All Linkin Park Songs Are The Same?

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by Aeneas

Is that really a good example?

I realized as soon as I typed it that it wasn't the best example... but its still a band that was capable of dramatically altering their sound as required and staying topical for a long time.

Incidentally, it would be a pretty bad move on the part of Activision and Neversoft to make the new Guitar Hero game almost exclusively Aerosmith if the music was all the same... one would notice pretty fast that they are hitting the same chords at the same time.

[Shawnski]

AC/DC definitely has a sound that parlayed into a huge career. There are certainly some similarities in some riffs but for the most part, the songs are clearly different.

BTW, if you DO link AC/DC, give a listed to Airbourne. Also an Aussie band.

http://www.last.fm/music/Airbourne

You can hear Runnin' Wild in its entirety there. Tell me that isn't an AC/DC sound?

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Temporary_User

People constantly bring up AC/DC in these debates. I don't understand it...
I just opened up my Ipod and set it to to only AC/DC none of the songs sound similar to me.
I mean I understand that they use heavy bass and the singer has a very distict voice, but each song sounds different. Not only in beat, but pitch etc... (I don't know any technical terms for music, so my point is hard to get across)

Can someone show me an example of AC/DC sounding the same?

Every song has the exact same friggin drum beat. No exaggeration. It is the exact same pattern.

And I don't like cawk rock.

Theroyofanickelcreed be damned!

[Sylvanfan]

Well Music in theory has a finite limit of how many songs you can write until they create some new notes. It is harder than ever to try and be original because....well theres a good chance it has been done. Every band has different goals, some want to make unique music. Others want to be able to retire in Hawaii. Linkin Park I think can probably buy some pretty sweet property in Hawaii...

What % of us can acutally play music...maybe 20% of us to any degree, and only 5% might be any good. Yet nearly everyone listens to music. So that probably explains why people who make Music hate the Nickelbacks and Linkin Park....yet they sell a lot of records and make heaps of money. Most of us suck at music and just have bad taste.

[Russic]

I love the psychology of music debates. Something that has always intrigued me.

There is an interesting point (imo) brought up by a couple of people here, and that deals with the content of linkin parks lyrics. They have a very profitable theme throughout their lyrics dealing mainly with angst, a want to break away, not belonging etc.

There was also a very interesting point I thought brought up about how they don't really define what it is they are angry about exactly. I've always preferred lyrics to leave something up to the imagination rather than hitting me over the head with whatever it is the band is trying to say.

To me these two points are a perfect one two punch for selling records. Not saying that Linkin Park's only motivation is selling records, but I do think it has to do with their staying power. The moods fit quite well with the feelings of most teenagers. The fact that they leave the message partly blank allows for the "wow, this song fits with my life so well" It's funny when you look back on teenage years and remember feeling very unique, when really you were just another whiner in the crow (at least I was). The band seems to present lyrics that appeal to a huge group of people that all feel similarly whether they know it or not.

Moving on to AC/DC, how many of us are guilty of judging Linkin Park music without actually studying their discography? I only mention it because as somebody who isn't terribly familiar with AC/DC, I'd say most of their stuff sounds the same to me. I imagine the more interested and appreciative you are of a band, the more likely you could point out differences among the songs. If all we're doing is judging a band by their singles, then we are most certainly judging a grouping of songs that are selected by a formula (must be x minutes long and must be catchy to some degree).

Finally, on to Nickelback. I don't actually dislike Nickelback for their music. While cookie-cutter and formulaic, I truly despise Nickelback for their personalities and Kroegers actions. Two main points of contention here:
1. Constantly whining about people not liking them
2. The only thing that bothers me more about people who drink and drive are people who drink and drive and are too cowardly to man-up and accept responsibility for their actions.

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by Temporary_User

Can someone show me an example of AC/DC sounding the same?

They sound the same because there's no comparable, they had a sound uniquely theres, unlike 90% of the bands of today. Seriously have you ever heard someone mistake another song for a ACDC song?

If theres no one who sounds similar you don't take the time to realize the differences in their songs.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Well Music in theory has a finite limit of how many songs you can write until they create some new notes. It is harder than ever to try and be original because....well theres a good chance it has been done. Every band has different goals, some want to make unique music. Others want to be able to retire in Hawaii. Linkin Park I think can probably buy some pretty sweet property in Hawaii...

What % of us can acutally play music...maybe 20% of us to any degree, and only 5% might be any good. Yet nearly everyone listens to music. So that probably explains why people who make Music hate the Nickelbacks and Linkin Park....yet they sell a lot of records and make heaps of money. Most of us suck at music and just have bad taste.

I tend to agree with you that most people have bad taste in music.
But that's ostly because the stuff i listen to is certainly not top 40 type stuff, so everyone other than me must have crappy taste.

However, I think it's kind of funny when people refer to music like this.
If I sell 40 million albums, I can pretty much guarantee that everyone is going to say that it's crappy music and that is why I sold so many albums.
Does this seem like a bit of a contradiction to anyone?

If a video game sells a million copies, it's gotta be awesome.
If a designer sells a million dresses, it must have been a good dress.
If a car company sells a million cars, it must be a good car.
But for some reason, as soon as you sell a lot of albums, it must be because it sucks.
Weird.

[Sylvanfan]

I admit, I can't play worth a lick and I have bad taste in music. I can't be bothered to search out new stuff. I'll put up with whatever I hear on the radio and not complain too much. So in essence I'm one of those disgusting peons who listens to what the record company propagates me to listen too, or I'll listen to a talk radio station. Shoot me for it if you like. I'm partially to blame for Linkin Park or Nickelback getting a lot of play and having money to put out more albums.

[Shnabdabber]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

However, I think it's kind of funny when people refer to music like this.
If I sell 40 million albums, I can pretty much guarantee that everyone is going to say that it's crappy music and that is why I sold so many albums.
Does this seem like a bit of a contradiction to anyone?

If a video game sells a million copies, it's gotta be awesome.
If a designer sells a million dresses, it must have been a good dress.
If a car company sells a million cars, it must be a good car.
But for some reason, as soon as you sell a lot of albums, it must be because it sucks.
Weird.

The reason it sucks is because its watered down, over polished, bland, doesn't move music forward or take any risks, and above all else it isn't art. Pop music and top 40 tunes are terrible because they are specifically designed to be simple; to target average folk who like to dress in the latest brand name clothes, drive the newest and most popular car, and have have an xbox "cuz my neighbor has one and its cool."

I'm not saying ALL music with commercial success isn't well done, artistic, or groundbreaking, but in these specific cases (Linkin Park, Nickelback, ect..) there are none of those qualities. They may be "cool" now but they have no staying power. The same people who buy those albums now will move on to the "next big thing" when it comes along, akin to having the new car, dress...

Anyone remember Limp Bizkit?

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

However, I think it's kind of funny when people refer to music like this.
If I sell 40 million albums, I can pretty much guarantee that everyone is going to say that it's crappy music and that is why I sold so many albums.
Does this seem like a bit of a contradiction to anyone?

That's not quite true. Think of the Beatles or Elvis, Pink Floyd, Guns n' Roses, REM, U2, Radiohead... Even the most pretentious snob wouldn't say the Beatles or Radiohead make crappy music.

You can sell millions of records and not suck.

You can also sell millions of albums and be flavour of the month and in 10 years, people who bought the record will be embarrassed about it... Nickelback, Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock, Korn.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Dan02

They sound the same because there's no comparable, they had a sound uniquely theres, unlike 90% of the bands of today. Seriously have you ever heard someone mistake another song for a ACDC song?

If theres no one who sounds similar you don't take the time to realize the differences in their songs.

Again I say, same drum beat/bass licks in every tune. Of course nobody mistakes another song for an AC/DC tune because really they've only ever written one tune and just changed up the amount of cawk in the lyrics.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

Again I say, same drum beat/bass licks in every tune. Of course nobody mistakes another song for an AC/DC tune because really they've only ever written one tune and just changed up the amount of cawk in the lyrics.

Well if you insist.

They've been doing it for 30 years and nobody else ever sounded anything like them, but you've convinced me -- they are just like everyone else.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Well if you insist.

They've been doing it for 30 years and nobody else ever sounded anything like them, but you've convinced me -- they are just like everyone else.

I never said they were just like everyone else!!!!

THEY ARE ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE BANDS EVER!

I just don't think they're any "good", but thats totally IMO.

Taste in music is subjective. Just don't ever trash on Beethoven and we'll get along fine.

....(one time I actually met someone who tried to tell me how Beethoven was all but forgotten but the White Stripes will be remembered forever....lol.... )

[Shnabdabber]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

They've been doing it for 30 years and nobody else ever sounded anything like them...

Airbourne... Jet... to a degree The Darkness. Damn near every so called garage band... if you cant find bands who sound like ACDC you are simply not looking hard enough. They are everywhere.

[Kool Keef]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIleK5CRcjo

For all of the Dragonforce fans out there.

[Azure]

You know its funny....Metallica stuck with the same type of music until the Black Album....and from then on people started hating them.

Despite their music still being good.

You can't release over 15 albums and have the same sound for each. Eventually you gotta change something.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Russic

I love the psychology of music debates. Something that has always intrigued me.

There is an interesting point (imo) brought up by a couple of people here, and that deals with the content of linkin parks lyrics. They have a very profitable theme throughout their lyrics dealing mainly with angst, a want to break away, not belonging etc.

There was also a very interesting point I thought brought up about how they don't really define what it is they are angry about exactly. I've always preferred lyrics to leave something up to the imagination rather than hitting me over the head with whatever it is the band is trying to say.

To me these two points are a perfect one two punch for selling records. Not saying that Linkin Park's only motivation is selling records, but I do think it has to do with their staying power. The moods fit quite well with the feelings of most teenagers. The fact that they leave the message partly blank allows for the "wow, this song fits with my life so well" It's funny when you look back on teenage years and remember feeling very unique, when really you were just another whiner in the crow (at least I was). The band seems to present lyrics that appeal to a huge group of people that all feel similarly whether they know it or not.

Moving on to AC/DC, how many of us are guilty of judging Linkin Park music without actually studying their discography? I only mention it because as somebody who isn't terribly familiar with AC/DC, I'd say most of their stuff sounds the same to me. I imagine the more interested and appreciative you are of a band, the more likely you could point out differences among the songs. If all we're doing is judging a band by their singles, then we are most certainly judging a grouping of songs that are selected by a formula (must be x minutes long and must be catchy to some degree).

Finally, on to Nickelback. I don't actually dislike Nickelback for their music. While cookie-cutter and formulaic, I truly despise Nickelback for their personalities and Kroegers actions. Two main points of contention here:
1. Constantly whining about people not liking them
2. The only thing that bothers me more about people who drink and drive are people who drink and drive and are too cowardly to man-up and accept responsibility for their actions.

To be fair, Chad is ALWAYS asked about "nickleback haters" in interviews. So personally, I think it's more a product of there being lots of footage of him answering "hater" questions ,then him gathering media together and saying "hey, I'd like to whine about something for minute"

[Shnabdabber]

Originally Posted by Azure

You know its funny....Metallica stuck with the same type of music until the Black Album....and from then on people started hating them.

Despite their music still being good.

You can't release over 15 albums and have the same sound for each. Eventually you gotta change something.

Despite their music still being good?? It wasn't/isn't Metallica! No wonder people were cheesed... support a thrash metal band for years anly to watch them alienate the fans who got them to where they were so they could rake in the dough with "hard rock".
Metallica can do whatever they wanna do, just don't try and pull the wool over the fans eyes.

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by Shnabdabber

Damn near every so called garage band... if you cant find bands who sound like ACDC you are simply not looking hard enough. They are everywhere.

so you're suggesting there's not difference between ACDC and your average garage band?

Airbourne is the 1 band that sounds alot like ACDC, that i am aware recieves any airplay at all and that is only just recently. I don't think Jet sounds like ACDC at all.

[Shnabdabber]

Originally Posted by Dan02

so you're suggesting there's not difference between ACDC and your average garage band?

Airbourne is the 1 band that sounds alot like ACDC, that i am aware recieves any airplay at all and that is only just recently. I don't think Jet sounds like ACDC at all.

Yes, the garage band idea is a tired formula that churns out band after band of soundalikes. Just because they singer has a different voice, the guitars have a different tone, doesn't make them different. Fundementaly its the same music.
A smelly turd painted pink is still a smelly turd.