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A Crash-Course in Recent Music

ΣπεκωσποκΣπεκωσποκ
edited October 2008 in Everything Else
Here's the story: I was out with a few friends, we were having dinner at a pizza place, and Bob Dylan comes on in the background. I pointed this fact out, and a friend of mine admitted she had never heard him before. Hendrix came on after that, and she had not heard him either. Music by Santana, Nirvana, and the Rolling Stones, among others, played during dinner as well, and she had never heard any of them. I was shocked to hear this, of course, and offered her a CD with a sample of good 20th- and 21st-century music. Here's where you all come in: I like my picks for the CD, but I would like it to have broader appeal. I want it to characterize recent music (primarily classic rock), but I am hardly an objective judge. She listens primarily to classical music and Irish/Scottish/whatever-you-call-it style string trios/quartets/etc., if that influences things.

Updated List
White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane
Shelter from the Storm - Bob Dylan
All Along the Watchtowers - Jimi Hendrix
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite - The Beatles
I Shot the Sheriff - Bob Marley
I Am the Walrus - The Beatles
All of My Love - Led Zeppelin
The Man Who Sold the World - Nirvana
Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix
Thriller - Michael Jackson
I Got You (I Feel Good) - James Brown
Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
Buffalo Soldier - Bob Marley
We Will Rock You - Queen
Heart-Shaped Box - Nirvana
Cowgirl in the Sand - Neil Young
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
Yesterday - The Beatles
Let It Be - The Beatles
Work It Out - RJD2
While My Guitar Gently Weeps - The Beatles
Imagine - John Lennon
The Wind Cries Mary - Jimi Hendrix
Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin
American Pie - Don McLean

Any comments/input/criticism/suggestions will be much appreciated. I would like to keep it at around 60-90 minutes (it is slightly over that as it stands).
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Comments

  • Li_AkahiLi_Akahi
    Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, Barracuda by Heart, and Knights of Cydonia by Muse.
  • ......
    and the Rolling Stones,
    and she had never heard any of them.
    You can ignore great artists, and you can be stupid. She appears to be the latter. How can you not have heard about the Rolling Stones?

    I second a few songs by Queen.
  • onewildonewild
    What is the context of the word recent in this? Almost all the music on your list is over 20 years old!
  • SailSail
    edited October 2008
    You talk as if rock music is the only modern music that matters. If she likes orchestral or doesn't really care about music then why would she know all these rock artist? I'm sure she'd be similarly appalled if you'd never heard of her favorite composers. I have a friend who is the most brilliant and gifted musician I have ever met. She composes on piano, has an incredible voice, knows practically everything there is to know about music theory, and has perfect pitch yet she had never heard of any of these artists for sixteen years of her life until someone introduced her to them last year. And you know what? She really doesn't like classic rock.
    Post edited by Sail on
  • AdelbertAdelbert
    edited October 2008
    I would reduce the number of Beatles song, she probably knows them already.

    Classics:
    R.E.M - anything from Automatic For The People
    Manic Street Preachers - A Design For Life (or any other song from Everything Must Go)
    Pixies - Here Comes Your Man
    John Lennon - Mother

    If you'll have time for more modern material:

    Andrew Bird - 11-11
    Belle & Sebastian - Dirty Dream Number 2
    The Shins - Pink Bullets
    Laura Veirs - Cool Water
    The Decemberists - We Both Go Down Together
    The Weakerthans - Watermark
    You talk as if rock music is the only modern music that matters.
    Not the most important, but undoubtedly the most popular. If you want to find something she likes, chances are it's rock.
    On a side note, not even hearing of the bands he included in that list is a very big hole in her common knowladdge.
    Post edited by Adelbert on
  • SailSail
    Manic Street Preachers
    Who?
    Pixies - Here Comes Your Man
    Try... any other Pixies song.
    John Lennon - Mother
    What about Imagine or Working Class Hero?
    Andrew Bird - 11-11
    Belle & Sebastian - Dirty Dream Number 2
    Laura Veirs - Cool Water
    The Weakerthans - Watermark
    Huh-wa?
  • whateverwhatever
    edited October 2008
    You talk as if rock music is the only modern music that matters. If she likes orchestral or doesn't really care about music then why would she know all these rock artist? I'm sure she'd be similarly appalled if you'd never heard of her favorite composers. I have a friend who is the most brilliant and gifted musician I have ever met. She composes on piano, has an incredible voice, knows practically everything there is to know about music theory, and has perfect pitch yet she had never heard of any of these artists for sixteen years of her life until someone introduced her to them last year. And you know what? She really doesn't like classic rock.
    This.

    Based on the vague description of what she likes, here are some folky/orchestral recommendations:

    This is the Way - Devendra Banhart
    Fredericia - Do Make Say Think
    White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes
    Easier - Grizzly Bear
    Eltern - Hauschka
    Emily - Joanna Newsom
    Kuulu - Lau Nau
    The Moon - The Microphones
    Yes! I Am A Long Way From Home - Mogwai
    Comfy In Nautica - Panda Bear
    Take Pills - Panda Bear
    Salka - Sigur Ros
    Come On! Feel the Illinoise! - Sufjan Stevens
    Post edited by whatever on
  • StarfoxStarfox
    Since the dawn of time, one genre of music has ruled with an iron fist. HEAVY METAL!
  • kiwi_birdkiwi_bird
    How about some Bob Dylan love? Like "Shelter from the Storm".

    "The Wind Cries Mary" is a must.

    Otherwise The Who - "Won't get fooled again" and maybe something by Neil Young.
  • ......
    edited October 2008
    You talk as if rock music is the only modern music that matters. If she likes orchestral or doesn't really care about music then why would she know all these rock artist? I'm sure she'd be similarly appalled if you'd never heard of her favorite composers. I have a friend who is the most brilliant and gifted musician I have ever met. She composes on piano, has an incredible voice, knows practically everything there is to know about music theory, and has perfect pitch yet she had never heard of any of these artists for sixteen years of her life until someone introduced her to them last year. And you know what? She really doesn't like classic rock.
    This is true, to some extent. The problem here however is knowing. Not liking. Insert Scotts Citizen Kane argument.
    Post edited by ... on
  • DkongDkong
    edited October 2008
    This list needs moar Rush and Pink Floyd. Shit, if you don't acknowledge them, you're doing a large disservice to classic rock. I'll also 2nd (or 3rd...or 4th) Queen.
    Post edited by Dkong on
  • whateverwhatever
    Guys, if he wants to get the girl interested in the music he likes, he can't beat her over the head with it. He needs to take what she already likes and find stuff he likes that's similar to it to get her interested first.
  • ......
    Guys, if he wants to get the girl interested in the music he likes, he can't beat her over the head with it. He needs to take what she already likes and find stuff he likes that's similar to it to get her interested first.
    I was under the impression that this thread was about educating a person about some of the best (not opinion best, fact best) music out there, not about finding new music that the person might like.
  • whateverwhatever
    edited October 2008
    I was under the impression that this thread was about educating a person about some of the best (not opinion best, fact best) music out there, not about finding new music that the person might like.
    She's not going to think it's the best if she's been listening to classical music all her life and speckospock drops the Gorillaz on her. Anyway, there's no fact in music about what's good and what's not. I love Animal Collective, and think they're the best band around right now, but I know that very few people agree. I also dislike Led Zeppelin, and I know that even more people disagree with me on that. She doesn't need to be educated about music, she just needs some recommendations to widen her horizons. Don't think that just because a ton of people like The Beatles that means they're objectively good.
    Post edited by whatever on
  • SailSail
    I hardly think that knowing who the Rolling Stones are is necessary knowledge for a person to function in society.
  • onewildonewild
    Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh band that have been around since the early 90s. They are not big in America (to my limited knowledge) but on this side of the ocean (where the best music comes from ;) ) they have a decent size fan base.
    Also Imagine is one of the most overrated songs ever written, it is hypocritical nonsense.
  • SailSail
    Also Imagine is one of the most overrated songs ever written, it is hypocritical nonsense.
    Lyrics are only half of a song and, besides, Imagine has an extremely interesting legacy. It denounces religion, government, and capitalism. It's basically a sugar-coated Communist Manifesto and yet it's popular with so many people.

    And Stairway to Heaven is the most overrated song ever written.
    Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh band that have been around since the early 90s. They are not big in America (to my limited knowledge) but on this side of the ocean (where the best music comes from ;) ) they have a decent size fan base.
    Even more proof that what is considered to be essential knowledge is highly subjective.
  • ......
    Even more proof that what is considered to be essential knowledge is highly subjective.
    Manic Street Preachers is not part of essential knowledge. Anyone who thinks that does not understand what the thread is about at all.
    She's not going to think it's the best if she's been listening to classical music all her life and speckospock drops the Gorillaz on her.
    Oooh? I had not seen that. Gorillaz is also not music you should know.
  • whateverwhatever
    Nothing except what you like is essential music knowledge. People who really like classic rock will say Pink Floyd is essential, and people who really like experimental jazz will say that Pink Floyd isn't essential, but all the jazz artists that inspired them are.
  • DkongDkong
    Nothing except what you like is essential music knowledge. People who really like classic rock will say Pink Floyd is essential, and people who really like experimental jazz will say that Pink Floyd isn't essential, but all the jazz artists that inspired them are.
    Truth.
    And Stairway to Heaven is the most overrated song ever written.
    More truth. It's REALLY not that great of a song.
  • ......
    Nothing except what you like is essential music knowledge. People who really like classic rock will say Pink Floyd is essential, and people who really like experimental jazz will say that Pink Floyd isn't essential, but all the jazz artists that inspired them are.
    I disagree. There are songs that I do not like, yet consider to be objectively good. Like I said, insert Scotts Citizen Kane argument.
  • KoholintKoholint
    So here's what you do: you give her the String Quartet Tribute to Led Zeppelin CD, then you give her the actual Led Zeppelin songs.
  • SailSail
    So here's what you do: you give her the String Quartet Tribute to Led Zeppelin CD, then you give her the actual Led Zeppelin songs.
    Hahaha. You could try Apocalyptica too!
  • ΣπεκωσποκΣπεκωσποκ
    And Stairway to Heaven is the most overrated song ever written.
    More truth. It's REALLY not that great of a song.
    I know it is overrated (I'm more of an Achilles' Last Stand guy, myself), but it is a necessary component, considering how popular it is.
  • ProfPanglossProfPangloss
    Okay, why hasn't anyone suggested American Pie by Don McLean? A necessary component of any "required listening" playlist, in my opinion.
  • kiwi_birdkiwi_bird
    American Pie by Don McLean
    I dare you understand it all!
  • MrRobotoMrRoboto
    Wow, no one mentioned Prince yet...



    Or a mix, Beetles + Tom Petty + Prince + Jeff Lynne = WIN
  • Admiral HotcakesAdmiral Hotcakes
    Surrender- Cheap Trick
    More Than a Feeling- Boston
    Roxanne- The Police
    Nightswimming- R.E.M.

    She may like more low-key songs based on her tastes. Speaking of which...
    Come on Eileen- Dexys Midnite Runners
  • ΣπεκωσποκΣπεκωσποκ
    I updated the list... I think it should be a bit shorter, though.
  • whateverwhatever
    Do you honestly think that she will enjoy any of this music?
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