Awesome dude! I love the Trans-Siberian Orchestra! Making Christmas music sound even awesomer. Gotta get some on my iPod. But I can top that. August Burns Red (Another one of my favorites) did a Christmas song. +1 for Christian metal bands!
I'm feeling that the word "mainstream" is being thrown around like an expletive here, much like "conservative" or "liberal" is thrown around these days. You really shouldn't just automatically assume that mainstream = crappy music, because it doesn't. As such, crappy music = mainstream also does not work (I'd argue that there is more crappy indie music than crappy mainstream music). Bear in mind that many of the artists who many people cite as examples of good music through history were themselves very mainstream; all that music fromt he 60s and 70s that people hark back to as the "golden age" was mostly mainstream. Sure, mainstream in the 60s had a different feel from mainstream today, but a band isn't bad because the mainstream of listeners like them. What's the most mainstream band out there? The Beatles. And everyone likes the Beatles (some more than others). Everyone also likes Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. And Bob Dylan. And any number of other artists from the day (some more well known than the others). While I can appreciate and love some of the indie bands out there, the truth of the matter is that most of my staples are mainstream acts (David Bowie, Talking Heads, Neil Young, Pink Floyd, blah blah blah). A modern example I usually cite as mainstream not being all bad is Kanye West. Yes, many people hate him. Yes, he's a dick. But is he a talentless hack? Well, say what you will about his lyrics, but he can make some damn fine songs, especially considering he's not just the lyricist but the producer as well. How many hip-hop acts actually make BOTH the music AND the lyrics for their songs? Few, most of them seek the help of a third party. And don't get me wrong here, I'm not saying Kanye is the best rapper out there, far from it, but he's mainstream (REALLY mainstream), AND good. So what should you do when it comes to music? Ignore what other people are saying about it. If you like T-Pain, then so be it. I think T-Pain is garbage, but that doesn't necessarily mean that he isn't appealing, genuinely appealing, to some listeners (I think that most people just like him because he's the cool fella to like these days, but there are some real fans out there). If you like Miley Cyrus, then you really shouldn't feel any shame about it, it just all comes down to perspective. Listen to what YOU like, regardless of whether it is the hip (kids still say that?) thing or not. When you start dividing up music on the grounds of "mainstream" or "indie" and making black and white assumptions (Mainstream = crap, indie = Pitchfork likes them therefore they are awesome), you really are missing out on a lot of good acts, as well missing out on your own personal musical identity that is unique to you. As a side note I also think that country music gets a bad rap. Much in the same way rap music gets a bad rap. It's not necessarily an argument of mainstream-ness necessarily, however don't make the faulty assumption that all country music is twangy filth.
Wow, while those two piano pieces didn't amaze me or anything, they're by no means bad... that was a freakin' fast change. And that's a cool name, Germanotta. Lady Gaga just sounds stupid.
Wow, she's actually talented. She used to look normal too. I guess this was before she transformed herself into a futuristic tan penis.
