Underrated Songs Because Of Its Popularity

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SUMMARY

This discussion centers on the perception of popular songs and their artistic merit, challenging the notion that commercial success diminishes a song's quality. Participants highlight several songs, including Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On," The Knack's "My Sharona," Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough," and Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street," as examples of well-crafted music that deserve appreciation despite their popularity. The conversation emphasizes that a song's repeated airplay does not detract from its artistic value and that many listeners enjoy familiar tunes for their nostalgic and emotional connections.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of music theory concepts such as melody and lyrics.
  • Familiarity with popular music history and iconic artists.
  • Knowledge of production techniques in music, particularly in the context of hit songs.
  • Awareness of cultural perceptions surrounding commercial music versus artistic integrity.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the impact of radio play on song popularity and listener perception.
  • Explore the songwriting techniques used by Celine Dion and Michael Jackson.
  • Analyze the production styles of Quincy Jones and their influence on pop music.
  • Investigate the cultural significance of disco music and its legacy in contemporary music.
USEFUL FOR

Music enthusiasts, songwriters, producers, and anyone interested in the intersection of commercial success and artistic quality in popular music.

  • #31
ZapperZ hates it when you hijack one of his threads.
 
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  • #32
hypatia said:
I was singing Girls Just Want To Have Fun at work, before my last vacation. Only to have a co-worker laugh and say Cindy Lauper? While giving me the, that's so uncool look.
Pffffft what do they know.
:smile: That's the ringtone I have set for my female friends. :biggrin: Cyndi Lauper has really fun songs. Of course, people generally make fun of me for liking a lot of 80s music. :rolleyes:

Math Is Hard said:
I hate to say it, but I can't stand Celine Dion. Her voice is almost painful to me. Same with Whitney Houston.
Whitney Houston I like...in limited doses...but I agree on Celine Dion. I can recognize that she's talented, but her songs just grate on me as super-sweet.

I do like the Knack, though. I like Michael Jackson, too - I especially liked songs he sang as a kid.
Yes and yes. His early music was quite good.
 
  • #33
I'll put this song up because I'm learning how to play it. The Eagle's Hotel California sure is a hard tune not to stop and listen too when it comes on.
 
  • #34
Centerfold, by "The J. Geils Band".

Na, na, nana nana...




By the way, here is a German cover version by "Captain Jack":



"Captain Jack"- Francisco Alejandro Gutierrez - was an US soldier who had been stationed in Germany before his musical career. Great and funny guy who died way too early, at age 43 - cerebral hemorrhage. May he rest in peace.
 
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  • #35
Moonbear said:
Celine Dion. I can recognize that she's talented, but her songs just grate on me as super-sweet.
She has a speech impediment that makes me crazy, I can not listen to her sing with that weird lisp.
 
  • #36
How about Enya? In the Rain or may it be for instance. Songs that deserve to be in this thread but likely don't qualify.
 
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  • #37
Andre said:
How about Enya? In the Rain for instance. A song that deserves to be in this thread but likely doesn'y qualify.
For me, it's Oronoco Flow. When spawn was a baby, she would stand in front of the tv and sing along whenever the video came on.
 
  • #38
I edited my post Evo, with a second song of Enya in the Lord of the Rings.

Another commercial high stand that may have been affected by it's popularity: Time to say goodbye
 
  • #39
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  • #40
Neil Diamond’s schmaltzy 1978 duet with Barbra Streisand — but there’s another notable, much more palatable duet on Diamond’s latest record, Home Before Dark.

Diamond hooked up with http://dixiechicksonline.com" singer Natalie Maines for Another Day (That Time Forgot), no doubt at the suggestion of his producer, Rick Rubin, who worked with the Chicks on their so-called comeback album, 2006’s Taking The Long Way.

The two singers sang the song together in the studio.

“A piece of music is a living thing; it’s not cut in stone,” Diamond said. “And when two people sing together, they should be there together and preferably looking at each other and enjoying the moment. All of which both Natalie and I did. It was a lot of fun.”

After making his past two albums with Rubin, Diamond hasn’t ruled out a third record.

“Yes, I have thought about the next album, but I haven’t done anything about it,” he said. “And as far as working with Rick again, yes, I would love to work with Rick. I think, we did a pretty good job on the first two albums and that can only get better and I hope we can work together some more.”
 
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  • #41
turbo-1 said:
Little Wing has escaped some of the curse of "too popular" because after Jimi died, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray covered it at different times, bubbling it up into radio play-lists for a 2nd and 3rd time. The best part was that both covers were individualized to the performers - enough-so that although Jimi's version got additional air-play in the wake on the covers, there really wasn't radio-hit-fatigue because each version had great stuff going for it.

I really prefer SRV's version of Little Wing to Jimi's, no offense to Jimi, just like Stevie's better.
 
  • #42
And "Hey there Delilah" by the Plain White T's fits in here too, IMO.
 

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