R&P.. are you Content to Listen to the Mainstream, or do You Hunt Down New and Unusual Music?

Question

Note this isn't an attack on Mainstream.. There is great music to be had in ALL areas (Mainstream, Indie, Underground) and c**p also.

What I am curious is how many people here actually listen to bands that are NOT on the Radio, and why you do or don't.

MQ- What is your favorite Mainstream Band, and if you have one..what is your favorite Non-Mainstream one?

Answer 1

my music is my underground don't get more isolated than that

i have two genres of metal; mine and not mine

interesting phrasing of the question  

Answer 2

I can go either way, I listen to mainstream and bands that aren't so well known. Just whatever sounds good, I don't care if they're popular or not.  

Answer 3

Im not sure if my answer helps much but i search underground for my music, I listen Hip Hop and ill usually find some dope singles and then 6months later hear them just launching on the radio for air play with modified Verse's.  

Answer 4

I listen to ALL areas of music...a fairly good mixture of mainstream and underground artists...lately not so much mainstream stuff anymore.

MA: My favorite mainstream band is probably either System of a Down, Tool, or Incubus.

My favorite non-mainstream band is probably Gojira or Unearth

Answer 5

I tend to 'hunt down' my music.

Many years ago I realised that listening to the radio wasn't doing me any good. I didn't enjoy what I heard, it just didn't appeal to me. I realised that commercialism as opposed to actual artistic integrity often prevailed on radio.

I don't have a problem with listening to bands that I enjoy and that happen to be currently mainstream [however rare that may be] - but I don't use the radio or the TV as a means to find anything because 98% of the time I think it's terrible.

MQ ; Guns N' Roses broke into the mainstream in their heyday. They would probably be my favourite mainstream band.

As for non-mainstream bands, most of the bands I listen to would probably fit into that category - but I'll go with Rozz Williams' Christian Death.

Answer 6

i listen to mainstream music to find new bands, and then if i like their song, ill listen to other songs of theirs or find bands similar to them.

Answer 7

I always look for new bands on music choice in the rock and metal channels I discovered some really good bands on there.

MQ:

Favorite Mainstream bands- Tool, Alice in Chains, Chevelle

Non Mainstream- Isis, The Sword, Gojira

Answer 8

I listen to XM satellite radio which has mainstream and new and unusual music.  I listen to mainly the channels that don't play the mainstream stuff or channels that play mainstream groups but not the popular tracks (if that makes sense).

Warning!

Never buy your music at Walmart unless you enjoy your music censored and sanitized!

Favorite mainstream - the Beatles

Non-Mainstream - The Sword

Answer 9

I think a fair amount of stuff I listen to is non 'mainstream'. I'll listen to anything that's appealing to the ear, don't pay much attention to anything else so it's kind of a grey area regarding that status and popularity of some of my bands. But I know that some of the bands I listen to would seldom/never be heard playing anywhere, or be well known to most music fans. So, I don't know.

MQ: Mainstream - The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Nirvana, RHCP.

Non-mainstream - Well, I consider The Stooges to be non-'mainstream' - so many people have never heard of them, and they aren't very well known. Also, Gong, Atomic Rooster, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Air, Mudhoney, Yardbirds(?), ETC.

Oh! And as of, well, today  XD - b******e Surfers I've been listening to them all day.

Edit: Awww :'( That's not fair.

Answer 10

i havent listened to anything but cd's and public radio stations in about 8 years. half the time i dont even know what people are talking about when they discuss new mainstream bands.

MA: mainstream- dylan

non-mainstream- jim murple memorial (i could list endlessly on both sides, but this is just picking for the purpose of your question.)

Answer 11

I try to find bands that aren't super famous...it's kinda hard though lol.

I live in north carolina...so finding even mainstream bands in a cd store is kinda hard... everyone here is music illiterate.

but my fave mainstream band would probably be in flames.

fave non-mainstream would be valient thorr

Answer 12

I'm pretty mainstream, but I love being turned onto new stuff...

Re. the MQs... I'm not sure about what is or isn't on the radio (because I hardly ever listen to radio), but I guess fave mainstream band would be Pink Floyd and fave non-mainstream band... NIN (?)

Answer 13

I hardly ever listen to the radio these days, KP.

I'm more likely to find bands mentioned on here, or recommended to me by someone, or in association with ones I already listen to. Two of my most recent purchases happened because they were reviewed in a Pagan magazine!

I'm currently loving Inkubus Sukkubus, which I also discovered through Pagan Dawn magazine back in the late 1990's, but have only just gotten around to really listening to.

MQ :

I suppose the most obvious mainstream one would be: Fleetwood Mac.

Non-mainstream: Old Blind Dogs, and Capercaillie. Or even Inkubus Sukkubus!

I found both OBD and Capercaillie through a couple of "Rough Guides" Scottish / Celtic various artists albums, as they seemed the best 'gateway' for Celtic folk...

Answer 14

Actually, I find the radio quite distasteful in general. I remember a few years ago I was stuck in a filing room with a radio playing the "modern adult rock of the now" type stuff (new Liz Phair, Matchbox 20, Jason Mraz, etc.) and it was pretty rough until I learned to tune it out. There was the pocket where Interpol and the Killers were getting some play on the sort of more rock-y station that was ok at times, but honestly I gave up on the radio years ago. To each his own certainly, but I just can't get into it. I mostly rely on word of mouth as buying things completely at random has treated me almost as bad as the radio. Apparently I am quite bad at the "judge the album by the cover" game too.

MQ: My favorite band that was mainstream while I was around to live with it in the mainstream was probably Nirvana or Alice in Chains. Oh, you know, if it's judged by the fact that I saw Beck's and REM's cds on the big banner in the iTunes store, then it would be them. I like Justin Timberlake in small doses.

non-mainstream - well, my favorite band is Pavement or Stephen Malkmus. To go a bit more obscure Apollo Sunshine, Franklin For Short or Tall Tales and the Silver Lining.

Answer 15

I have to listen to the mainstream, because i don't know how to discover new bands that aren't. I hear about bands from the internet or magazines, and bands that aren't main stream just aren't there. Some mainstream music is good, i don't know why some people write it off. Not everyone is a sell out.

I would like to discover some bands that aren't mainstream, but i just don't know where to look for it - it's not that accessible. One of my school friends hears about bands which aren't famous, because she goes to small time music festivals all over England. Thing is, you can't buy any CDs of them, or listen to them on the internet, so there's no way i can try them out.  

Answer 16

Well, all my fave bands & acts are mainstream, but I am Always listening to the ground for good, new rock in the indie scene.

Answer 17

I prefer to go for new and unusual music , I have a good sense to identify great bands with potential , however I rather they keep a low profile and that's why I share my music collection or I provide names to very very few people who I consider can have a good taste.  

Answer 18

I am always hunting for new tunes.

MA:  fave mainstream is Metallica

Non main would be TestAmenT, Death Angel, High on Fire