Vote for U2 on RS' 'Artist of the Decade' Poll

[intedomine]

Eminem's massive presence in the first three or four years of this decade is, to me, almost enough to certify his position as artist of the decade. If you want big, I don't think there's been bigger this decade.

I agree with this, but the critical thing going against Eminem is that he weren't able to sustain this presence.

 

[LyricalDrug]

"Is This It?" by the Strokes for the Album of the Decade, "Paper Planes" by M.I.A. for song of the decade, and either Jack White, Kanye West, or Jay-Z for artist of the decade. If there was a category for "most promising band to emerge from the decade," I'd go with the Killers.

My *actual* ballot is of course gonna be all U2 though.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

"Is This It?" by the Strokes for the Album of the Decade

As I've said before, I completely agree that this is the album of the decade. However, there actually is not a question mark in the album's title. I am a nitpicker, sorry.

 

[intedomine]

It's like people referring to Editors as The Editors. I get anal about that. No, it's not The Editors, it's just Editors.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Indeed.

 

[mikal]

i always found "Is This It" massively overrated. it's a decent album, average maybe.

 

[Mr. V]

It's like people referring to Editors as The Editors. I get anal about that. No, it's not The Editors, it's just Editors.

same rule applies to Arctic Monkeys

 

[gvox]

Actually, the critical thing going against Eminem is that he is just another rapper. A good one, a decent writer, but nothing we haven't heard before and doesn't transcend his genre, really.

 

[mikal]

same rule applies to Arctic Monkeys

and Doves.

ps. and Ohio State (douchebags)

 

[BVS]

i always found "Is This It" massively overrated. it's a decent album, average maybe.

Yeah, I don't know how it could possibly be considered album of the decade when I only know one song off of it...

 

[mikal]

Yeah, I don't know how it could possibly be considered album of the decade when I only know one song off of it...

i would definitely rate Interpol's Turn On The Bright Lights and Doves' Lost Souls above it.

 

[Jive Turkey]

Actually, the critical thing going against Eminem is that he is just another rapper. A good one, a decent writer, but nothing we haven't heard before and doesn't transcend his genre, really.

Lose Yourself was all over rock radio. I still hear it from time to time. More so than any other rapper (apart from Beastie Boys)

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Yeah, I don't know how it could possibly be considered album of the decade when I only know one song off of it...

Yes, because we all know that "the amount of songs BVS knows off the album" is a well-established barometer for how successful that album is.

I'm not too fond of going to critical analysis to make a point, but Is This It has already had a great showing in many of the recent "Album of the Decade" lists, showing up in the Top 10 on many of those lists, including 7th on Pitchfork's and the top overall spot on Consequence of Sound and NME's lists.

Just saying, simply because you don't think it's up for the discussion of album of the decade doesn't mean it's not. Obviously a lot of people think it is.

 

[BVS]

i would definitely rate Interpol's Turn On The Bright Lights and Doves' Lost Souls above it.

Oh, absolutely

 

[BVS]

Yes, because we all know that "the amount of songs BVS knows off the album" is a well-established barometer for how successful that album is.

I'm not too fond of going to critical analysis to make a point, but Is This It has already had a great showing in many of the recent "Album of the Decade" lists, showing up in the Top 10 on many of those lists, including 7th on Pitchfork's and the top overall spot on Consequence of Sound and NME's lists.

Just saying, simply because you don't think it's up for the discussion of album of the decade doesn't mean it's not. Obviously a lot of people think it is.

Obviously you missed my sarcasm in that post...

That being said, I do believe it's really overrated. The album came out in 01 and I really only heard one song, 'Last Nite' and I fucking heard it everywhere But that's all I knew, and I was trying to figure out why this album was made to be such a big deal, so a friend of mine lent it to me last year. Is This It, is a very apt title because that's how I was left feeling after listening to it

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Obviously you missed my sarcasm in that post...

Oh, indeed I must have. Carry on.

 

[allbecauseofu2]

eminem's 4th album did well considering by 2009 the record sales (overall) were worse then in 2004. If you wanna factor in his success with d12, its really enough to put it over the top. He still is supposed to have relapse 2 come out before the year is done. So his line may not even be over yet. His 5 year gap doesn't bother me too because he has as many albums out as most anyone else.

 

[lazarus]

Well it's not just about quantity, it's about coverage as well. When Eminem was gone, he was GONE. People weren't talking about him anymore. He became, for all practical purposes, irrelevant. And he basically still is, the gap being filled by Kanye, who hasn't missed a beat since he came on the scene.

A constant presence is something I consider pretty important in this discussion.

 

[phillyfan26]

Based on a lot of the arguments I've seen, I agree that it comes down to Radiohead and Kanye West for the 00s. I think every other artist has a legitimate reason not to be counted.

 

[allbecauseofu2]

i used to think Lincoln park was a candidate but they really messed things up by releasing remix albums and not more studio efforts. They were one more successful album away from being a major factor in this discussion.

 

[lazarus]

1. It's "Linkin" Park

2. Nu-Metal sucks, and thank god that genre faded away so we don't have to consider bands like them

 

[allbecauseofu2]

Yea proof of that is them being left off the RS list.

 

[gvox]

Lose Yourself was all over rock radio. I still hear it from time to time. More so than any other rapper (apart from Beastie Boys)

Actually, by 'transcend his genre', I meant that sortof sarcastically, more in a racial sense. White kids (admittedly HUGE demographic) like him. Great. But it sortof stops there, in real life (not what you saw on 8 mile) and in practical terms. Sure, a few black people may like him, but he's not widely loved or regarded as anything near the best in the hip hop/rap community I'm familiar with. I would fully expect him to do decent on rock radio, just as Kid Rock did!

Contrast that with Kanye. He gets love from all sides, and rightly so, his work is far more intelligent and creative imo.

 

[monkeyskin]

Off the RS list I'd like to say Jack White. Dude's released eight (I think) albums this decade, including one of the very best in Elephant. The White Stripes were also a huge band in the early 00s garage band boom and have easily outlived it. Just a shame he's never seemed to cross into the mainstream on the level other nominees have.

Coldplay shouldn't be underestimated. When X and Y was delayed EMI's stock value plummetted and the hype was huge when it was finally released. Sure it sucked, but they cemented their global superstar position despite that. Their innovative contribution to music is neglible, but they certainly belong on the shortlist. They must be the second or third most discussed band on this forum too.

But I think, when all's said and done, the 'artist' who has defined this decade in the same way as The Beatles did in the 60s is Simon Cowell. His contribution to modern popular music, for better or for worse, really sums up the iTunes, single orientated, disposable culture is impossible to deny. I don't know about American Pop Idol, but X Factor UK is the biggest show on TV for the past few years and dominates the charts. Over the past month, three out of four UK number one singles have been X Factor / Pop Idol graduates. Yes, most fade away quickly but not until the next season starts. Some though, like Girls Aloud and Leona Lewis, are mega huge. Oh and Susan Boyle.

Simon Cowell has been behind all this, so he grudgingly gets my vote for defining the decade musically.

 

[coolian2]

Yea proof of that is them being left off the RS list.

that, and because they're rubbish.

 

[intedomine]

Nu-Metal was appeared to be shaping up to be what grunge was to the 90s at the turn of the decade, in terms of how popular the genre was....

Key thing with Eminem. There is a commercial radio station here in Melbs, where they've always been committed to really popular rock and Aussie rock in the form of AC/DC, Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Gunners, Live, Pearl Jam, Cold Chisel and more recently, Nickelback, Green Day and Foo Fighters. Somehow, Eminem penetrated this hegemony throughout the first half of the decade. It was unthinkable at the time, but Eminem was getting a lot of radio play and the audience seemed to quite enjoy it.

Actually, a bit like how this same station plays Pink all the time now, despite sounding at odds with their traditional programming.

 

[phillyfan26]

Linkin Park sucks. A lot. My brother likes them. It drives me insane.

 

[gvox]

Key thing with Eminem. There is a commercial radio station here in Melbs, where they've always been committed to really popular rock and Aussie rock in the form of AC/DC, Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Gunners, Live, Pearl Jam, Cold Chisel and more recently, Nickelback, Green Day and Foo Fighters. Somehow, Eminem penetrated this hegemony throughout the first half of the decade. It was unthinkable at the time, but Eminem was getting a lot of radio play and the audience seemed to quite enjoy it.

Actually, a bit like how this same station plays Pink all the time now, despite sounding at odds with their traditional programming.

To be honest, this says way more about the twats that run that station than it does anything about Eminem.

Pink , however.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Kanye, who hasn't missed a beat since he came on the scene.

It could be argued that Kanye isn't closing out the decade too strongly and that he actually is missing a beat, right now. It's been over a year since he's had a hit single or released an album, and the most recent LP was nowhere as critically lauded as his previous three efforts. Not to mention the negative press he received for that thing he did to my girlfriend on that award show. He's kind of been a complete recluse since that whole thing went down.


Anyway, College Dropout and Late Registration are indeed modern hip hop classics, so he did own at least a good little chunk of this decade.

 

[financeguy]

No way would I vote for U2 as artist of this decade.

The rest of the choices aren't that great, so I voted for Radiohead. However, I would have preferred to vote for Bat for Lashes, had they been available in the list.