tenor Saw? I completely forgot about Fuel myself and will again shortly. Are you sure this isn't a name your favorite band thread?

BainbridgeShred · Post by **BainbridgeShred** » 19 Aug 2009 13:17

Third Eye Blind
Korn
Smashing Pumpkins
Incubus
Gorillaz
Ben Gibbard (Postal Service/Death Cab)
Coldplay
Hot Hot Heat
Daft Punk
Soundgarden
Guns n Roses
Fuel

I'll give you Smashing Pumpkins, Gibbard, Coldplay, Daft Punk, and GnR. Smashing Pumpkins and GnR are two that I meant to add recently and Daft Punk was just a complete brain fart. I don't like Gibbard or Coldplay whatsoever but I'll give them their credit anyways.

Guns and Roses is the only 80's hair band making this list.

I cannot believe you don't know who Sizzla is. Tenor Saw was a influential reggae artist in the 80's that died young.

Post by **Zac Miley** » 19 Aug 2009 13:43

habitat wrote:
Zac Miley wrote:Third Eye Blind is sort of like a stepping stone into emo music.
No. Emo is emotional hardcore, not anything that you think sounds sad. Just look it up. Emo is the most abused and misused term ever. Shit, let's call Death Cab country because they were born in one eh?

Who the fuck is Hot Hot Heat, Sizzla, Tenor Saw? I completely forgot about Fuel myself and will again shortly. Are you sure this isn't a name your favorite band thread?

Third Eye Blind gets rather emotionally hardcore in some of their songs. That's why they're a stepping stone.

I don't ever really call music 'emo' and I wasn't calling Third Eye Blind 'emo'.

I might have put in some bands that are just popular where I live - almost everyone I know likes Hot Hot Heat. It's hard to say since I'm just a sheltered little Kansas boy.

I guess Fuel has kind of dropped off the face of the earth... I never stopped listening to them, though. Guess everyone else has.

Dan - you're only accepting those 5 from my list? I at least think Gorillaz and Korn should be in along with those.

Obviously it's not a big deal since this is all opinion, but I thought those two were as undeniable as the others that you took.

habitat · Post by **habitat** » 19 Aug 2009 13:44

Reggae isn't popular.

hacksterbator · Post by **hacksterbator** » 19 Aug 2009 20:38

habitat wrote:Reggae isn't popular.

tell that to germany. Dance hall and reggae are going off over there... still. Not a passing fad.

A lot of people have at least heard every single song from the one Postal Service album, which says a lot.

well, I've probably heard every brittany spears single ever to be released, but that doesn't mean that it's any good (only toxic was worth the gold album it was later pressed on

)

Also, I never said I liked 80's metal. There's no denying it will be remembered, though.

Now, I do like 80's hair metal, but i'm not going to say any of the slew of one hit wonders it spawned from it's hairspray encrusted loins is good enough to be considered in the top 100 post 1980. And yes, it will be remembered 100 years from now, but remember more like the bombing of hiroshima was: A mistake of generations passed and a warning to generations future.

i had a bunch to add to this, but have completely forgotten them, making them less than important for this list. The only ones that stick are:

-Chemical Brothers
-Michael Jackson (You can argue that he was pre 1980, but his fame came about from The jackson Five, he fell off the grid for a while untill he released off the wall in 79, but then we got thriller in 82. Debatable)
-Rage against the machine (i'd put them up above korn on the longevity list)

Post by **Zac Miley** » 19 Aug 2009 21:07

hacksterbator wrote:
A lot of people have at least heard every single song from the one Postal Service album, which says a lot.
well, I've probably heard every brittany spears single ever to be released, but that doesn't mean that it's any good (only toxic was worth the gold album it was later pressed on )

Your opinion on the quality of the music is not what matters (I think). It's more how popular/how big of an impact the music has made on society.

Right?

Britney Spears could probably make the list too, even though I haven't liked any of her songs.

I guess I was exaggerating when I said mostly any 80's hair metal band. More Motley Crue, Poison, etc...

hacksterbator · Post by **hacksterbator** » 19 Aug 2009 21:48

Ooh, yeah, i'd put crew on there!

I agree i worded that poorly for the sake of this thread. But how "good" the populus in general believes the music to be is what defines how popular a group is. In addition how many number one's, the staying power of those songs, the number of gold albums, how many times they have sold out madison square garden, or the covers of rolling stone a group has to their name is what's going to give them the credibility to lay claim to one of the cherished spots on the list. I just don't think death cab for cutie, nor postal service have taken enough scalps or made a big enough impact to warrant one of those spots reserved for the big boys, despite the run of popularity the may have recently enjoyed. I just don't think that when i'm 40 and looking back through the old hard drives in the attic that death cab or ps will be bands i'm really going to be looking up while thinking, "oh yeah, these guys are awesome!"

Was browsing rolling stone covers trying to get a handle on some other top 100 content: Madonna
she racked up alot of them, and what she was doing in the 80's was pushing the envelope. Now she's mostly pushing divorce papers and african kids in strollers, but she's had a strong following for 30 years and put out heaps of albums (with varying degrees of success). Gotta put Madge on the list.

Cope · Post by **Cope** » 20 Aug 2009 02:43

The human league. that's electro nonsense!
What about some Jazz funk?

hacksterbator · Post by **hacksterbator** » 20 Aug 2009 07:07

Cope wrote:The human league. that's electro nonsense!
What about some Jazz funk?

They're electro pioneers! They invented music! it was just tuning up before then!!!

Jazz funk?

The double? That's even worse! Funk? Jazz's deformed cousin?

habitat · Post by **habitat** » 20 Aug 2009 09:56

Maybe it's just because I live in the pacific northwest, but postal service/dcfc/Ben Gibbard are going to be remembered by my generation forever. Every person I know knows every line to every postal service song. I'm not exaggerating. It's that sappy poppy shit that everyone listened to when they broke up with their high school girl/boyfriend.

BainbridgeShred · Post by **BainbridgeShred** » 20 Aug 2009 10:13

-Rage against the machine (i'd put them up above korn on the longevity list)

Yeah I meant to offer them when I disregarded Korn. I know a lot of people LOOOOVE Rage but it's never been my stuff. They are definitely right on the line with me though.

I live in Seattle, and reggae is definitely way more popular than Postal Service type stuff out here, despite it's origins in the northwest. Maybe it's just the group I run with, but 90% of my friends (Close friends and aquaintences alike) listen to reggae consistently, and maybe 5% fuck with Gibbard on the regular. Maybe people have more to be sad about in Spokane

Your opinion on the quality of the music is not what matters (I think). It's more how popular/how big of an impact the music has made on society.

Right?

As far as how we're judging who goes on the list, I'm going based on both skill and popularity. You have to be skilled enough to garner the respect of critics looking back, while having been popular enough in your time to be remembered or cared about by said critics.

habitat · Post by **habitat** » 20 Aug 2009 10:54

The thread is irrelevant. It's all a matter of location and subjectivity. What artists would people from China add to this thread? Some shit you would have never heard of. It's basically "I like this group I will remember them"

And to Billy Bob, if he really thinks that only his generation of music was good then he would agree with almost everyone from their particular generation. Everybody says their generation rocked it harder than the new school cats. In reality, if you don't think any music past your generation is good, it's because you aren't listening.

hacksterbator · Post by **hacksterbator** » 20 Aug 2009 16:50

habitat wrote:The thread is irrelevant. It's all a matter of location and subjectivity. What artists would people from China add to this thread?

oh for sure, but it's still fun

. And i think there are 100 groups that have had alot of influence and popularity internationally (even into china) to have a bit of objectivity to this list. For example, Rage has a huge following in south and central american. Madge and michael, world wide success, japan, korea, and china included (madge less popular in africa after stealing their children). G'n'R, with the exception of "chinese democracy" which i'm sure the chinese were not fans of (actually i don't think any one liked that album), had number one hits in north and south america and europe, and has a big following in japan. While in this instance ps/dcfc seems to have a huge following in the pacific north west (and kansas

) with some pockets of fans around the country, i'm really not sure of their international appeal (i can tell you they aren't huge in canada, but that's about all i can really say). And while china has a huge population, how many albums do you think they they were buying collectively as a group untill recently? I'm guessing probably not many in the 80's and early 90's when compared to north america and europe.

mc · Post by mc » 20 Aug 2009 17:26

Jeff Buckley
Dirt Nasty

hacksterbator · Post by **hacksterbator** » 20 Aug 2009 18:45

Hahaha! While i love dirt nasty and mickey avalon, they haven't got a hope in hell of making the list. Don't know enough about jeff buckley, the name rings a bell, but i couldn't name you a tune. Gonna have to pass on making a call for him untill i know more.