MERGED-->Anyone Give A Damn About THE VMA's? + 2003 VMAs + Justin Timberlake...

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hey for this west coaster, when does Coldplay come on??? bc that is the only performance I want to see and I dont want to be sitting here watching this lame crap all night!!
 
Just finished watching the VMA's and needed to spout off. Is there really a better place for that than Interference.com?

My ethical dilemma of whether or not I'm getting old/bitter or the music industry sucks and is on a decline has been growing. I just turned 26 on Aug. 25th and I hate the fact that most (mainstream) music is style over substance, is not written by the performer and is destitute of any real meaning or integrity!

I realize that only a small portion of any art is truly great, but after watching the VMA's, it seems that music is more about lip-syncing and being outrageous than anything else. Hardly anyone plays an instrument, writes his/her own music and its more about looking good than sounding good. I also hate the fact that hip/hop and rap are the dominant force in music. It lacks true story-telling, is repetitive, difficult to understand and is destitute of any profound emotion(not all of it, just generally).

10 years from now, which of these bands/artists will still be around? It may sound old/bitter, but when I was in HS 10 years ago, music was truly influential, profound and is still mentioned today. Shit! 1992 is one of the best years in music ever! (PJ, U2, REM, Metallica, NIN, Dr Dre/Snoop, Nirvana, Alice, Soundgarden, G-N-R, etc...)

Maybe people always think that his/her generation is better than the next, but I can honestly say that music has undergone it's worst creative and unsubstantial period during the past 5-6 years. What do you guys think?

BTW: VMA Highlights
-Madonna
-Coldplay
-Chris Rock
-Metallica (their best days are behind them, but there still fun to watch)

Lowlights
-Beyonce(she doesn't sing)
-50 Cent (he can't speak!)
-Bad, I mean, Good Charlotte
-Duran Duran (good band, but the presentation was done poorly)
-no Johnny Cash ("Hurt" is one of the best videos---ever!)

Chris Rock's said it best when describing Good Charlotte: "Good Charlotte? More like a mediocre Green Day" LOL!!!
 
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MBH, I agree with you. Especially about the style over substance, and rap being so dominant. :tsk:

I think the only reason why Johnny Cash was nominated was so MTV could like it cares for real artists and music. The whole thing was a joke, because they weren't going to give it to him

Perle
 
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I think it's really sad that MTV only awards the 5 videos it played all year. Perhaps good musicians would have a chance if MTV removed the corn cob from its corporate arse and looked around on those beautifully cultural streets of the very city it loves to be from - NYC - to see the music people really are passionate about - the music that means something, that changes lives...

Because, I'll tell you what - 50 Cent's "In da club" will stick with me as long as I am in a bar where it's playing - no longer.

Beyonce is just scary. The girl oversings (and not well at that) and people call it great. :tsk: At least she writes most of her songs, but still. Blech!

Even Justin Timberlake is a mediocre singer at best - but the mass population is conned into thinking it's good because ole Mr Justified is on every radio station and on every magazine. He is all people see and hear, so it must be good! :rolleyes:
 
what i saw, minus coldplay, more or less made me sick. I had to sit through a friend telling me i was not open minded about music. I could not believe it.

I am not sure I can ever watch one of these again.

Carrie, I could not agree more with your statements about the music coming from the streets of NYC.
 
The older I get , the more I realize the "way of things". For example: Red meat isn't as healthy as white meat, idiots and liars are exclusively elected as our leaders, and Johnny Cash would never and will never win an award from MTV unless they were making fun of him ala Clint Howard or Kaeto Kalin. They can't make fun of him, so they will never award him.

Tonight I tuned into the show in tidbits hoping to catch a single award go Johnny's way. To my knowledge the video didn't win a single award. This is beyond sad, but not surprising. I think everyone on that show aside from a few exceptions was on crack or needed a good slap in their face. I'm tolerate of other music styles, cultures, and races, but certain people came off as morons and smung, prissy, assholes. Timberlake, I believe, fell within all four of those categories. (I don't like him. I don't like The Timberlake :madspit: ).

As I was saying....Cash deserves respect and certain communities will give it to him. MTV awarded him by granting his name to be said on the air. Yeah, that's quite a compliment :(. The Grammy's will honor the man, as will the CMA's. Even VH1 would throw more to Cash than MTV seemingly did tonight.

The truth as I see it is that MTV knew they'd gain a different demographic of viewers if they gave fans a possible victory/triumph of seeing their "man" win an award in front of the junk food equivalent of music. Well, they succeeded, because it sounds like a lot of us watch with those hopes. And what did we get? Hamburger instead of Prime Rib, Moon Pies instead of Angel Food....The Timberlake instead of the Man in Black.

Shame....

Shame...

SSSSSHHHHHAAAAAAMMMMMEEEEEE! :wink:
 
2003 VMAs: WHAT THE HELL?

Okay, maybe I'm just old and out of it (I'm 21), but I didn't even understand what was going on. This is really the cream of the crop this year in terms of music? I don't really watch MTV or listen to the radio anymore. I mean, these people didn't even try to pretend like they weren't lip synching. 50 cent...what the hell was that shit? Beyonce didn't even have a fucking microphone for God's sake!! She'd sing along sometimes, and sometimes she wouldn't. Britney and Christina and Madonna kissing.....that wasn't even sexy....it was just weird. Am I supposed to think it's hot for a 45 year old married woman, with children, to kiss a washed up former teen idol? I didn't, I thought it was purely for shock value.

Is this the sorry shape music is really in? Are things that bad that we have to sit through an awards show like that? I mean, watching Eminem beat up a puppet is probably the biggest waste of television space I've ever seen. Or maybe it was Christiana's performance, with the cheesy guest appearance by Dave Navaro. And closing the show with Metallica....what's that about? I don't know what happened to them, but they seem really out of touch. James Hetfield looks like every small town's local mechanic, and Lars looks like a gay European fashion designer. And their new style is a poor excuse for organized sound.

Why were Coldplay there? They were the only talented musicians there. They definately were out of place....because they are good.
 
about justin...it's even worse here. he's from here (well, technically millington which is like a suburb) so everyone around here who plays pop/top 40/whatever worships him. people freaked out when he and britney (this was a couple years ago when they were still dating) supposedly went to the mall. big freaking deal!

however, a guy from the same suburb as me wins a golf tournament (whichever one happened recently) and no one seemed to care. oh, and when this girl from another suburb was on american idol, the radio stations were pressuring everyone into voting for her even though she sucked. like we wouldn't be loyal to this town if we voted for someone else.

sorry for the rant, i just hate the way this city only seems to care about the famous and semi-famous musicians, but no one else.
 
I did have this long post typed out about the music business, new artists, why watch it if you hate it?, blah blah blah. But the jist of it was this: Justin Timberlake can sing better than most of us, Good Charlotte has catchy tunes and cool energy while playing live, and 50 Cent has really brought something new to the table for those of us who love rap. For the most part, I enjoyed what I saw of the VMAs, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I kind of like the fact that an old geezer such as myself (at the ripe old age of 26) can still find a few new pop songs to listen to, even if most of the bands I love will never come 500 miles within winning a VMA. I'm sorry it pained all of you so much to watch the show.

Maybe this post needs to go in the Confessionals. :wink:
 
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Hey, I'm 21 too - we're both not old and 'out of it'

We're just not as dumb as the music industry thinks we are :)

Perle
 
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wow, this years VMA's were just really boring. I guess it's a reflection of the time, or the year, because mainstream music was just boring this year.

It's only inevitable. We're in a transition period, all the hit shit that was dominating the past 4 years is slowly dying and something new will come along and MTV will exploit it.

But seriously, this years was just boring, there were no suprises and no one did a good performance and the actual awards were lame and typical people won them.
 
The only shining star surrounded by the garbage of that show was Coldplay.

Oh yea everyone knew who Johnny Cash was very conviniently. How pathetic :mad:
 
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HelloAngel said:

Chris Rock.... umm... where's your humor, boy? very so-so performance by one of my fave comedians.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but he had the balls to say "Good Charlotte? More like mediocre Green Day!"

That was awesome.
 
I'll admit it was lame, but I'll also admit it was entertaining.

But really, I stopped worring about mainstream music a long time ago, there's so much good music out there in indipendent artists.
 
originally posted by David
It's only inevitable. We're in a transition period, all the hit shit that was dominating the past 4 years is slowly dying and something new will come along and MTV will exploit it.
Click to expand...

I thought the same thing during the 2001 VMAs, and then 9/11 happened, and supposedly pop music and all the shallow stuff was to go away and be replaced by more meaningful music. But within a few months everything went back to normal.

I think people need to wisen up and not allow themselves to be manipulated by the music, media and press into buying into all these overhyped acts. 'Cos that's really the only way it could all end, if we break away from the control the music industry has. But that won't be so easy because its illegal to download music of the Internet, so we can't get that exposed to unknown, more better acts.

Music today is simply so depressing now. Its all gloomy. But I do hope somehow something will happen that would kill all this crap.

And you know what? U2 is about all we have now to ruin mainstream music, but how long would that go on until they stop looking awkward and out of place?

Perle
 
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Hello,

This night I was asleep (obviously) so I missed the whole show (it started at 2:00 AM local time and with me having to stand up at 6:30 it wasn't possible to watch). Reading the reports it was a regular VMA, lots of crap and a few gems. I know the whole weekend will be devoted to reruns, so I may catch some fragments. I do have some questions though:

- Can anybody please mention the highlights chronologically (so I know when to watch and when to change channels)?
- What song did Coldplay play?
- Did I read that correct: No Johnny Cash?! :mad:

Thank you.

Marty
 
All I've seen was the opening 'performance...' and Chris Rock's stand up section.

Chris Rock was great, he never fails to mock all the other celebrities. :up:
 
Popmartijn said:
Hello,

This night I was asleep (obviously) so I missed the whole show (it started at 2:00 AM local time and with me having to stand up at 6:30 it wasn't possible to watch). Reading the reports it was a regular VMA, lots of crap and a few gems. I know the whole weekend will be devoted to reruns, so I may catch some fragments. I do have some questions though:

- Can anybody please mention the highlights chronologically (so I know when to watch and when to change channels)?
- What song did Coldplay play?
- Did I read that correct: No Johnny Cash?! :mad:

Thank you.

Marty
Click to expand...



Despite many gripes and complaints about the VMA's and current music, there were some interesting moments of the VMAs:

The first half hour is worth watching: the Madonna performance was at least something to talk about and Chris Rock's opening monologue was good.

Coldplay came on about an hour & a half into the show and played "The Scientist"

The puppeteering/Crank Yankers throughout the show was funny

The presentation for Video of the Year by Snoop and Adam Sandler near the end of the show was funny

Metallica's closing segment was slightly interesting to conclude the show.



Although I and many others around here have been complaining about the VMA's and music, we must remember that they are supposed to be fun, irreverent, highlight commercial success over critical success and are still more interesting and unpredictable than any other award show, IMA....

ENJOY!!!
 
HeartlandGirl said:
I did have this long post typed out about the music business, new artists, why watch it if you hate it?, blah blah blah. But the jist of it was this: Justin Timberlake can sing better than most of us, Good Charlotte has catchy tunes and cool energy while playing live, and 50 Cent has really brought something new to the table for those of us who love rap. For the most part, I enjoyed what I saw of the VMAs, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I kind of like the fact that an old geezer such as myself (at the ripe old age of 26) can still find a few new pop songs to listen to, even if most of the bands I love will never come 500 miles within winning a VMA. I'm sorry it pained all of you so much to watch the show.
Click to expand...


I'm 26 too, and here's my thoughts...

I was raised on MTV, and I watch it still. Mainly out of thoughtless habit, but also because I do like to know what's popular, and out of curiousity of what MTV is hawking to the masses this month.

Justin Timberlake has a prepubescent male's singing voice - it is not a good technical singing voice. Not that all singer's are "great" singers - but his is a very young voice. Because it sounds so young, it's hard for me to listen to it. Much like Avril Lavigne has a young girl's voice - I just can't deal. I do not like listening to music that is meant for people much younger than me...I almost feel I am shopping in the Junior Miss section of a department store when I listen to Pop music.

Good Charlotte, catchy tunes aside, is just not what I like out of a rock band. They feel disposable. They also feel very young (even if the band is in their twenties) and their fan base is mostly young teens who are looking for an "edgy" looking band with semi-angry lyrics. As with Timberlake, I don't like listening to music that is meant for younger people - it makes me feel weird. I'm not saying everyone should feel this way, and perhaps I don't get it - but when I was in high school, we had Nine Inch Nails - a band made of one genius musician with a beautiful singing voice who could play every single instrument imaginable. Those lyrics were raw, and that music was not disposable. It has aged well, and even though TR hasn't released something in 4 years, his music is a great example of a band that was marketed to teens - but the music aged well and the message carried on.

I was also raised on rap - and while I don't completely like 50 Cent's backstory, I recognize he is a new voice. I don't think he is the voice alot of people think he might be - or even Obie Trice when his album drops - I think if Common or Nas was able to reach a larger audience, the mainstream rap landscape might be a big different - there might be a bit more intellect there. However, OutKast's new album is soon to be released, and hopefully they'll once again show everyone how it's done.
 
yertle-the-turtle said:
got a complete list of performers?
Click to expand...


Not in any particular order:

Madonna/Britney/Christina/Missy Elliott

Christina Aguilera (w/Dave Navarro on guitar)

Beyonce w/Jay-Z

50 Cent

Coldplay

Good Charlotte

Metallica

I may be missing one or two, but that is the general list....
 
HelloAngel said:



I'm 26 too, and here's my thoughts...

I was raised on MTV, and I watch it still. Mainly out of thoughtless habit, but also because I do like to know what's popular, and out of curiousity of what MTV is hawking to the masses this month.

Justin Timberlake has a prepubescent male's singing voice - it is not a good technical singing voice. Not that all singer's are "great" singers - but his is a very young voice. Because it sounds so young, it's hard for me to listen to it. Much like Avril Lavigne has a young girl's voice - I just can't deal. I do not like listening to music that is meant for people much younger than me...I almost feel I am shopping in the Junior Miss section of a department store when I listen to Pop music.

Good Charlotte, catchy tunes aside, is just not what I like out of a rock band. They feel disposable. They also feel very young (even if the band is in their twenties) and their fan base is mostly young teens who are looking for an "edgy" looking band with semi-angry lyrics. As with Timberlake, I don't like listening to music that is meant for younger people - it makes me feel weird. I'm not saying everyone should feel this way, and perhaps I don't get it - but when I was in high school, we had Nine Inch Nails - a band made of one genius musician with a beautiful singing voice who could play every single instrument imaginable. Those lyrics were raw, and that music was not disposable. It has aged well, and even though TR hasn't released something in 4 years, his music is a great example of a band that was marketed to teens - but the music aged well and the message carried on.

I was also raised on rap - and while I don't completely like 50 Cent's backstory, I recognize he is a new voice. I don't think he is the voice alot of people think he might be - or even Obie Trice when his album drops - I think if Common or Nas was able to reach a larger audience, the mainstream rap landscape might be a big different - there might be a bit more intellect there. However, OutKast's new album is soon to be released, and hopefully they'll once again show everyone how it's done.
Click to expand...





We are really on the same page here (literally & figuratively, lol!) You make solid points about NIN and Outkast.

NIN had profound lyrics and a musical genius at the forefront and Outkast is unique, original and interesting and clearly stands out.

Timberlake is an entertainer and should be taken for that. He does have some talent. As for Good Charlotte: Eddie Vedder summed them up best during an MSG (NY) show last month when he said to the crowd: "They sound like someone just stuck a popsicle up my ass and pulled it out!" (Eddie was ranting about how much of today's rock is emulated from PJ, but PJ doesn't get much credit; Eddie is becoming more bitter w/age!)

My biggest gripe w/music these days is that it is soooo fake and destitute of any real meaning. It is mainly redundant love/crush songs or pure violence and partying. That is ok to a certain extent, but doesn't anyone (besides a few) want to have any reality to their craft? Writing lyrics, playing instruments, having a social conscience? If you think about it, the music scene over the past 5-7 years resembles that of the mid-80's. Irrelevant, apathetic, stylish, ultimately forgettable music that is mocked now and in the future (this is in reference to hair bands and cheesy pop acts, of course).
 
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