Crap You Listened To When You Didn't Know Better

[Sky10w10w]

Who are some artists / singers / bands / musical groups that you listened to when you were young and prone to conform to popular trends, but retrospectively feel embarrassed to confess liking?

Personally, I can't think of any really terrible examples. When I was a child, I didn't follow contemporary music; I listened to the oldies radio station that my mother used to play, and got acquainted with Elvis, Chuck Berry, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix - all artists I am proud to say that I still listen to.

And what were my grade school classmates listening to at the time? Mostly Wham!, Milli Vanilli, M.C. Hammer, Vanilla Ice, New Kids on the Block, Tiffany, and a bunch of other crap that most of them denied listening to the minute those groups became unpopular.

When I approached my teenage years and felt compelled to seek out my own musical preferences, the my two favourite contemporary bands were Pearl Jam (who had released Ten & Vs.) and Aerosmith (who were riding on the success of Get A Grip). Despite the fact that Grunge was celebrated in the media, most of my classmates were into Ace of Base, and the few who were into rock never really explored grunge beyond Nirvana. Green Day and The Offspring (shallow corporate punk) got over way more than grunge did at my school, so no one could relate to my love of Soundgarden.

Aerosmith haven't put out a good studio album in years, but I speak from personal experience when I say that the band still puts on an excellent live performance (the mostly stick to older tunes, as opposed to the pop which characterizes their newer material). So I'm not ashamed to say that I was - and still am, to a lesser extent - a fan of theirs. As for Pearl Jam, I have more respect for that band now that I've ever had in my life. Their music isn't as accessible as it used to be, but I am grateful that the band has evolved and challenges its audience with each new album.

To this day, I haven't bought any albums that I seriously regretted. But for the sake of the topic I started, the one album I purchased during my teenage years which I ended up listening to the least was Sheryl Crow's self-titled album (Remember "If It Makes You Happy"? That album). I'd say it's probably her best album, but I'm not into her sound nearly as much as I thought I was circa 1996. Too poppy and commercial, and she doesn't rock hard enough for my liking.

My tastes have certainly broadened (I listen to L7, Dead Kennedys, Napalm Death, Marilyn Manson, Emperor, Cocteau Twins, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and a whole bunch of other bands you don't often hear on the radio), but I am pretty proud of my history with music.

I don't like kids, but if I ever found myself in a position to raise one, I'd like that child to discover music the same way I did; start with the roots of Rock & Roll, and let them take it from there.

[Gnash]

I did listen to quite a lot of junk. Paula Abdul, Milli Vanilli, M.C. Hammer and others, but never New Kids on the Block or Wham! But I also listened to the grunge scene. You forgot Soundgarden Porno for Pyros was also a good band (Alice in Chains.) Now days I really appreciate classic rock for some reason, The Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Beatles, Jimmy Hendrix and of course Joe Cocker