does a band's obscurity make it any better

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i've never understood this attraction to bands that nobody knows. i like music whether or not it's popular and i don't see how a band becoming popular would make it any less good. it's one thing if they change their sound to attract a new audience and lose their integrity or uniqueness but i don't see how simply becoming more popular would make a band any less good than it was before it became popular.

People like to think that popular music in general sucks, possibly because it makes them feel superior to other people. Popular music can suck but so can obscure music. I listen to my share of obscure music also but that doesn't make me better than other people. I do think that popular music these days is a lot worse than it was previously though. A lot of great music is popular. The Beatles are a perfect example of music that is both great and popular.

i agree that a lot of popular music is pretty bad, i just never understood the mentality that music can only be good if nobody knows about it.

It's quite simple really.
1) Teh sheeplez are st00pid.
2) St00pid people like st00pid stuff.
3) Teh sheeplez like some set of music S.
4) ∴S is st00pid

See, it's just a way of affirming your superiority over the herd.

I listen to music because I like it not because of its obscurity. I listen to whatever catches my interest, be it obscure or popular.

Alot of bands are obscure for good reason. Not all, as I well know, but many indeed. I cite a radio station called The Lake 107.7 FM. They started off pretty good, but after they gained popularity the started playing lots of music that nobody had heard before - mainly because nobody wanted to hear it. I sure don't listen to them much anymore.

It's possible that a bands lack of exposure may sheild it from pop culture long enough for them to produce some real music. But lack of popularity doesn't pay the bills.

Obscure music isn't really better... there is a ton of music out there that I don't care for. But if a band is obscure you are almost assured that they are playing something that they personally want to play... so there is more passion and individuality regardless of the quality.

And sometimes that is the most important thing in music.

You also find the people willing to take risks and try to make completely new kinds of music. This results in a lot of stuff I would call noise... but it also creates the truly groundbreaking new sounds.

Liking a band just because they are obscure is just about the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

I'd like to know more people that enjoy the obscure and strange music I love so much.

And sometimes just sometimes you get quality music out of the bands that are popular too... or the obscure eventually becomes popular... or the popular becomes obscure. Doesn't really matter in the end... just listen to what you enjoy and be done with it.

1. I only think the 'sell out' thing applies in like, two or three cases.
2. People like music that no-one else has heard of because it feels more personal, it's like a band that you own, like they're only maing music for you.
3. People don't like it when it goes popular because it means you end up being seen as a bandwagon jumper even if you were there from the start. And too often these new 'fans' will only know one of the band's albums or something. A lot of the current generation of Green Day fans still only know 'American Idiot.'

Well, if one likes live music, and likes the band live, one may like them less because they then play in larger venues, rather than the small intimate venues. Or they play more areas and don't play your area as often.

But, mostly, it's either also not liking a sound/direction change that came at the same time (perhaps even a subtle change), or else, just, rebeliousness against what's popular or rebeliousness against what one is supposed to like.

If a band's not as well known it probably hasn't sold out yet. XD And sell out albums DO often suck, but they're great gateways to their old stuff and their new fans often realize this.

I don't agree that a band's automatically better if it's lesser known of course, but I do try to spread and recommend lesser-known bands that I think have potential to be big.

I don't really care if a band is obscure or not, if it's good it's good. I can see why people like bands because they're obscure. They want to earn their scene points
If I do find a good obscure band it's a good excuse to show off haha "have you heard of *band name* I bet you haven't so I'll tell you, they are a mixture of *genre genre and genre*..."

Probably 'cause you can brag...and 'cause some obscure bands like The Rantings of EVA are absolutely brilliant...