I try to at least keep one ear on current music - even if I'm slightly behind - just to see if there's anything worth hearing. One of my worst stories when it comes to current music and my pre-writing substitute teaching gig: I was substituting for an English class, and the library had a presentation about all the things you could do at the library and all the stuff that would be available at the end of the year. Well, I take my first period class and they play the slideshow. The song? "Tonight, Tonight" The students see me quite obviously wincing and grimacing from the opening few seconds, and some even began to sing it as we left. I had to go to that slide show SIX TIMES. The moral? Kids and Hot Chelle Rae suck.
As one of the biggest Beach Boys fans around, it was depressing and wonderful to see them back. Brian's pretty shot, but the best/worst part? He's made some pretty big strides vocally and on-stage since he came back again in the early 2000s. I was listening to him and all I could think was "That's the best he's sounded in a few years." Seems like a Sheep question. Talk about a musician whose career was cut pretty damn short by pressure/drugs
As 21 pointed out, and you as well in this, they're different artists. It is probably folly to compare them straight up and say one is better. That's what we do in our society, though, and I think you make a fine argument for why a person could pick either one. With that being the case, I don't think it makes one a contrarian to pick Winehouse. We are talking about small degrees in a very subjective debate here.
Saying that Winehouse > Adele =/= saying that one dislikes Adele. You're making - or at least strongly verging on making - a pretty big leap. Also, I think you could adequately make your Adele > Winehouse point without ascribing motives to the people who think differently. To me, as much as people on this thread have been saying that the two aren't similar (patently absurd, by the way), Winehouse gets at least some bonus points for paving the way for her countrywoman. It might be contrarian in 2012, in the heat of the moment, to say that Amy Winehouse was better than Adele. Check back in 10 years, though. P.S. I feel all guilty for disagreeing with you now that I see you agreed with my Houston post/doctoral dissertation!
I was trying to be light about it, actually. It was meant as a nod of respect. When I disagree with you, I feel like I'm out on a limb, because you have great insight and also are terrific at expressing that insight. When someone I know you respect independently agreed with me, that was somewhat of a (light-hearted) relief. I give up, though. No more jokes. That stuff is obviously still too raw.
Old news. Record industry refuses to believe it, but that's been going on for years. This year was the first in like five years that CD sales went up over the previous year. And it's mostly due to Adele.
I wouldn't say Winehouse paved the way. They're hardly the first in the line of British female "blue eyed soul" singers. Joss Stone came immediately before either of them, and they all owe a huge debt to Dusty Springfield. Adele and Winehouse are different branches of the same style. I think Adele's the stronger singer but preferred the arrangements of Winehouse's songs. (Those can largely be credited to her band, the Dap-Kings, who she borrowed from Sharon Jones.)
Loves Sharon Jones's albums, never seen her live. Another damn good British soul singer I'll add to PC's list: Annie Lennox.