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Thread started 05/05/16 12:09pm

MotownSubdivis
ion

Who are the top 10 current acts and how would you rank them?

Of this generation (2010-present), who are the top stars?

The way I see it, it's between these, ranked based on my preference:

As of 2016:
1. Bruno Mars (My favorite current star, easily the most well-rounded pop star we have and is all about his music, no BS publicity stunts or strings attached)
2. Rihanna (Wouldn't have said this even a year ago but Anti was a mark of improvement and hopefully a sign of what to expect from Rihanna going forward)
3. Adele (The most soulful pop singer we have now. 25 wasn't as good as 21 and its singles got played out much quicker but like Bruno, Adele is also about her music with no drama attached)
4. Drake (Interesting, mostly likable guy with a decent catalog of music. Writes, produces, raps and sings (not that great but still); the most well-rounded rapper in the game atm)
5. Kanye West (Kanye has earned his place in music even if he hasn't made a good album in over 3 years and has bcome more of an infamous media star. He annoys me now more than he entertains but he's one of the more talented mainstream artists even if he is up his own ass)
6. Justin Timberlake (Decent act who gets praised as if he's exceptional; highly overrated. 20/20 was nothing special but it provided some quality music even if nobody is talking about it now)
7. The Weeknd (Eh... I like one song of his even though I can't remember the name of it. I can't get into him, even less than I can with Timberlake. His pop music is almost as generic and bland as Taylor Swift's (see below), he's an alright singer but his voice tends to screech which kills the vibe of his music and his dance steps are embarrassingly subpar, so much so that he needs to rely on pyro to enhance his live performances. The media was/ is trying to promote him as this generation's Michael and just like with Timberlake, it's painfully obvious how much he doesn't stack up)
8. Taylor Swift (A distant 8th place, the only thing she has going for her is her passable songwriting but otherwise, I can never understand why she's a top-selling artist)
9. Justin Bieber (Not a fan even though I do like "Sorry". He's no longer a sugary sweet, saccharine bubblegum pop singer but his vocal style and persona is flavorless and dull. Nothing inherently appealing about this guy)
10. Beyonce (Just never make music again)

In terms of popularity, probably something like this:
1. Taylor Swift
2. Drake
3. Adele
4. Bruno Mars
5. Rihanna
6. Beyonce
7. The Weeknd
8. Justin Timberlake
9. Justin Bieber
10. Kanye West
HM: Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, maybe Jay Z


What I find interesting is how half of these artists are basically veteran acts now, having careers spanning over 10 years long (Rihanna (11), Beyonce (18+), Kanye (12+), Jay Z (20+), Timberlake (19+)). Interesting.
[Edited 5/5/16 15:32pm]
[Edited 5/5/16 15:46pm]
[Edited 5/5/16 16:04pm]
[Edited 5/5/16 18:02pm]
[Edited 5/5/16 18:03pm]
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Reply #1 posted 05/05/16 12:26pm

mcmk785new

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Ranking:

1. Adele (I thought 25 was a great comeback album)

2. Bruno Mars (Has great production courtesy of the Smeezingtons to back him up)

3. Beyonce (Lemonade album might have won me over)

4. Rihanna (For me, 3 quarters of ANTI is good)

5. Kanye West (Can still pump out quality material, but TLOP was a bit of a disappointment)

6. Justin Timberlake (20/20 experience was decent enough)

7. Jay-Z (Inconsistent in quality)

8. Drake (Wildly inconsistent in quality)

9 . Taylor Swift (Has a few decent songs, but overall overrated)

10. Justin Bieber (See Taylor Swift)

[Edited 5/5/16 12:27pm]

until then i'll pretend this fuchsia light is god...
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Reply #2 posted 05/05/16 12:40pm

Empress

The ONLY person I would pay to go see on this list is Adele. Seriously, I have no interest in seeing any of the others. JT might be fun, but I wouldn't pay the ridiculous prices to see him.

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Reply #3 posted 05/05/16 1:07pm

madhattter

In no particular order: Adele, Demi Lovato, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Drake, Jason Derulu, Justin Beiber, Katty Perry, Lady Gaga, Flo Rida, Beyonce, Rihanna

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Reply #4 posted 05/05/16 3:45pm

MotownSubdivis
ion

madhattter said:

In no particular order: Adele, Demi Lovato, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Drake, Jason Derulu, Justin Beiber, Katty Perry, Lady Gaga, Flo Rida, Beyonce, Rihanna


I'd put Chris Brown over Derulo and maybe Ariana Grande over Demi Lovato.
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Reply #5 posted 05/05/16 3:50pm

MotownSubdivis
ion

In regards to my own list, I forgot about The Weeknd who I'll probably replace Jay with. Jay is a legend and is always in the limelight but rarely releases music so I'll probably take him out of the OP and make him an honorable mention.

I also mentioned Ariana in my previous post. I think she's just under the Top 10, making her an honorable mention as well.
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Reply #6 posted 05/05/16 4:03pm

mcmk785new

avatar

MotownSubdivision said:

In regards to my own list, I forgot about The Weeknd who I'll probably replace Jay with. Jay is a legend and is always in the limelight but rarely releases music so I'll probably take him out of the OP and make him an honorable mention. I also mentioned Ariana in my previous post. I think she's just under the Top 10, making her an honorable mention as well.

In regards about the Weeknd: I would also place him high in my ranking. Sure, he collaborated with Future, but I really liked 2 of his mixtapes and most of Beauty Behind the Madness. In The Night should have been a #1 hit imo

until then i'll pretend this fuchsia light is god...
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Reply #7 posted 05/05/16 4:08pm

MotownSubdivis
ion

mcmk785new said:



MotownSubdivision said:


In regards to my own list, I forgot about The Weeknd who I'll probably replace Jay with. Jay is a legend and is always in the limelight but rarely releases music so I'll probably take him out of the OP and make him an honorable mention. I also mentioned Ariana in my previous post. I think she's just under the Top 10, making her an honorable mention as well.

In regards about the Weeknd: I would also place him high in my ranking. Sure, he collaborated with Future, but I really liked 2 of his mixtapes and most of Beauty Behind the Madness. In The Night should have been a #1 hit imo

I don't know much about Weeknd outside of his mainstream stuff so I can't really say much about it. I can say that those who do mostly prefer his mixtapes to BBTM.

Future is pretty hot right now and has some recognition outside of the hip hop community but he hasn't broken through to the level of mainstream appeal that Drake has.
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Reply #8 posted 05/05/16 4:47pm

Graycap23

avatar

Who makes the best music for my money:

Mint Condition

D'angelo

PFunk

Anthony Hamilton

Rihanna

Kimbra

Alice Russell

Ledisi

Conya Doss

Kameron Corvet

BJ the Chicago Kid

FOOLS multiply when WISE Men & Women are silent.
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Reply #9 posted 05/05/16 5:31pm

datdude

Kendrick
J Cole
need to be on the list. I know y'all think about rap secondarily
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Reply #10 posted 05/05/16 5:47pm

MotownSubdivis
ion

Graycap23 said:

Who makes the best music for my money:


Mint Condition


D'angelo


PFunk


Anthony Hamilton


Rihanna


Kimbra


Alice Russell


Ledisi


Conya Doss


Kameron Corvet


BJ the Chicago Kid




Outside of Rihanna, these aren't mainstream Top 40 acts.
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Reply #11 posted 05/05/16 5:51pm

MotownSubdivis
ion

datdude said:

Kendrick
J Cole
need to be on the list. I know y'all think about rap secondarily
K Dot isn't quite Top 40 but the dude is one of the best and most recognizable rappers today so he definitely counts. I'd probably put him at #11 on my list in terms of pecking order.

Love Cole even more than Kendrick but he's not quite on Kendrick's level of fame. I'd put him in the Top 20 though you can argue he deserves to be higher. Cole having the first featureless album to go platinum in 25 years is an accomplishment he doesn't get enough credit for.
[Edited 5/5/16 17:53pm]
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Reply #12 posted 05/05/16 6:15pm

Graycap23

avatar

MotownSubdivision said:

Graycap23 said:

Who makes the best music for my money:

Mint Condition

D'angelo

PFunk

Anthony Hamilton

Rihanna

Kimbra

Alice Russell

Ledisi

Conya Doss

Kameron Corvet

BJ the Chicago Kid

Outside of Rihanna, these aren't mainstream Top 40 acts.

What does that tell u about the mainstream?

FOOLS multiply when WISE Men & Women are silent.
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Reply #13 posted 05/05/16 7:34pm

fortuneandsere
ndipity

Empress said:

The ONLY person I would pay to go see on this list is Adele. Seriously, I have no interest in seeing any of the others. JT might be fun, but I wouldn't pay the ridiculous prices to see him.

Noel Gallagher described Adele as "music for grannies" and who am I to disagree.

The world's problems like climate change can only be solved through strategic long-term thinking, not expediency. In other words all the govts. need sacking!

If you can add value to someone's life then why not. Especially if it colors their days...
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Reply #14 posted 05/05/16 7:38pm

phunkdaddy

avatar

MotownSubdivision said:

Graycap23 said:

Who makes the best music for my money:


Mint Condition


D'angelo


PFunk


Anthony Hamilton


Rihanna


Kimbra


Alice Russell


Ledisi


Conya Doss


Kameron Corvet


BJ the Chicago Kid




Outside of Rihanna, these aren't mainstream Top 40 acts.


Look at the way you worded it though. You asked who are the top ten current
acts without specifying mainstream(which I don't understand why most Orgers are
so damn fixated on the word). Then you proceeded to state 2010 to the present
and gave your preferred list. 7 of the 10 artists on Gray's list whom I'm familiar
with have released new music since 2010. I'm guessing Gray gave his preferred list.
Don't laugh at my funk
This funk is a serious joint
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Reply #15 posted 05/05/16 7:59pm

MotownSubdivis
ion

phunkdaddy said:

MotownSubdivision said:

Outside of Rihanna, these aren't mainstream Top 40 acts.


Look at the way you worded it though. You asked who are the top ten current
acts without specifying mainstream(which I don't understand why most Orgers are
so damn fixated on the word). Then you proceeded to state 2010 to the present
and gave your preferred list. 7 of the 10 artists on Gray's list whom I'm familiar
with have released new music since 2010. I'm guessing Gray gave his preferred list.

I also asked "Of this generation (2010-present), who are the top stars?"

I guess I didn't specify enough in the title but I was clear.
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Reply #16 posted 05/05/16 8:02pm

MickyDolenz

avatar

MotownSubdivision said:

Of this generation (2010-present), who are the top stars?

1. Taylor Swift

2. Drake

3. Adele

4. Bruno Mars

5. Rihanna

6. Beyonce

7. The Weeknd

8. Justin Timberlake

9. Justin Bieber

10. Kanye West

HM: Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, maybe Jay Z

Most of this list is invalid, since only The Weeknd, Drake, Bruno Mars, & Ariana Grande debut albums have come out in 2010 or later. Justin Timberlake, Jay Z, & Beyonce were out in the 1990s. Even if don't count *NSYNC or Destiny's Child, their solo careers started before 2010.

You can take a black guy to Nashville from right out of the cotton fields with bib overalls, and they will call him R&B. You can take a white guy in a pin-stripe suit who’s never seen a cotton field, and they will call him country. ~ O. B. McClinton
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Reply #17 posted 05/05/16 8:08pm

MickyDolenz

avatar

I'm pretty sure PFunk is way older than 2010, like decades. lol

You can take a black guy to Nashville from right out of the cotton fields with bib overalls, and they will call him R&B. You can take a white guy in a pin-stripe suit who’s never seen a cotton field, and they will call him country. ~ O. B. McClinton
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Reply #18 posted 05/05/16 8:34pm

Graycap23

avatar

MotownSubdivision said:

phunkdaddy said:



Look at the way you worded it though. You asked who are the top ten current
acts without specifying mainstream(which I don't understand why most Orgers are
so damn fixated on the word). Then you proceeded to state 2010 to the present
and gave your preferred list. 7 of the 10 artists on Gray's list whom I'm familiar
with have released new music since 2010. I'm guessing Gray gave his preferred list.

I also asked "Of this generation (2010-present), who are the top stars?"

I guess I didn't specify enough in the title but I was clear.

That list u gave other than Rihanna couldn't get a dime from me.
FOOLS multiply when WISE Men & Women are silent.
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Reply #19 posted 05/05/16 8:56pm

MotownSubdivis
ion

Graycap23 said:

MotownSubdivision said:


I also asked "Of this generation (2010-present), who are the top stars?"

I guess I didn't specify enough in the title but I was clear.

That list u gave other than Rihanna couldn't get a dime from me.
Yeah, yeah we know.
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Reply #20 posted 05/05/16 8:59pm

MotownSubdivis
ion

MickyDolenz said:


MotownSubdivision said:


Of this generation (2010-present), who are the top stars?


1. Taylor Swift


2. Drake


3. Adele


4. Bruno Mars


5. Rihanna


6. Beyonce


7. The Weeknd


8. Justin Timberlake


9. Justin Bieber


10. Kanye West


HM: Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, maybe Jay Z




Most of this list is invalid, since only The Weeknd, Drake, Bruno Mars, & Ariana Grande debut albums have come out in 2010 or later. Justin Timberlake, Jay Z, & Beyonce were out in the 1990s. Even if don't count *NSYNC or Destiny's Child, their solo careers started before 2010.

I was referring to popular artists who make music now, not those who debuted since 2010.
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Reply #21 posted 05/05/16 9:42pm

MickyDolenz

avatar

MotownSubdivision said:

I was referring to popular artists who make music now, not those who debuted since 2010.

Well, if that's the case:

.

Tony Bennett

Romeo Santos

Adele

Pitbull

Carrie Underwood

Prince Royce

Enrique Iglesias

Farruko

Kidz Bop

Nicki Minaj


You can take a black guy to Nashville from right out of the cotton fields with bib overalls, and they will call him R&B. You can take a white guy in a pin-stripe suit who’s never seen a cotton field, and they will call him country. ~ O. B. McClinton
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Reply #22 posted 05/06/16 12:08am

madhattter

MotownSubdivision said:

madhattter said:

In no particular order: Adele, Demi Lovato, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Drake, Jason Derulu, Justin Beiber, Katty Perry, Lady Gaga, Flo Rida, Beyonce, Rihanna


I'd put Chris Brown over Derulo and maybe Ariana Grande over Demi Lovato.

I love Ariana Grand but Chris Brown dances better than he sings. I love Ledisi but she needs the right material to put her on this list and I hope she gets her chance.
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Reply #23 posted 05/06/16 2:04am

mjscarousal

Im lost with the purpose of this thread.

What question are you asking?

Its pretty well known who the popular acts of today are so what question are you asking?

Today acts are uninteresting, generic and are media made. I honestly have no interest in any of the artists on the list besides Bruno and Rihanna (and even they lack in some capacities).

However, Adele and Bruno are the better pop stars of this generation in terms of talent, artististry, consistency and authenticity. They also reach a wider audience and appeal, same with Rihanna imo.

An honorable mention: Rihanna----- she has significantly improved, has a handful of great songs and I was really impressed with Anti which is a much better and more authentic effort than the overrated PR stunt Lemonade. Rihanna imo is underrated and underestimated in some aspects. She is not the greatest singer but she does have a handful of good quality songs and albums that often gets looked over.

Beyonce is the most overrated pop star of all time, no question.

[Edited 5/6/16 2:14am]

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Reply #24 posted 05/06/16 5:27am

Graycap23

avatar

Of the youngins:

Kendrick Lamar

Rihanna

Ro James

George Tandy

Kameron Corvet

Conya Doss

Anthony Hamilton

Bj The Chicago Kid

Bilal

Van Hunt

FOOLS multiply when WISE Men & Women are silent.
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Reply #25 posted 05/06/16 7:28am

mjscarousal

She is not a popular act but Janelle Monae and Jazmine Sullivan are some of the most underrated of their generation Fantasia too.

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Reply #26 posted 05/06/16 7:39am

Graycap23

avatar

mjscarousal said:

She is not a popular act but Janelle Monae and Jazmine Sullivan are some of the most underrated of their generation Fantasia too.

Good call on all 3.

FOOLS multiply when WISE Men & Women are silent.
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Reply #27 posted 05/06/16 8:07am

Empress

fortuneandserendipity said:

Empress said:

The ONLY person I would pay to go see on this list is Adele. Seriously, I have no interest in seeing any of the others. JT might be fun, but I wouldn't pay the ridiculous prices to see him.

Noel Gallagher described Adele as "music for grannies" and who am I to disagree.

You can agree or disagree, it matters not, but keep in mind that we all know the Gallagher bros are assholes!

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Reply #28 posted 05/06/16 11:19am

fortuneandsere
ndipity

Empress said:

fortuneandserendipity said:

Noel Gallagher described Adele as "music for grannies" and who am I to disagree.

You can agree or disagree, it matters not, but keep in mind that we all know the Gallagher bros are assholes!

Ah but Noel said on Prince's passing "Heartbroken. I loved the guy!"

The world's problems like climate change can only be solved through strategic long-term thinking, not expediency. In other words all the govts. need sacking!

If you can add value to someone's life then why not. Especially if it colors their days...
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Reply #29 posted 05/06/16 12:08pm

namepeace

Whose Generation? Millenials? Gen Yers?

I'd say in some order --

Beyonce

Taylor Swift
Adele

Jay-Z

Drake
Rihanna
Kendrick Lamar
Miley Cyrus
Pitbull
JT

Good night, sweet Prince | 7 June 1958 - 21 April 2016

Props will be withheld until the showing and proving has commenced. -- Aaron McGruder
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