Why do people like finding obscure bands before they are famous?

It's a mix between curiosity and passion for the subject.

Well, not all good bands become famous.

You seem to make the assumption that if someone makes good music they will become famous and everyone will eventually hear them.

But to become famous is more about finding the right connections and the right marketing.

And we know there is a lot of crap pop music.

So people will find the music they like instead of hoping the music they like finds them.

They feel that it gives them some sort of additional credibility and "coolness." If one of those bands becomes famous they'll immediately stop listening and spend 30% of their time telling the band's fans that their old stuff was better.

I have booked and managed bands a few years ago and can tell you there are some extremely unknown and talented bands that surpass the crap you hear in the mainstream. Many of these are bands that are 2-3 years old and have yet to get their break and will probably implode before they get a look by the majors.

So many factors go into getting that break but first off, labels want to see butts in the seats. A band needs a following. Doesn't matter how great a band is, if no one is there to hear them, no one cares.

Now if a band is obscure 10 years later, yeah they'll probably stay that way.

Well, If you ask my friend, he'll say so he can make a lot of money. He started doing so with a personal zine in HS and now is a consultant to record companies. He also organizes and consults music festivals. It's funny how if you do something long enough, you can get paid to do it. I've had some pretty good experiences myself in band searching. I remember being one of maybe ten people at the shows of various garage bands I liked who later made it to the red carpet, music on videos games, letterman, etc.

Muse wrote:

Why do some people listen to all these garbage bands in the hope of unearthing a good one when they could just listen to mainstream bands that are already mainstream because they're actually good?

Have you ever heard of the V-Roys?

If not, shut the hell up.

Well, at my age, it certainly has nothing to do with credibility or coolness. Rather I do find it enjoyable to discover and hear great music in small venues. Just last week I saw an amazing band for a $5 cover with maybe 40 people in attendance. Incredible and I wouldn't have known about them except for a friend's recommendation. If they make it to Red Rocks in a couple of summers I'll likely go see them again even though they've become "famous."

yuiop wrote:

Well, at my age, it certainly has nothing to do with credibility or coolness. Rather I do find it enjoyable to discover and hear great music in small venues. Just last week I saw an amazing band for a $5 cover with maybe 40 people in attendance. Incredible and I wouldn't have known about them except for a friend's recommendation. If they make it to Red Rocks in a couple of summers I'll likely go see them again even though they've become "famous."

I took it that the OP was referring to those who love to tell others about the band they've never heard of and brag about the fact that they "know who they are."

Enjoying great live music is something different.

One is because there's so many random small bands out there that you can find if you want to put in the effort. A lot of these bands might never make it famous, but it could be something you personally love listening to. Sometimes you'll find a band that is one of the greatest bands out there (for your own personal taste) but they don't have a sound that a large enough base of people get into so they never make it "mainstream." Not saying that anyone's taste is better or worse for liking these bands - but everyone has their own taste in music, and sometimes it's better satisfied by an unknown band.

Another big perk of finding these bands before they're famous is getting to see them for cheap. There have been bands that I found early in their career and saw multiple times in small intimate venues for like $10 - then a few years later they get somewhat famous and now they only play larger venues where tickets are at least $30+ or festivals where the crowds are huge. While I still would see them in these settings if I liked them enough - it's just not the same as having had those opportunities to see them for cheap in a venue of only 100 other people or whatever.

This reeks of troll, but why not. Top 40/pop music can be very formulaic and processed for monetary gain. Some artists will use 3 or 4 writers for a song covering the same inane themes (PARTY!, $$$, forbidden love/sex), and other music people creating hooks that people find catchy. On top of all this the vocals are put through software to polish the sound. If you like it, no big deal. Sometimes it works well and makes a good song.

Looks what happens when money influences music:

Black Eyed Peas Then:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S8UN5ltvys

Black Eyed Peas Now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaI2IlHwmgQ

Now I agree people who are completely dismissive of all top 40/pop music are obnoxious. That being said, there are a lot of music genres and sub-genres that won't appeal to the masses. The closest thing to Rock music on top 40 nowadays is Maroon 5. Yea, Maroon 5.

Muse wrote:

Most obscure bands are garbage, which is why they are obscure. Why do some people listen to all these garbage bands in the hope of unearthing a good one when they could just listen to mainstream bands that are already mainstream because they're actually good? Makes no sense to me.

Like predicting the next Google or the next Tom Brady, it's about showing how smart you are.

I would rather see a band in bar with 100 people than in a stadium with 80,000. Once a band gets big, seeing them live is just not as enjoyable even if they are still producing quality music. Also, the vast majority of bands aren't capable of producing more than one or two quality albums. These are often, but not always the bands earlier efforts when they are doing something relatively fresh.

liking what is already popular isn't as interesting as finding a little band that sounds something like you would sound like, were you a talented musician.

I mean, when I first heart Uptown Funk, it was grand, it was fun, but it didn't belong to me.

But when I hear a song from a little obscure band that I love, it does belong to me a little. Makes me feel less alone. And sort of an intellectual accomplishment. Especially if the band does make it big.

Houndmouth is a perfect example - I think they are bloody brilliant, but no one has heard of them. but they have a new album next month, and a tour, and maybe, just maybe they will take off and I can be along for the ride, vicariously.

Moe's Tavern, what are some of the bands you heard that you liked.

I knew a guy who loved the Weakerthans. As soon as Aside was in Wedding Crashers he hated them with a furry.

Muse wrote:

Most obscure bands are garbage, which is why they are obscure. ...

Fwiw, most bands were "obscure" at one point in time. They only became "not obscure" because people started liking them. Your perspective would have no more new bands rise to "success".

Obscure is a weird word. We're all, largely, obscure, but it's used so often in some kind of negative connotative way. Somehow going about your life, living with and within a small community of acquaintance/s, is somehow deemed like failure.

I knew or was country booking bands like Kevin Fowler, Miranda Lambert and Eli Young before they hit the country charts big. One of the best bands who could never make a breakthrough was Kyle Hunt. His stuff as as good or better than Pat Green.It was fun watching Bowling for Soup hit it big. Michelle Branch was young and very good-natured with no pretense. I ran into an actress I used to date, told her was in music now. She turned me onto Counting Crows.BUT, the absolute best ever band was called Benjamin Allen Band. Awesome band, great sound but the lead singer was an idiot and let his fat, ugly girlfriend run him and I dropped them. A month later Columbia records came calling with a cool summer tour and a development deal. I refused the offer and never told the band.

Towson exile wrote:

Moe's Tavern, what are some of the bands you heard that you liked.

I knew a guy who loved the Weakerthans. As soon as Aside was in Wedding Crashers he hated them with a furry.

It's the old "I found them before you.." syndrome

My nephew listens only to the Radiators. Nothing else.

And how do you not love a song like this? it has 2,000 views vs hundreds of millions for TS, but this is pure awesome:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qgD_lEXQRs

Look up a band called 'The Wet Farts'