Your True Opinion On Music: Post-Grunge

[Clonehunter]

Boy, it's been some time since I tried to do one of these threads. Did you know that the main purpose of these is too create some kind of vaguely open-ended discussion about the topic in-question? Generally, it boils down to some opinions because that's what it is, and you can't really do a discussion like that when it comes to opinions, because usually they're said and done. Right?

I actually have no idea. I'm just piss-poor at this, I guess. Does anyone even care for these threads?

*****



This thread's topic is a single genre of music that is either loved-to-death or hated with a severe animosity that could only be provided by the internet. Perhaps strangely, it only has to do with the band in question.

Post-Grunge was the term coined for the music that followed the decline in popularity of Grunge, which was popularized by bands like Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, and that band with Curt Kobain. Mostly popular with the kids of the 90s Alt-Rock scenes, the genre suffered a bit of a decline after Nirvana front-man Kurt Cobain committed suicide, although that's not entirely true because it was suffering even before that. Then in comes Post-Grunge. Although stylistically similar, it offered a more radio-friendly sound that was more commercially viable (Or whatever that means). Angst-ridden lyrics were replaced with less Angst, although even that depended solely on the band.

Bands that sparked from this late 90s-Early 2000s trend included bands like The Foo Fighters, Matchbox Twenty, Creed, 3 Doors Down, and (duh-duh-DUUUUH) Nickleback. Depending on who were, you were either loved or hated it seemed, making for a very fractured genre-fanbase. Foo Fighters, perhaps due to the involvement of former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, has since become a staple radio star who received significant airplay on MTV. Nearly beloved by numerous sites and real life locations, they're probably best known for mega -hits like "Everlong," "The Pretender," and "My Hero," to name a few. Creed garnered some notable popularity until they released that one overplayed single that saw them sink notably fast. 3 Doors Down manages to be remembered as that band people liked in the early-2000s, yet no one can really name any of their songs outside "Kryptonite." Matchbox Twenty is known for their soft-rock vibes and the singles from Yourself or Someone Like You and not too much else.

But then there's Nickleback. Originally a grunge band, they took on a more commercial rock sound and began to pump out singles in a manner similar to pretty much any other radio-heavy band or group that was made for marketing purposes. Personally, I never disliked the music for what it was, but after some reading and watching it appears that their music, as derivative and often boring as it is, is not what is hated, but rather the concept of the band itself is the enemy. They know they can stay viable with the market if they don't branch out, or change things up, or create more interesting music. They stay the same, willingly stay the same, because that's the safe thing to do (Wait, that sounds like Iron Mai....). Funny enough, bands that do often change styles or themes between albums result in largely fractured fan bases, where each new album loses fans and draws in new ones.

Fair assessment? I don't know. I lost my train of thought, actually.

Regardless, this is a only the start of a conversation. I didn't list every band, or even the most notable ones, and maybe a few facts are wrongs, or a few arguments or comments. There's also probably some bad grammar I overlooked or some spelling errors I ignored because this is a forum and I'm not writing this as some college paper of a work of prose fiction.Tear it apart if you want.

So what's your experience with the genre? Hate it? Love it? Depends on criteria X, Y, or Z? Maybe just one band? One song? What could make it better? Is any of it good? Is every release a corporate shill? Could the genre improve while not sacrificing its identity? How come some bands like Foo Fighters are loved, yet bands like Creed or Nickleback shunned? Why is the genre producing new artists such as Shinedown? Is Seether Post-Grunge? Because I really don't know. Do you have your own directions to take the topic?

Simply put, without reading any the above, What is Your Opinion on Post-Grunge music?

[Koko Ricky]

I find most of the older grunge to be depressing, boring and derivative, although I like Melvins and Tad. But they weren't really commercially successful like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, the kind of bands typically associated with grunge. That stuff is just sad white people music and it gives my brain indigestion. The post-grunge sound is even worse, as it's not only even more derivative, but it tones down an already toned-down sound. It's a kind of bottom-of-the-barrel corner of rock music, one in which only a handful of ideas can be played with. I think in particular, that snarly, almost country-ish vocal style that is so common in that sub-genre, is absolutely horrid. No one sounds good doing it. Even Melvins does this sometimes and it just makes me cringe.

It's kind of like indie rock, nu-metal, metalcore, etc., these are all purposely self-limiting styles of music that get watered down with time and offer very little variety. I think the most loathsome thing about it all, especially in regards to post-grunge, is how overwhelmingly negative the lyrics and general attitude can be.

[Li'l devil]

Garbage, IMO.

[RUSH]

I dislike all forms of Grunge music. I wouldn't say it's a bad genre though. There's plenty of influential and talented groups in grunge music. Mostly from the 90's. But it has never done anything for me, personally. I've always been into death, doom, thrash and black metal. Those genres basically compose the entirety of my daily listening experience. Give or take a few classic rock bands.

[Deleted_Account]

Grunge music was never really my cup of tea, nothing against it, just never got into it I guess.

[Koko Ricky]

RUSH said:

I dislike all forms of Grunge music. I wouldn't say it's a bad genre though. There's plenty of influential and talented groups in grunge music. Mostly from the 90's. But it has never done anything for me, personally. I've always been into death, doom, thrash and black metal. Those genres basically compose the entirety of my daily listening experience. Give or take a few classic rock bands.

Too bad metal is also a purposely limiting genre. I've been a headbanger since 1999 and have slowly seen progression grind to a halt. Everything is derivative to the point that a death metal or black metal album from this year often sounds pretty damn close to stuff that was out about two decades ago. Musicians have gotten so desperate, they just start playing faster, tuning lower, throwing in more notes, upping the production value; this is seen as evolution.

[RUSH]

GoatLord said:

Too bad metal is also a purposely limiting genre. I've been a headbanger since 1999 and have slowly seen progression grind to a halt. Everything is derivative to the point that a death metal or black metal album from this year often sounds pretty damn close to stuff that was out about two decades ago. Musicians have gotten so desperate, they just start playing faster, tuning lower, throwing in more notes, upping the production value; this is seen as evolution.

Great point, I completely agree. Admittedly most of the metal I listen to is from the 80s, 90s and 2000s. There hasn't been much this decade to truly interest me. A couple bands, but that's it. Metal is definitely running out of ideas and (sadly) talent. At least we will always have the old stuff to cherish.

[Clonehunter]

Well, for my own stance, I never minded the genre. I try to listen to a lot of different music and even rock types. I don't know if I'd call it bottom-of-the-barrel, but it does suffer from a lot of bands sounding rather samey. I like the singles that are well known, as I find them to be entertaining songs, but full albums of any of it usually tend to stretch on a for a bit. I do like Matchbox Twenty a bit, though. An easy soft-rock that I find relaxing. That's my stance in a nutshell.

[Quast]

Post-grunge, nu-metal, bro-rock, is all around pretty bad.

[june gloom]

Grunge was essentially late 80s/early 90s Gen X narcissism at its finest. It was like an E/N thread converted to notation, only passingly rehearsed, and then poorly improvised on to form a decade-long self-absorbed scream that destroyed speakers and peoples' reputations for good taste. When Kurt Cobain took the Hemingway Solution everyone should've just gone home.

[DoomzRules]

Meh. I just listen to 80's and early 90's thrash metal, as well as 90's grunge, and a lot of Soundgarden...

Oh and anime music.

[40oz]

There's a few okay hit singles. Sometimes the radio at work will play 3 Doors Down - Kryptonite and its a breath of fresh air after its been playing Madonna and Journey for the last three hours. I never bought an album though and I dont think I ever will.

[Noiser]

What I think is: This term doesn't make any sense.

Let's see:

On music, the "post-whateaver" thing means something that have influence from the original genre, but are expanded and mixed with other genres and compositional styles (i.e. post-punk, post-rock).

But "post-grunge" is not a expanded genre. It's actually the opposed, more limited. Post-grunge bands are restricted to be accessible\easy listening. So the correct term should be "pop-grunge" (i.e. like pop-punk, pop-rock).

And yeah, probably someone will say that genres and labels are useless and I tend to agree with that, but that doesn't change the unsettling semanthic.

[MrGlide]

Audioslave? I liked soundgarden more, and what about queens of the stone age? I don't know, I'm a fan of all music that isn't country (exluding johney cash). as long as the song has decent lyrics/Music I'll listen to it. Tupac is the only artist I can think of who had really good lyrics but I dislike his songs because I don't like the musical part of his songs. Would creed count? I kinda like creed.

[Koko Ricky]

I tire of shitty chord progressions, faux-heaviness and mopey vocals, which is what anything grungy tends to be centered around.