People Who Hate Mainstream

There was a thing on the radio about this. Saying how people who hate mainstream just because it's mainstream are petty and childish. They came up with a pretty good example of how these people used to think Kings of Leon were great then they sold 5 million albums (or whatever) and suddenly they are annoying and crap.

Just wondering what everyone's opinion on this was. I don't hate mainstream, if the songs are on the radio or TV, I'll listen to them but that's as far as I'll go. I won't buy them or put them in my playlist. I find that I enjoy listening to non-mainstream music than mainstream. If I know my friends probably haven't heard it, I makes me like it a bit more.

I feel originality is an important constituent with any art. That originality is rarely maintained after the first couple of albums. Also I generally can listen to anything once or five times, it's when I start hearing a song on the television, internet, youtube, movies and radio that I get annoyed. Basically popular became popular for a reason, however just because others are just discovering the joy you had a year ago (for example) doesn't mean that you being tired of said art is unjustified. Humans are fickle creatures. I think anyone who doesn't understand that is the real child.

I don't hate kings of leon for their "mainstreamedness", but because they are annoying and the singer has a whiny voice that makes me want to punch him 'till his balls fall off.

Originally Posted by ♔Sir Reginald♔

I don't hate kings of leon for their "mainstreamedness", but because they are annoying and the singer has a whiny voice that makes me want to punch him 'till his balls fall off.

I guess that would involve you punching him continously in the balls...


I am gonna be honest, that would look odd.

Originally Posted by ccllnply

There was a thing on the radio about this. Saying how people who hate mainstream just because it's mainstream are petty and childish. They came up with a pretty good example of how these people used to think Kings of Leon were great then they sold 5 million albums (or whatever) and suddenly they are annoying and crap..

No, I like them a lot less because instead of making southern rock with garage and grunge influences, they're now making overproduced stadion rock in the likes of U2.
It has nothing to do with how much they sell, but a very obvious style change.

Just wondering what everyone's opinion on this was. I don't hate mainstream, if the songs are on the radio or TV, I'll listen to them but that's as far as I'll go. I won't buy them or put them in my playlist. I find that I enjoy listening to non-mainstream music than mainstream. If I know my friends probably haven't heard it, I makes me like it a bit more

What is mainstream? I don't know any one who listens to Madonna, Lady Gaga and all those others, so for me listening to them would actually be alternative.
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs who I always thought were pretty mainstream, are according to the papers here an underground band.
I was honestly surprised to discover that alt. rock is still alternative and obscure to most.

I sort of hate mainstream. Whenever something is mainstream I have a petty and childish urge to oppose it, untill someone prove me wrong. I hate Apple - it's mainstream! I hate U2 - it's mainstream! I hate hating the things everyone else hates (although I might do it secretly..) - it's mainstream! I hate Lady Gaga - it's crap...

Then again there's plenty of mainstream things I like. The Norwegian cartoon Pondus, Norway's most popular cartoon for example. I also like Liverpool FC which is a bit mainstream.

But I guess I also have an urge to go against the tide. When my mates started playing WoW I bought Star Wars Galaxies... (just in time to experience the wonder that was pre-NGE)

Originally Posted by Ishoss

I sort of hate mainstream. Whenever something is mainstream I have a petty and childish urge to oppose it, untill someone prove me wrong. I hate Apple - it's mainstream! I hate U2 - it's mainstream! I hate hating the things everyone else hates (although I might do it secretly..) - it's mainstream! I hate Lady Gaga - it's crap...

Then again there's plenty of mainstream things I like. The Norwegian cartoon Pondus, Norway's most popular cartoon for example. I also like Liverpool FC which is a bit mainstream.

But I guess I also have an urge to go against the tide. When my mates started playing WoW I bought Star Wars Galaxies... (just in time to experience the wonder that was pre-NGE)

There's another form of rebellion, that takes even more effort than the kind you seem to go for. That is, to assess everything on their own basis, irrespective of what anyone else thinks of them. Don't think something is bad just because someone else thinks it's good. Stop being influenced by others, positively or negatively. Think for yourself. Nothing is good or bad just because someone else thinks one way or another. It's good or bad because you think so, and you have a clear idea why you think this, because you've thought it through. If you've been influenced, it's because you've consciously accepted that influence, having been aware of it, and judged it on its own merits.

Originally Posted by pannonian

There's another form of rebellion, that takes even more effort than the kind you seem to go for. That is, to assess everything on their own basis, irrespective of what anyone else thinks of them. Don't think something is bad just because someone else thinks it's good. Stop being influenced by others, positively or negatively. Think for yourself. Nothing is good or bad just because someone else thinks one way or another. It's good or bad because you think so, and you have a clear idea why you think this, because you've thought it through. If you've been influenced, it's because you've consciously accepted that influence, having been aware of it, and judged it on its own merits.

I am aware of the flaws my thinking has. It's not a good way to think. It excludes me from some mainstream activities

Some 'mainstream' stuff is just too annoying/weird not to be rejected at first sight however. I am thinking of Tokio Hotel and Twilight. I can honestly say that I have never picked up a book nor have I ever listened to a song. It's just their appearance, and how they cater to the mainstream emo culture... Makes me pissed.

Oh, emos... The first emos were sort of ok but then the movement turned underground-mainsteam (mainstream but not entirely mainstream?) and it just became sickening. The first guys and gals were original. I can like that. Then every misunderstood soul in the universe started emulating it...

I guess I hate mainstream untill mainstream prove me wrong. Everything mainstream is guilty untill proven innocent.

Originally Posted by Ishoss

I am aware of the flaws my thinking has. It's not a good way to think. It excludes me from some mainstream activities

Some 'mainstream' stuff is just too annoying/weird not to be rejected at first sight however. I am thinking of Tokio Hotel and Twilight. I can honestly say that I have never picked up a book nor have I ever listened to a song. It's just their appearance, and how they cater to the mainstream emo culture... Makes me pissed.

Oh, emos... The first emos were sort of ok but then the movement turned underground-mainsteam (mainstream but not entirely mainstream?) and it just became sickening. The first guys and gals were original. I can like that. Then every misunderstood soul in the universe started emulating it...

I guess I hate mainstream untill mainstream prove me wrong. Everything mainstream is guilty untill proven innocent.

I'm not really sure where these movements came from, but Radiohead seems to figure prominently in their influences. Now there's a band who were at their best when they were at their most mainstream. A mostly rubbish first album, with the exception of the excellent, and phenomenally popular, Creep, then blossoming with their second and third albums.

Mainstream is a corrupting force, a dislike for it is not unjustified.

Obscure entertainment and art, I find, has a greater capacity to be more interesting like a rare un-named breed of tulip that you happen to find in your back garden, I also think the capacity for honesty is prevelant in obscure works.

Originally Posted by Arch-hereticK

Mainstream is a corrupting force, a dislike for it is not unjustified.

Obscure entertainment and art, I find, has a greater capacity to be more interesting like a rare un-named breed of tulip that you happen to find in your back garden, I also think the capacity for honesty is prevelant in obscure works.

If we didn't have any mainstream music, then there wouldn't be enough money in the music industry to even give the other, less popular ones a chance. A music company can afford to invest in less profitable and popular music when it has some mainstream artists to provide most of the income.

But I guess I also have an urge to go against the tide. When my mates started playing WoW I bought Star Wars Galaxies... (just in time to experience the wonder that was pre-NGE)

Calm down you rebellious mother.

Originally Posted by ♔Sir Reginald♔

If we didn't have any mainstream music, then there wouldn't be enough money in the music industry to even give the other, less popular ones a chance. A music company can afford to invest in less profitable and popular music when it has some mainstream artists to provide most of the income.

I prefer my artists to be poor. Adversity makes for more real work, that is what art should be about.

Originally Posted by ccllnply

There was a thing on the radio about this. Saying how people who hate mainstream just because it's mainstream are petty and childish. They came up with a pretty good example of how these people used to think Kings of Leon were great then they sold 5 million albums (or whatever) and suddenly they are annoying and crap.

Just wondering what everyone's opinion on this was. I don't hate mainstream, if the songs are on the radio or TV, I'll listen to them but that's as far as I'll go. I won't buy them or put them in my playlist. I find that I enjoy listening to non-mainstream music than mainstream. If I know my friends probably haven't heard it, I makes me like it a bit more.

I actually like it when obscure bands I like become more popular, as it means more people are exposed to it, and their music is more widely recognised. There have been a few of these. Sometimes they even produce their best stuff while they're at the height of their popularity. When I eventually stop following them, it's because their quality has dropped off, not because they're more popular. Quite often, their popularity drops off because their quality isn't what it was. Then there are those bands whom I think highly of, but who, for some reason, never get the popularity that IMHO they deserve. I don't prize them as my own little treasure, I just wish they could have been luckier, so more people could have got to listen to them. There have been a few of those as well.

Originally Posted by Manco

What is mainstream? I don't know any one who listens to Madonna, Lady Gaga and all those others, so for me listening to them would actually be alternative.

Don't knock Madonna. True Blue is one of the great pop albums, and Like a Prayer is a classic.

Originally Posted by pannonian

I actually like it when obscure bands I like become more popular, as it means more people are exposed to it, and their music is more widely recognised. There have been a few of these. Sometimes they even produce their best stuff while they're at the height of their popularity. When I eventually stop following them, it's because their quality has dropped off, not because they're more popular. Quite often, their popularity drops off because their quality isn't what it was. Then there are those bands whom I think highly of, but who, for some reason, never get the popularity that IMHO they deserve. I don't prize them as my own little treasure, I just wish they could have been luckier, so more people could have got to listen to them. There have been a few of those as well.

Yeah I'd be the same really.

I fully agree that people who dislike mainstream on principle because it is mainstream are petty and childish. They enjoy feeling special by liking things very few people know of, and when these bands become popular they feel threatened and so move to something else. It is the definition of petty and an excellent example of being childish. They tend to be the artsy, emo types anyway so they can be safely ignored, arguing with them is a pointless endevour as they're so full of themselves and their "uniqueness" that they'll just accuse you of being a "mainstream sheep" and refuse all reasoning and logic.

That is not to say, however, that all people who dislike what is currently considered "mainstream" are petty and childish. I, for example, dislike rap and pop: both are the mainstream in today's culture, but that is not the root of my dislike. My music tastes lie in heavy metal, ranging from Iron Maiden to the likes of Children of Bodom and Eluvietie. Rap and pop are, obviously, entirely incompatible with my tastes.

People no longer like KoL becuase there new album was bollocks.

Originally Posted by Dont You Know Who I Think I Am

People no longer like KoL becuase there new album was bollocks.

This. Their fourth album is musically different in a way that makes it more palatable to a larger audience but kills the appeal that was there on their earlier albums. That and you can only expect so much original material from a bunch of kids that got picked up by a big label (they've always been on a big label, I'm not blaming their decline on that). I rarely listen to any of their albums now, not because they're played in supermarkets these days but just because my tastes have moved on.

I generally have a taste for the esoteric, that stuff tends not to hit the airwaves so I don't care much for the radio.

Alt. Rock FTW.

However, Radiohead suck balls. They are so very depressing, so much so that I would happily cut Thom Yorke's tongue off.

Originally Posted by Ruire

Alt. Rock FTW.

However, Radiohead suck balls. They are so very depressing, so much so that I would happily cut Thom Yorke's tongue off.

Radiohead are amazing.

Originally Posted by Dont You Know Who I Think I Am

Radiohead are amazing.

Amazingly melancholy and dull.