I've recently met someone that knows a lot about her music. It got me thinking, besides knowing a few lyrics to some big hit songs; I really don't much about music or music artists! So I'm resorting to you fine members of VGC. What's the basic information the average person should know about music artists and songs? What bands should be familiar to everyone? What songs should you immediately be able to link to the artist? etc.

Think of this as a Music 101 class! and I'm hungry for more knowledge.

The basic information someone should know about songs and bands is what sound they (The person listening) like. The bands that should be familiar to someone are the ones that the person likes listening to the most. The bands that should be familiar to everyone is the ones that play music.

Music is so personal and just because bands like Blink 182 or Nickleback are HUGE doesn't mean they are any good. My favorite bands are ones no one has heard of before.

This guy named Brian Carley was in this band in the late 90's and I loved his music... He is now on tour with his acoustic guitar and he played at my house! I was talking to him... and I found out he wrote and directed the stride gum with the goat head butting the guy in the street. I was blown away that I admired this guy for 10 years o my life through his music to find out I was watching his work.

Motoi Sakuraba!!

there is no right answer, different people love/hate different music, you don't have to know anything about a band to like one of there songs, only if you want to.

personally, my favourite bands are Oasis, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who and Queen, I know allot about some of them and much less about others, i do know that i like allot of songs by all of them though, that is what matters most.

Michael jackson has the best selling album of all time in the world- but in the US that title belongs to the Eagles

i agree with the post above me but u can start by researching the top 5 famous artists of rap,rock,pop and etc. thats easy

Oh shit i skimmed the OP and read rolls post and assumed we were talkin bout VG music....like everybodies been sayin u arnt required to like what masses like its just taste..i like sum rap hate other rap same with pop.RB&B, ect..i like wat my ears like

im curious above posters, why should he or anyone else care who the most popular/famous artists are? surely what matters is whether they like they're music or not?

The bands I like are generally quite well known, but that has no impact on my liking there music, I also like a few bands that many here may not have heard of.

listen to loads of music...
but as scifiboy said there its all up to your personal taste.
However i think everybody knows of Micheal jackson,Elvis Presley,The beatles.
Get to know genres and as i said the more you listen the better

Genres are a sham. I mean... seriously. I've been listening to Emo since the mid 90's... now its an excuse to cross dress and be neo goths. Definatly not the same as I listened to it 15 years ago.