They really were pretty good at the time. Their earlier stuff was quite good. They were always more admired than adored, and that kind of nostalgia isn't very potent.
Good post. I also think they were inoffensive to a fault. And no strong visual aesthetic. Most importantly they were responsible for ushering in a wave of absolutely atrocious “alt rock”, and it’s hard not to hear that in their songs. I mean bands like Third Eye Blind and Nickelback all come straight from the REM lineage.
People *loved* The Smiths and still do, even though REM were probably more interesting sonically, because Morrissey said striking and relatable things, and nobody can tell what Stipe is saying or if he's saying anything. Nobody cares what REM thinks about anything because they never said or did anything interesting. Morrissey has been putting out Mozslop for decades now and people eat it up because he matters to them. REM's a good band, but there are a lot of those.
Sure. But REM had the more universally beloved songs.
2 weeks ago
Anonymous
And they started in the larger American market, which the Smiths never quite got to in a mainstream way. REM is definitely good, I don't think a lot of people hate them or anything, there isn't anything to hate. Maybe that's the problem, they don't inspire strong reactions either way.
2 weeks ago
Anonymous
They started in middle of fucking nowhere Athens man. It wasn’t like they were in NYC or industry plants. They were just way better than everyone else in their generation of underground US college rock at a very young age. Smiths were coming from a massive music scene where people who were very plugged in could discover them quickly.
2 weeks ago
Anonymous
The American media, especially at that time, was monolithic, local scenes had zero relevance once you got on MTV. Lots of British bands have had a hard time breaking into America, generally because they are britslop and we have plenty of domestic garbage, but sometimes because they don't fit in. The Smiths are very, very British - very very English, really.
2 weeks ago
Anonymous
Aren't The Smiths all Irish?
2 weeks ago
Anonymous
What songs? People can’t stand most of their hits anymore.
2 weeks ago
Anonymous
It’s the End of the World as we Know It
Shiny Happy People
Losing My Religion
Stand
Man on the Moon
Everybody Hurts (legitimately insufferable, but still very popular)
All still get lots of airplay and streams. College stations still play plenty of their deeper cuts from the early years.
2 weeks ago
Anonymous
"Radio Free Europe" and "The One I Love" come to mind. Oh, and "Orange Crush" was a huge hit back in 1988 (?)
2 weeks ago
Anonymous
>College stations still play
For whom? Who listens to radio? Even boomers have their own phones hooked up to the car sound system and play their Beatles collection.
2 weeks ago
Anonymous
There is a lot of room and market for a radio station with a real DJ who will act as your guide to introduce you to new (old) songs you may never have listened to. Not "Bob Fm" or "Jack FM", which are overplayed "hits".
For example there is an album by "Love and Rockets" called "Express". It is absolutely astounding. It will never get airplay.
2 weeks ago
Anonymous
"Radio Free Europe" and "The One I Love" come to mind. Oh, and "Orange Crush" was a huge hit back in 1988 (?)
They really were pretty good at the time. Their earlier stuff was quite good. They were always more admired than adored, and that kind of nostalgia isn't very potent.
Zoomers talking shit about things they don't understand. The wheel spins little zoom-zooms, its always darkest before the dawn, and this goes for fashions too. 18 months from now you'll be pretending you were always super into them and saw them live at concerts that happened before you were born. Its so tiresome.
im a zoomer and love REM
sitting still is a great song
i dont think they can ever age like shit, they are too ingrained into the dna of music
you can argue the bands that they influenced did what they did better but i dunno
my dad hates REM and the b-52s
most boomers i come across here in georgia despise them for some reason
one of the greatest debuts from any young fuck all literal who band, murmur is also kino is as most of the stuff released on IRS
the irs years compilation is god tier and essential listening
Well they were already in their 30s when they started achieving mainstream success.
So they surely didn't sound like fresh college rock anymore. They sounded like some dudes in the 30s doing whiny pop rock.
some of their music aged very well, some of it didn't. like a lot of bands.
i wouldn't say any of it aged like shit tho. that's a bit harsh.
i'd say they went from being overrated (by critics) to now being underrated because they've been gone for awhile and hadn't had any hits or acclaim in a long time.
people used to talk about REM all the time, now they've been forgotten outside of a handful of songs
literally who
Wouldn’t go that far anon
Good post. I also think they were inoffensive to a fault. And no strong visual aesthetic. Most importantly they were responsible for ushering in a wave of absolutely atrocious “alt rock”, and it’s hard not to hear that in their songs. I mean bands like Third Eye Blind and Nickelback all come straight from the REM lineage.
People *loved* The Smiths and still do, even though REM were probably more interesting sonically, because Morrissey said striking and relatable things, and nobody can tell what Stipe is saying or if he's saying anything. Nobody cares what REM thinks about anything because they never said or did anything interesting. Morrissey has been putting out Mozslop for decades now and people eat it up because he matters to them. REM's a good band, but there are a lot of those.
well
would you look at that
Smiths listeners care more and you know it's true
Sure. But REM had the more universally beloved songs.
And they started in the larger American market, which the Smiths never quite got to in a mainstream way. REM is definitely good, I don't think a lot of people hate them or anything, there isn't anything to hate. Maybe that's the problem, they don't inspire strong reactions either way.
They started in middle of fucking nowhere Athens man. It wasn’t like they were in NYC or industry plants. They were just way better than everyone else in their generation of underground US college rock at a very young age. Smiths were coming from a massive music scene where people who were very plugged in could discover them quickly.
The American media, especially at that time, was monolithic, local scenes had zero relevance once you got on MTV. Lots of British bands have had a hard time breaking into America, generally because they are britslop and we have plenty of domestic garbage, but sometimes because they don't fit in. The Smiths are very, very British - very very English, really.
Aren't The Smiths all Irish?
What songs? People can’t stand most of their hits anymore.
It’s the End of the World as we Know It
Shiny Happy People
Losing My Religion
Stand
Man on the Moon
Everybody Hurts (legitimately insufferable, but still very popular)
All still get lots of airplay and streams. College stations still play plenty of their deeper cuts from the early years.
"Radio Free Europe" and "The One I Love" come to mind. Oh, and "Orange Crush" was a huge hit back in 1988 (?)
>College stations still play
For whom? Who listens to radio? Even boomers have their own phones hooked up to the car sound system and play their Beatles collection.
There is a lot of room and market for a radio station with a real DJ who will act as your guide to introduce you to new (old) songs you may never have listened to. Not "Bob Fm" or "Jack FM", which are overplayed "hits".
For example there is an album by "Love and Rockets" called "Express". It is absolutely astounding. It will never get airplay.
Also Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight.
Not even top 5, massively overrated.
They really were pretty good at the time. Their earlier stuff was quite good. They were always more admired than adored, and that kind of nostalgia isn't very potent.
no, it sounded shit when it first came out too
Zoomers talking shit about things they don't understand. The wheel spins little zoom-zooms, its always darkest before the dawn, and this goes for fashions too. 18 months from now you'll be pretending you were always super into them and saw them live at concerts that happened before you were born. Its so tiresome.
Maybe the early stuff sure. Anything after Life’s Rich Pageant sounds like shit these days.
t. older than you
im a zoomer and love REM
sitting still is a great song
i dont think they can ever age like shit, they are too ingrained into the dna of music
you can argue the bands that they influenced did what they did better but i dunno
my dad hates REM and the b-52s
most boomers i come across here in georgia despise them for some reason
>my dad hates REM and the b-52s
>most boomers i come across here in georgia despise them for some reason
Homophobia probably.
absolute garbage take
Still like the early stuff
Literally just the Smiths without personality
eh its fine but they dont really grab me too much
Same, Chronic Town is the only thing I like by the REM. Their albums are so boring.
critical homosexualry club
Yeah because R.E.M. is such a straight band kek./
They just suck, sorry.
You're a dumb fuck homosexual. rEM are like the Beatles of alt rock. All their shit is catchy as fuck
Smiths are much catchier than REM.
one of the greatest debuts from any young fuck all literal who band, murmur is also kino is as most of the stuff released on IRS
the irs years compilation is god tier and essential listening
The IRS stuff is classic, and even their post "sell out" stuff is very good. I will never forgive them for Shiny Happy People however.
It’s not one of, it’s the greatest hands down
it's time to admit OP is a fag
for me, it's Out of Time
I think Automatic for the People > Out of Time.
But I listened to both a lot.
yeah Automatic is objectively much better but i just have such fond memories with Out of Time
Sometimes that's really what makes the difference.
very true
I am going to pop the Out of Time cd into my car this week. And spend some time getting reacquainted with it.
nice. enjoy!
their 90s stuff did, automatic for the people is terrible and I can't get how people think that album is good let alone their best
The song "Drive" is amazing. Listen to it with the lights low and listen to it build as the strings come in. Tick......tock.......tick.......tock.
Well they were already in their 30s when they started achieving mainstream success.
So they surely didn't sound like fresh college rock anymore. They sounded like some dudes in the 30s doing whiny pop rock.
the byrds but with bland melodies and mediocre players. Gen x sucks
>the byrds but with bland melodies and mediocre players.
That was already The Byrds without Gene Clark tbf
Both the byrds and gene only got better and better after he left the band, fucking consensus-parroting pleb
Gen Z swallows
>wrote a song about Orange Crush
>a soft drink
GENIUS KEK
>only started listening to them when Collapse Into Now came out
alas
I think that LULZ has aged like shit.
Document is their best album.
That is all.
It's time to admit Accelerate was in fact their best album
no but it is the best album released past their peak.
music doesn't age, it's just you worrying about people thinking you're unfashionable
which is very embarrassing for you
some of their music aged very well, some of it didn't. like a lot of bands.
i wouldn't say any of it aged like shit tho. that's a bit harsh.
i'd say they went from being overrated (by critics) to now being underrated because they've been gone for awhile and hadn't had any hits or acclaim in a long time.
people used to talk about REM all the time, now they've been forgotten outside of a handful of songs