culturally important music past-present

[=sw=warlord]

I decided to make this thread after a conversation with a friend of mine who is working on a course to become a manager in music.
She mentioned to me at one point about how various bands and songs have since their release become culturally important in one form or another.

The most notable song/band I can think of would be T.A.T.U, I remember when they released their song "All the things she said" which caused so much media stir (http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/06/14/1055220813616.html) it was unbelievable.
There were few (http://blogcritics.org/music/article/tatus-music-is-actually-pretty-good/) in the business who defended the singers amongst a tempest of accusations.
Now though, some of the critics who at first quick to attack the singers artistic style has since changed their opinions and now the song has become a popular classic.
Not a few weeks ago while with friends at a popular drinking place did the song become the first and most requested during the entire night.

I'm curious what other bands and song's that people here consider culturally or socially important.
I would like to keep this thread somewhat serious and civilized with some contributions with links to other songs.

[Warsaw]

Anything from the early list of Michael Jackson's music is significant here; he isn't called the King of Pop for no reason. Without Jackson, you don't get Brittney Spears or *shudders* Justin Bieber.

"Thriller" always comes to mind when I think Jackson.

Then we also have Louis Armstrong and artists who played similar music. Rock and Roll has its roots there and look how big that has become around the world.

[=sw=warlord]

Anything from the early list of Michael Jackson's music is significant here; he isn't called the King of Pop for no reason. Without Jackson, you don't get Brittney Spears or *shudders* Justin Bieber.

"Thriller" always comes to mind when I think Jackson.

Then we also have Louis Armstrong and artists who played similar music. Rock and Roll has its roots there and look how big that has become around the world.

As much as I agree what I was leaning more towards is music that has caused huge dramas and had the power to change the industry.
Jacksons music was a large part in the industry no doubt, same with Elvis and frank Sinatra.
The kind of info I'm looking for is song's that really shook the worlds foundations and made people think on a strong level what they thought they knew.

The reason I mention Tatu is because they're the only band I can think of in the past 15 years who really, really made people either think or outright kick up a fuss merely because it involves subjects alot of people at the time wanted to stay quiet.
The video screams female lesbianism which at the time was for a lack of better term, unspoken about.
I can remember hearing about so many complaints involving the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwnfhHTKI9E), the song was even banned from radio for a short time where I lived and now, Now it's a very popular song and is played at pretty much every drinking place I've been to.
I have a strong curiosity of which songs and videos that are around that caused such a strong response, negative or positive.

[Warsaw]

Ah, I get what you're saying. Sorry for the misinterpretation. I'll have to sit and think on that one. The only one that comes to mind right now is Laibach, always accused of far left or far right political leanings. Neither is correct, they simply commentate on the state of the world with their music. The "Volk" album is pretty polarising with how it effectively trolls all of the major nations of the world.

[Dwood]

Simon & Garfunkel... Read their lyrics. The Beatles while they sang about stuff that actually mattered.

[Bodzilla]

Culturally important music that changed the world and the industry and you Mention Tatu?


you've got to be joking.


what about Feeling good for the civil rights movement.

[Dwood]

Akoukq5DvAE

[TVTyrant]

Culturally important is a subjective term. There are bands/artists that are important to only small listening groups, but change movements in a massive way. There are also those that raise cultural awareness, which is I think what is point on Tatu was, that its part of (sadly) the American movement towards widespread acceptance of homosexuality. As far as that goes, I'm going to present three youtube links that I like in that movement.

Bob Dylan: The Times-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_oJPnSaPlQ

The Beatles: Twist and Shout-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJiExfGevNg

Credence Clearwater: Run Through The Jungle-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbI0cMyyw_M

Stevie Wonder: Superstitious-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbI0cMyyw_M

Those are some songs from the "classic" era that opened a lot of people's eyes, at least in the US.
As far as having a huge reaction by the populace the way you were thinking, I'll say these

Elvis Presley-That's Alright Mama-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWgprZu4Hk4
Black Sabbath-Black Sabbath-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akt3awj_Ah8

Will edit with some changes. I have to go lol.

[Patrickssj6]

Culturally important music that changed the world and the industry and you Mention Tatu?


you've got to be joking.


I thought the same thing ^^

[=sw=warlord]

Culturally important music that changed the world and the industry and you Mention Tatu?
Yes, They're a pretty underrated band which is undermined by media fear of their early lesbianism acts.

you've got to be joking.
No, I do not.
You may not like it but T.A.T.U have been pretty influential.
I probably should have said culturally controversial rather than important, the issue is a controversial subject which ends in relaxation of tension is rather important.

what about Feeling good for the civil rights movement.

There are many songs which have been controversial over the decades, currently there's a embargo over here for what ever reason blocking "play that funky music" by wild cherry because it is supposedly controversial.
Simon and Garfunkel are a pretty good example of important additions to music, my favourite of their collection is sound of silence.
Very strong lyrics and is commonly used in the film industry with varying degrees.

[sleepy1212]

Bill Monroe, no songs to post because he wrote so many and has been covered hundreds of times, many times by Hank Williams. Monroe is like the forefather of all Country and Bluegrass.

Just have a look at his discography (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Monroe_discography)

Could also list bands like Bad Brains, Biohazard, etc...

[Bodzilla]

There are many songs which have been controversial over the decades, currently there's a embargo over here for what ever reason blocking "play that funky music" by wild cherry because it is supposedly controversial.
Where the fuck do you even live.

what the hell.


no seriously WHAT THE FUCK.

[Patrickssj6]

Gonna suck on Bod's tit again and agree.

This thread needs more definition...you could go from Pink Floyd and end up in the black metal scene which defined Scandinavia. You surely mean "music that have made an impact in society" but that's widely feathered.

T.a.t.u was just some mainstream crap which in 10 years will be forgotten. culturally not important. culturally important would be samba for Brazilians, tango for the Spanish...etc.

[Bastinka]

T.a.t.u was just some mainstream crap which in 10 years will be forgotten. culturally not important.
I haven't even heard of them before this post.

I can't see any sort of artist or band that has changed society, more or less they've inspired people and I'm guessing thats what we're going for. For inspirational or 'deep' artists, at the moment, I can only think of Johnny Cash. I would've said Bob Dylan, but I think he's a terrible guitarist and singer so you'd only be listening for pure lyrics rather than the lyrics and in what emotion they are conveyed to the listener.

[TVTyrant]

Your kidding me. You don't like Bob Dylan? The man's a lyrical genius. Yeah, sometimes I can barely stand his music either, but his lyrics convey so much! He practically invented modern songwriting. Before Dylan the majority of artists (especially Elvis) just did covers. Dylan was one of the first to break the mold of singer/musician to being a songwriter. He's like the most important figure in modern music since Mozart began the trend of pentatonic scalings!

[Bodzilla]

my dad Loves dylan, but he still says Dylan was the single Worst live act that he's ever seen in his life.

and he's seen ALOT of music.

[Dwood]

Bryan Adams was important! To canadians

[Bodzilla]

As much as I agree what I was leaning more towards is music that has caused huge dramas and had the power to change the industry.
Jacksons music was a large part in the industry no doubt, same with Elvis and frank Sinatra.
The kind of info I'm looking for is song's that really shook the worlds foundations and made people think on a strong level what they thought they knew.

The reason I mention Tatu is because they're the only band I can think of in the past 15 years who really, really made people either think or outright kick up a fuss merely because it involves subjects alot of people at the time wanted to stay quiet.
The video screams female lesbianism which at the time was for a lack of better term, unspoken about.
I can remember hearing about so many complaints involving the video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwnfhHTKI9E), the song was even banned from radio for a short time where I lived and now, Now it's a very popular song and is played at pretty much every drinking place I've been to.
I have a strong curiosity of which songs and videos that are around that caused such a strong response, negative or positive.
I say again, you want to go to Controversial songs and artists... and in the last 15 years the biggest thing you can think of is Tatu.


i'm gobsmacked.
It's like you forgot that eminem ever happened.

[t3h m00kz]

Tatu's singing pisses me off

[=sw=warlord]

Where the fuck do you even live.

what the hell.


no seriously WHAT THE FUCK.

That's my thoughts when I first found out that song had been banned.
There's a list here (http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/banned.html) of other songs that have been banned.
I'l get in touch with my friend and get some articles to post in the thread.

[thehoodedsmack]

I think I now understand what you're getting at, Warlord. Thread title should be changed to "Artists that made hyper-conservatives upset, past-present."

Elvis - Shaking his hips
Tatu - Lesbianism
Eminem - Bringing hip-hop to white kids.

And really, this had nothing to do with the music at all, it's the artists' actions that caused a stir.

[Roostervier]

Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, Tom Petty, Bob Marley.

[Donut]

warlord i just read through that list you posted. there is some great shit in there

XTC - "Respectable Street", from '82, lyrics about abortion, sex positions, and neighbors retching over each other's fences were replaced.

Puff Daddy & Jimmy Page "Come To Me", obviously all single versions had F-word deleted, but the Japanese Import single had Godzilla roars over the swearing moments.

Deep In The Heart of Texas, was banned during World War II because there was a clappy bit in it and, when played over a factory's loudspeaker, the workers would stop momentarily to join in

i thought these were hilarious :v:

[Cortexian]

Guys instead of disagreeing with each other, agree to disagree about your respected artists and move on. If someone states that they have respect for artist X because of Y, take that under consideration, don't just rip into their choice because you don't share it... I realize some of you are providing helpful and thought-out feedback with facts to back it up, but I think we (you) should nip this argument crap in the bud before the thread spirals out of control. That IS the direction it's leaning towards.

Thanks.

[Bodzilla]

look i know and understand what your saying freelancer

but TATU?

[TVTyrant]

Eminem was controversial? How? Oh no a white rapper, its like people don't think its a art form or something (omg white people across the world).

N.W.A. was five times as controversial. If we're talking controversial rap, it HAS to be about N.W.A. They brought the reality of L.A. of the time to wide media understanding. I've never heard an Eminem song as "bad" as an N.W.A. song. I'm not sayin he wasn't controversial, I just don't get why he was controversial.

[Bodzilla]

eminem often and i mean OFTEN portrays, rape, incest, torture, murder, kidnap, drugs ect in his music.

The only ones you hear on the radio is his softer more poppy shit where he sings about his daughter.
it's when he's acting under the pseudo Slim shady that it actually gets very controversial.

T.a.t.u had lesbian kids.
Eminem had getting raped by his uncle and trying to commit suicide.

[TVTyrant]

Okay. Yeah Detroit is the worst city in the U.S. for sure. Tough place to grow up. Not as bad as L.A. was at the time of N.W.A., but the difference is that Detroit is a collapsing city rather than just a fucking warzone. Detroit still hasn't fully recovered from the 1967 race riots, and it's economy has never been as good as it was 90 years ago in the 1920s. Its on a bunch of lists as like a top 5 most terrible city in the world right now. Pretty glad I don't live in Michigan. Also pretty glad I'm not 15 years older and from South Central either though.

[Patrickssj6]

but but
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too much blabla also Mercedes anyone?

[Dwood]

Arrival I Will Survive 6

wat.

[TVTyrant]

Detroit is a crappy ugly town that also manages to feature the highest crime rate in America. I've been there. It sucks. Case closed.

[Cortexian]

I haven't been to Detroit, but I've been to Windsor Ontario which is right beside it (literally) in Canada. Place was shit. Entire area is fueled by vehicle production, was cool to see all the new Dodge Challengers driving around though since that's where they were built.