Comments on: Five Things I Have Learned Watching VH1′s “100 Greatest Songs Of The 90s”

By: Jasonbob7

Jasonbob7 — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 12:34:08 +0000

@SuperUnison: Also, Michael Showalter has an episode of his web series (The Michael Showalter Showalter) where he takes the piss out of Michael Ian Black about his career in pop-culture commentary. Check it here:
[www.collegehumor.com]

I always looked at Mo Rocca as the black sheep of the Daily Show's early correspondents. Anyone else feel that way?

By: prolixrush

prolixrush — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 01:28:28 +0000

Is it just me, or is Rob Sheffield slowly morphing into a Bratz doll?

By: hotshot

hotshot — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 07:12:17 +0000

@hotshot: *was=watch

By: hotshot

hotshot — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 07:11:27 +0000

@heyzeus: True but this is the best "songs," not "videos."

That said, I was this crap with regularity and can't be pulled away from it. A few weeks back, VH-1 did a Top 40 Videos of 2007 thing like this, and I"ll be damned if I'd seen, max, 10 from that list.

Actually, though, I think the popularity of the music video in the '90s is part of the draw of this series. For instance, in my mind, "Black Hole Sun" and its video can't be looked at separately -- they're a single entity almost. If there ever were a Best Songs of the '00s special, they'd certainly include video clips in the series -- just to get some visuals on the screen -- but, really, what good would they do? They certainly wouldn't inspire the nostalgia that this list does.

By: Jess Harvell

Jess Harvell — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 05:40:51 +0000

i refuse to believe america isn’t waiting for me to imitate ok go on the treadmills in comedy slo-mo

By: heyzeus

heyzeus — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 05:31:14 +0000

Bad news, Jess. There will be no “Best Videos of the ’00s” because nobody has yet seen a video in this decade.

By: Maura Johnston

Maura Johnston — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 04:14:07 +0000

@SuperUnison: I think about yr second point a lot, actually, what with the way culture right now takes "all press is good press" to a completely absurdist level.

By: SuperUnison

SuperUnison — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 04:12:20 +0000

For what it's worth, Patton Oswalt has a great bit about being fired from a Vh1 gig.
@GovernmentNames: I agree, it makes me wonder if that kind of thing as it exists now (Soulja Boy etc.) is elevated in a way that is designed with a future kitsch lifespan in mind.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 04:10:59 +0000

@maura: The keyboardist is pretty hot, but it's not too hard to look better than the Daryl-Hannah-twins.

By: Al Shipley

Al Shipley — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 03:19:35 +0000

One thing I will say about this list: a lot of the songs suck, but at least VH1 is mostly sticking to their guns with stuff they actually played during the 90′s. There’s something really unseemly about the way they have their cake and eat it too with the “one hit wonders”/”awesomely bad” lists that pay backhanded compliments to shit the channel unironically forced on the viewing public at the time.

By: Jess Harvell

Jess Harvell — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 03:03:07 +0000

a little from both columns, mike.

i also forgot to add: "3A. Andrew WK can make the weird faces from the 'Black Hole Sun' video without the aid of special effects: But we probably coulda guessed that."

By: Dickdogfood

Dickdogfood — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 03:01:26 +0000

Also: I have flexible morals and a total lack of shame despite horrid Catholic upbringing.

Despite or because of, Jess?

By: Maura Johnston

Maura Johnston — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 03:00:25 +0000

The irony of Nelson never being filmed without guitars these days is that it was the keyboardist who was *really* the hot one.

Proof:
[youtube.com]

By: Dickdogfood

Dickdogfood — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 02:59:55 +0000

The dude comedians just have to recite the lyrics of the song in question in an exaggerated monotone.

I think the rock-crit equivalent of this is music-blogging.