R&P: Do you tend to like unkown bands or popular ones?

Question

for me, it's unknown.

they're typically better.

Answer 1

popular...

and it may sound sad...

but h**l, they are popular for a reason

and even if i like unknown bands they get popular because they're actually GOOD.

Answer 2

I like whatever appeals to my ear. Simple as. And it's a fair mixture of both. :)

Answer 3

Yeah, I agree with you.  I don't really like to listen to the same bands that everyone else listens to because where is the individuality in that?  Your music express who you are in a way, so I believe people should mix it up a little bit.  Why just bother listening to what is "hot" right now, when you can show off your musical knowledge with bands that people haven't really heard of?

Answer 4

i find it's really mixed

there are some amazing unknown bands that are unknown because the marketing for the band sucks or ppl r blind to them becasue the band's too different or something, even though they really need to just take some time to really listen and get into it

some popular bands really are good bands, and that's why they're popular

but some bands that aren't too good...well it's the marketing of the band and their image and all, maybe they had someone famous in their video clip or something...then everyone starts liking this band because 'everyone else thinks they're popular so i must like them too!'...now if u have the whole world thinking that when really no one likes them THAT Much...well...that's pretty muhc 'popular' for you

BUT having said that, i do find i like MORE unknown bands than the popular ones. but to me, unknown bands are stuff like Jack off Jill, who are quite popular in the underground and unknown scene, but are underground and unknown in the popular scene.

=)

Answer 5

I like the bands i like , i dont liek them because "they are popular or not", .

but most of my fav bands are well known,    and some others i like arent, so..

both??

Answer 6

Well, most of the bands I listen to aren't popular because the majority  people in my area listen to country, rap, and pop.  

Answer 7

i like anything, as long as it sounds good to me i will listen to it

Answer 8

Unknown ones, although I do like some popular ones too. Songs seem more personal if you're the only one that knows about them, and i love discovering stuff that no-one has heard of yet. I also like things to be really original - I'm kind of geeky about music - and a lot of mainstream stuff is the same.

It's true that bands are popular for a reason - it can be because they are the most talented or write the catchiest songs, but they rarely seem to write the most interesting songs. It's true more people like them, but with a lot of bands you could argue this means they just appeal to the lowest common denominator.

Also, I'm really into lyrics and you can usually find way more interesting lyrics outside the mainstream. I usually like indie, rock, punk, folk, actually lots of different stuff

To give you examples of what I like:

the unknown ones: the microphones, no age, the sugars, neutral milk hotel, comet gain, elf power, the freshies, deerhoof, huggy bear

some more popular ones i like are: the libertines, the moldy peaches, the pixies, nirvana, and quite a few of those old punk bands everyone knows about.

Answer 9

50/50 for me. Although I tire of mainstream quickly. I have only one mainstream band I like all the time.

Answer 10

Well my favorite band is the Beatles.....what does that tell you?

But the bands I like are popular for a good reason and because they have talent, and not because they're being shoved down our throats...

***edit***

I agree with Laura. I don't like them *just* because they're popular. I like what I like.

Answer 11

My favorite bands are not unknown but not mainstream, like Children of Bodom, Iced Earth, etc.

Listening to mainstream bands makes me feel cheap.

Answer 12

Unknown.

Like The Exies.   :D

Answer 13

i prefer unknown, cuz then their songs aren't overplayed on the radio

Answer 14

   its about 50/50 for me. i usually go online and try to find bands from europe that havent made it big in the states yet.  but if i happen to like a popular band im not gonna pretend like i dont

Answer 15

I tend to like popular, but not mainstream bands. I don't like them because they're popular, though.

Answer 16

well, for the most part i like popular bands. and its easier to hear their songs because theyre played on the radio all the time and what not...

but i also like unknown. i just dont know of too many.

Answer 17

Not complete unknowns, but at least bands that aren't as well known as others. I only like popular "classics."

Answer 18

To me, popularity rates are measured by how many times the song has been played over the radio. I usually prefer the unknown bands because they tend to go boring slower since their songs are not played on the radio that much. But most of the time, these unknown bands are pretty popular in other regions like Europe. Also, the genre or the music I listen to is not quite a mainstream one yet so.. that's why I enjoy listening them.

Answer 19

It depends a lot on the mood I'm in at the moment but mainly I prefer unknown bands. I tend to think it's cooler, listening to music no one else has heard of right now.

Answer 20

Well I LOVE Nirvana and Led Zeppelin. But I also Love The Vaselines and Shonen Knife. My taste is pretty varied... I don't care if its popular or not just if the artist has passion and the music sounds good.