Monday, July 13, 2009
National Skyline Kings of Leon: You Have Bad Taste in Music, Americans
Posted by Steve Haruch on Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 6:06 AM
According to an article on "the Internet," Kings of Leon drummer Nathan Followill thinks you have shitty taste in music. If you're an American, that is, because Americans have shitty taste in music, according to him. In fact, the bro-sex peep show performer says, "Most music gets ignored in the States unless it's hip-hop or Hannah Montana or Disney music like the Jonas Brothers. Kiddy pop or hip-hop, that's pretty much what America is. You may turn on the radio and you hear maybe one out of 10 songs that you'd consider decent."
Take that, U.S. of A.! Although, at this point, "one out of 10" seems like a pretty kick-ass day on commercial radio, especially in Nashville. I didn't really disagree with Chris Weingarten when he said (paraphrasing here) people in general have shitty taste in music--but he didn't say Americans specifically. (And Followill seems to imply that all of hip-hop as a genre is pretty much equivalent to Hannah Montana, quality-wise. Let's just say that's, um, an inelegant argument.)
As fate would have it, Nathan Followill, drummer for the American rock band Kings of Leon, also says that in the United Kingdom--of all places!--people who listen to bands possess musical taste that is far superior to ours: "The U.K. is more open to all kinds of music," he opines. "The fans are just insane in the U.K. - they are music lovers. You have kids going to shows to see the bands, not going to a show to be seen there."
Ouchie. But the food sucks! Also: I might be missing the joke here, but perhaps when Mr. Followill says "open to all kinds of music," he means to say, "cuckoo for my band," since KOL just happen to be more popular in the part of the world with superior taste to the part of the world we all call home. I mean, right?
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We're the country which brought you jazz & blues & country music. (they don't get much love here but you can't deny their export value.) The british invasion was basically a bunch of (admittedly awesome) musicians copying American R&B.
We have the brits to thank for 'grime', which is the closest they could come to an original hip-hop genre. That shit is terrible! The streets, lady sov? GMAFB!
But when you live in the shitty mainstream killers-kol-fray-coldplay vein like these guys, I guess you don't get to stop and smell the roses. I am so thankful to be in this country's musical culture and I believe we yanks are the shiz-nit.
Americans have bad taste? I guess that explains why KOL are playing in U.S. arenas now.
The Current U.K. Top Ten, according to BBC 1:
1.Cascada - Evacuate the Dance Floor (a trifling bit of eh-okay dance pop)
2. La Roux - Bulletproof (Middlin' synthpop)
3. Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror (shock)
4. Lady Gaga - Paparazzi (looks like shitty american music is popular over there too, hmmmm)
5. David Guetta feat. Kelly Rowland (Pop trance built around a Coldplay sample, for fuck sake)
6. Chipmunk - Diamond Rings (UK hip hop has been on a steady decline since Stereo MCs, this is just further proof)
7. Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow (How is it that the limey's have better taste in music? seriously?)
8. Kerri Hilson/Kanye West/Ne-Yo - Knock You Down (I love this song. Whatevs)
9.Agnes - Release Me (Fucking terrible. Nuff said)
10. Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling
I think this proves that the UK has some pretty fucking awful taste in the worst music America has to offer. Or maybe, Nathan is just trying to hint that the next KOL is gonna synth-heavy rave-lite dance pop that you mom is gonna LOVE. Maybe.
He's right. Americans, as a collective whole, do have crappy taste in music. And yes, I'm American. If we didn't then people like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan wouldn't be able to cut albums.
You guys remember when a ringtone - a ringtone - of a frog singing the theme song to "Beverly Hills Cop" was Number 1 in the US for weeks and weeks? If you don't, that's because it didn't happen here, it happened in the UK.
Also the frog had a penis.
So.... The ultimate hipster rag calls out a rock musician for complaining about mainstream tastes in music.
Hmmmmmmmmmm.
Scene, you're our only choice for an alt-weekly. Could you maybe start supporting some local acts that people actually give a shit about?
@Jen but does that explain why Paris Hilton's "Stars are Blind" single charted higher in the UK than the US?
WE can say we have shitty taste in music
but YOU better not muthafucka!!!
Sorry, just having a bit of fun
please continue
/popcorn
i honestly kind of agree with him. i mean, he's completely right about the radio stuff, right? mark is right, too...who listens to radio? nobody...because it kind of sucks...to me, anyway...and nathan followill.
Americans have had bad taste in music ever since the Disco Sucks movement. Not that disco was the bestest thing ever, but it was music that had an audience of people who genuinely enjoyed it and that audience and their taste was relentlessly attacked in the fragmenting radio era and by their own "Disco Sucks" t-shirt wearing peers.
It's no mere coincidence that Steve Dahl's WLUP, the station behind the Disco Demolition Derby, was consulted by Lee Abrams.
Since then, pretty much everything in the 'rock' category that doesn't reach for lowest common denominator has had a hard time gaining traction.
Meanwhile those young people who gravitated towards the rock, and only rock, movement lost their say about what gets promoted in general pop.
I (clearly wrongly) read the headline as being written in "headline-ese," so I thought the the article was going to be Steve calling out KOL for having bad taste in music and Americans. This is not germane to the discussion.
When I lived in the UK, a 34-year-old song called "Is This The Way To Amarillo," which is magnificently awful, was No. 1 for six weeks. It toppled a song by the truly worthless band McFly from the top spot and was replaced by the equally dispensable Akon. Bad musical taste knows no national borders.
But, to be fair, this was around the same time The Features were getting played on BBC Radio One.
I don't think anyone is arguing that mainstream music taste in the US doesn't suck. What's funny is to suggest that Britain's is any better. Those fuckers LOVE a novelty song. They're the crux of pop music in the UK at least twice a year - Eurovision and Christmas singles. I find their enthusiasm charming, but I find a lot of stupid shit charming.
Well, considering that KOL are NOW getting their share of attention in the USA - I would TOTALLY put THEIR new album right up there WITH Hannah Montana and Jonas Brothers as far as "edgy" goes. In MY opinion THAT band died two albums ago - Nashville or not...it IS what it IS.
The early KOL had something fierce inside it but get to their 3rd album and it's the equivalent of watered down bourbon; no kick, no effect just a slight taste of what was once there.
Fuck this band for talking down to anybody! Talk about suck, do they ever listen to their own music!?
Yes, Americans have terrible taste in music, but what about all the other ones?? People listen to terrible music in England, as has been demonstrated, plus their music magazines are even worse than ours. As far as I've ever been able to ascertain, though, countries all over the place are just importing bad hip-hop, techno-lite, & Disney-pop. I just looked up some top 40's from around the world (http://top40-charts.com/); in Finland they're listening to Linkin Park, Lily Allen & Lady Gaga, while Brazil has Ja Rule, Black Eyed Peas, & Britney Spears on their list.
Which is not to say people don't create amazing music, there & everywhere else, but this discussion is about what "gets ignored" vs. what's popular. If any of y'all have been to a country where the general standard of knowledge about/engagement with recorded music is notably higher than in the U.S., let us know & I'll stand corrected.
I don't think we would be discussing this as fervently if it had come out of the mouth of someone like Bob Dylan.
I think people confuse "taste in music" with "supporter of music". I think Europeans are more willing to go out and support a band and be a lifetime fan than the US. Americans tend to burn a copy of a cd, download for free, etc. In Europe, singles are promoted more and are widely available.
I totally agree with him. Americans have lost their soul. We pioneered Rock and Roll, but have lost touch with its roots. KOL had it down perfectly with their old albums. For example listen to Happy Alone, the guitar solos in that song are amazingly American. I actually sat next to the Kings on an airplane to Chicago. I asked them why they didn't have their own jet. they said "only in America." haha! they have their own jet in the UK. They sold out huge shows in the UK and came back to Nashville and couldn't sell out shows. Idk where they played, probably Exit/In or something to that size. It proves that Americans have lost their Rock and Roll Roots. The KOL were as raw as it gets when it comes to that.
Trani-- Nuff said
I listen to the radio. Hits are awesome. Country music itself beats kol any day. I don't give a fuck if its check you for ticks or whatever. At least I get to hear a rippin paisely solo. Somethin them boys aint got. Americas got soul. England appreciates it. Our idiots dig miley. Theirs dig the kings of leon shite. That's what smart brits would call it shite. Hated it!
You mean 'nothing said.' The true spirit of rock and roll would be Chuck Berry, Fats, Jerry Lewis, Little Richard, etc.
That watered down overproduced boy band KOL shit doesn't even get on the scale with those legends.
I love King of Leon and I think they're great but to each is own. And one mans good music is another mans shitty music.
For lack of a better example... when AutoVaughn went over to the UK and France to tour with Cage the Elephant, they sold more music and merchandise in 1 month over there than in an entire year in the US and they play some big shows and festivals in the US. Regardless of people's taste in music or which country makes better music, the FANS of music in the UK are undeniably passionate and it's ONLY b/c of the music and the release they feel when they go to shows. They feed off of the band's energy and love every minute of it. This is fact and I rarely, if ever, see that kind of passion in the US, especially Nashville. Plus, in the UK, you get paid in pounds so it's easier to get rich!
Oh, Bummer! What shall I do now? I'm an American and my music selection sucks! Is this why I have all of the KOL records and have see them 10 times?
The UK likes everything. including anything KOL shits out. I guess that's why KOL is trying to suck U2's dick in order to pack American arenas.
I find it amusing that instead of calling Nathan Followill out on his overly generalised opinion you all do exactly the same as what he did but flip it to bash the UK instead. Ironic hypocrisy at it's best! I forgot though, Americans don't do irony... oh wait that's another generalisation isn't it?
American citizen here. Funny this is coming from a Kings of Leon band member since they may be the worst "main stream" band in the last decade in the US. I was absolutely dumbfounded when they won a grammy for "Use Somebody". That tune is a cluster F inside of a train wreck... This guy also complained that they don't get much play in Nashville. I have news for you Nathan, it's because your band is awful.
Im a 13 year old American girl (Texan!) And i agree with Nathan completely. I listen to the Pop stations and i start to like a song. But (yes theres a but) then they play it 400 times and it starts to get on my nerves. Then they play it another 200 times and i rip my hair out. What im trying to is that American radio stations dont know when to stop playing songs. And the stupid songs always are the most poplar. Like songs like "Tootie them booty" or "Black and Yellow." It litterly pisses me off. I dont listen to british radio, but i hope they play better music than here. (I love Kings Of Leon)=)
<3<3<3-------Katelyn F.
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