Why isn't prog popular?

^ I found it particularly irritating when the author stated that the album was "Too melody-driven to be called prog"... I mean, come on, melody is one of the main reasons I love prog so much, prog actually bothers to create and develop melody, and give melody for a fair amount of time, instead of just getting some nice tune and repeat it for 3 minutes (5 at the most, and it's already a long pop song).

Rush77 wrote: Also, the legions of stupid, stuck-up rock critics, who think their word is God, slamming it into the ground because 'It's not the same as everything else' don't help boost the popularity.... (A quote there from my most hated page on the entire internet; the review for Frances The Mute, which, a lot of people have differing opinions on, of course. However, this reviewer took it upon himself to have a good old rant on why any music with any substance should be burned at the stake, and we should all worship Kanye West or something.)

Edited by JS19 - January 28 2011 at 14:11

I think what it boils down to is that people (including proggies) are exceptionally biased, whether they are aware of it or not. There are people out there right now debating "Why isn't band X popular? Converting people to band X"; you really can substitute anything and the formula is essentially the same. People who are dead-set biased for a particular thing (especially music) have one hell of a time allowing their ego to accept something different and unfamiliar. This shouldn't be taken in negative light, because we are all human and fall whim to our biological impulses.

Edited by AllP0werToSlaves - January 28 2011 at 11:56

Stonebolt wrote: JS19 wrote: Isn't the whole point of music, the music, not just having the same skinny jeans that Billy Joe Armstrong has? I don't necessarily agree with this. All music to some degree merges with other art forms. With progressive rock, it's usually visual art, as characterized by the interesting album covers and the fact that it's often released on vinyl.With many genres, it's the art of characterization. For instance, Ziggy Stardust, Marylin Manson, Lady Gaga, are these real people? No. They're singers in costumes.Many genres are largely about dancing. Techno, house, and the like.A lot of music is fused with the art of storytelling. For instance, most country, many progressive rock concept albums (The Wall being the most obvious).The point is music is rarely only about the music. It's usually augmented with some other form of art or entertainment. There are different degrees to how much this is present, but it's rarely not there at all.

Excellent point- music is not separate from other art forms at all.
Joseph Conrad would famously write -

Fiction -- if it at all aspires to be art -- appeals to temperament. And in truth it must be, like painting, like music, like all art, the appeal of one temperament to all the other innumerable temperaments whose subtle and resistless power endows passing events with their true meaning, and creates the moral, the emotional atmosphere of the place and time. Such an appeal, to be effective, must be an impression conveyed through the senses; and, in fact, it cannot be made in any other way, because temperament, whether individual or collective, is not amenable to persuasion. All art, therefore, appeals primarily to the senses, and the artistic aim when expressing itself in written words must also make its appeal through the senses, if its high desire is to reach the secret spring of responsive emotions. It must strenuously aspire to the plasticity of sculpture, to the colour of painting, and to the magic suggestiveness of music -- which is the art of arts.

He looks at it from the perspective of fiction. But truth is, music form is not complete without reference to other art forms.

And maybe we don't always know how to take in the whole picture, because prog music tends to be very complete, very satisfying. Maybe it's lack of time, maybe it's clse-mindenenss or maybe it's just lack of awareness of what prog sounds entail Sometimes, however, prog is being lisntened to without being labelled. Sometimes the bands from 70s are too obscure- I believe someone was not entirely wrong when mentioned we just like to tune in to something which is currently bbeing aired. The problem is current mainstream msic is starting to resemble an artificial plastic creature, constructed by reality tv moguls such as simon cowell. And the problem is when people complain about the sameness but don't do anything to turn away from it. QWhy/ Because they like it. And of they do- that is their buisness. You cannot force anyone to convert to something they don't keep an open mind to perhaps. If they like it- this is their individuality. And converting may be forcing someone to something they don't like or may not be readily willing to get used to. Matybe out of intellectual laziness? Who knows? I do not think it is our position to judge.
Everyone should just follow their own individualities, in my very humble opinion.

gorecki_md wrote: Bonnek wrote: Most people aren't looking for music but for "entertainment", for a quick musical snack that sounds exactly as they want it. No problem at all with that, I don't have much of a clue about painting or literature neither. The people that are looking for music as a form of artistic expression are a minority. And that minority has to be further spread over the many available options: classical, jazz, blues, rock, world, indie, singer songwriters, some of the music featuring on PA and much more... So it's simple logic, low demand and many many options.  Nothing to do with intellectual superiority, better taste or whatever. This. While I may be open-minded when it comes to music, I also don't know much about literature, and maybe the stuff I've read will fall under the "top 100 novels you should read before you die".  I think it's just a matter of preference.   Life is too short there's really no time to be 'artsy' in everything.

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Oh i wanna hear this please give me the link

Bonnek wrote: Most people aren't looking for music but for "entertainment", for a quick musical snack that sounds exactly as they want it. No problem at all with that, I don't have much of a clue about painting or literature neither. The people that are looking for music as a form of artistic expression are a minority. And that minority has to be further spread over the many available options: classical, jazz, blues, rock, world, indie, singer songwriters, some of the music featuring on PA and much more... So it's simple logic, low demand and many many options.  Nothing to do with intellectual superiority, better taste or whatever.

I always found that America had a very different approach to music, especially unpopular sub-genres. Seeing as for most people, traveling to a concert would be a 'big' thing, because the US of A is such a large place, while here in England, I can hop on a train to London and be there in about 45 minutes.

Edited by JS19 - January 26 2011 at 04:33

0anaxim wrote: That's interesting, I come from near Canterbury which had its own scene and that was though to be very english. A lot of the musicians were from the local grammar school. But you know I think there might have been US influences all along in many different ways er.. the blues revival and the psychedelic scene out od the Philmore etc all paved the way did't they? Also ike the way US fans must have supported some of our favourite bands, not sure, would the uk be big enough to allow all those bands to thrive? The funny thing is I agree with you about the love of england, I think we share that accross the atlantic in a way cos the world has changed so much and the Prog bands seem to be more important in a way as championing a sense of the wonder of nature and stretching the imagination beyond the mundane. I love to read up on our history, like the romano british people and go and see barrows etc, that is your history too yes?

oh i'm not from england, i wish i was though. i'm from ny. i grew up on everything british practically (thank you pbs) i tend to think there is a huge british influence on much american pop culture though. i remember when i was visiting nottingham, beeston in 2002, i was watching the office and i said ot my friend- this show is good they would never have something like this in america. then six months later poof.

AllP0werToSlaves wrote: Two words: instant gratification. Prog doesn't cater to those without patience.