I’d give anything to go back to the pre-Blog era and really just take a moment to ‘appreciate it.’ Back before there was ‘hipster’, and blog centuries before the ‘alts.’ We were just ourselves, searching for a way to represent our complex outlook on life.

I’d give anything to go back in time, and appreciate chorus-driven indie rock. The collective voices were the sound of my angsty soul that was unsure of my alternative future. They were calling out for a little bit of direction in an uncertain time. Would we ever find the authenticity that we were looking for?

Kind of like how in NSYNC, there was like the ‘kute one’, the ‘fat one with spikey hair’, and ‘the gay one’ and probz a few more–don’t remember. It’s just funnie how as bands become products, we can’t help but evaluate each member as a brand. Consumer subliminally pick their ‘favourite one’ who they would pretend they would be if they were in the band.

Here are some of our favourite bands, and how the HIPSTER RUNOFF PERSONAL BRAND RANKING SYSTEM ranks them within their own band.

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********RANKINGS*******
WHICH BAND MEMBER HAS THE MOST AUTHENTIC PERSONAL BRAND?
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The Justice League

Alice and the Crystal Castles

Interpols

Kings of Leon

Kings of Leon

Chairlift

The Arcade Firing

Animal Collective

What do yall think? Is the new computer software that did these images accurate? I used all of my advertising money on it, so I need 2 know if I should return it, or if it does a good job of accurately ranking personal brands within bands. Are any of these rankings incorrect?

<3 <3 Personal Brand Analysis <3 <3
What other bands should get ranked?

Whenever one of these indie bands releases an album, people are like ‘omg! I can’t believe it’s #1 on iTunes! WTF? They r indie! I used to listen 2 them, but not any more.’ When it comes to music that white people listen to, I think popular mainstream and indie bands are fighting against all of that Soulja Boy type of stuff, so it’s probably time for them to unite into one genre.

MEANINGFUL-CORE MUSIC: Presented by HIPSTER RUNOFF

MEANINGFUL-CORE music can be described as
1. music that makes a general mainstream consumer think that his/her life is more meaningful
2. music that an alt or mainstream person can talk about in a conversation and make them seem ‘with the times’, ‘interesting’, and ‘on a quest for self-awareness.’
3. music that is structured to seem directly meaningful, cryptically meaningful, or if the singer just looks/sounds earnest and meaningful in some form
4. music that is made by a predominantly male band, with a male lead singer (the voice of a male offers more meaning than a female can offer)
5. music that is created by a band who ‘meant it’ on their first album, then experimented, then ‘got mainstream’, then ‘meant it’ in a cool-dad kind of way later in their career. (no matter what, they always sold out large venues)
6. music that music critics respect, and you can put on a mix CD for a person of the opposite sex to make them think that you ‘understand love, life, and everything else that could make a relationship work.’

I think meaningful-core can help explain how the popular mainstream bands and popular indie bands have merged into this one classification. Zach Braff was an innovator by lumping meaningful-core hits into the Garden State soundtrack. At that time, consumers began to think that the music within their iPod should ‘give them a more meaningful soundtrack for their lives’.’ Each song can make an event like looking out a car window seem really amazing.

DCFC: they look like they really ‘mean it.’

Meaningful-core bands can take your existence to the next level. They will help you relate to more people who are searching for meaning in their lives’. Meaningful-core will help you connect with impending sexual partners in a meaningful-kind-of-way. Their albums are important snap shots of the global economy of feelings.

Other bands or artists can have a ‘meaningful core hit’, but it doesn’t always mean that their other stuff will be interpreted as ‘meaningful on a mass scale.’ For example, that Iron and Wine dude covered ‘Such Great Heights’, but I think only girls liked that song and that guy. A band like Death Cab can gimmick mainstream bros and entry-level altbros in with lyrics like, ’so this is the New Year… and I don’t feel any different. :-( ‘

Meaningful-Core bands are able to transcend our society as a whole. They transcend media outlets, and they re-think ‘antiquated methods of album distribution.’ They have a sea of fans who are into being their fans. They have street teams.

Americans first learned that Coldplay was [Highly meaningful] when the music video for ‘Yellow’ showcased a rising sun throughout the duration of the video.

Subgenres of meaningful core:
Cryptically meaningful bands in an artsy-ish way
(These bands may or may not achieve success in sales, but garner a lot of critical acclaim for being really meaningful)
1. Sigur Ros
2. The Microphones
3. Animal Collective/Panda Bear
4. The Avalanches
5. Boards of Canada
6. The Books
(These bands appeal to people who want meaning through conceptual stuff that is less approachable to mainstreamers.)

Earnest Electro meaningful
(After people ‘fell in love with the Postal Service’ they were searching for some replacements of earnest electronic music.)
1. The Notwist
2. The Go Find
3. Air
4. Frou Frou
5. Lali Puna
6. only the song “Digital Love” by Daft Punk
7. Only the song “some one great” by LCD soundsystem

“leave me paralyzed, love” – the Notwist

Mainstream rock bands that add ‘meaning’ to mainstreamers who think they are really unique in a ‘I still wear a ying yang necklace’ kind of way
1. Incubus
2. Linkin Park
3. Creed (R.I.P.)
4. Tool

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The Shins sing that 1 song about Caring being Creepy, right? Soo true (and so random)

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So in conclusion, people are looking for meaning in their lives’. They want to know why they are here, and why their perspective is more special than yours or mine. Music offers a wide range of products that can help users believe that they are more unique, more authentic, more alterntive, more mainstream, and more intrinsically meaningful. While we all have different interpretations of ‘what it means to mean something meaningful’, we can all find an artist that helps us to feel like we truly connect with what it is that connects those of us who ‘understand the human condition.’

Meaningful-core songs are in 25% of iPod commercials. (25% is dedicated to upcoming female stars, and 50% is dedicated to ‘dancey fun stuff that alternative people listen to.)

Filling this iPod with meaningful-core music could make your head start secreting the gel-form of meaningfulness.

Plz elaborate on or refine any theories proposed in this bl0g p0st.
<3 yall r smart. Yall should be consultants 4 EMI/Geffen/SubPop/XL <3
<3 When Soul Meets Body <3

Arcade Fire – Never listened to Neon Bible as an ‘album experience,’ but I thought the tracks that I heard were alright. Maybe I just didn’t want to be reminded of the person who I was when “Funeral” changed my life.

Beirut – Wonder what they sound like. They’re from New Mexico, and I don’t think Mexico has electricity. Without electricity, you can’t make BANGERS.

Modest Mouse – Apparently they had a critically acclaimed album this year. I wonder if it sounded more like “Float On” or “Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset.” After the FLOAT ON explosion of 2004, I just don’t think we’re supposed to be expected to ‘take a band seriously.’ I don’t mean to ‘DOG on them’ because I’m all about cashing in/selling out.

Radiohead – “In Rainbows” didn’t do a good enough job of putting banner ads at websites that I visit, I guess. What am I trying to prove to myself by not listening to an album that I could have ‘bought’ for free? If we compared musical acts to the restaurant industry, I feel like Radiohead would be somewhere like PF Changs or something. Probably a pretty good product, but you don’t really want to hang out with people whose favourite restaurant is an ‘elegant chain.’ (that probably also gives you the runs sometimes).

Band of Horses - Who are they? Based on their name, I would say they probably sound like the Arcade Fire and Kings of Leon mixed together.

The Black Kids/Cool Kids – Apparently they are overhyped, and represent everything that’s wrong with the blogosphere, so I decided not to listen to them yet. Then the other one is a rap duo. I’m sure sometime in 2008, I’ll listen to a few more of their songs, and make sure I don’t confuse them in conversation.

Based on this picture, would you guess that this band is the BLACK KIDS or the COOL KIDS?


Are these KIDS more ‘cool’ or more ‘black’?

Burial – I’m sure it’s pretty good, but maybe I’m just not ready yet. I’m sure if the album was on my computer, I’d end up listening to it and saying it’s good. I remember the first time I read about BURIAL, there was a blurb about how he chooses to remain anonymous, and I can’t identify with any one who doesn’t want to become rich, famous, & take their art to the masses.

Here’s a picture of Burial. I tried to view more photos, but ” The user you’re trying to view has set all their photos to private.”

The National – I think I listened to a little bit of one of their songs, but when it comes to ‘music that sounds kind of like that’, I’d rather listen to TURN ON THE BRIGHT LIGHTS.

Of Montreal – I heard they were just some sort of marketing experiment, created by a joint venture of Outback Steakhouses and EMI.

Wilco – If I wasn’t musically mature enough to appreciate them back before pre-blog indie rock. Now I started enjoying this BLOGHOUSE crap so much, I’m sure I can’t appreciate them.

Josh Ritter – I’d be 50% more likely to listen if some one told me that he was related to John Ritter.

OKKERVIL RIVER – This is a band that I am afraid of listening to because I don’t really know how to say or spell their name. In addition, something about their name makes me think that they use a lot of banjos.

M.I.A. – Now that I think about it, I guess I only listened to PAPER PLANES. The other day I saw this 19 year old who dressed like he is in My Chemical Romance rapping to ‘PAPER PLANES’, and I decided I should probably put some distance between myself and any affinity towards M.I.A. (I’m an ass hole).

Klaxons – I only listened to Klaxons remixes, but those remixes were pretty awesome!

Deerhoof – Are they related to that band DEERHUNTER, except they chose to take different names like Simian breaking up and turning into THE BLACK GHOSTS + SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO?

Menomena – I’m sure they’re good, but their name just reminds me of a mid 90s alt band that people ironically play. Maybe I should listen just in case they are in that great genre of ‘Music I could put on a Mix CD for one of my parents.’

2007: The Year I Started Listening to Way Too Much Electronic Music, and Stopped Listening to Stuff That I ‘Probably Should Appreciate’

2007: The Year That It Became Uncool to Just Sit Back And Appreciate Music

2008: Do you want to read more ‘HATING’ on artists from Hipster Runoff?

[MP3]
Cut Copy So Haunted

2. IN RAINBOWS CAME OUT! People love it/hate it!

3. New SymbolOne Song!

http://www.myspace.com/symbolone

[MP3]
SymbolOne Everything Louder, Then Everything Else

4. Arcade Fire INTERACTIVE video for NEON BIBLE.
It’s REALLY innovative/boring!

5. WACKY Justice live performance on Jimmy Kimmel.
I really love it/think it’s horrible!

6. New Daft Punk Mix for the Luis Vuitton Show at Panda Toes. It’s a lot of fun/really boring.

7. Digitalism Video

Don’t you think this video is awesome/way too amateur?

8. New Girl Talk song released in the Illegal Art Compilation.

[MP3]
Girl Talk Let’s Run This

9. Hipster Runoff = HIPSTERRUNOFF.com. Now the kids know how to reach us.

10. Myspace us. http://www.myspace.com/hipsterrunoff. We love comment convos/Being in Top 8s/Taking pictures of ourselves.

Coming up next week:
FRESH MUSIC. FASHION FORECASTS. MYSPACERS WORTH BLOGGING ABOUT.
HYPE MACHINING.
AND OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

Aquarium Dunkard listed the Darjeeling Limited Official Soundtrack on their website, and it is basically inundated with Kinks songs and songs from Satyajit Ray films (one of the most famous Indian & international filmmakers ever).

I’m not sure what he is trying to prove. Just because he hit such a home run with ‘Needle in the Hay’ Richie Tenenbaum wrist slitting scene doesn’t mean I wouldn’t ask him to see the same scene with The Postal Service in the background, right?
You could probably say, ‘No dude, the Kinks and David Bowie are really good. I love Wes Anderson soundtracks.’

I think it’s safe to say that that most of the people who have ‘Rushmore’ or ‘Tenenbaums’ in their ‘Favourite Movies’ section of myspace would rather listen to the Arcade Fire or something. I’m pretty sure that might include me, because I just don’t ‘get’ music that was made before I even existed.

Check out the songs below. Listen to “BIG LOVE.” It kind of reminds me of Animal Collective’s ‘Spirit They’re Gone Again’ album for some reason.
Also posted is one of the best songs to get hooked on Broken Social Scene , CAUSE=TIME. It has a real sense or urgency to it.
Overall, the new Kevin Drew album seems to be as complete as a typical BSS album. Hot tracks, noise tracks, transition tracks. It’s a COMPLETE product.

What would happen if the Arcade Fire became a collective of artists, like Broken Social Scene? Do you think they’d show up in iPod Nano commercials?

MP3: Kevin Drew – TBTF
MP3: Kevin Drew- Big Love
OLDIE BUT GOODIE MP3: Broken Social Scene – Cause = Time

Buy the new Kevin Drew Album entitled “Spirit If…” at Amazon.com