I just finished watching the (DVRed) MTV VMAs. Here is what I learned…
1. I like Justin Bieber. Is he Paul McCartney? No. But no one is. Can he actually sing unlike 99% of the shitbirds pumped out into pop music? Yes. His YouTube videos sound better than most of crap MTV “professionally” puts out (when they bother with music at all.) Might that change when he hits puberty and his voice changes? Sure. So you can’t really blame him (and Usher) for cashing in now. Plus he reminds me of my little brother. When my brother was actually little.
2. I like Taylor Swift. I’ve liked her since her first song was put out on the internet. I’ve seen her live and know she can sing live and sound good. Does she have the range of Carrie Underwood? No. Does she have the best voice in the whole wide world? No. So. She has a pretty voice for the songs she does. Did you hear Rihanna with Eminem? She sounded like the cat whose tail is slammed in the door. Actually almost all of the singers on the show sounded like that. Plus Taylor actually comes across sweet and nice. So weird in the music industry. And frankly, I think country artists are the only ones left with real voices. Well, them and gospel singers.
3. I still like Eminem. I know he is very likely a freakazoid. But I don’t want to marry him, so I don’t care. He does have good stage presence.
4. No one cares, or will pay good money to see, “The Social Network” except desperate Justin Timberlake fans. Mark Zuckerburg simply doesn’t have that many groupies.
5. The majority of “pop” music created today is just that – created. Without the help of the studio most of these guys sound like crap. Pretty sure the Monkees could at least hit their notes.
6. I was really, really hoping a light fixture would have fallen in the hot tub set they had the Jersey Shore cast in…
All of this was learned while fast forwarding thru the 2+ hour show. It took 23 minutes from start to finish. Booyah.
p.s. I wish I could have 15 of those minutes back.
10:52 am on September 13th, 2010
What is entertainment is absolutely subjective. I remember when the world had to stop to watch or even better get to participate as a seat-filler in the VMAs when they were held at Radio City back when MTv actually played music that mattered.
Personally, I can’t get on board with many of the current ‘stars’ but clearly my opinion means little because many of these manufactured stars are highly successful and that is not the rant of some old hipster who doesn’t get it. Music can be good no matter what the genre or who performs it – I just don’t see it.
I also remember when artists looked at the VMAs as a total goof – the biggest cringe event is seeing a star take him or herself so seriously – did you just cure cancer or solve world hunger or better yet figure out how to make the morning or evening commute less stressful?
I agree that the facebook/social media movie should be the biggest non-event of the movie season, but you may be surprised about the level of interest that it generates – plus I think that the soundtrack was done by Trent Reznor.
The bottom line is MTv still seems to know how to generate a buzz to get even those who couldn’t care less to waste a part of their life to watch or at least comment on the most unimportant important event.
11:03 am on September 13th, 2010
Thankfully I only wasted about 20 minutes or so ;)