Popular Music suggestions

A few weeks ago I bought a few "pop" (the modern R&B form, I think) songs on iTunes. I'm a classical buff really, but I'm feeling a desire to listen to some pop music, and wondered if you can suggest anything truly outstanding. I just looked up 50 "Great Debut Albums" on the iTunes store and sampled most of the frequently downloaded songs I didn't know already, and of all of them I was only tempted by one Norah Jones song, but it seemed a little too flimsy to be worth buying (don't immediately try to think of artists who are a bit like her, please).

I don't mind the genre if the song is good, but I draw the line at "aggressive" music like most heavy metal or gangsta rap. I'll listen to electronic music if but it has to be a cut above the repetitive-but-oh-so-trendy music the "cooler" clubbers listen to (read: take drugs to), which seems to be the current acme in that genre..

I offer a recommendation of my own (not pop music but not really classical either, though it features a harp): the relaxed and dreamlike Future Strings by Catrin Finch and Seckou Keita from their album Clychau Dibon.

Originally posted by NoEarthlyReason
A few weeks ago I bought a few "pop" (the modern R&B form, I think) songs on iTunes. I'm a classical buff really, but I'm feeling a desire to listen to some pop music, and wondered if you can suggest anything truly outstanding. I just looked up 50 "Great Debut Albums" on the iTunes store and sampled most of the frequently downloaded songs I didn't kn ...[text shortened]... ed and dreamlike Future Strings by Catrin Finch and Seckou Keita from their album Clychau Dibon.

I think this is what you are looking for;
YouTube

Originally posted by wolfgang59
I think this is what you are looking for;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jofNR_WkoCE

That's hilarious but the music is still terrible 🙂.

Originally posted by Trev33
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj01ZLaWshc

Meh.

Catrin Finch and Seckou Keita live:

YouTube

OK, this is totally epic though.

YouTube

Originally posted by Trev33
OK, this is totally epic though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMlqqhIls98

Thank you for that heartbreaking work of staggering genius. Lyrics by 'Trev', eh?

Originally posted by NoEarthlyReason
A few weeks ago I bought a few "pop" (the modern R&B form, I think) songs on iTunes. I'm a classical buff really, but I'm feeling a desire to listen to some pop music, and wondered if you can suggest anything truly outstanding. I just looked up 50 "Great Debut Albums" on the iTunes store and sampled most of the frequently downloaded songs I didn't kn ...[text shortened]... ed and dreamlike Future Strings by Catrin Finch and Seckou Keita from their album Clychau Dibon.

I am not a fan of "pop", I am normally a "rock grrl", but I recommend Cyndi Lauper. From "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" or "Time After Time", from her debut She's So Unusual, 1983, to "I'll Be Your River", from The Body Acoustic, 2005, to "Just Your Fool", from Memphis Blues, 2010, to videos of her 2013 30th Anniversary concerts (you can spot her playing dulcimer on some of these as well), she's endured. Now that she's turned 60 (unbelievable), she's mellowed some, but still my favorite pop artist who has since crossed so many genres. Her voice is golden.

Originally posted by Suzianne
I am not a fan of "pop", I am normally a "rock grrl", but I recommend Cyndi Lauper. From "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" or "Time After Time", from her debut She's So Unusual, 1983, to "I'll Be Your River", from The Body Acoustic, 2005, to "Just Your Fool", from Memphis Blues, 2010, to videos of her 2013 30th Anniversary concerts (you ca ...[text shortened]... me, but still my favorite pop artist who has since crossed so many genres. Her voice is golden.

Thanks, I'll check her out. I mean "pop" in its broadest sense, to include all forms of popular music, including rock, Latin, alternative, hip hop, etc. etc. So any other suggestions are welcome.

I just took a trial of Spotify so I shouldn't find it hard to access material, so as rare or common as you like. 🙂

As soon as I heard the first track I wondered if it was her that sang 'True Colors' which I remember liking back in the 80s. But she's not really my cup of tea any more—her voice doesn't appeal to me at all now, even though I must have found it alluring back then.

Originally posted by NoEarthlyReason
That's hilarious but the music is still terrible 🙂.

That's what you get asking for music advice on a chess website! 😉

Seriously though; have you heard NZ's girl of the moment Lorde?
A serious talent (just turned 17) ... I wonder how long she will last?

Originally posted by wolfgang59
Seriously though; have you heard NZ's girl of the moment Lorde?

I have now, and I don't likey.

I do quite like young Brit Laura Marling, who sings in a different genre altogether (folk).

Originally posted by NoEarthlyReason
Thank you for that heartbreaking work of staggering genius. Lyrics by 'Trev', eh?

I'm still waiting for my 33%.

Originally posted by Trev33
I'm still waiting for my 33%.

You deserve every penny.