Having a look at the Triple J Hottest 100 of all time, I can't help but think a heap of those songs wouldn't be there if the artists were still alive. Tell me if anyone would rate Jeff Buckley if he was playing to 200 people a night in some shithole in middle-America? Dying young doesn't make ordinary music any better, it doesn't make you a genius if you weren't one before. Jeff Buckley was a good ordinary singer/songwriter, since his death he's been lauded as the greatest of his generation. The same can be said for Kurt Cobain, does anyone remember how ordinary In Utero was? In my opinion Cobain was on his way to being a one album wonder, death saved him from mediocrity.
The fact that any Michael Jackson songs made the list at all is proof that dying is a great career move. I don't understand why people rush out and buy music by dead people, if they liked them they would've already have their music? While I'm on Michael Jackson (so to speak), can anyone tell me the words to any of his songs? What's the chorus to Thriller? What's the first verse to Smooth Criminal? I've heard a lot of MJ over the last couple of weeks and it's fair to say I can't understand half of what he was on about.
Back on the Top 100, another question - who the fuck are Radiohead and why are they rated so highly. Every Radiohead song I've heard has bored me stupid, like a modern day Eagles, am I missing something or do people vote for this type of tripe because they want to appear intelligent to their friends?
The fact that You Am I don't get played on commercial radio is also fucked.
Check out the list, let me know what you think
http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100_alltime/countdown/cd_list.htm
8 comments:
It was an ordinary top 100 of all time. I've never listened to Radiohead or Jeff Buckley and despite their terrific standing on the top 100 I still won't buy anything they've done - or download it!
Dying certainly helps your standing in the world - was Heath Ledger that great an actor? How much crap did Elvis serve up? What else other than Foxy Lady and the American National Anthem did Jimi Hendrix do? Nirvana were never better than Nevermind.
As for You Am I, Bowie you've trumpeted them for the last 15 years and you're still their only fan - time to ditch them!
I can't beleive so many people voted for Radiohead. Is there music really that popular amongst JJJ listeners. But I suppose that is the point/problem with the list in that it is a 'popular' vote - like the Logies - not a 'best' list.
Everyone should disagree with at least some parts of the list but there were still some good songs in there - Oasis, Blur, You Am I for example. I reckon they're alright Seco - Bowie is no alone.
Surprised that Augie March got a gig.
My challenge to Bowie is to come up with his all time top 100 - I'd like to see/criticise that.
On the topic of death 'helping' - your point about people should already have performers albums is spot on.
I'll disagree a bit on Michael Jackson though as his pop music is as good as anyone's. Certainly better than modern pop singers such as Katy Perry and Brittany Spears. Having said that I'm not really a fan of pop music.
Was Huey Lewis pop?
Sad to say but hanging with pot smoking hippies at Greencorp and listening to nothing but Triple JJJ for six months in 1996/97 led me to own two Jeff Buckley albums and three Radiohead.
Considering I also bought Blur & Oasis when they were on the verge of superstardom should simply underline the fact that back then I was cool, hip and fresh.
It is refreshing to be vindicated 12 years after the fact.
If by cool, hip and fresh you mean old, stale and yesterdays papers then I'd agree with you! I reckon you just bought those albums to fit in - I've never heard you play them or talk about them until now. I'm sure if you were a Green Corp today you'd be barring up over the John Butler Trio!
Then again, maybe I'm just old, bitter and twisted!
Personally I think The Bends was by far Radioheads best work, OK Computer was ok, and the stuff done since was complete crap.
Jeff Buckley had one good song.
I think your old tired and uninspired attack on me illustrates you as being freshly cracked!
No I'm not!
:oD
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