Comments by "RiC David" (@RiC_David) on "Lady Gaga's Success: Talent, Marketing or Both?" video.

I'm also intrigued to hear how. Perhaps it's because she writes her own stuff. Personally, I'd keep that to myself if I was her.
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I think it's worse to have talent (the ability to sing and/or play an insturment well) and put it towards the kind of embarrassing shite she produces, than to have no talent at all. You shouldn't respect somebody for having talent. They've done nothing to earn that. You should respect somebody if they do it justice and put it to good use.
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@Lobos It's like this: having talent is nothing to be admired. Using talent to produce something of value is. You may value what she's given the world, I, however, think it's horrendous. It'd be better if she had no natural potential, because at least then there'd be nothing wasted.
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[ctd 2.5/3] ..modern R&B (Leona Lewis etc) and that abomination that's not quite rap, but isn't really a song (JLS/any interchangable autotune nonsense) than it does "traditional pop" (Madonna, Kylie Minogue). Some modern pop songs have been okay ('Take That', Mika) but today's scene has special significance because of our 'create-a-star' PopIdol/X-Factor culture which encourages blandness and familiarity over creativity and innovation. Every era's had its gems and its blemishes, but [ctd]
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You're right about the music scene in your final comment. I have to say that Gaga epitomises, to me, the drivel you speak of. Perhaps her songs are better arranged than a Katy Perry song but, to me again, that's like one kid's fingerpainting being more advanced than another's - it's still not good art. Good pop can exist. MJ aside, there was loads in the 80s here in the UK. Think Duran Duran etc. That stuff will *last*. Writing your own stuff really shouldn't be an impressive claim.
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Music over looks and you're discussing Lady Gaga?
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Ugh. Maybe she has talent in her ability to sing and to play an instrument. My problem is that she uses those talents to make disposable garbage pop. I imagine we'll disagree on our definitions of her product, but I really think that if she's what we're celebrating in music today then we've really lost the plot. It's sound, not music. ...And don't waggle your fingers when you say my name.
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Having a good voice is not admirable if you use it to sing utter shite. I'm not going to respect somebody for something they were born with and have done nothing to achieve. I *am* going to respect them less, however, for having a gift and using it further molest the music scene. Yes, there's a huge market for it, but let's call a spade a spade - she makes disposable pop music because it sells. There should be a seperate term for this. How about "sound"? 'Cause it ain't music.
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[ctd 3/3] It seems to me that we have fewer great bands and artists now than we did 15 years ago. For a music lover who's discovered outstanding music from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and a little bit of 90s (Britpop, and as for last decade -it's all Muse) it seems absurd that music of Gaga's caliber is heralded as brilliant by more people than I'd care to acknowledge. I just can't stand music without soul or substance unless the instrumental is impressively constructed (early Dr. Dre for example). 3/3
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I know, I know, and you can accuse me of that because it's true. But this is how it is with any form of art. If you have a real love of it and appreciate how fine it can be, stuff like this becomes patronising junk. People can like what they like, but to me this is like comparing the work of an over-achieving child to a master's. The way people are talking about her lyrics and songs puts her across as a credible music artist, and I don't think she deserves to be put in that catagory.
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Good question. I have a problem, specifically, with today's "pop". That's the short answer. See, I love a lot of electropop from the 80s (Duran Duran, Human Leage...) and I don't think for a second that pop music *has* to be bad. However, I know that the 80s invented bubblegum pop, and is responsible for some atrocities itself. Gaga falls squarely into the pop catagory, but it's tough to define what pop is. Most of the stuff I hear (and fervently dislike) sounds closer to...[ctd 1/2]
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normalisforlosers is right. Do you really think peope will be listening to and talking about her "music" in thirty years? She took her name from a Queen song (which was all about how uninspired crap dominates the airwaves - way to miss the point, Lady), right? Well if it's down to people like her, we won't have a 'Queen' to inspire us years from now. Let the kids, and those who don't truly care for or love music enjoy her stuff, but don't try to legitimise her as a credible artist.
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In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king. If her songwriting skills are what we're celebrating in this age, the music scene is royally fucked.
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Amen, lostchild. It speaks volumes of the level musical/lyrical quality so many people are used to, hearing people talk about studying her lyrics. As somebody who writes song lyrics and music (still quite green on the music front) himself, I really do feel like throwing up when I hear people talk about her use of imagery etc. like she's an amazing artist. Acts like her are like viruses in the world of music.
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