Artists I don’t get and why

This page is a list of artists I do not “get”. I try to give artists a fare shake, but some don’t hit my ear in a pleasing way. Also, I don’t have time to give literally every artist a shake – I reserve the right to give shakes to artists for arbitrary attributes.

To all who likes these artists, individually or as a group, follow your joy and ignore me. And to the artists, keep doing what you do.

  • Steely Dan – I never liked them and never got their music oeuvre. I will ask a restaurant or bar to skip to the next song when they come on.
  • The Eagles – I liked them through the mid 90’s but soured on them rapidly. Again, I will ask a venue to change the channel.
  • The National
  • The Pixies – I should like them, but I never got into them. There was always an element to their songs that didn’t play well on my ears.
  • Billy Joel, “Piano Man”, “We Didn’t Start The Fire”, and “Uptown Girl” – all are overplayed (and I have some personal issues with them). The rest of his catalog I enjoy.
  • Thin Lizzy, “The Boys Are Back In Town” – It’s a terrible song, and the sentiment isn’t better.
  • Smashing Pumpkins – I should like them but I don’t. I find they lack a dynamism fans attribute to SP. I saw them at the Hard Rock Cafe Rockfest show in Chicago 22 July 2000.
  • Metallica – Another act I saw at the Rockfest but I liked them live. The recorded stuff, not so much.