A Complete Unknown: Redux

Just to clarify -- I have nothing against rap music/hip hop and if I came off that way, it was certainly unintentional. I was merely making a very general observation, not an indictment against certain groups of people (indeed, it is common knowledge that the majority of people who buy hip hop/rap albums are white teenage males and females). In fact, some of my first (and favorite) CD's were hip hop and rap (De la Soul, Public Enemy, Gang Starr, BBD, etc.) This was, and still is, great music and mos[t] def[initely] helped shape my appreciation for all genres.

However, agree or disagree, I truly doubt that Ne-Yo or the Pussycat Dolls will go on to be the next Chuck D and Heart, respectively (it doesn't help that 95% of the acts out there today DON'T write their own music despite their claims otherwise, i.e. Avril Lavigne). Yet, they are still immensely popular for reasons I'll never understand.

I also completely agree that Jack White, Jeff Tweedy, My Morning Jacket and others represent the next generation of great artists -- in the same way that in the last two decades, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Metallica made some of the most important music of all-time. The problem is not the music per se; it's that the audience just isn't there or isn't responding. Unfortunately, the outlet for transmitting this material to the public is so limited because of the downfall of radio, Mtv, Rolling Stone, and the such. Maybe if the record labels and mass media paid more attention to the Raconteurs than Beyonce, we'd be in a better place...

Good stuff though, appreciate the feedback.