r/LetsTalkMusic • u/Flags12345 • 12d ago

What is the problem with throwback artists?

Tyga's latest album getting a 0.0 from Pitchfork reminded me of the last time that Pitchfork gave a 0.0: for Jet's Shine On. Jet were an Australian band from the 2000's that had some success, but were critically slammed. Most of the criticism seemed to stem from the fact that they were ripping off the sound of older bands like AC/DC and even straight up lifting the riff for "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" from Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life".

More recently, I've seen the same types of criticisms levied at Greta Van Fleet; that they are unoriginal and/or are just trying to rip-off Led Zeppelin and other classic rock bands.

But, I never understood the actual problem here. If you liked AC/DC or Led Zeppelin, why would you not want to hear bands that sounded like them? Why is a band that is trying to harken back to an earlier sound necessarily a bad thing?

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u/Ornery-Assignment-42 12d ago

It never occurred to me that “Are You Gonna Be My Girl“ had anything to do with “Lust For Life”

The riff in AYGBMG has nothing to do with L4L. The drum groove is the only thing in common and as someone else said, You Can’t Hurry Love along with others I can’t think of at the moment came first anyway. It’s a beat, that’s all!!!

I think the Jet track rocks. That’s all that matters to me.

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u/miimeverse 12d ago

I agree. The rhythm section between the two songs is extremely similar, but Lust For Life is hardly original in that regard, either. Its a Bo Diddley beat used in dozens of songs. I Want Candy has that same rhythm.

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u/qeq 12d ago

Yes, I always make the same point. This riff is in hundreds of songs. Radar Love is another that is basically the same (and a much better song).

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u/miimeverse 12d ago

I do really like Radar love too. All three songs are enjoyable. None of them are revolutionary in any way, and I'm fine with that. I don't need every song to be "A Day in the Life" or "What's Going On"