Most of the list was chosen by 'celebs', Mark Ronson chose 5 hiphop albums, Friendly Fires picked some electronica, James Dean Bradfield picked Thomas Dolby and ABC! Hence the rather ramshackle nature of it, but in spite of that it looked more interesting than I expected.
― State Attorney Foxhart Cubycheck (Billy Dods), Friday, 31 December 2010 16:48 (thirteen years ago) link
I bet paul weller chose the zombies. He's been banging on about it for a good few years now every chance he gets.
― Shakey Moe Szyslak (Algerian Goalkeeper), Friday, 31 December 2010 17:01 (thirteen years ago) link
Yes he did. And even I heard most of that LP 10 years ago.
My take on this list etc would be: yes it's daft, flawed, shallow etc from all kinds of angles. But attacking a worthy NME piece for that would be breaking a butterfly on a wheel. It's just remarkable that they've done it at all - for the kids, not seasoned pop listeners like ILM; after the drastic, radical decline of the magazine; and in a world where it must be nigh impossible to make a quality print magazine, or maybe any print magazine, anymore. It's in that very limited context that I find it such an admirable swim against the tide.
― the pinefox, Friday, 31 December 2010 18:20 (thirteen years ago) link
But the whole exercise seems to be admirable. Yes, I really think that the NME has improved. In a virtually impossible media climate, they are trying, in their way, to be more serious about pop and its history, than they have been in the past decade, even though probably none of what's left of their demographic cares much about it.
NME doesn't need to write about pop as long as its demographic isn't interested. Or, if it does, it should write about pop that its demographic may be interested in hearing about. That is, male guitar pop from the UK.
― You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Friday, 31 December 2010 18:23 (thirteen years ago) link
No geir, the NME should write about good music.
― Shakey Moe Szyslak (Algerian Goalkeeper), Friday, 31 December 2010 18:25 (thirteen years ago) link
Which it did not do under connor mac.
I'd really like to know who picked the Corea then: Jamie Callum?
― sonofstan, Friday, 31 December 2010 18:31 (thirteen years ago) link
Someone called Joe Mount of Metronomy
― Shakey Moe Szyslak (Algerian Goalkeeper), Friday, 31 December 2010 18:40 (thirteen years ago) link
The NME should help their readers discover some new stuff that they may like.
And, you know, they don't need to discover mainstream pop. They already know it, regardless of whether they like or not. Everyone knows mainstream pop.
― You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Friday, 31 December 2010 20:47 (thirteen years ago) link
I don't.
― Shakey Moe Szyslak (Algerian Goalkeeper), Friday, 31 December 2010 21:18 (thirteen years ago) link
I don't know contemporary mainstream pop. I know a lot of old mainstream pop.
But pop is a big little word, and the NME is a pop music magazine and I am a pop music fan.
― the pinefox, Saturday, 1 January 2011 00:48 (thirteen years ago) link
You know, some people think it isn't pop if it's by a band, if that band plays guitars, if they are all male, and if their skin colour appears to be white.
― You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Saturday, 1 January 2011 04:07 (thirteen years ago) link
"appears"
geir you give bands the while paper bag test?
― in my world of Hmong ppl (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Saturday, 1 January 2011 04:09 (thirteen years ago) link
er white paper bag test
― in my world of Hmong ppl (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Saturday, 1 January 2011 04:10 (thirteen years ago) link
What does it matter anyway? If they are white, they are white, if they are black, they are black. What matters is what the music sound like. And if it sounds anything like Beatles or Beach Boys, then pop it is.
― You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Saturday, 1 January 2011 11:43 (thirteen years ago) link
I looked at the cover, since I can get NME at home now (I don't feel like going downtown to get it)...looking at an NME would be just a nostalgia thing for me. Until their covers are more appealing, I'm not actually going to buy it.
In any case, I'm wondering what the 100 albums are?
― Christina and the Fags (u s steel), Saturday, 1 January 2011 12:07 (thirteen years ago) link
Sorry, I missed the link to the list that was posted upthread. It is interesting, could still be more global. I mean, I understand young consumers' need to catch up. But do they really need the Electric Prunes?
― Christina and the Fags (u s steel), Saturday, 1 January 2011 12:13 (thirteen years ago) link
http://sickmouthy.wordpress.com/2011/01/01/top-ten-records-you’ve-never-heard-if-you’re-a-15-year-old-boy-who-reads-nme/
― Captain Ostensible (Scik Mouthy), Saturday, 1 January 2011 12:19 (thirteen years ago) link
Milton Nascimento / Lo Borges – Club De Esquina Vol. 1Brazil isn’t just about samba and Tropicalia; it can be about awesome, awesome, classic pop too. The melodies, tunes, and arrangements here are something else – even if the words are Brazilian Portuguese.
this is great yeah
― /\/\/\Y/\ Amchill Rothschild (nakhchivan), Saturday, 1 January 2011 12:33 (thirteen years ago) link
the hiphop picks are what finally make me hate mark ronson. seriously, this guy needs to die. mecca and the soul brother! smif n wesson! etc. sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo obscure you guys.
― irish xmas caek, get that marzipan inta ya (a hoy hoy), Monday, 3 January 2011 00:35 (thirteen years ago) link
infamous!!! lmao
― ich bin ein ilxor (deej), Monday, 3 January 2011 00:43 (thirteen years ago) link
Isn't the idea to recommend some records that yr average 17yr old NME reader hasn't heard? perfectly possible that someone of that age wouldn't have heard records recorded at about the time they were born.
― Neil S, Monday, 3 January 2011 00:46 (thirteen years ago) link
not sure if a hoy hoy is being a sarcastic dick or not. smif n wessun are, to most people, pretty obscure. and as neil says, to nme readers, so is a mobb deep album from 15 years ago.
― moholy-nagl (history mayne), Monday, 3 January 2011 00:57 (thirteen years ago) link
yeah but whatever bullshit is on the typical nme list is, to most people, 'pretty obscure'
― ich bin ein ilxor (deej), Monday, 3 January 2011 01:02 (thirteen years ago) link
i dunno seems silly to me to play dumb w/ your audience about given subgenres
nme isn't typically read by rap nerds, so even to nme readers, those are obscure acts -- but i mean, they have xtc on the list, so it isn't meant to be the most obscure records of all time, just stuff that college-age kids won't know about
― moholy-nagl (history mayne), Monday, 3 January 2011 01:05 (thirteen years ago) link
also the go-betweens, felt and, um, black rebel motorcycle club...
― moholy-nagl (history mayne), Monday, 3 January 2011 01:06 (thirteen years ago) link
Wot no Terris
― Morcheeba, simply happening. (PaulTMA), Monday, 3 January 2011 01:11 (thirteen years ago) link
I suppose the 100 albums you've never heard also means that you are supposed to like them, i.e. that they are not too unlike the stuff you already like.
― You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Monday, 3 January 2011 11:35 (thirteen years ago) link
No, you take your pick.
― Mark G, Monday, 3 January 2011 11:45 (thirteen years ago) link
These were all recommended by (mostly) artists that NME readers probably already appreciate, as well as a few choices by NME journalists. The 5 Kurt Cobain choices were made nearly 20 years ago.
Feels more like one of the 'Originals' run than an actual issue. Still, features more good records than the NME normally would in a month or two.
― Craigo Boingo, Monday, 3 January 2011 12:16 (thirteen years ago) link
These were all recommended by (mostly) artists that NME readers probably already appreciate, as well as a few choices by NME journalists
Artist are known to be much, much, much more openminded towards other genres than their fans are though.
Btw. I think this is the big mistake that Mojo are doing regarding present music too. They seem to try to open their readership's eyes towards new music but instead of finding new stuff that is stylistically related to what their readers already love, they tend to recommend stuff from completely different genres. Putting John Grant at the top of their list this year was an exception though - obviously if Mojo readers are likely to get into new, young acts, they are much more likely to get into John Grant than some hip-hop or R&B act. Because John Grant is much closer to the kind of music they have already known and loved for 40 years.
― You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Monday, 3 January 2011 12:23 (thirteen years ago) link
dunno why the fuck you'd wanna introduce the youth to XTC via White Music tho - it might tick the post-Strokes spiky guitars box but it's pretty fucken weak.
― Shanty! Shanti! Shanté! (Noodle Vague), Monday, 3 January 2011 12:26 (thirteen years ago) link
That is true. But if the youth are into rather tough sounding rock'n'roll, XTC's best work may feel too pastoral for them.
― You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Monday, 3 January 2011 12:26 (thirteen years ago) link
Psychological projection or projection bias is a psychological defense mechanism where a person unconsciously denies their own attributes, thoughts, and emotions, which are then ascribed to the outside world, such as to the weather, or to other people. Thus, it involves imagining or projecting that others have those feelings.[1]
― moholy-nagl (history mayne), Monday, 3 January 2011 12:26 (thirteen years ago) link
i wd have gone drums n wires but ehh
― moholy-nagl (history mayne), Monday, 3 January 2011 12:27 (thirteen years ago) link
Geir with all respect even the god-knows-whats that read Mojo have a bit broader range of interests than "all shit that sounds like the Kinks, all the time".
― Shanty! Shanti! Shanté! (Noodle Vague), Monday, 3 January 2011 12:28 (thirteen years ago) link
the c...the cu...the oh forget it, in 2k11 that term will have to be rationed
― max bro'd (nakhchivan), Monday, 3 January 2011 12:35 (thirteen years ago) link
sort of admirable that the nme are giving this list to 15yr old proto-ilx types for whom it will only hasten the end of their nme buying days
― max bro'd (nakhchivan), Monday, 3 January 2011 12:37 (thirteen years ago) link
The proto-ILX types have never started buying NME in the first place. They are content with hit magazines and hitlists.
― You're Twistin' My Melody Man! (Geir Hongro), Monday, 3 January 2011 12:46 (thirteen years ago) link
how did you get into proper music?
― max bro'd (nakhchivan), Monday, 3 January 2011 12:47 (thirteen years ago) link
if that story doesn't involve some kind of traumatic brain injury then I don't wanna hear it
― Shanty! Shanti! Shanté! (Noodle Vague), Monday, 3 January 2011 12:52 (thirteen years ago) link
Having never read the NME - why would they have a "non-music" issue as mentioned in the OP? They're a music magazine, right? What kind of content would a "non-music" NME have?
― jodeci & oracle (kkvgz), Monday, 3 January 2011 12:54 (thirteen years ago) link
They are content with hit magazines and hitlists.
― max bro'd (nakhchivan), Monday, 3 January 2011 12:55 (thirteen years ago) link
xpost
dunno what issue the OP was refering to but in the 80s the NME wd run occasional non-music cover stories about Youth Issues like drugs or suicide or voting for Neil Kinnock. any sense of this being a bold move was mitigated by yr suspicion that they couldn't face putting the Smiths on the cover because J. Marr hadn't farted in public that week.
― Shanty! Shanti! Shanté! (Noodle Vague), Monday, 3 January 2011 12:58 (thirteen years ago) link
aye, it'd have music shit in there too
at one point there was a big internal war over "that sort of thing" (cf. covering hip-hop) but the main player's name escapes me. stuart something, perhaps, who was styled "media editor" maybe.
― moholy-nagl (history mayne), Monday, 3 January 2011 14:26 (thirteen years ago) link
Stuart Cosgrove. Ian Pye was the editor at the time IIRC
― ban this sick stunt (anagram), Monday, 3 January 2011 14:27 (thirteen years ago) link
xxp I always thought those non-musical cover stories were a serious engagement with key issues. they didn't strike me as being tokenistic or whatever. nevertheless I remember reading somewhere (may even have been ILM) that the youth suicide issue was the lowest selling ever.
― ban this sick stunt (anagram), Monday, 3 January 2011 14:29 (thirteen years ago) link
In reply, fuck that shit. When I was 17 me and my friends all read the NME and didn't have the awesome broadband every 17 year old has now. We all knew and loved TROY and Shook Ones Pt. 2. I remember getting drunk with a couple other friends jamming to Black Moon (about as close to Smif N Wesson as a group can get). Kids know how to download things, they aren't fucking ignorant of these super obscure records. No-one would have a problem with him putting in Da Dirty 30 or Bl_ck B_st_rds
― irish xmas caek, get that marzipan inta ya (a hoy hoy), Monday, 3 January 2011 14:30 (thirteen years ago) link
The indie equiv of The Infamous is what, a Weezer record or Dookie or something? NME wouldn't dare stick something like that in this list but instead they and Mark Ronson are fucking stupid and ignorant.
― irish xmas caek, get that marzipan inta ya (a hoy hoy), Monday, 3 January 2011 14:32 (thirteen years ago) link