Good music suggestions to convert one who listens to Usher

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

I have a friend who listens to a lot of Usher, Alicia Keys, Destiny's Child, Ashlee Simpson, etc etc...

Is there some way I can sort of ease her into liking better music? Maybe I can do it into a series of CDs, one after the other with a little time in between to get used to them? If so, give song suggestions. I have a lot of music on my computer, but am not sure where to even start! HELP music junkies!

I refuse to believe she is beyond our help.

[mark414]

1. all i'll say

is that alicia keys is the shit...don't lump her in with the rest of that crap...

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

2. alright alright

i'm just giving a general picture of what she listens to!

[Champ]

3. Nothing wrong with Keys or DC

I like listening to some of their songs in fact.

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

4. It is if that's ALL she listens to

I'm trying to get a little diversity going.

[Lavender Brown]

5. I kind of like their new(ish) duet

[chatterboy]

6. What DOESN'T she like?

It might be helpful to know if your friend has any definite dislikes in music.

First tip: She needs to ditch the Ashlee. Wean her with some Weezer.

http://homepage.mac.com/rondavis/iblog/

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

7. I don't know her tastes well at all...

She lives across the hall from me...

In my house...

But still, I don't know her musical tastes because she listens to the same three CDs over and over and over and over.

She's our exchange student, teehee

[mvd]

8. Well, you don't have to convert her

I like a lot of pop myself - but diversity is good. I like some Usher songs, Alicia Keys, and Destiny's Child from the Survivor album on back. Even like a couple Ashlee Simpson songs, but she's definitely not a fave of mine. At least Ashlee's better than that amateurish Diana DeGarmo CD and the boy-band-lite Jesse McCartney.

Are you looking for obsure suggestions or more mainstream suggestions?

[mvd]

10. I know you won't agree with all of it, but..

I have a tentative favorite CDs of 2004 list you can start with. As one person said, though, we like what we like. There is no "best" music. This list could diversify her, though.

Top 20:

U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
Penelope Houston - Pale Green Girl
Bonnie McKee - Trouble
Patti Smith - Trampin'
Rilo Kiley - More Adventurous
A.C. Newman - Slow Wonder
The Corrs - Borrowed Heaven
Loretta Lynn - Van Lear Rose
Green Day - American Idiot
Avril Lavigne - Under My Skin
Maria Mena - White Turns Blue
Butterfly Boucher - Flutterby
Vanessa Carlton - Harmonium
Elliott Smith - From a Basement on a Hill
Holly Williams - The Ones We Never Knew
R.E.M. - Around The Sun
Steve Earle - The Revolution Starts.. Now
Donnas - Gold Medal
Diana Anaid - Beautiful Obscene
Abra Moore - Everything Changed

Honorable mentions:

Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds -
Abattoir Blues / The Lyre Of Orpheus
Wilco - A Ghost Is Born
Mindy Smith - One Moment More
Katy Rose - Because I Can
Indigo Girls - All That We Let In
Hanson - Underneath
Mary Lou Lord - Baby Blue
Finn Brothers - Everyone Is Here
Gwen Stefani - Love, Music, Angel, Baby
Interpol - Antics
P.J. Harvey - Uh Huh Her
Collective Soul - Youth

Guilty pleasure of the year: Lindsay Lohan - Speak

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

12. Thanks mvd!

Yes, this is more of an attempt to not have to listen to her CDs over and over from across the hallway. You have a good list there that I will use.

Oh, and I know you just put Hanson on there because you're talking to me ;)

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

13. Oh my god, you're going to think I'm weird

But I love Jesse McCartney, he can sing to me anytime he wants :D

[donheld]

9. Why try to change her

You like the music you like and she can like the music she likes. Why must we try to change peoples tastes? The only one you listed that i wouldn't go out of my way to hear is Ashlee.

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

11. Not trying to change her

Trying to diversify her a bit so I don't have to listen to the same 3 CDs over and over and over and over again.

[ZoCrowes]

14. If she likes R&B

start off with some easily accessible stuff like Marvin Gaye's Best Of work then more her into Stevie Wonder and then onto the Beatles etc. Get em started on the most easily accessible stuff then move to the more obscure.

[Droopy]

15. Old Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax, Suicidal Tendencies, Slayer

Sepultura, Slip Knot, A Perfect Circle, Tool, Tenacious D, Black Sabbath, Sum 41, Ozzy Osbourne.

If she has any taste in music she should enjoy all those bands. ;)

Actually I don't think a lot of women like those bands, except for maybe A Perfect Circle. It's high testosterone stuff. But you never can tell. I know there have been a few all female heavy metal bands.

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

18. I like Tenacious D!

:D

[judaspriestess]

27. Oh no love, Heavy Metal always

Mercyful Fate, Metal Church
Pantera, Slayer, Soulfly, Fear Factory, Slip Knot, Damage Plan, old and I mean old Metallica and lots more
Just saw Slayer two nights ago.
and the all time greatest to me....JUDAS PRIEST, I love you Robert!!
thus my name.............

[CrownPrinceBandar]

16. Portishead, Morcheeba, Jamiroquai...............................

just off the top of my head.

[bigwillq]

17. I think Usher and Keys are very talented performers

DC are a puff piece but I still bob my head everytime one of their songs comes on the radio.

May I ask how old your friend is?

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

20. 17

nt

[AlCzervik]

19. Give her some Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles, can't go wrong there

[progressoid]

21. Damn right.

[judaspriestess]

22. SLAYER, SLAYER, SLAYER, Pantera, Soulfly to name a few

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

24. That's not easing her into anything

That's replacing crappy R&B heaches with metal headaches. I don't see the difference.

[judaspriestess]

28. You never know until you try n/t

[medeak]

23. Robert Randolph Family Band

kickin ass music for Fri and Sat nights...Robert Randolph voted top 20 guitarists of all time by rolling stone...like that matters ;-)

http://www.robertrandolph.net/

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

25. He is awesome

I have a lot of his music. :)

[medeak]

26. Eric Clapton

tour turned me on to him when he opened for Clapton. Ran into crew morning of concert and they all told me to not show up late and miss Randolph..were they right!

[SteveIrving1]

29. Green Day

Its worked miracles on many, My sister, 2 best Friends, 3 girlfreinds,.... etc.

[medeak]

30. welcome to DU Steve!

eom

[Spider Jerusalem]

31. Massive Attack.

Also Tricky, Roni Size, Barry Adamson, Portishead, Morcheeba....most of the stuff to come out of the UK's trip-hop/dub/downbeat scene would probably be good.

And some female jazz vocalists, perhaps. Nina Simone, Bille Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, and so on.