It's never been an easy thing to pinpoint, the ability to charm the masses through the medium of music. Why do millions upon millions of people fall in love with the music of Radiohead, or Counting Crows, or Pink Floyd, or the Rolling Stones? What did these bands do that other great bands 'couldn't' - how did they transcend multiple generations' tastes and preferences and appeal to such a huge demographic of music fans?
I quote the word 'couldn't' because I don't mean it as a slight to artists that have developed loyal followings through their artistic efforts. There are a ton of albums that I know hit me in a way that most people don't feel...yet I know I'm not alone in this feeling.
We gravitate towards sounds that we want to hear. But why do some sounds make more sense to more of us?
I don't have the answer. Actually, I don't think there is any way to pinpoint why something just takes off in popularity. Each of the four bands I mentioned in the opening paragraph is immensely popular for different reasons. And in each of their situations, it was probably a combination of several important events that enabled them to create work that transcended generational boundaries.
At any rate I think this is a great topic for discussion, because without a true answer it is only human nature to look for one.
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