To the young music fans...What the hell is wrong with you?!?!?

Now, I realize that I grew up in a musically challenged era. Still, we had our greats. On top of that, we had the greats of yesterday. You, you have neither the respect for yesterday, nor the intelligence to realize that the hits of today were made from the foundation of yesterday. My sister is young, like you fools, and that's a major reason that this particular subject came to mind. Examples, you ask? I'll break the examples into a few separate categories, and they go something like this...

1. The soul-less, talent less, hype machine that makes stars out of giving idiots the image of "cool", and ramming it down their throats until they believe it. These are the scum of the music world. Respectably, they're just trying to make their money, but they're prostituting what little talent they have to be "one hit wonders" instead of actual artists. That'd be fine, if they didn't consider themselves artists, seeing as how someone else wrote their songs, designed their costumes, choreographed their pathetic dance numbers, convinced them that dancing + lip syncing is better than singing and all out made them the star that a million others could have been with the same record label "push".

Examples of these buffoons are Britney Spears, N' Sync, Destiny's Child, and so forth. What bothers me most about these fools is that a lot of them have actual talent, but choose to hide it, pumping out the same senseless drivel based on one verse and 8-9 chorus's, complete with lip-syncing live shows to keep the preteen fans impressed as long as they can(about 1-3 years), sacrificing what could be long future in the industry. In short, make your money. I have no problem with that. Just don't call yourself a "singer/songwriter" when you are actually a "lip syncing sham." On a side note, what bothers me most about these "bands" is the fans that o.d. on them for ten months, saying they're "the greatest ever", and then say "they suck" when the next fad comes about. Either like 'em or don't. Don't like them conditionally.

2. The pop-rockers. I'm gonna be honest and say that I'm a little bit proud of these chumps. At least they're picking up their own instruments and having a creative hand in writing their own shit. These are the Avril Lavigne's, Michele Branch's, Wave's, and Good Charlotte's. The problem with them is that they still base much of their music on image.

The idea that what they look like or how they act is gonna sell them more records than what they have to say. Even if all you have to say is "hey, have fun" you don't need to look a certain way in order to say it. Avril wants to be the "Anti-Britney", Michele wants to be the "Ordinary girl", Wave wants to be the "Boy band that writes and plays what the boy band's have written and played for them", and Good Charlotte wants to be the new "Pop-punk band", the punk look with the pop sound. Just play your music. If it's good, people will like it. Even if they don't, you'll be respected for doing something you believe in. Again, if it's all about making money and being a "star", so be it. Just don't pretend it's more than that. Avril will never be Stevie Nicks, and Good Charlotte will never be Green Day.

3. The "make a name off of the tunes of others" group. In all fairness, most of the bands or singers to be named here do pay homage to the artists that they stole the songs from, and you better believe I'll tell you who didn't. Honestly, if you want to cover the song of someone else, go right ahead. Two things, get their permission, and prove that you can make your own shit first. For those of you who think your favorite new artist or song is the best new thing, this is gonna hurt.

"The boys of summer" is not an Ataris song. They did a good job, but it's a Don Henley song. Uncle Kracker didn't write "Drift Away", Dobie Gray did.

Jennifer Lopez stole the beat for "Jenny from the block" from The Beatnuts.

Sorry kids, Eminem's "Sing for the moment" was stolen from Aerosmith's "Dream On".

As for the earlier mentioned Avril Lavigne, don't record a Bob Dylan song(Knockin' on Heaven's Door) if you're not gonna mean it.

Puff Daddy has never written a damn thing.

Just so the Goths aren't left out, Marylin Manson's best songs are the worst covers ever.

"Paint it Black" was done by the Rolling Stones, not Gob.

Just so everyone knows that bad covers aren't a new thing, both Vanilla Ice and M.C. Hammer became one hit wonders off of other people's hard work. Now, I don't mind a good cover tune, but make sure you establish yourself as a voice of your own first. Don't get me wrong, some of the above mentioned artists did. The meaning of that list was to simply notify all who didn't know that there are better versions of some of your favorite songs out there.

Basically, that's it. 95% of today's music is shit, and will never stand the test of time. That's pop culture for ya, always looking for the next big thing, never enjoying the moment(but that's a rant for a different time). Until then, I'm a jerk, as is my want, and you just got...


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