Billie Eilish

[Crazyfool01]

7 hours ago, jyoung said:

you dont know how true this is  I did try out a listen  but 3 hours later ^  I woke up ... might give this a miss  

[priest17]

3 minutes ago, thrillhouse188 said:

You make fair points, I’m sure a lot of people giving her stick would change their tune if it was a bloke.

Not sure I agree with the Bieber point, he got untold stick when he broke into fame, although maybe not specifically with the industry plant stuff.

 

I nearly commented this as well but couldn't word it in a way that didn't sound like I was disagreeing with the whole thing.

She's a bit like George Ezra for me, clearly very popular but not my thing really so I'm not in good shape to make much judgement out of it. The industry plant comments are clearly garbage though.

[CaledonianGonzo]

 

6 minutes ago, thrillhouse188 said:

If her album was made but someone who looks like Adele no one would bat an eyelid.

What's up with how Adele looks?

[thrillhouse188]

1 minute ago, CaledonianGonzo said:

 

What's up with how Adele looks?

Nothing! I guess what was haphazardly trying to say is that without the marketable persona should wouldn’t be nearly as popular on music alone.

Again that being said it’s not a bad little album, and fair play to her for doing so well! 

[jyoung]

2 minutes ago, thrillhouse188 said:

Nothing! I guess what was haphazardly trying to say is that without the marketable persona should wouldn’t be nearly as popular on music alone.

Neither would Bowie, Freddie Mercury or Prince. In music, every artist is a product and every product gets marketed. People only seem to care though when it's someone like Lady Gaga or in this case, Billie.

[thrillhouse188]

2 minutes ago, jyoung said:

Neither would Bowie, Freddie Mercury or Prince. In music, every artist is a product and every product gets marketed. People only seem to care though when it's someone like Lady Gaga or in this case, Billie.

Fair point, although they were making music that was more interesting. Unfortunately I wasn’t around to have commented on them at the time. Also wouldn’t Gaga in the same bag, as I don’t think she was born into a family of musical connections, in fact is well known for having spent years grafting away performing before making it bigger, in the case of Billie it certainly raises suspicion when at 17 there immediate buzz. 

 

[Keithy]

38 minutes ago, thrillhouse188 said:

Part of it is the fact that her whole persona is very obviously modelled around being edgy/into the street wear and sound cloud rap scene, which is popular at the moment. The music however sounds fairly generic by comparison (not bad, just not particularly ‘out there’). If her album was made but someone who looks like Adele no one would bat an eyelid.

 

So like many teenage girls? Just because the music might not match expectations doesn't make her fake, etc, etc. Just a teenage girl making her own music.

Charli XCX was the same. True Romance was a gothic pop masterpiece (IMO Nuclear Seasons is still her best song).

I sometimes feel girls like Billie are in a no win situation. If they go pop then they're just a record label front, if they do something else then unless it absolutely nails the genre or is groundbreaking then they get the whole marketing stick for the 'scene'.

If we're looking at average pop stars with a career built on marketing a look, then I offer Rag n Bone Man as exhibit A.

[Quark]

7 minutes ago, Keithy said:

So like many teenage girls? Just because the music might not match expectations doesn't make her fake, etc, etc. Just a teenage girl making her own music.

Charli XCX was the same. True Romance was a gothic pop masterpiece (IMO Nuclear Seasons is still her best song).

I sometimes feel girls like Billie are in a no win situation. If they go pop then they're just a record label front, if they do something else then unless it absolutely nails the genre or is groundbreaking then they get the whole marketing stick for the 'scene'.

If we're looking at average pop stars with a career built on marketing a look, then I offer Rag n Bone Man as exhibit A.

To be fair the bin man gets as much stick on here as anyone. Except maybe Brandon Flowers.

Thing is, very very very very few people make music just for "the art". Sure some have more artistic integrity (if that's a thing) than others, but ultimately they're all trying to sell something to someone. 

Even someone as non-industry as Levellers do it. They went a bit different with Hello Pig because they wanted to, and it didn't really catch on. So the went back to doing stuff that was more recognisably in line with what they did before, and it did better. Everyone ultimately adjusts to sell to or expand their fan base.

[thrillhouse188]

36 minutes ago, Keithy said:

So like many teenage girls? Just because the music might not match expectations doesn't make her fake, etc, etc. Just a teenage girl making her own music.

Charli XCX was the same. True Romance was a gothic pop masterpiece (IMO Nuclear Seasons is still her best song).

I sometimes feel girls like Billie are in a no win situation. If they go pop then they're just a record label front, if they do something else then unless it absolutely nails the genre or is groundbreaking then they get the whole marketing stick for the 'scene'.

If we're looking at average pop stars with a career built on marketing a look, then I offer Rag n Bone Man as exhibit A.

Fair enough, I guess when everything is combined (parental connections, rapid rise, very prevalent social presence) my grumpy old man radar goes off. 

Agree on Rag n Bone man tbf, absolute dross. I also feel like Lewis Capaldi is utilising the whole ‘Scottish people twitter’ thing as a marketing technique. 

[Keithy]

35 minutes ago, Quark said:

To be fair the bin man gets as much stick on here as anyone. Except maybe Brandon Flowers.

Thing is, very very very very few people make music just for "the art". Sure some have more artistic integrity (if that's a thing) than others, but ultimately they're all trying to sell something to someone. 

Even someone as non-industry as Levellers do it. They went a bit different with Hello Pig because they wanted to, and it didn't really catch on. So the went back to doing stuff that was more recognisably in line with what they did before, and it did better. Everyone ultimately adjusts to sell to or expand their fan base.

Coming on here with your reasonably balanced arguments....

[Quark]

1 minute ago, Keithy said:

Coming on here with your reasonably balanced arguments....

Downvoted for it too no less

I forgot this was the internet, my bad. I'll put it in shouty caps next time to do it properly

[dip]

Saw her at one of the SBE shows and it was brilliant. 

[bombfrog]

2 hours ago, Keithy said:

If we're looking at average pop stars with a career built on marketing a look, then I offer Rag n Bone Man as exhibit A.

He may be well marketed but he has an absolutely fantastic voice. He has more talent in his little finger than Billie Eilish has in her whole body. I have no idea if her success is down to marketing, or connections or whatever, I just know that when I hear her records I feel nothing. Just sounds like she's trying hard to be different and weird. Even Lana Del Rey (who was a little dull and depressing) came out with Video Games which was a great track.

[fred quimby]

38 minutes ago, bombfrog said:

 Just sounds like she's trying hard to be different and weird.

see I don't mind people trying to be different and weird. I like different and weird

 

each to there own and all that

 

do find it odd that you compare Rag and Bone man to Billie Eilish. Very very different types of artist so hard to compare I would say

Edited April 8, 2019 by fred quimby

[addicted2noise]

I like the album and I think she (and her brother) deserve all the success she's getting to be honest. I guess like all music it's marketed to a certain extent but give me another pop artist to have a number one album without the help of mega producers or professional co-writers?

Edited April 8, 2019 by addicted2noise

[bombfrog]

1 hour ago, fred quimby said:

do find it odd that you compare Rag and Bone man to Billie Eilish. Very very different types of artist so hard to compare I would say

To be fair, I didn't, keithy did and it's a bit of a strange comparison, I just couldn't understand how somebody could rate Billy freakin' Eilish higher than him and I'd hardly say I am his biggest fan, never voluntarily listen to his music, but I can appreciate when somebody has a talent.

Edited April 8, 2019 by bombfrog

[Keithy]

11 hours ago, Keithy said:

If we're looking at average pop stars with a career built on marketing a look, then I offer Rag n Bone Man as exhibit A.

 

7 hours ago, bombfrog said:

To be fair, I didn't, keithy did and it's a bit of a strange comparison, I just couldn't understand how somebody could rate Billy freakin' Eilish higher than him 

Except I did nothing of the sort ??‍♂️

I just pointed out he's an average pop star with a career built on his look. He's an interesting comparison as he's deemed 'authentic' and 'talented' and Billie is 'marketing' and 'hype'.

Rag n Bone Man. 13 songwriters on his album. The bloke is polished and bland but that's just my opinion. Album reviews weren't exactly stellar though. Human is a decent song, the rest.....hmmm.

As evidence of an average pop star approaching musical bankruptcy, I present Exhibit B. He's released a song with Calvin Harris.

Edited April 9, 2019 by Keithy

[Andre91]

Rag n Bone Man makes music for people who exclusively buy their albums from Tesco.

[Quark]

44 minutes ago, Keithy said:

Rag n Bone Man. 13 songwriters on his album. The bloke is polished and bland but that's just my opinion. Album reviews weren't exactly stellar though. Human is a decent song, the rest.....hmmm.

But then we're back to the question (this thread? Another thread about integrity? Fuck knows) of whether having someone else write songs for you automatically invalidates you. 

FWIW I find him pretty unexciting and yeah his look is what it is, but he does have a bloody good voice. Having someone else (or many someones) work to get him the material to showcase that talent (and it is a talent) is, depending on your point of view, either the worst thing in the world or neither here nor there.

[Hotchilidog]

Thought I'd give Bily Eilish a go on the back of this thread, and I am afraid I just didn't get it. It's a bit low key for me. I think on the JP it may work but I'd fear the Other Stage would just swallow the sound all up.

[FakeEmpire]

I'll proudly stand up and rate Billie Eilish above Rag N Bone Man.   For my money, she's a more interesting performer and creating pop music that takes a few left turns rather than something to soundtrack John Lewis ads.

But I think they appeal to completely different audiences and so each to their own and all that.

 

[FakeEmpire]

12 minutes ago, Hotchilidog said:

Thought I'd give Bily Eilish a go on the back of this thread, and I am afraid I just didn't get it. It's a bit low key for me. I think on the JP it may work but I'd fear the Other Stage would just swallow the sound all up.

The live show is quite big sounding, the bass is heavy, the crowd go absolutely nuts.  You're right that some of the intricacy is lost but it can definitely translate to a big stage.

 

[jyoung]

10 hours ago, bombfrog said:

He has more talent in his little finger than Billie Eilish has in her whole body. 

[Quark]

I was just giving Billie Eilish another go on my way to work.

My train has just broken down and given up.

Coincidence?

[Hotchilidog]

3 minutes ago, FakeEmpire said:

The live show is quite big sounding, the bass is heavy, the crowd go absolutely nuts.  You're right that some of the intricacy is lost but it can definitely translate to a big stage.

 

Thought that might be the case, may check out some youtube vids.