Best Ever Albums

Re: Bands v Artists

davidhuret — Wed, 7 Mar 2018 03:52:20 GMT

Author: davidhuret

Posted: 03/07/2018 08:52

Both. Duets, trios, solo artists backed by bands... Doesn't matter to me.

Re: Bands v Artists

JOSweetHeart — Mon, 5 Mar 2018 21:02:25 GMT

Author: JOSweetHeart

Posted: 03/06/2018 02:02

The first six albums from my newest favorite singer, my late beautiful precious Steve Sanders of the Oak Ridge Boys that is, was nothing but solo material, then came seven more with other singers and so I really don't know how to label him, especially when it was him who did the leading for every song on his first group album.

God bless you and his family always!!!

Holly

P.S. We only hear him do the leading for one song from his first album with the Oak Ridge Boys if you don't count the co-leading of the album's first song. It did get better for him as time went on...until the big nose dive took place of course.......them other members of the group can eat worms for all that I care. 🤬 🤬 🤬

Re: Bands v Artists

RoundTheBend — Mon, 5 Mar 2018 12:37:49 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 03/05/2018 17:37

bobbyb5 wrote:

sethmadsen wrote:

I think the industry is moving that direction.

Most new bands today are a joke (kinda... I mean in comparison). King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard is totally going to start the next revolution though. (I don't even know what I'm talking about... I'm still stuck in the 2000's)

Yeah, I think the main reason that bands aren't as big today is because rock bands today just aren't good enough to be very popular or to be liked by a lot of people. The reason bands were the most popular sort act in the past is because they were really good.

At some level I think it also is easier for the music industry to market and "own" a single person.

Re: Bands v Artists

RoundTheBend — Mon, 5 Mar 2018 12:36:42 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 03/05/2018 17:36

Tap wrote:

who are these solo artists and how solo are they really? father john misty, julia holter, and joanna newsom are probably considered solo artists, but their music is full of other musicians. I think this sort of singular vision from one voice with collaborators has always been the most popular thing. truly collaborative bands are always rarer. they're still popping up if you know where to look tho.

This is true.

I mean some bands really have sole song-writers, but then just have like a backing band, but don't go by Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters, they just go by Foo Fighters. (probably a bad example, but you know what I mean). In other words some of these bands are like 90% creative control by one person.

Re: Bands v Artists

Tap — Mon, 5 Mar 2018 04:12:27 GMT

Author: Tap

Posted: 03/05/2018 09:12

who are these solo artists and how solo are they really? father john misty, julia holter, and joanna newsom are probably considered solo artists, but their music is full of other musicians. I think this sort of singular vision from one voice with collaborators has always been the most popular thing. truly collaborative bands are always rarer. they're still popping up if you know where to look tho.

Re: Bands v Artists

bobbyb5 — Mon, 5 Mar 2018 03:26:21 GMT

Author: bobbyb5

Posted: 03/05/2018 08:26

sethmadsen wrote:

Re: Bands v Artists

RoundTheBend — Mon, 5 Mar 2018 00:05:51 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 03/05/2018 05:05

Patman360 wrote:

Interesting thought pattern, I haven't put much thought into but I do see completely where you're coming from and feel my own listening has gone down a similar route looking at it now, what with most of my modern artist choices being 'solo' (to a certain extent), is this a result of the expansion of genres over time combined with the modern technological improvements (the whole idea that nowadays one can record a whole album and release it online without ever having to leave their room or even deal with another person certainly comes into play I guess), possibly? Combine that the fact you mentioned about the media and I guess bands are becoming less appealing in a weird sort of way, they still exist and will do in the future no doubt, but there's no new bands that are standing out as a significant media presence, even compared to say, 10 or so years ago.

Fuck knows really, it's interesting though and a case certainly can be made that the 'band' ideology is not what it once was, in a weird sort of way.

Multiple good points.

Re: Bands v Artists

RoundTheBend — Mon, 5 Mar 2018 00:04:23 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 03/05/2018 05:04

I think the industry is moving that direction.

Most new bands today are a joke (kinda... I mean in comparison). King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard is totally going to start the next revolution though. (I don't even know what I'm talking about... I'm still stuck in the 2000's)

Re: Bands v Artists

bobbyb5 — Sun, 4 Mar 2018 22:43:10 GMT

Author: bobbyb5

Posted: 03/05/2018 03:43

Cool topic. But I couldn't vote because I listen to both a lot. It all has to do with what type of music you happen to be listening to. I'm a fan of early singer-songwriter artists, so in that respect I spend a lot of time on solo artists. I also probably spend even more time listening to other kinds of Rock, so in that respect I would be listening to bands. And I spend even more time listening to electronic music, which is at least 75% solo artists. And your question asked Do you listen to solo artists or bands. So I really couldn't give an answer. And I would really have to think about it to even figure out which I listen to more. It would probably be bands, but I couldn't be sure about that.

Re: Bands v Artists

Fischman — Sat, 3 Mar 2018 19:07:39 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 03/04/2018 00:07

I love both. Many great examples either way. But I've always been band-heavy. Lately, a few more solo artists are in my rotation, but it's still band heavy.

I've never really thought about why. I doubt there's anything of importance to be learned there anyway. I like what I like and I don't worry much about such distinctions.

Re: Bands v Artists

Patman360 — Sat, 3 Mar 2018 07:29:31 GMT

Author: Patman360

Posted: 03/03/2018 12:29

Interesting thought pattern, I haven't put much thought into but I do see completely where you're coming from and feel my own listening has gone down a similar route looking at it now, what with most of my modern artist choices being 'solo' (to a certain extent), is this a result of the expansion of genres over time combined with the modern technological improvements (the whole idea that nowadays one can record a whole album and release it online without ever having to leave their room or even deal with another person certainly comes into play I guess), possibly? Combine that the fact you mentioned about the media and I guess bands are becoming less appealing in a weird sort of way, they still exist and will do in the future no doubt, but there's no new bands that are standing out as a significant media presence, even compared to say, 10 or so years ago.

Fuck knows really, it's interesting though and a case certainly can be made that the 'band' ideology is not what it once was, in a weird sort of way.

Bands v Artists

Anonymous — Sat, 3 Mar 2018 06:59:56 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/03/2018 11:59

So I had this sudden epiphany while I was doing the washing up, that the music I enjoy leans heavily towards a front-man artist rather than a band. I get that the vast majority of 'solo' acts have teams behind them, but I'm talking about where a project has a lead personality fronting it.

With just a few exceptions, my top 10s from as early as 2014 have been overwhelmingly solo artists. I thought maybe this is because I tend to latch onto personalities more than a 'brand image' a lot of bands go for. Where a band might just be faceless four guys with a cool name, it's much easier to figure out a single person's voice, aims and values and characteristics. Music does seem a lot more personal that way.

Then I thought maybe this isn't just me. Is the entire industry moving this way? With news and media being so engulfing, maybe people would much rather follow the lives of a personality than an entire group. With Hip Hop now one of the, if not the most, popular genre out there, is part of that commercial success linked to the many and varied wild personalities that populate its music? Did bands just peak in the 90s?

Even in successful groups and bands, one member will almost always be assigned frontman. Coldplay's face was always Chris Martin, and Quavo is easily the most prolific in Migos. Maybe I'm not the only one that needs a single, digestible voice within when it comes to what I'm listening to.

Just some thoughts. Do you tend to prefer bands or artists? What time period are they from? Do you think bands will become increasingly irrelevant as time passes? Were they always irrelevant?