ABBA ROCKS!

[Violet]

No, any new movement is seen as anti formula, then when it takes off becomes a formula. Look at how many bands competed with Nirvana and had the same "grunge" sound.

Following others and being inspired by them, but still largely making your music your own? Not necessarily formulaic, though it may be guilty of various other 'crimes' (Black Eyed Peas). Following either your own songs or another's songs in such a way as to make a 'templet' for your music, on the other hand, is necessarily formulaic. It is the latter of these which I would fault ABBA for, and listening to the music I just can't get over either how similar they are, or how much 90% of the music (any non-chorus bit) just sucks and is annoying on the ears for the clash.

Now, you and others here keep calling ABBAs music "formulaic" and predictable. Which says to me you are focused solely on their hits and not all their history. Otherwise you would not be saying that.

19 ABBA songs on my itunes, I've listened to all of them, and I consider all of them shit (but some more so than others, my gods). If I can't know whether a band is GOOD by their *greatest hits* (and a good number of them): why on earth should I waste my time listening to their *flops*?

On the subject of ABBA, I've heard a few more than the ones I own already... and I'm not impressed. Also: Live ABBA? Terrible.

The beatles played a shit ton of music, and were fairly ah 'experimental'... and yet: you know how the beatles sound when they make a record. THAT'S the face they're presenting to you. A lot of it is utter shit, but there are a few redeemable things about them (just like ABBA). The key is in knowing what those qualities are and not claiming them to be the gods of talent (they're not).

It is like trying to define Pat Benatar by "Hit Me With Your Best Shot". Not knowing about "My Clone Sleeps Alone" or "Rated X", or "Tough Life". Which sound NOTHING like "Hit Me With Your Best Shot".

I'm not impressed by Hit Me With Your Best Shot... are her other songs *worth* knowing about? I hope to the gods the rest of her music doesn't sound like her big hit

Most albums OF any artist, ave 10 to 12 songs on them, and any artist with a long career is going to have one because they have a range.

Usually a definable range, mind. Look: I wouldn't be knocking ABBA if it weren't *only* for a casual listen that doesn't pay attention to the lyrics or to nonchorus portions. But if I'm listening to music, and I'm not around someone who grew up with ABBA, I'm not playing it

Punk.