Upon surveying the "Yearbook 2007" issue of Rolling Stone, I must admit that I felt a tinge of dismay at who was presented upon the cover. I saw Jay-Z, Fall Out Boy, Kid Rock, Amy Winehouse, 50 Cent and Kanye West. Bleh. The list of the magazine's 100 Top Songs of 2007 was pitiful. I guess it's a sign that the music I enjoy listening to is more or less not mainstream. But, I wasn't really expecting much from that list, because a widely read magazine can't be expected to have, oh, I don't know, good taste, I guess. It seems to me that quality rock music is increasingly underground. Hip-hop is now the new norm. Or at least, that's the vibe I get from these lists. This doesn't affect me very much, because the popularity of a band has no effect upon my enjoyment of their music, but it is disappointing to see that the most popular music in our country has so little quality and artistic integrity.
EDIT: Here are the links for both lists, if you'd like to examine them for yourself.
Another disappointing event is the end of Brotherhood 2.0, one of my favourite video blogs on YouTube. Two brothers, John and Hank Green, communicated with each other via video blog for one year, taking turns posting daily videos on YouTube. The series was very entertaining and I quite enjoyed it. Even though the Brotherhood 2.0 project proper is now over, John and Hank will continue to post videos every week, which is good. These guys are funny and intelligent and have actually gathered quite a large following. If you have time, I recommend checking out some of their older videos. It'll make much more sense if you start at the beginning. Here is their YouTube channel: vlogbrothers.
While I'm at it, another internet series which I enjoy is ichannel. It's about a young man, referred to as "I," who suddenly finds his life being watched by people on the internet, sort of being vlogged against his will. It's pretty entertaining. Part of the show is that the viewers can actually comment on the videos, as with a real vlog, and the comments and opinions of the viewers are then integrated into the story. It's a very interesting concept. The website for the project: connectwithi.com. Again, I'd recommend starting from the beginning of the series.
I am currently reading "Angels in the Architecture" by Douglas Jones and Douglas Wilson. So far, I quite like it. It's an excellent window into what Christian culture is and how it should be carried out. After I finish reading, I might post some of my thoughts about the book. On a side note, I think it would be very amusing to co-write a book with someone who shares your name. I can see it now: "Hmmm, what do you think of this paragraph, Douglas?" "Well, I think it's not bad, Douglas. You may want to reword some of your phrases at the end there, but otherwise, it looks good." "Ah, well, thank you for that suggestion, Douglas." "You're welcome, Douglas." "Shall we break for lunch, Douglas?" "Yes, we shall, Douglas." "All right, Douglas." As I said, it would be amusing. In a very unrealistic sort of way, of course. But amusing, nonetheless.
Cheers!
Psh. Hip-hop has been maintream for years.
ReplyDeleteBecause of this, rock music has gone from "the underground" to the foreground in music culture, and now its back to the underground.
I'm just waiting for the pendulem to swing back.