Why are these singers are/were so popular?

[MichaelWinicki]

I listen to a lot of oldies 50's through the 80's and a lot of Christmas music this time of year... Two voices I can not for the life of my fathom their popularity (at one time):

Pat Boone- To me his voice is about as blah as you can get. I have no idea why he was as popular as he was in the 50's

Wayne Newton- Sounds like a little kid to me. Why folks would swamp his shows in Vegas to listen to him just amazes me.

 

[Tabascocat]

Danke Shoene put Wayne on the map and oh......the ladies loved him.

Boone is pretty bad to me. Not sure why he excelled.

 

[Hardline]

 

[PJTHEDOORS]

I listen to a lot of oldies 50's through the 80's and a lot of Christmas music this time of year... Two voices I can not for the life of my fathom their popularity (at one time):

Pat Boone- To me his voice is about as blah as you can get. I have no idea why he was as popular as he was in the 50's

Wayne Newton- Sounds like a little kid to me. Why folks would swamp his shows in Vegas to listen to him just amazes me.

Why did/do people like rap or heavy metal. That is beyond garbage.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Why did/do people like rap or heavy metal. That is beyond garbage.

I'm not talking about specific styles of music.

I'm talking singing voices or lack thereof.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Why did/do people like rap or heavy metal. That is beyond garbage.

Opinions are like ***holes, everyone has one.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Opinions are like ***holes, everyone has one.

He kind of misunderstood the topic.

We've beaten up specific music styles previously.

 

[Xelda]

Madonna and Paula Abdul come to mind.

 

[cowboyec]

johnny mathis.
his voice irritates me.
cheap imitation of Nat King Cole.

 

[Reality]

I listen to a lot of oldies 50's through the 80's and a lot of Christmas music this time of year... Two voices I can not for the life of my fathom their popularity (at one time):

Pat Boone- To me his voice is about as blah as you can get. I have no idea why he was as popular as he was in the 50's

Wayne Newton- Sounds like a little kid to me. Why folks would swamp his shows in Vegas to listen to him just amazes me.

People become fans of singers for a lot more than their voices.

The singer's persona or shtick might resonate or relate to them in some way or they may have been media darlings at one point so the media pushed them so much and often that people eventually warmed to their music.

Its actually a lot more common these days given social media for untalented or at least not very good singers to develop a huge following which leads the media to jump on their hype trains.

 

[Stash]

I listen to a lot of oldies 50's through the 80's and a lot of Christmas music this time of year... Two voices I can not for the life of my fathom their popularity (at one time):

Pat Boone- To me his voice is about as blah as you can get. I have no idea why he was as popular as he was in the 50's

Wayne Newton- Sounds like a little kid to me. Why folks would swamp his shows in Vegas to listen to him just amazes me.

Agree on both counts. Pat Boone has still managed to somehow sustain a career and is now all over the Sirius/XM 50's on 5, making me change the channel!

And whenever I hear Wayne Newton, that lisp of his comes shining through, how someone with a speech impediment ever became so popular amazes me.

 

[Stash]

People become fans of singers for a lot more than their voices.

The singer's persona or shtick might resonate or relate to them in some way or they may have been media darlings at one point so the media pushed them so much and often that people eventually warmed to their music.

Its actually a lot more common these days given social media for untalented or at least not very good singers to develop a huge following which leads the media to jump on their hype trains.

I love those who incorporate elaborate dancing, choreography and costumes to distract from the fact that their singing isn't very good. it's an effective distraction for a whole lot of people apparently.

 

[CouchCoach]

Boone was considered the new "crooner" style like Crosby and Sinatra and he was marketed and promoted with that sport coat an those while buck shoes. Like a lot of young guys at that time, I had to have those white bucks because Boone had them and all the girls loved him. Tommy Sands was another like Boone. Boone had appeal as that All American boy

Fabian couldn't carry a tune and they tried with him because of his looks. They went so far in the marketing push that they created Milli Vanilli.

You also have to consider that back then studios owned the lives of their actors, just ask Annette Funicello. I think Boone's heavy metal album was his push back against being forced to project that All American boy image all those years. The record labels and studios treated those people like property.

You start getting into "how in the hell did that singer" in country and I can fill this thread with ?'s

 

[DFWJC]

I'm not talking about specific styles of music.

I'm talking singing voices or lack thereof.

I elect Bob Dylan as worst singer.

One of the best song writers of all time though.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Boone was considered the new "crooner" style like Crosby and Sinatra and he was marketed and promoted with that sport coat an those while buck shoes. Like a lot of young guys at that time, I had to have those white bucks because Boone had them and all the girls loved him. Tommy Sands was another like Boone. Boone had appeal as that All American boy

Fabian couldn't carry a tune and they tried with him because of his looks. They went so far in the marketing push that they created Milli Vanilli.

You also have to consider that back then studios owned the lives of their actors, just ask Annette Funicello. I think Boone's heavy metal album was his push back against being forced to project that All American boy image all those years. The record labels and studios treated those people like property.

You start getting into "how in the hell did that singer" in country and I can fill this thread with ?'s

Good points on Boone.

I just find his voice so blah.

I listen to one of Boone's songs and then I hear say Marty Robbins sing "A White Sport Coat" or Johnny Mathis sing "Wonderful, Wonderful" and I think damn, these are much better singers.

 

[Quickdraw]

Aaron Neville is one that comes to mind.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I listen to a lot of oldies 50's through the 80's and a lot of Christmas music this time of year... Two voices I can not for the life of my fathom their popularity (at one time):

Pat Boone- To me his voice is about as blah as you can get. I have no idea why he was as popular as he was in the 50's

Wayne Newton- Sounds like a little kid to me. Why folks would swamp his shows in Vegas to listen to him just amazes me.

Pat Boone covered other artists songs that the Radio at the time would not play in some areas from the original artists. It was not that he was a great singer...when you cover songs like tutti fruiti , long tall sally and ain't that a shame it is not too hard to figure out what was going on...he was "safe" for some radio stations.

 

[DallasEast]

Last night, I caught a Pat Boone commercial selling a Medicare supplement. He sounded better in it than in any of his songs.

I am grateful he helped bring his daughter into the world. Debby Boone's You Light Up My Life is still one of my all-time sentimental favorites.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

I listen to a lot of oldies 50's through the 80's and a lot of Christmas music this time of year... Two voices I can not for the life of my fathom their popularity (at one time):

Pat Boone- To me his voice is about as blah as you can get. I have no idea why he was as popular as he was in the 50's

Wayne Newton- Sounds like a little kid to me. Why folks would swamp his shows in Vegas to listen to him just amazes me.

I think Pat Boone had some kind of big hit many years ago that got a lot of people interested in him. I'm like you. I find him kind of meh. I don't find him awful, but he doesn't seem all that special either.

 

[darthseinfeld]

Megan Trainor