Why isn’t Prog more popular?

Prog isnt popular anymore for the simple reason that music does not exist in a vacuum. Popular music is a reflection of the social climate of the era it comes from. The punk movement pretty much ended progs popularity simply because it was striking a chord with the disenfranchised youth. England at the time was in turmoil politically and as much as I love Jon Andersons lyrics the "peace and love" mentality just wasnt reflecting the up-coming generations angst. Prog was a victim of its own loftiness. Many of the bands at the time started to get so pretentious that they even began isolating their own fan bases.

If you look at popular culture of any era you will see a correlation between it and the music of the time (Generation Xers and the self absorbed Grunge era is a prime example).

You cannot measure someone's intelligence by the music they listen to. That is a ridiculous arguement. I own several AC/DC albums...hardly the worlds most musically complex band. It benefits you to listen to all musical forms, from the most simplistic to the most complex.

HeirToRuin wrote: Look at it this way. If the record companies, VH1, MTV, and _________ decided to heavily market prog music, then people would like it.  However, record companies would rather have an easy sell.  It's difficult to pass off "rebellious" music that is full of theory and intricacy.  Besides, most guys would rather stare at Britney's cleavage and midriff.

Theres a bit of truth there too,large Record Companies consider it a risk paying for the distribution and promotion of artists that write/perform and have a large say in the production process of their music. They consider investments in those artists to be a risk. RC execs like to have a stranglehold and control on the image,sound and overall package of their product. Consequently, they pimp as many Bland corporate teenwank puppets through every form of media they can for the maximum amount of financial return.

Like most, I get more cynical as I get older, but in a way I quite like the way that the music I love has been unhyped and left alone. I dread the day when DJ's 'fashonably' f**k about with samples of 'Suppers Ready' to a dance beat. In fact even though I don't dislike some of the Scissor Sisters stuff that version of 'Comfortably Numb' made me sick to the stomach. So its probably just as well prog is not that popularIMO.

abyssyinfinity wrote: Where's the problem about...?

what problem???

Borealis: I think our opinions converge about music (and prog) being a form of art which not everyone is born to appreciate. You need at least a minimum of musical sensibility to understand of what’s going on. If you have no ear for music and have to use your willpower alone to try and ‘get it’, it becomes a sterile intellectual exercice, not a pleasurable experience.

About progsters being smarter: many of us who consider ourselves elitists would appear very dense to those who are as passionate about other forms of art, such as the visual arts or poetry, for example.

As for prog’s lack of popularity: during the 60s and early 70s, mainstream radio merely “tolerated” prog because it was the fad. Yes, it was cool to say you liked Jimi Hendrix… even if you needed a broomstick-size reefer to get off on his music. Indeed, many radio DJs, reporters and record store owners couldn’t make heads or tail of it – and frankly all breathed a sigh of relief when it took a plunge.

We should all thank the internet for picking up prog just as it was starting to sing its swan song.

(sorry for my ranting: like most of you on this site, I'd love prog to be more popular, even for all the wrong reasons if it comes to that. But let's not hold our breath).

Lise

Syntharachnid wrote: I wish people could just get along...

+1

And stop being such ignorant bitches.

xhamasaki wrote: Do you guys think that mainstream music of tomorrow will end up taking influences from the prog music of today?  That would make the music that we listen to truly "progressive"

Huh?... I don't understand, I guess you're too intelligent for me...

Seriously, I think no. I doubt prog (or jazz, or post rock, or any 'real music') will ever get an influence on mainstream music of the future. The music industry is based on pretty simple, easy to listen music with good image of the band members. And I guess that's what people who watch MTV wants. Like most people here said, prog is too 'complex'.

There should be more radio and TV show about prog music though.