Justin Bieber walks off stage in Manchester

[Willie Oleson]

Growing up, all the girls loved Wham! Duran Duran, Adam Ant, it didn't matter what they released, the fans loved them

But I'm not one of those fans who has to love every song. Just one song that makes me think "wow, that's great".

Screaming girls at the Beatles concerts, I'm not sure if they even heard the music. But the rest of the world did.

None of these are having hits anymore, so does that mean they are no longer good?

There could be several reasons:
-they're trying too hard to catch up with modern times instead of doing what they do best.
-they simply no longer make good music. It's very possible that an artist "loses" it, even if it is temporarily (like Billy Joel's "The Bridge" album).
-they don't have enough followers on social media.

I'm pretty confident millions of Bieber fans will know his music in 20 or 40 years

And how about the not-fans? I'm not a fan of Michael Jackson, never listen to his music, and yet I can sing/hum most of his songs.
It's that "evergreen" thing I mentioned in my previous post. Most people only know JB for being a young, hot, popular performer. Performing...what?

He has spent 101 weeks in the top ten and 283 weeks in the top 40. I'm not sure what else one could ask for

A #1 hit based on the quality of his music. But he's young, there's still hope.

It took me longer than 7 years to appreciate both Freddy Mercury & Sting

It usually doesn't take me that long.
Also, I don't have to like a song (let alone the artist) to appreciate it. Personally I'd rather not listen to Adele, but the songs are good. I can understand why she's a popular artist.
Justin's music sounds so like "nothing" that I can't even rate it as good or bad.

Apart from all this, I have nothing against Justin Bieber. Actually I kinda like him and I find all the diva/twat-stories higly amusing, eventhough I don't believe everything they write.

 

[Sarah]

If what I've read is true, he's a highly irresponsible pet owner. For that alone, I wouldn't give him house room.

 

[Ome]

But I'm not one of those fans who has to love every song.

Which is probably why you're not understanding the fandom that surrounds Bieber.

A #1 hit based on the quality of his music.

I'm not sure what you mean, isn't that all down to taste?

Psy's Gangnam Style is just horrible music to my ears, but it went on to sell 13.5 million and the video has been viewed 2.6 billion times, taking over the previous song by Justin Bieber.

It usually doesn't take me that long.

I know why it took me more than 7 years to appreciate Mercury, it's because I never listened to his music during that first seven years of the releases.

Apart from all this, I have nothing against Justin Bieber.

I was never under the impression you did have anything against him, I thought you was trying to understand why he's so popular and yet hasn't released anything that you actually like.

And how about the not-fans? I'm not a fan of Michael Jackson, never listen to his music, and yet I can sing/hum most of his songs.

You're comparing Justin Bieber to Michael Jackson? One has been having hit songs for five decades when the other over just one decade.


If Bieber is stiull having the same success in another 3 decades, then you might find yourself humming to one or two of his songs

 

[Willie Oleson]

Which is probably why you're not understanding the fandom that surrounds Bieber.

Only the fans are able to rate his music fairly? Eventhough "it doesn't matter what he releases"?
It's Justin, let's scream!

Psy's Gangnam Style is just horrible music to my ears

Well at least it sounds like something. I can see the so-bad-it's-good/novelty appeal here.

it's because I never listened to his music during that first seven years of the releases

So you don't know whether or not you would have liked that music instantly?

One has been having hit songs for five decades when the other over just one decade

And yet MJ's first songs were probably his best. I'm not sure how relevant time is, although 10 years is a long time. Enough time to come up with something good.
I wish I could say that I dislike his music, but that's not it. It's so painfully un-substantial, there simply isn't enough to dislike. There's no core.

 

[Ome]

Only the fans are able to rate his music fairly?

No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying to make a judgement call on his music, one must at least listen to what he's released. An odd song here or there just isn't enough to convince me that a person can judge his music.

So you don't know whether or not you would have liked that music instantly?

The songs I remember hearing in the charts when I was young I liked, but that was more about the familiarity of the song over whether I appreciated Mercury as a singer. It wasn't until the movie HIGHLANDER that I started to listen much closer to Mercury and that was at least ten years after Queen's first real success.

And yet MJ's first songs were probably his best.

But did you know that at the time of these releases?

 

[Emelee]

It wasn't the first time he walked off. He did the same in Norway. But that time, he didn't return on stage. He just left, hopped on his private jet and left the country. The reason for the tantrum was that the girls on front row tried to take his towel. He later apologies for it on social media.

Another time he told a couple of norwegian fans that "you guys suck".

I think he's a good case of not always being able to handle himself when he's pressured.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Another time he told a couple of norwegian fans that "you guys suck".

lol

An odd song here or there just isn't enough to convince me that a person can judge his music.

Oh well, maybe you're right

 

[James from London]

I love a bit of Beiber controversy.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Would love to hear Celine Dion telling her audience "you guys suck".

 

[James from London]

Would love to hear Celine Dion telling her audience "you guys suck".

She'd probably sing it.

 

[James from London]

Beebs in conflict. Fascinating stuff:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/m...-bieber-purpose-world-tour-screaming-walk-off

 

[Willie Oleson]

It kind of puts the whole event in perspective.

But just watching the video (the screaming has got to stop!) there's something very naive about it. I know he's still very young but this wasn't his first performance.
Even the people who don't want to scream, will scream. They just can't help it.

There's definitely a bit of a dilemma here: how to ditch your crazy fans and at the same time keep the audience. After all, a singer needs to be heard.
It's a big risk to walk away from it (pardon the pun).

 

[James from London]

It looks like he feels trapped, caged. But at the same time, it's all he knows.

He's not the first pop star to find himself in that position ("I'm a marionette, pull the strings ..."), but his apparent inability (or unwillingness) to just smile through it is part of what makes him so interesting.

 

[Willie Oleson]

but his apparent inability (or unwillingness) to just smile through it is part of what makes him so interesting.

It doesn't seem to affect his record sales whatsoever.

Would Take That have gotten away with it?
(have they ever done anything like that?)

One thing he needs to consider: he won't be "cute" forever. He can read the phone book and the fans will buy it, but at some point they want the real meat, like, the difference between "Babe" and "Let Me Entertain You".
At the end of the day it's the music that counts, so if he wants to be an Artist then he might have to change his tune. But then, "Justin Bieber" isn't just one person.

 

[Don Howard]

It doesn't seem to affect his record sales whatsoever.

No surprise. His attitude has been accepted by his fans as part of his image. Not my style, though.