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Smart People Listen To Radiohead, Dumb People Listen To Beyoncé, Study Finds

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Now you can substantiate to today’s generation why that '60s and '70s era’s music was objectively "better," as JPMorgan's CIO Michael Cembalest has previously noted, and furthermore, researchers also found that popular music has gotten a lot louder (as SAT scores have plunged.. hhmm?) However, as Consequence of Sound notes, a software application writer by the name of Virgil Griffith has charted musical tastes based on the average SAT scores of various college institutions... and the results are.. interesting. Bob Dylan, The Shins, Radiohead, and Counting Crows are the favorite bands of smart people. Meanwhile, Lil Wayne, Beyoncé, The Used, and gospel music comes in at the lower end of the spectrum — or, as Griffith puts it, is music for dumb people.

Via Consequence of Sound blog,

 

Among other interesting revelations from the Griffith’s chart: Smart people prefer John Mayer over Pink Floyd; rock titans like Tool, System of a Down, and Pearl Jam fall right in the middle — so, music for average people?; and people still listen to Switchfoot.

 

 

 

*  *  *

Of course, correlation is not causation but...

 

As JPMorgan's Michael Cembalest has previously noted, there has been a “progressive homogenization of the musical discourse”, a process which has resulted in music becoming blander and louder.

Bring those classic rock and R&B playlists back

 

Now you can substantiate to today’s generation why that era’s music was objectively “better”.

 

The Million Song Dataset is a database of western popular music produced from 1955 to 2010. As described in Scientific Reports (affiliated with the publication Scientific American), researchers developed algorithms to see what has changed over time, focusing on three variables: timbre, pitch and loudness. Timbre is a proxy for texture and tone quality, terms which reflect the variety and richness of a given sound. Higher levels of timbre most often result from diverse instrumentation (more than one instrument playing the same note). Pitch refers to the tonal structure of a song: how the chords progress, and the diversity of transitions between chords. Since the 1960’s, timbral variety has been steadily declining, and chord transitions have become narrower and more predictable.

The researchers also found that popular music has gotten a lot louder. The median recorded loudness value of songs by year is shown in the second chart. One illustrative example: in 2008, Metallica fans complained that the Guitar Hero version of its recent album sounded better than it did on CD. As reported in Rolling Stone, the CD version was re-mastered at too high a decibel level, part of the Loudness Wars affecting popular music.

 

Overall, the researchers concluded that there has been a “progressive homogenization of the musical discourse”, a process which has resulted in music becoming blander and louder. This might seem like a reactionary point of view for an adult to write, but the data does seem to back me up on this. All of that being said, I do like that Method Man-Mary J. Blige duet.

*  *  *

So now you know...

 

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Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:51 | 5369672 TeamDepends
TeamDepends's picture

And geniuses listen to me.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:55 | 5369684 ACP
ACP's picture

Counting Crows is for smart people? Now I know it's bullshit.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:58 | 5369701 TeamDepends
TeamDepends's picture

"Smart people prefer John Mayer to Pink Floyd". Whatever you say pal, whatever you say.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:07 | 5369742 European American
European American's picture

More programming into the malleable mush minds of the American Masses. 

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:08 | 5369748 Stackers
Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:11 | 5369756 wallstreetapost...
wallstreetaposteriori's picture

Sufjan Stevens.... I must have been a genious five years ago!  

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:22 | 5369809 Coke and Hookers
Coke and Hookers's picture

The smartest people listen to Anal Cunt!

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

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:48 | 5369931 knukles
knukles's picture

Jefferson Airplane and Starship

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 20:29 | 5370097 NoDebt
NoDebt's picture

What?  What did you say?

Speak up, I can't hear you!

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 20:42 | 5370141 Manthong
Manthong's picture

OK, dumber people listen to Gospel, Jazz, Classic Rock and Oldies.

What a crock of sh!T this is.

..so then is it a stretch to think that Beethoven is all they play at M.I.T. and gospel is all they play at Harvard?

 

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 21:21 | 5370144 flacon
flacon's picture

The NEW music is BRAIN ENTRAINMENT - Isochronic tones and binural beats. Amazing! It's all subliminal. Take a listen (headphones works best for binural beats because each ear is fed a different pitch tone and the brain combines it automatically and synchronizes brainwave activity according to the infrasonic beats):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkBHJ8bIifE

PS: I used to be HUGE Beethoven fan when I was a teenager, other people were listening to Michael Jackson and other popular trash like Bros and New Kids On The Blok. 

PPS: Does anybody remember Zero Hedge Radio? I still have MARLA SINGER's ALBUTEROL mix. One of the best, imho.  

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 21:26 | 5370369 strannick
strannick's picture

Dirty deeds Done Dirt Cheap is smarter than Hotel California

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 21:28 | 5370374 bunzbunzbunz
bunzbunzbunz's picture

I'm confused....If you get a 1200 on the SAT, arent you still pretty dumb?

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 21:49 | 5370474 Manthong
Manthong's picture

Hotel California?

I'll take 30 Days in the Hole or a day At The Zoo.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 22:27 | 5370600 TahoeBilly2012
TahoeBilly2012's picture

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-CuJ9MBboE

I recommend this for crazy spiritual warriors. Mike, Steve and Yeats!

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 02:27 | 5371196 Skateboarder
Skateboarder's picture

Not the greatest recording out of my Mac microphone, but here's a homemade lick put down for ZH just now:

http://picosong.com/fmrP

Keep on making (good) music. :-)

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 03:03 | 5371231 eurobug
eurobug's picture

And Beethoven says: "Oh I didn't see you guys all the way back there"

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 03:16 | 5371252 Skateboarder
Skateboarder's picture

It's entirely possible that all possible sound permutations have been expressed ad infinitum. There's nothing new under the sun, etc. Buf if we stop making shit (creation by the self), then there's no use in living. Might as well climb trees and fling poo at each other. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 10:02 | 5371967 halfasleep
halfasleep's picture

this is racist.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 03:14 | 5371248 Titus
Titus's picture

FLACON, can you post MARLA SINGER's ALBUTEROL somewhere?

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 03:59 | 5371286 83_vf_1100_c
83_vf_1100_c's picture

Google dude?

http://beta.edm.me/music/gratefultraveller/albuterol-by-marla-singer-rad...

I listend to it for about a minute. I can only assume it requires the addition of mind altering drugs to enjoy?

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 08:25 | 5371579 Titus
Titus's picture

Uhh, yeah, guess I didn't htink of that because when I search for anything related to ZH on startpage very little comes up. Thanks

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 22:53 | 5370697 Vendetta
Vendetta's picture

I'm not sure about that but I think we can check out anytime we want but never leave because of all the dirty deeds done dirt cheap on wall street and DC.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 08:18 | 5371561 DanDaley
DanDaley's picture

I once heard Frank Zappa say that Beethoven "...had no balls."  He was joking, of course.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 22:07 | 5370550 Karlus
Karlus's picture

Turn Down for What?!

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:23 | 5369817 cossack55
cossack55's picture

Where the hell is MoTown?  CCR, 10 Years After, Grand Funk RR, James Gang, Steppenwolf?

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:34 | 5369864 TeamDepends
TeamDepends's picture

Now when I was just a little boy
Standin' to my daddy's knee
My poppa said, 'Son don't let The Man gitcha
And do what he done to me'
-CCR, Born On The Bayou

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 20:02 | 5369984 Eirik Magnus Larssen
Eirik Magnus Larssen's picture

In my defense, before I became married I used to look at Beyonce a lot, rather than listening to her. The latter was a byproduct of the former.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 21:24 | 5370346 bonin006
bonin006's picture

Relax. The article only judges listening, not looking.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 04:45 | 5371327 SAT 800
SAT 800's picture

Yep. CCR for sure. You're right, I'm listening to you.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 08:51 | 5371652 HomersGhost
HomersGhost's picture

Did someone say, CCR?

http://youtu.be/lZ2R_6ra-Cw

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:24 | 5369826 nmewn
nmewn's picture

Pink Floyd came in behind Billy Joel? Billy Fucking Joel?!?!?

He kicked Christie Brinkley to the curb for his fat ass maid and that's "smart"?

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 07:33 | 5371476 Tall Tom
Tall Tom's picture

Relax. It just means that some smart people lack taste.

 

Actually I used that chart and discovered something great...

 

Sufjan Stevens is fucking great. It is wonderful. Check out this album...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=426jqFZa99Y

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:27 | 5369834 McMolotov
McMolotov's picture

John Wayne Gacy, Jr., is fucking depressing but beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otx49Ko3fxw

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:11 | 5369753 drdolittle
drdolittle's picture

I like how he covers up for how he can't sing by sounding all breathless and stuff. Sexy as hell! Ooops, looks like I might have ebola. Or food poisoning.

Pink floyd so much better than counitng crows. Saw them in concert once. They were terrible. Blue oyster cult actually opened for them and were awesome.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:28 | 5369840 McMolotov
McMolotov's picture

Hope you got enough cowbell.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:45 | 5369907 PT
Thu, 10/23/2014 - 22:59 | 5370708 Vendetta
Vendetta's picture

We all need need more cowbell

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 00:47 | 5371056 mc225
mc225's picture

blue oyster cult were/are cool. buck dharma is a legend. they have some 'intellectual lyrics' too.back in the day -- 1979 or thereabouts -- many friends and i were huge boc fans. today, 'boc' would be 'boards of canada'.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:40 | 5369886 Withdrawn Sanction
Withdrawn Sanction's picture

"Smart people prefer John Mayer to Pink Floyd". Whatever you say pal, whatever you say.

Good one.

SAT, as in Scholastic Aptitude Test...not an intelligence test, but rather a sieve to filter out those who lack the aptitude (skills) to do college-level work.  What's the underlying causal connection between SAT scores and music?  I notice those w/particular aptitudes for college (say, over 1300) exhibit no musical tendency/preferences at all.  "Sounds" to me like these over achievers might be a bit dim, aesthetically speaking.  Perhaps they spent too much time learning how to jump through academic hoops rather than figuring out what in life is actually worthwhile?

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 08:36 | 5371608 Civilizedworm
Civilizedworm's picture

I think with your post, that old proverbial nail has been hit on the head with the discerning hammer of cold logic.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 20:23 | 5370070 Stoploss
Stoploss's picture

Virgil Griffith

Has not accounted for the advent and effect that computers have had on music since 1986. You can clearly see that in the timbrel chart above.

Computer technology took the ART out of music and turned it into what it is today. PURE SHIT.

Technology creates laziness, which leads to non development of skill sets required to generate new and unique music on a consistent basis.

 

Take the computers away from the "stars" of today, and you're left with fuck all... We're all just another brick in the wall..

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 01:40 | 5371143 Overfed
Overfed's picture

ProTools and Autotune will make a singer out of anybody. Bitchez.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 08:40 | 5371623 StandardDeviant
StandardDeviant's picture

I wish my noise-cancelling headphones had a mode which undoes the effects of bloody Autotune.  That ain't singing.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 01:40 | 5371144 Overfed
Overfed's picture

Fuck.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 08:06 | 5371538 DanDaley
DanDaley's picture

One exception: PF's Money sucks and can in no way compete with the O'Jays For the Love of Money...no way in hell:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXE_n2q08Yw

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 10:35 | 5372110 Tall Tom
Tall Tom's picture

Team Depends...

 

With the 60 upvotes it seems as if 60 people, and you, cannot read a graphical representation of data as the vertical axis has NO INFORMATION. It is there only to provide for the separation of the musical groups and the genres represented.

 

(Is there any representation of unit measurement on the vertical? No? Only the Horizontal is an incremental unit measure.)

 

Smarter people prefer Pink Floyd over that of John Mayer according to this graph.

 

I am truly impressed...negatively.

 

I believed, erroneously, that most can read graphs and charts as there are so many published here. Evidentially I was mistaken.

 

(Perhaps a refresher course in understanding Graphical Representations needs to be addressed, Tyler.)

 

The saddest information which I have garnered is because I know that the intellectual level of this group is skewed positively then what does that tell me about the General Population? My God. It is a lost cause.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 23:04 | 5370029 RichardParker
RichardParker's picture

For God's sake the guy was singing about his dick in Counting Crow's "Mr. Jones".

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 23:47 | 5370880 armageddon addahere
armageddon addahere's picture

It's all relative. I guess Counting Crows fans look smart compared to Beyonce fans. Looking for the most intelligent pop music must be something like looking for the most gourmet fast food.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:13 | 5369760 Mr Pink
Mr Pink's picture

Did we really need a study to tell us that dumb people prefer rap, country or Nickleback?

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:19 | 5369790 Escrava Isaura
Escrava Isaura's picture

And, who cares about dumb people?

 

Wait a minute?

 

“The naive might think, that indoctrination is inconsistent with democracy. Rather, as this whole line of thinkers observes, it is the essence of democracy.” – Noam Chomsky


 

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:22 | 5369815 SAT 800
SAT 800's picture

Talk to me. tell me something. I'm very open minded and interested in almost everything. give me a book title; give me a research project. The only one I knew the name of was Bob Dylan who I consider to be a major poet and who had an actual real effect on my life; a very significant effect. other than that. I have no idea.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:44 | 5369908 Nick Jihad
Nick Jihad's picture

Well, then you should know that the very best Dylan songs are covers by Hendrix: All Along the Watchtower and Like a Rolling Stone.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 21:39 | 5370431 The Grifter
The Grifter's picture

Like a Rolling Stone was written by Dylan, you have it backwards

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 00:48 | 5371060 mc225
mc225's picture

'covers by hendrix'... looks like he has it 'forwards'.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 04:43 | 5371324 SAT 800
SAT 800's picture

of course he has it backwards, he's an internet poster.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 04:43 | 5371325 SAT 800
SAT 800's picture

Idiot.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 07:51 | 5371520 Tall Tom
Tall Tom's picture

At times...WHEN PEOPLE ARE AGREEING WITH YOU...they will CONFIRM THAT BY ADDING INFORMATION.

 

Yes. The fact that Hendrix COVERED Dylan lyrics was a compliment..in more ways than one...TO DYLAN.

 

Look in the mirror.. It is "Your bad". You made the mistake. Own it.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 06:59 | 5371419 therover
therover's picture

I like Dave Mason's live version of AATWT better...and he was the one who turned Hendrix onto the song. 

Listen to Susan Tedeschi sing Lord Protect My Child.....great cover. 

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 08:10 | 5371547 DanDaley
DanDaley's picture

I always wondered why he never wrote about his wife-beating episodes -there's poetry to be mined right there.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:24 | 5369821 tdogg
tdogg's picture

Everybody who is serious about music knows that after VH's "Hot for Teacher" it was all down hill.

It was clearly the high water mark.  Eddie's guitar riffin is supreme.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXQYcNSNIb8

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 20:57 | 5370173 NoDebt
NoDebt's picture

Loved VH growing up.  Eddie was definitely one of the greats.  VH was a mind-altering change from some of the stuff that came before-  Like Led Zep, Peter Frampton, and that era.  

I mean, honestly, you might laugh at VH now with David Lee Roth's over-the-top front man stupidity, but when they hit the scene it was damned near revolutionary.  There WAS a time that sounded fresh, new and thankfully different.

I also like Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top.  He just had this GROOVE when he played- the riffs didn't get hammered out, they FLOWED out.  Hard to describe, but I loved it.  Then some self-taught guys like George Lynch (Lynch Mob).  Later I went through my guitar virtuoso phase-  Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Joe Satriani, etc.  Some pretty crazy choices, but can't say I regret the time I spent listening to any of them.

End of the day, the one that's glued to my brain was listening to George Thorogood (& The Delaware Destroyers) outside a dive bar in Kennett Square, PA called the Anvil Inn.  Rode my bike there and listened from the parking lot.  I was maybe 12.  I was WAY past curfew.  And I fell in love with the sound, the smells, everything sitting there with some friends in a dirt parking lot.  That was about as badass as it got when I was that age.

Few years later is was Greg Allman (just Greg, not the Allman Brothers Band) at another dive bar just over the Delaware line called the Tally Ho (gone probably 15-20 years now).  I didn't even know who he was, but I knew I liked it and liked being there.  

 

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 22:15 | 5370577 Overfed
Overfed's picture

George Lynch-Dokken!

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 22:31 | 5370613 NoDebt
NoDebt's picture

You're talking about the glam/hair metal era.  I wasn't really into that scene except for the girls (Tawney Kitaen on the hood of that car in the Whitesnake 'Here I go Again' video, 'fer instance).  I'm talking about what George did after Dokken.  Not many people listened to it, but I did.  That was Lynch Mob.  His self-taught guitar work was beyond anything he ever did in Dokken.  By a ton.

I'm cool with all the popular stuff (I'm not a snob) but when you find something a little off the beaten path and it blows your hair back, that's a damned cool experience, too.  

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 01:47 | 5371146 Overfed
Overfed's picture

George could jam, and he had/has a distinctive sound that's easy to pick up on. Almost as distinctive as Ritchie Blackmore. IMO. Gibbons is highly underrated as a guitarist, too. Dude is awesome. Who else plays guitar with Peso coins?

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 23:16 | 5370769 Freddie
Freddie's picture

BTW - Eddie VH did not invent tapping.  It was Steve Hackett of Genesis circa about 1972 or so.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 23:58 | 5370925 Kirk2NCC1701
Kirk2NCC1701's picture

Joe Satriani: undervalued, under-appreciated and under-promoted. Hence relatively unknown.

Satriani -- the other Smokin' Joe.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 02:36 | 5371206 RichardParker
RichardParker's picture

"David Lee Roth's over-the-top front man stupidity..."

Genius is often times misunderstood.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 07:19 | 5371449 Moe Howard
Moe Howard's picture

I watched and listened to George Thorogood from the sidewalk outside the Kingston Mines [Chicago] back in the day, it was 10 degrees. We couldn't get in because of fire regulations - he remembered me from the day before at Harry Hopes, I was in the front row there and blew a bunch of pot smoke in his face. Anyway, he tried to get us in, but no dice, so he turned up the volume for us, the window was fogged up at the top, he wrote "ROCK ON" backwards with the neck of the guitar while he was playing in that fog. Best concert I never paid for, ever. The whole thing was live on WXRT and a buddy was recording it, he was shocked when he found out it was me George was talking about...

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 00:48 | 5371063 mc225
mc225's picture

that phreaking drum part to hot for teacher was epic.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 20:14 | 5370034 rubiconsolutions
rubiconsolutions's picture

Uh...Wang Chung?

 

 

/s

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:51 | 5369673 Bumbu Sauce
Bumbu Sauce's picture

Dats rayciss

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:55 | 5369686 zaphod
zaphod's picture

Jazz and Areosmith are near the bottom, but U2 near the top.

I'm very confused now....

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:04 | 5369726 Freddie
Freddie's picture

U2 sucks.  Corprate bullshit rock played by 1%'ers who don't pay any taxes.  Many years ago I bought the U2 debut because of the UK music press hype.  My funds were limited so it was U2 debut or Adam and the Ant's Kings of the Wild Frontier.  Bot U2 and it was f**king unlistenable with the most childish lyrics.

Green Day is for retards.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:28 | 5369835 MASTER OF UNIVERSE
MASTER OF UNIVERSE's picture

I bought 'Adam and the Ant's Kings of the Wild Frontier' and realizd that U2

was on the radio everyday so I did not bother buying it. Do you remember

The Electric Chairs? They had a one-hit-wonder entitled 'Baby fuck off' that was really good stuff back then. Today the tune would not get air time due to language. I still have Adam and the Ant's but have not listened to it sicnce I bought it back in the 80s.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:46 | 5369920 PT
PT's picture

The Chemical Engineer PhDs in my town listened to metal.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 23:28 | 5370818 Freddie
Freddie's picture

Adam and the Ant's were somewhat interesting with the drums and also Marco Pironi's slash guitar work.   U2 were just pretenious and just seemed like corporate rock.  The Edge guitar playing was okay with lots of echo but overall it was a horrible album.  I could not bear to play it.

U2 was not even the best band from Ireland or Northern Ireland.  John Peel's favorite song of all time.  Teenage Kicks by The Undertones from Derry, N Ireland. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPzyN8Qq5XA

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 00:01 | 5370938 Kirk2NCC1701
Kirk2NCC1701's picture

The Commitments!
Awesome.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 00:51 | 5371070 mc225
mc225's picture

'the undertones' ... now there's a blast from the past...

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 07:21 | 5371453 Moe Howard
Moe Howard's picture

The Undertones were great, better, Stiff Little Fingers "barbed wire love" etc.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 08:01 | 5371529 Tall Tom
Tall Tom's picture

Jazz and Areosmith are near the bottom, but U2 near the top.

I'm very confused now....

 

I agree. You are confused.

 

The Vertical Dimension in this graph has no meaning whatsoever. It exists only to provide the Ranges where the particular bands and genres scale on the Horizontal Dimension.

 

If the data were compressed onto a Horizontal Line then the information presented would be unintelligible.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 00:10 | 5370968 ceilidh_trail
ceilidh_trail's picture

The smoker you drink, the player you get...

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:51 | 5369675 nosoeawe
nosoeawe's picture

beyonce is a degenerate cunt. her music is diarrhea to the ears

 

i've heard cow farts more in tune than that cunt

 

like the big eared obola in chief, everytime they open their shit hole, i cringe

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:20 | 5369803 TeamDepends
TeamDepends's picture

Is she the one with big jugs? Because that passes for talent these days.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:22 | 5369816 nosoeawe
nosoeawe's picture

Friend, you could give this cunt bag 5 double d titties and i still wouldn't fuck her with a broom handle

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:51 | 5369676 AUD
AUD's picture

Bullshit. The smartest people listen to Frank Zappa.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:56 | 5369690 Shed Boy
Shed Boy's picture

I'll second that. And add Jethro Tull.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:01 | 5369708 delbutler
delbutler's picture

To quote the scientist guy in Armageddon - " And who is Jethro Tull ??"

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:07 | 5369739 Silver Bullet
Silver Bullet's picture

Can you believe some people think Jethro Tull is just one person???

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:26 | 5369828 Big Corked Boots
Big Corked Boots's picture

Well, of course he is! Do you think the basis of modern mechanized agriculture was created by a team of noisemakers?

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:58 | 5369949 The Blank Stare
The Blank Stare's picture

+ 100 for Tull

How did "I wanna be anarchy" not make the list?

Well, of course he is! Do you think the basis of modern mechanized agriculture was created by a team of noisemakers? LOL

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 23:10 | 5370752 Vendetta
Vendetta's picture

yep, I've heard that a lot of the beyonce listeners think that.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:26 | 5369833 cossack55
cossack55's picture

Thanks, man. Forgot about Tull, and CSN&Y, Woodie Guthrie, Deep Purple, Moody Blues and of course Janice.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 08:22 | 5371550 Tall Tom
Tall Tom's picture

It did not list "Yes" either.

 

What about "Emerson, Lake & Palmer"?

Where is "Roxy Music"?

Where is Todd Rundgren's "Utopia"?

What about "The Who"?

 

"Rush"?

"Klattu"?

 

Loggins and Messina?

Buffalo Springfield?

 

Symphonic and Progressive Rock, as a genre, is missing.

 

And as for DIPSHIT music...which we also had plenty in my generation...What about Disco?

 

Oh...I know that you want to forget that.

 

(They could not list everybody.)

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 21:03 | 5370232 Reckonball
Reckonball's picture

Camper Van Beethoven!!!

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 21:31 | 5370382 TeamDepends
TeamDepends's picture

Take the skinheads bowling
Take them bowling!

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 00:03 | 5370948 Kirk2NCC1701
Kirk2NCC1701's picture

I listened to Jethro Tull for 3 weeks in Spain. ;-)

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:24 | 5369822 SAT 800
SAT 800's picture

That too; but you can't leave out Bob Dylan.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:46 | 5369917 Nick Jihad
Nick Jihad's picture

Nope. The smartest people listen to Shpongle.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 00:13 | 5370978 ceilidh_trail
ceilidh_trail's picture

Naah, One Direction.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 23:17 | 5370774 Vendetta
Vendetta's picture

yep ... not only that Zappa went so far as to predict the future state of our nation almost 30 years ago on 'Crossfire'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ISil7IHzxc

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:53 | 5369680 mantrid
mantrid's picture

well I listen to psybient chill for as long as I read ZH and mises.org, but also System of a Down:

The national debt is at times an ally,
Leaving the people to fend for themselves,
The people collect undeniable data,
About high pulse weapons and microwaves,
The national debt is at times an ally,
Leaving the people to fend for themselves,
Then, the people found out the lie...

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:59 | 5369704 Bro of the Sorr...
Bro of the Sorrowful Figure's picture

rage against the machine -- beliving all the lies that theyre telling ya, buying all the products that theyre selling ya, they say jump and you say how high youre braindead, you got a fucking bullet in your head

immortal technique -- the military industry got it poppin and lockin looking for a way to justify the wolfowitz doctrine

 

correctly identified the problem, chose wrong solution.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:17 | 5369783 mantrid
mantrid's picture

"chose wrong solution"

 

?

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:33 | 5369860 Bro of the Sorr...
Bro of the Sorrowful Figure's picture

they correctly identified that the problem is the merger of corporations and state, which both become totally unaccountable and completely above the law.

they both self identify as extreme left, supporting the communist ideas of workers against the aristocracy, redistribution of wealth, etc, without realizing that these ideas are a root cause of the problem. as most people here know, governments, once established, do everything they can to grow and gain more power. switching from a "right" fascist goverment to one on the "left" creates all the same problems, as we have seen.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 00:09 | 5370956 Kirk2NCC1701
Kirk2NCC1701's picture

Rage opened for U2 once (1997, Eugene OR) and no one paid attention. They sucked. Sorry.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:06 | 5369727 Overfed
Overfed's picture

Speaking of SoaD, this gets more prescient every year. From 2001.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yndfqN1VKhY

They're tryin' to build a prison
They're tryin' to build a prison

Following the rights movements
You clamped on with your iron fists
Drugs became conveniently
Available for all the kids
Following the rights movements
You clamped on with your iron fists
Drugs became conveniently
Available for all the kids
Ooh, I buy my crack, my smack, my bitch
Right here in Hollywood

{Nearly two million Americans are incarcerated in the prison system
Prison system of the U.S.}

They're tryin' to build a prison
They're tryin' to build a prison
They're tryin' to build a prison
They're tryin' to build a prison
For you and me to live in
Another prison system
Another prison system
Another prison system
For you and me

Minor drug offenders fill your prisons
You don't even flinch
All our taxes paying for your wars
Against the new non rich
Minor drug offenders fill your prisons
You don't even flinch
All our taxes paying for your wars
Against the new non rich
Ooh, I buy my crack, my smack, my bitch
Right here in Hollywood

{The percentage of Americans in the prison system
Prison system has doubled since 1985}

They're tryin' to build a prison
They're tryin' to build a prison
They're tryin' to build a prison
They're tryin' to build a prison
For you and me to live in
Another prison system
Another prison system
Another prison system
For you and me
Who for?
Who for?
Who for?
You and I
They're tryin' to build a prison
They're tryin' to build a prison
They're tryin' to build a prison
For you and me
Oh baby you and me

Why?
All research and successful drug policy shows
That treatment should be increased
Why?
And law enforcement decreased
While abolishing mandatory minimum sentences
Why?
All research and successful drug policy shows
That treatment should be increased
Why?
And law enforcement decreased
While abolishing mandatory minimum sentences

Utilizing drugs to pay for secret wars around the world
Drugs are now your global policy
Now you police the globe
Ooh, I buy my crack, my smack, my bitch
Right here in Hollywood

Drug money is used to rig elections
And train brutal corporate sponsored
Dictators around the world

They're tryin' to build a prison
They're tryin' to build a prison
They're tryin' to build a prison
They're tryin' to build a prison
For you and me to live in
Another prison system
Another prison system
Another prison system
For you and me
Who for?
Who for?
Who for?
You and I
They're tryin' to build a prison
They're tryin' to build a prison
They're tryin' to build a prison
For you and me
Oh baby you and me

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:08 | 5369746 Escrava Isaura
Escrava Isaura's picture

Overfed

Are you under some medication?

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 01:51 | 5371157 Overfed
Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:21 | 5369801 mantrid
mantrid's picture

hehehe the Contra-Cocaine thing

http://consortiumnews.com/2014/10/18/wposts-slimy-assault-on-gary-webb/

 

one thing is astonishing that young ppl listen to this over and over but they not quite get the text

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:53 | 5369682 Shed Boy
Shed Boy's picture

Without taking into account age groups....this is a dumb study.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:20 | 5369754 Matt
Matt's picture

You want to know the average age of each college's students?

I'm sure older people are outliers as students in college, so I would expect at least 70% of students to be between 18 and 30.

I'd like to know more about how we determine the average music taste for a whole school. Is it based on what the college radio is playing?

"For example, students attending the California Institute of Technology have an average SAT score of 1520. By looking at Facebook to determine the most popular (or — “liked”) band of students at Cal Tech, Griffith was able to conclude that Radiohead really truly is music for smart people. A highly scientific study, I know."

Oh. It is based on Facebook likes. 

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 00:13 | 5370977 Kirk2NCC1701
Kirk2NCC1701's picture

My taste in music spans decades and covers everything except bluegrass and rap.
Prefer classic country over modern country.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:55 | 5369689 Overfed
Overfed's picture

Even worse than Beyonce` solo was her previous band Destiny's Child. Whorendous unlistenable shit.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:58 | 5369691 reader2010
reader2010's picture

SAT doesn't measure anything, contrary to what you're led to believe. 

Let me quote the late American philosopher:

The capital-T Truth is about life BEFORE death.

It is about the real value of a real education, which has almost nothing to do with knowledge, and everything to do with simple awareness; awareness of what is so real and essential, so hidden in plain sight all around us, all the time, that we have to keep reminding ourselves over and over:

"This is water."

"This is water."

It is unimaginably hard to do this, to stay conscious and alive in the adult world day in and day out.

— David Foster Wallace

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:12 | 5369761 Escrava Isaura
Escrava Isaura's picture

 

“Universities are better at public relations and claiming credit than generating knowledge” -- Nassim Taleb

 


 

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 00:14 | 5370981 combatsnoopy
combatsnoopy's picture

Actually SAT scores demonstrates the ability to cheat on a test says too obvious east coast nepotism on Wall Street.  You can tell when the "novel" stallion of academia shows up with a liberal arts degree instead of a bs in engineering.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:56 | 5369692 Richard Chesler
Richard Chesler's picture

The real dumbfucks listen to Obongo.

 

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:58 | 5369700 Bumbu Sauce
Bumbu Sauce's picture

/thread

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:56 | 5369696 kchrisc
kchrisc's picture

"Smart People Listen To Radiohead, Dumb People Listen To Beyoncé, Study Finds"

And fools from every end of the intelligence spectrum listen to government.

An American, not US subject.

 

"They lie about everything, so why would they lie about this?!"

 

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:56 | 5369697 Diogenes of Sinope
Diogenes of Sinope's picture

Huh...if Beethoven is way over there on the right then I guess a preference for Telemann and Puccini puts me right off the scale.

But Cheb I Sabbah and Masaladosa will get you laid.  At least if you like hippy yoga babes ;)

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:08 | 5369741 Urban Redneck
Urban Redneck's picture

The chart stops at a measly 1450 and Beethoven only gets to perhaps 1410.

Radiohead looks like 1200, which I am not sure qualifies as "smart", even with pre-1994 SAT scores (before the big round of making the dumb into the "special", and rendering the SAT useless for determining IQ).

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:31 | 5369849 Big Corked Boots
Big Corked Boots's picture

I wonder where Philip Glass ends up.

Half the people who know who he is learned from GTA4 or the Watchmen movie - would skew the data.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 08:45 | 5371639 StandardDeviant
StandardDeviant's picture

Well, they're college-wide averages, not individual SAT scores.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:37 | 5369879 Freddie
Freddie's picture

Beethoven listeners are classical snobs.  They look down on Mozart and are somewhat dismissive of Bach. 

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 22:05 | 5370464 Pegasus Muse
Pegasus Muse's picture

Ranking (imho) in terms of musical genius, creativity & output and continuous influence on western music and musicians: 

JS Bach > Haydn & Scarlatti > Mozart > Beethoven & Brahms & ...

 

Bitte, have a listen:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hbco9NuzxEw 

 

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 23:26 | 5370809 Vendetta
Vendetta's picture

The classical composers and musicians of those days were the pink floyds', eagles and doors of their day.  Comparing genre's of music is like comparing snow flakes .. which shape do you like best? 

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 18:57 | 5369698 Bro of the Sorr...
Bro of the Sorrowful Figure's picture

sat scores are highly correlated to one's parent's wealth.

music is cultural.

rap/r&b are part of black culture.

war on drugs + other government programs = many black children born out of wedlock, single parents homes, people living off government. 

there's your music and SAT score correlation.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 20:00 | 5369979 Dasa Slooofoot
Dasa Slooofoot's picture

It's a study of people in college, you whiny social justice warrior twat.  

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:10 | 5369699 sixsigma cygnus...
sixsigma cygnusatratus's picture

Is Postmodern Jukebox somewhere on this scale?  I can't stop listening to them...

I don't see Chopin or Kate Bush either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez-apj-Od1I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Cnm0tdkJEU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXYWDtXbBB0

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:00 | 5369707 Otto Zitte
Otto Zitte's picture

Go away! Click baitin'!

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:01 | 5369711 kchrisc
kchrisc's picture

If you understand what Floyd is really getting at on Dark Side, The Wall and the Final Cut, then you are at least above average in the intelligence and thinking department.

An American, not US subject.

 

"I met a guy once that thought that Dark Side was about aliens on the moon. LOL"

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:11 | 5369755 Freddie
Freddie's picture

Roger pretty much gets it.   He was attacked for sticking up for the Palestinians.

I remember in high school that many kids just liked it to get stoned and listen to David Gilmour play very good but somewhat indulgent guitar solos.  I doubt many American kids got most of it.  Sadly, my two favorite members passed away.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:30 | 5369852 Skateboarder
Skateboarder's picture

Rick Wright forever. One of the most underappreciated musicians of all time.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 20:09 | 5370019 TeamDepends
TeamDepends's picture

Amen! Love this thread, Tyler! Peace! Woooooooooo(lighters in the air)!

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 20:20 | 5370061 Skateboarder
Thu, 10/23/2014 - 22:54 | 5370701 Freddie
Freddie's picture

+1 million bro

Rick was a very nice guy and was often, sadly, used as Roger's punching bag.  He helped creat great atmospheres in their music.

Syd Barrett was the same way before the drugs and mental issues.  Nice guy, freindly, very creative.  Rick felt that Syd's friends gave him way too many drugs possibly without Syd knowing it.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 03:24 | 5371258 Skateboarder
Skateboarder's picture

Everyone sees Waters and Gilmour, but Rick Wright was the backbone of the band. Without his atmosphere, there is no Pink Floyd. Simple as that. And no one, as far as I know, gave him the proper credit he deserved. But so goes the tale of a silent warrior who does his duty without question and fail.

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 06:44 | 5371399 Lea
Lea's picture

Syd Barrett's Pink Floyd was THE band.
After him, it became something else entirely, something between pretentious prog rock and middle of the road popular music. In fact, it got so overblown it had a major role in the advent of its precise opposite, punk rock.
Thankfully, people had got totally fed up with the pompousness.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:36 | 5369875 nmewn
nmewn's picture

Floyd is timeless:

Hey you, Whitehouse,
Ha ha charade you are.
You house proud town mouse,
Ha ha charade you are
You're trying to keep our feelings off the street.
You're nearly a real treat,
All tight lips and cold feet
And do you feel abused?

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 20:06 | 5369998 TeamDepends
TeamDepends's picture

And life is a short warm moment
And death is long cold rest
You get your chance to try
In the blinking of an eye
Eighty years with luck
Or even less

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 23:34 | 5370844 kchrisc
kchrisc's picture

The Final Cut was life changing for me. The brutal emotion and deeper meanings that called "bullshit" to power really, really resonated with me. I still "jones" to listen to it 3 or 4 times a years. It's impact has never faded, and starting with Bush Jr., has even grown stronger.

I am not saying that it is their best album, or anything like that, just my fav. and the one that resonated with me the most.

As I got older, I understood and connected with Dark Side more. And the Wall continues to change meanings with me as I get older. I really love the Pulse live album. Fantastic stuff there.

An American, not US subject.

 

Still true to this day:

 

Take all your overgrown infants away somewhere
And build them a home, a little place of their own.
The Fletcher Memorial
Home for Incurable Tyrants and Kings.

And they can appear to themselves every day
On closed circuit T.V.
To make sure they're still real.
It's the only connection they feel..

Fri, 10/24/2014 - 00:57 | 5371079 mc225
mc225's picture

i liked 'animals', and then some of the older stuff with syd barrett.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:04 | 5369720 Skip
Skip's picture

"as SAT scores have plunged."

Well look at the demographic changes in the US during this slide. And this is with EASIER SAT tests.
Genes matter.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:05 | 5369724 DipshitMiddleCl...
DipshitMiddleClassWhiteKid's picture

No surprised that blacks who listen to rap/r&b are DUMB!!

 

but i know just as many people who like the grateful dead, got good SAT scores and went to college, and now have no job.

 

~DipShitMiddleClassWhiteKid

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:05 | 5369732 pragmatic hobo
pragmatic hobo's picture

where's Handel?

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 20:20 | 5370060 robertocarlos
robertocarlos's picture

He's with the Doors

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 19:07 | 5369733 Ratbagger
Ratbagger's picture

You're really dumb if you think this proves anything.

Thu, 10/23/2014 - 23:32 | 5370836 Vendetta
Vendetta's picture

It proves someone somewhere can make some money wasting time analyzing nonsensical correlations.... so I think you may be wrong unfortunately.

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