Today’s list is of artists/bands that I like a lot even though most of society pokes fun at their music. I’m willing to bet that most people like a lot of selections on my list below, but don’t have the courage to admit it. It’s just not cool to like the music on this list, but I’m taking the plunge and declaring my love for the bands and artists below. So, here are my top ten guilty pleasure bands.
- Meat Loaf – I’m a sucker for Jim Steinman songs, who penned all the songs on Meat Loaf’s 1977 album, Bat Out of Hell and 1993’s Bat out of Hell II: Back into Hell. Steinman also wrote Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” and Air Supply’s “Making Love out of Nothing at All.” I guess I dig the big epic songs that Steinman is known for.
- Journey – What does everyone have against Journey? Any band that had a video game can’t be that bad. Cheesy videos and bad hair don’t define a band, and I can look past those things.
- Firehouse – “Love of a Lifetime” is one of my favorite songs of all time. For me, Firehouse goes hand in hand with memories of middle school dances, even though that isn’t necessarily a good thing.
- Creed – It’s not cool to like Creed anymore, but I bet most Creed haters were fans five years ago. Scott Stapp is nuts, but Creed’s guitarist, Mark Tremonti, is one of the most under-rated guitarists of our time. Great songs.
- The Proclaimers – You know, the guys who sang “I Would Walk 500 Miles,” but they also had some fame a few years ago with a song that appeared on the Shrek soundtrack. Their album, Sunshine on Leith, is one of my favorites. They have a very unique sound, that I would categorize as folk rock, but their thick Scottish accents make it very distinct.
- Styx – Don’t let it end. Come sail away with me, babe and show me the way, or Mr. Roboto will leave with Suite Madame Blue and a blue collar man in their Jeep Renegade. There are eight Styx songs in those previous two sentences. That was fun.
- Mariah Carey – I had a huge crush on Mariah in the early and mid 90’s, but then she changed on me after getting divorced from Tommy Mottola. I rarely listen to her music anymore, but she had a couple of really good albums with Music Box and Daydream back in the mid-90’s.
- Bon Jovi – These guys just keep going. Their peak was in the late 80’s and early 90’s, but they are still putting out some decent songs. They are another band that puts on a great live show, and that definitely has something to do with their longevity in the music business.
- Neil Diamond – It’s not cool to like Neil Diamond unless you are over 40. I can really thank my fifth grade teacher, among others, for exposing me to his music. We used to listen to The Jazz Singer all the time during class. That was my favorite, but I remember us listening to The Westside Story Soundtrack, Hooked on Classics, and something by Jan and Dean too. It’s one thing to listen to Neil Diamond songs at a karaoke bar, but I enjoy listening to my Neil Diamond playlist quite a bit. It’s on right now as a matter of fact.
- Milli Vanilli – I loved their album when it came out, and so did most people because it was winning all sorts of awards. Then we found out that the voices didn’t belong to who we thought. So does that make the music itself any worse? It really shouldn’t.
*Honorable Mention: Boston – Apparently, Boston fans are on the endangered species list.
5 comments:
I legitimately don't like (and never liked) numbers 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 10. (You're right about 10, though, it's just that I never liked it.)
I have personally owned music put out by numbers 2 and 6 (neither of which I own anymore, I think).
I have seen number 5 in concert.
Pretty much everything I listen to could make it on a guilty pleasures list, though, although many would not want to grant it the word "pleasure." I guess I'm just a sucker for time signature changes.
Neil Diamond - nothing uncool about liking him. I also still enjoy Creed from time to time.
As for the others.... Journey sucks as bad as Boston. Styx was cool about 20 years ago. Bon Jovi was cool before it was Bon Jovi (sorry NASCAR fans this weekend), Mariah Carey is no longer cute in my mind. Meat Loaf is annoying and Firehouse deserves to stay in my category of "songs best left in the 80s". Oh, and you are now forever ridiculed for listing Milli Vanilli.
I did enjoy Meatloaf with his bitch tits in Fight Club.
And what the hell is "that" anyway? I'll do anything, but I wont do "that" always conjured up dirty thoughts. And what's with the Rocky Horror Picture Show?
I love Journey, videos not included.
I really enjoy the Firehouse acoustic album you gave me.
Creed was huge, but they've run their course. I'm starting to feel that way about Nickelback... who used to be my favorite band, but now I find their new album only tolerable.
Whenever I think of the Proclaimers, I can't help but remember the Wiebengas.
I thought Styx was okay until I went on my cruise last year and the cruise director sang "Come Sail Away" about 50 times, or so it seemed.
Mariah Carey sucks. But she's on the cover of Rolling Stone this week and looks mighty tasty. Too bad it's due to mostly retouching and makeup. Remember: "I'd so much like to sing you a duet... and then later we can do it."
Bon Jovi still has it - except Heather Locklear. I hate when my favorite 80's hair coverband plays "It's My Life". It's not a damn 80's song... only sounds like one.
I formed a new appreciation for Mr. Diamond after watching "Saving Silverman" and listening to Jack Black perform as Diamonds in the Rough.
Milli Vanilli is an obscure, but relevant selection.
I feel bad that one of them committed suicide. And I've always wondered who actually sang those songs.
Boston-Boston is a top 10 album. Most of their stuff since is rather forgettable. And I hate that they've reused the same rocket/UFO illustrations for every album cover. Okay, you guys like space stuff... we get it.
Here's a few other guilty pleasures of mine:
Collective Soul - Dominated the 90's with great albums... but soon forgetten.
Chicago - Slow stuff brings back middle school dance memories. Older stuff still holds up too.
Def Leppard - My all-time favorite band. But with lyrics like "You got the peaches, I got the cream. Sweet to taste, saccharine" you kind of knew their days were numbered.
Duran Duran - My favorite double-named 80's band. But Mr. Mister had a few great songs
Extreme - Great early-90's band.
REO - 80's rock ballad master.
Survivor - Eye of the tiger, Rocky!! Eye of the tiger!! Also great performing in the elevator for that Starbucks commercial.
Michael Jackson - Minus the pedophilia, changing skin color and plastic nose, I do still enjoy his music. And who didn't try to learn how to moonwalk? Hee Hee!! Ow!!!
Jason, I considered just about all the bands that you added, but didn't think they trumped any of the ones that made my list. I really wouldn't be embarassed to be caught listening to any of those in public.
Sweet to taste, saccharine! I always wondered what that lyric was. Now I know, and knowing is half the battle.
I can not believe you left off Electric Lights Orchestra and Dexy's Midnight Runners.
I remember you being Mariah-struck in college. I can not stand her or most overly pop singers today.
Nothing wrong with Neil Diamond. I kind of liked Creed until I bought "Human Clay" and realized every song was about the same. And this is odd because I think a lot of Bon Jovi songs sound the same, but I still like them.
Our company has had a lot of these "time has passed by" bands like REO, America, Loverboy, Kansas (still rocked), Survivor, and Jefferson Starship perform at events here in the last few years. I guess they (like your Journey, Styx, Firehouse) have some decent songs, but they just feel so dated.
And by the way, I believe the Milli Vanilli vocals were actually performed by Nelson.
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