When I was 16?

time
beatles
jethro tull
ELO
santana
😲

Andrew Martinez11 said:It’s SO much worse today because these meatheads only listen to it because it’s "cool" and we listened to it—and still do—because we actually like the music. 🙄

It’s a total disaster... you see some frat boy in a System of a Down shirt, ask him his favorite track, and he just blurt out "Chop Suey!" like a shot... but then you ask him about anything from the first album, and he just stares at you blankly, eyes screaming, "Wait, did they even release anything besides CHOP SUEY?!?!"

I mean, seriously... it's pure, unadulterated stupidity...

😕
So what? What's the big deal if someone likes something? Who are they to judge us, and who were we back then compared to now? And honestly, who's the real idiot here? (There's always been plenty of them).
And what does it even prove if you can list more System songs than some kid?!?!!
Look, that kid probably didn't even leave his house properly until two weeks ago. He was sitting in some dive bar, half-drunk, staying quiet because he had nothing smart to say, and then "Chop Suey" starts playing—kid thinks, *man, this goes hard.* He's nodding his head to the beat, staring at this girl at the next table... dark eyes, looking a little lonely, lost in the cigarette smoke. He wanted to look at her all night, but felt like he couldn't, you know? But now, with the song blasting, he can nod his head and stare as much as he wants. Then "Chop Suey" fades out and "Aerials" kicks in. The kid grabs a swig of Budweiser. The girl slowly puts on her jacket and heads out. It was nearly midnight and she had to get home. The song was heavy, melancholic. The kid didn't have a clue what they were singing about, but he felt like he needed that girl from the bar just to have something to stare at. Now he just closes his eyes. No more head-nodding. His buddy starts pulling on his sleeve because they gotta head out too; but they'll hang for a second, just until the song ends.
Then the next day, watching the music video on YouTube, he's hyped, waiting for the end to see who's singing, and when he sees System of a Down, he's like, "Man, sick band, way better than Iron Maiden." That song stays stuck in his head for days. And he keeps thinking about that girl from the bar who left at midnight, thinking about how he'll be back there next weekend when the band plays, and he'll finally go up to her and ask, "Hey, you like them too? I think they're awesome..."
And that's exactly what he did. She just looked at him and said, "Nah... never heard of them." So that's your "band" right there. He points to the song and says, "This one, though." She goes, "Eh, it's okay, but the other one is better. Chop Suey." Get it?
But honestly, it feels like you've never understood music as anything more than a way to act superior. People like that always drive me insane... 🙄

Wow
Since when did we start letting Emily Dickinson hang out on this forum without a heads-up?

Ramones
Nirvana
Dire Straits
Billy Joel
Fleetwood Mac...

Nirvana
Pearl Jam
Prodigy
2Live Crew
Public Enemy
N.W.A
Laufey
Azra...........

Oh, absolutely, Nirvana! Back then, everyone was listening to them. I had both "Nevermind" and "In Utero," so I felt like I really understood their vibe. I'm almost embarrassed to admit that even now, I still haven't listened to "Bleach." 😳

Maybe try Lard - Can God Fill Teeth?

Kevin Chavez3 said:I’m still listening to everything I used to, with the exception of MC Hammer (though I’m actually feeling a bit nostalgic for him lately—I really need to hit up some local record fairs to find his old vinyl)

It’s all just "dun dun dun da-da dun dun dun dun dun dun dun"

or "we gonna make it happen, yeah we gonna make it happen, oh yeah we gonna make it happen"

Honestly, I’ve got those tracks stuck in my head right now too 🙂

I still have my MC Hammer cassette. I’m not letting it go. 😛

*singing the bassline*

*just some kid, shouting out the bassline*

*that wasn't even grammatically correct*

Edit: I don't have it anymore. Prod'o Sinisi sold it. 😳 This damn capitalist society.

hehehe... hehehehehe... watch out, they might actually end up being better than Iron Maiden... hehehehehe

ironcanyon4 said:Dammit, I really should have specified this question is for anyone over 18...😁

You jerk... just because my playlist isn't your cup of tea doesn't make me some kind of loser...
The point was what we were blasting back when we were 16—which is exactly what I told you—and just because I’m still spinning those same tracks five years later (okay, minus Limp Bizkit...) doesn't mean I haven't grown up since then...

My bad if you "evolved" so much that you turned into a completely different person...👎

Edward Robinson6 said:😕
What even defines a catastrophe anymore? And more importantly, who actually decides what’s "good" or "bad"? It feels like everyone’s got an opinion on everything lately. Who are these people calling the shots, and who are we in all of this—especially when you look at how much things have shifted from then to now? Honestly, who’s the real jerk here? (Though, let's be real—there's always been plenty of them around.)
So, what is it supposed to mean—that you can rattle off more System of a Down songs than some kid can?!?!!
Look, this kid—he probably hasn't even really stepped out into the world until maybe two weeks ago. He was just sitting there in some dive bar, looking pretty wasted, staying quiet because he didn't have anything smart to say or anything productive to do—and then he starts humming Chop Suey. You think to yourself, "Man, what a little rebel." He’s sitting there nodding his head to the beat, staring at this girl at the next table—dark eyes, looked kind of lonely, just lost in her cigarette smoke. Honestly, the whole night he wanted to take a better look at her, but it was like he wasn't allowed to, you know? But now that the song is playing, he can nod his head and stare all he wants. Then Chop Suey fades out and Aerials starts playing. The kid reaches for a bottle of Budweiser and takes a swig. The girl slowly pulls on her jacket and heads out—it was almost midnight and she had to get home. That song was heavy, really sad. He didn't even understand what they were singing about, but it felt like he suddenly missed that girl from the next table... just someone to stare at. Now he's just sitting there with his eyes closed. No more head nodding. His buddy started tugging on his sleeve because they had to head home too; but they're gonna hang out for a bit longer, just until the song ends.
So, the next day, while watching a rerun of Depot on TV, he caught the music video for that track. He was actually pretty hyped—just sitting there, waiting for the end to see who was behind the vocals—and then, boom, System of a Down. He was like, "Man, what a band," honestly thinking they blow Iron Maiden out of the water. That song just stayed stuck in his head all day. And, naturally, his mind drifted back to that girl from the dive bar last night—you know, the one who left around midnight? He was already planning his move for next weekend, picturing himself back at the club, hearing System play, and finally working up the nerve to walk over to her and be like, "Hey, you dig them too? Because I think they're incredible..."
And that’s exactly what he did. And she was just like, "No way... I've never even heard of them." So, yeah—that's basically this band in a nutshell. Now he's going on about this specific song, and she’s all, "Yeah, it's cool," but then follows up with, "Actually, that other one is even better. Chop Suey." You know what I mean?
Honestly, it feels like you’ve never actually understood music as anything more than some kind of outdated, gatekeeping nonsense. You just stick to that same old-school, preservative mindset—and frankly? People like that always drive me absolutely insane.🙄

Look, don't come at me if you don't even have a clue what I'm trying to get at here...
Look, I don't care what everyone else is blasting in their cars—it’s your life—but if you only know one single song by a band, then there is absolutely NO WAY they can be your favorite group. Period. That’s exactly what I was getting at. I'm not talking about those kids who just loop Chop Suey and claim they're fans; I'm talking about the ones who shout at the top of their lungs that System of a Down is the greatest thing ever written, yet they can't name two other tracks to save their lives. Honestly, I've run into this exact type of person more times than I can count...
As for that whole "being fake" thing... honestly, I am nowhere near that. But look—like I said before—you don't actually know me, so you really shouldn't be judging.

Honestly, this whole little story you're spinning is just completely useless—like, it has absolutely zero connection to anything we're actually talking about—so you really shouldn't have bothered... seriously.

But... once you actually grow up—once you finally hit that level of maturity—maybe then you'll get it.

Brian Hayes26 said:Nirvana
pearl jam
prodigy
the2live crew
public enemy
nwa
laufer
AZRA...........

..man, how could I have totally blanked on these:

soundgarden
alice in chains
panthera
cypruss hill
ratm
sepultura
metallica
kraftwerk
depeche mode

+

acid house 🙂

p.s. Kevin Chavez3, you should probably hunt down "Incesticide" while you're at it;
on "Bleach", "About a Girl" is easily my favorite

Andrew Martinez11 said:Look, don't come at me if you don't even get what I'm trying to say here....
I seriously don't care what anyone else listens to, but if you only know one single song by a band, then they CANNOT be your favorite band!!!! That’s my point. I'm not talking about some random kids who just know Chop Suey and claim they're fans, I'm talking about the people screaming at the top of their lungs that System of a Down is the greatest thing ever while knowing basically zero other tracks (and yeah, I've seen it happen way too many times)....
And as for this whole "you're being fake" thing... please, I'm not about that life.... but like I said... you don't know me, so don't judge....

Honestly, this little lecture of yours is so pointless and totally misses the mark that you really shouldn't have wasted your breath....

But hey... maybe when you finally grow up, you'll get it.....

You're probably some high-brow music critic for a local paper who's listened to so much stuff that you think you need an academic opinion on everything. To you, music isn't just one of those beautiful things in life—something to kill time with, or a memory from a great party, or something you find yourself in while doodling lyrics on a desk in class.
For me, Mercury Rev is one of my absolute favorites and I haven't even heard two out of five of their albums. But I love them. I haven't touched old Flaming Lips stuff at all. But Yoshimi was my favorite song and album last year. And I can say that without any issues.
My buddy thought System of a Down was the best band ever long before he actually finished their latest album. He only knew CS, TX, and AE. But to him, it was the best thing he'd ever heard in his life. I remember us arguing once about At the Drive-In versus System of a Down. He was dead set on them being the GOAT.
He doesn't even listen to them anymore. For months now, Avril has been his absolute jam, even though he just copied her album from me a few weeks ago. Don't even get me started on my dad.
I honestly have zero beef with middle schoolers who think Nirvana, Sex Pistols, Metallica, Iron Maiden—pick your poison—are the greatest bands ever despite only knowing five songs.

As for what happens when I "grow up"... who knows. Just like I have no clue what'll happen when you finally do...

ironcanyon4 said:What were you guys listening to when you were 16? Name at least 3 to 5 bands!!!!

2. The Sisters of Mercy

🙏 God bless you, my friend!

When I was 16 😁 : The Sisters of Mercy, Depeche Mode, Joy Division, Paradise Lost, and Dead Can Dance... though honestly, I've been into all of them since I was 11 or 13, if you can even call that being a teenager since I'm one of the younger ones here.

č.i.k.:
I'll just say this much... I was actually there during the JN era... though I'm definitely from the very last generation of that crowd...

Hey, what's up, you legends!!!!!!!!!

ironcanyon4 said:What was on your playlist when you were sixteen???

Man, being sixteen was such a massive turning point for me... that was right when I finally started getting into jazz

Edward Robinson6 said:You probably think you’re some kind of high-brow academic music critic for a local county paper—you know, the type who has listened to so much stuff that everything has to be dissected through some pretentious scholarly lens. To you, music isn't just one of those beautiful little things in life that fills the gaps between moments—it's not that soundtrack to a wild night out that stays tucked away in your memory, nor is it something you'd find yourself identifying with while doodling lyrics on a desk in a classroom. No, for you, it's all about the theory, right?
Look, take Mercury Rev—they’re easily one of my all-time favorites. I'll be the first to admit I haven't even touched two of their five albums yet, but hey, that doesn't change the fact that I love them. I haven't even listened to the old Flaming Lips stuff at all, but "Yoshimi" is hands down my favorite song, and that whole album was my absolute go-to last year. I can say that with total confidence, and I don't care who knows it.
My mom's friend was already obsessed with System of a Down way before he ever even heard that one album or its successor. Back then, all he knew was Chop Suey and About a Girl—which, honestly, felt like enough for him. At the time, those tracks were basically the greatest things he’d ever heard in his life. I remember we actually got into this massive argument once about whether At the Drive-In or System of a Down was better... and he was dead set on the idea that SOAD was the absolute peak.
He doesn't even listen to them anymore. It’s been months now—he’s completely obsessed with Avril, like she's his absolute favorite—even though he was literally just ripping her albums onto his computer from my collection a few weeks ago. And don't even get me started on his old man.
Look, I honestly don't give a damn about those seventh and eighth graders who act like Nirvana, the Sex Pistols, Metallica, Iron Maiden, or any other legendary band is the greatest thing to ever exist—especially when they can't even name more than five songs from their own "favorite" discographies.

What’s actually going to happen when I finally grow up? Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue—and frankly, I have no idea what’s in store for you once you hit adulthood either...

Oh, man... here we go again with you and that wild imagination of yours...
I’m honestly sorry you aren't getting what I'm trying to say here—because, let's be real, you're just constantly coming at me with these attacks, yet you STILL haven't actually grasped the point I'm attempting to make... seriously?

So you've actually listened to three out of their five albums and you're into Mercury Rev? That’s actually pretty solid—I mean, you've definitely put in the work and heard enough of their stuff to know what's up.
Alright, seriously—explain this to me: how can you claim a band is your absolute favorite based on just ONE single song?!? Look, I get it. You might love a track, you might dig their whole vibe, you might think their style is incredible... but you CANNOT honestly say they’re the BEST BAND EVER!!!!! It’s like if someone goes crazy for "Spiders" by System of a Down—I mean, they start shouting from the rooftops about how SOAD is the greatest thing to ever happen to music and that they're the undisputed GOAT—but then they actually listen to "Know" and everything falls apart. It’s just classic System, right? One song has absolutely nothing to do with the other—they are totally different beasts... how can you call them the best when they can't even stay consistent?

Look, the fact that your friend changes his "all-time favorite band" every single week—that’s just a different kind of issue entirely. Obviously, he likes everything, but he hasn't actually found THAT one thing that truly clicks with him—and don't come at me here, I'm not calling him a poser or anything like that... but listen... if a band is supposedly the BEST THING HE HAS EVER HEARD IN HIS LIFE (and yes, I am quoting him), then you can't just turn around the very next day and stop listening to them. I know, I know—you're probably going to tell me it's been a whole year and not just a week... but honestly? It's the exact same thing.

I'm right there with you—I absolutely love diving into different bands... but let's be real, I can't exactly claim a ton of them are my "all-time favorites." Take Dredg, for example. That one album? It is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. Like, flawless. But would I say they're my favorite band ever? Probably not—mostly because I've only actually sat down and listened to that one specific record. How can you judge the whole thing when you've only scratched the surface?

Look, there’s really no point in arguing about this—that’s just my take on it. You seem to think you can judge an entire band based on a single track... and hey, sure, you can if you’re the type who switches up your favorite group every couple of days. But that’s not me. If I pick a band, I stick with them—it’s that simple. 😉

And what about that whole situation?
You’re probably some high-brow music critic for a local county paper—one of those academic types who’s listened to so much theory that you can't help but have a "scholarly opinion" on every single note. For you, music isn't just one of those beautiful things in life that fills the gaps... it's not something that sticks with you as a warm memory from some wild party, or something you actually lose yourself in while doodling lyrics on your desk in class. No, for you, it’s all just an exercise.

Look, I’m not exactly a professional music critic or anything—I don't have some fancy degree in musicology—but I do have some solid connections within the radio industry.
I've listened to enough music to know the difference between actual quality and whatever garbage they're pushing as a "weekly hit" these days.
Music isn't just some way for me to kill time—it’s not some background noise I play just to fill the silence while I'm doing something else. It’s more than that. Is it just a hobby? No. It’s everything.
So, I finished school like... what, a year ago now? Time is just doing that weird thing where it slips through your fingers, isn't it? One minute you're stressing over finals, and the next—poof—you're out in the real world wondering what the hell happened.

I’ve got nothing against those seventh and eighth graders who swear Nirvana, Sex Pistols, Metallica, Maiden—you name it—is the greatest band to ever exist.

It’d be nice if they actually had some taste, but let’s be real: today's middle schoolers are strictly about that techno life, and the absolute peak of their musical evolution is just listening to nu-metal. 🙄 🙄

And honestly, you can't just hear one single song and decide a band is the greatest of all time. That’s just common sense.

Andrew Martinez11 said:You jerk... just because I listen to something you can't stand doesn't make me some kind of loser...
The point is what we were listening to back when we were sixteen, which is exactly what I pointed out... and the fact that I am still listening to it five years later (aside from Limp Bizkit...) certainly doesn't mean I haven't grown past that stage...

My apologies if you have "evolved" so much that you've become an entirely different person...👎

Look, lady, don't get all worked up, and please try not to take everything so personally...😎
At the end of the day, this is just an internet forum...😉