Do you hate certain prog because of popularity?

Maybe some people just don't like popular bands because they don't like them? You can't just assume that it's because they're popular. 

You can't just use the word "popularity" , you must distinguish between classics and music of current popularity. If I read a book by Shakespeare, am I mislead by "popularity"? Or Bach - is he overrated? Classics of all sort usually have a guaraneed quality in it, usually it is something that's made an impact on followers that came later. You can listen to an obscure band that is highly influenced by one classic, well known band - but why ignore a highly influential band that inspired a great number of later bands?

Edited by wilmon91 - January 27 2011 at 10:29

Well done for noticing OP.

It does happen here whether people deny it or not.

It's their way of basically saying "look at me, I am going against the norm, I am superior to you because I prefer Ummagumma to Wish You Were Here, for example"

Also, certain members are keen on making irrelevant posts: such as, in a poll between song A and song B, they might mention how their favourite is song C, by a band only they and other superior people have heard of........

I don’t like King Crimson and I don’t like Porcupine Tree!

 I just don’t like them! Find their music unappealing, often irritating, sometimes plain boring, it has a vibe which I don't like .... That are my reasons. Not their popularity. If my dislike would be  for the sake of popularity I would not like Genesis, Yes, Van der Graaf Generator, all bands which I love!

Just not liking something because it is popular is as irrational as not liking something just for the fact that it was relaesed after 1989!

Edited by King Manuel - January 27 2011 at 12:23

Hawkwise wrote: thehallway wrote: It's their way of basically saying "look at me, I am going against the norm, I am superior to you because I prefer Ummagumma to Wish You Were Here, for example"   But i doI prefer  Ummagumma to Wish you were here  ,

Yes but if you preferred Wish you were Here to Ummagumma, would you mention it so often?

I agree with what some have posted or at least hinted at here: "popular" can mean different things. I would make a distinction between highly rated, well know bands among most Progressive Rock listeners (generally represented by large number of ratings, esp. high ratings on this site), and progressive rock that is or has historically been played for a wider audience, particularly on the airwaves, such as classic rock stations. As for myself, I currently focus on exploring bands/albums in the former category, simply because there are thousands of bands/albums, and I want to discover why majorities of listeners have rated them highly--it is an indication of quality as much as "popularity". So far, I have not been very disappointed. And I confess, I enjoy a bit of recreational snobbery when I play some of the more obscure music in the presence of folks who don't normally listen to the stuff. I've already had several comments about me and my obsession with "weird-ass" music.

More people in the general population have heard the music the second type of "popularity", and often think of it as "pop" or "classic". I do like most of it (widely know hits from Pink Floyd, Rush, or Yes). I tend not to listen to these particular songs as much because they're a bit worn out for me, as I used to listen to a lot of classic rock stations where they were frequently played. And when I do listen to them, I typically prefer to listen to them in the context of the entire albums. 

Anyway - what are the reasons for liking (or hating) the music you like (or hate)?

Edited by Paravion - January 27 2011 at 13:06

People might call the popular prog "cliche" because it essentially defined most of the music on this sight. ELP's st album was spectacular, and many bands were influenced by that. People might not like it now because it seems like there isn't that much "spark," but back then it was revolutionary (or maybe not, but still)

If you use a value to determine whether something is good or bad, then it can be done. Or at least it acquires some objectivity. If we measure music by thematic and structural complexity, pop is low, prog-rock is medium-low to medium, classical music is high at the top. If we measure music by other means (which still lack a proper standard scale anyway, as the previous example I just mentioned,  but at least the answer is easier to see) then the results might be different. For example, popularity would come up with pop on top. 

Edited by The T - January 27 2011 at 14:34

I don't like prog (or music) in general if its overtly/overly poppy. Most of the "popular" prog bands tend to be more pleasing to the ears...but thats just how it goes.  At the end of the day its the music that matters.