Shout out to...

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

In the canteen just now the Miley song was on (and the Miley song was on, and the Miley song was oooooon etc), and it got me thinking...

...Do pop songs intentionally name drop other artists anymore? Did this use to be more of a common occurrence? Obviously this is a big thing in hiphop where shout-outs to your mates (especially dead ones) or ruthless disses are very common. Also, tediously-long lists of dudes who have influenced the artist seem to be mostly confined to dance music (Daft Punk, LCD Soundsystem, Soulwax, er Scooter), though feel free to correct me on that. Does the same thing happen in country or rock at all?

Off the top of my head I can think of the following pop tracks that reference other artists not directly involved in the making of the track:

Miley Cyrus - Party In The USA (Jay-Z and Britney)
Robbie Williams - She's Madonna
Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag (Iron Maiden)
CSS - Meeting Paris Hilton (who is technically a pop star I guess)

There must be more! Who would you say is name-dropped the most? Does it tend to be in the context of Artist 1 actually in the act of listening to Artist 2, like Miley is doing? Or swooning over them, like Robbie?

Comments

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

It happens a bit in country I think. Erm well I dunno, but anyway it happens in "Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)" where Big (or Rich) sings the girl every Willie Nelson song he can think of (and they made LUVVVVVV)

[daisychain-xx.livejournal.com]

I don't know the artist's name, but the song is called "Oopsy Daisy" and he name checks The Saturdays in it.
I think the line goes something like "I'm like the Saturdays every day because me and my heart have issues"
Something like that anyway.
It's an awful song, and the Saturdays are awful, but I had to listen to the radio in a friend's car on Sunday and it was on.

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

um american pie being both buddy holly and mentioning the stones.

buddy holly by weezer
like dylan in the movies by smell and sebastian

I'D RATHER JACK by the reynolds girls, HOW SOON WE FORGET etc

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

all the young dudes: i need tv when i've got t-rex
i know where syd barret lives by tvps

almost the entire career of HELEN LOVE, partic LONG LIVE THE UK MUSIC SCENE (although that's about the only one that *isn't* about joey ramone)

i think there is a Certain Type Of Indie where this is massively prevelant

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

thank you kat for reminding me of the Wombats - Let's dance to joy division

:-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-( :-(

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Ah - that would be Chipmunk.

the singer out of slipknot went to rome to see the pope...

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

there is not enough time to list all of the HMHB references to other bands, let me give you perhaps my favourite:

inspired by no one, other bands bore us
how can you say we sound like frazier chorus

[demiabeille.livejournal.com]

Rock tend to do it in visual ways, having cameos in the music videos rather than singing about it. Sometimes an artist will develop an obsession with an old rocker, such as in the case of Tenacious D, who go on about dio a fair bit in their songs. This is because Jack Black's style is motly taken entirely from Ronnie James Dio!

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

not now james WE'RE BUSY

[ms-bracken.livejournal.com]

I like this sort of project. So much that I made a collaborative playlist - reference to recording artiste not directly involved in the song (http://open.spotify.com/user/vincennes/playlist/4cDNL6v5AcpMy8CeHgaeUS). Also added Ask Her For Adderall by The Hold Steady - "If she asks, just tell her that we opened for the Stones / They're her favourite band, except for the Ramones".

[boyofbadgers.livejournal.com]

Let's Make Love (and listen to Death From Above)!

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

I Love You But I've Chosen the Darkness

[atommickbrane.livejournal.com]

The New Radicals!

something something Beck and HANSON, Courtney Love and Marilyn MANSON

[atommickbrane.livejournal.com]

Come round here we'll kick yer ASSES!

Oh there was crossness about that in the 6th form believe you me.

[atommickbrane.livejournal.com]

Also by the TVPs, Part Time PUNKS!

they wanna buy the o-level single! or read about seeeeymour. but they're not (pressed in red!) so they buy THE LURKERS instead (etc etc).

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

hold on, i know where syd barrett lives is Alternative TV isn't it? this is the same mistake hibbett made the other week...

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

out on tour with the smashing pumpkins

stone temple pilots, they're elegant bachelors

both from Range Life.

[atommickbrane.livejournal.com]

Nah man, you're right - it's definitely the TV Personalities!

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

There is crossness abt that song from me RIGHT NOW argh

[bengraham.livejournal.com]

As well as being about teenage abortion, Amanda Palmer's 'Oasis' references two Britpop legends:

"and so now we're not talking, except we have tickets to see Blur in October and i think were still going"

"Oasis sent a photograph, it's autographed and everything, Melissa's gonna wet herself, I swear"

[edgeofwhatever.livejournal.com]

See also Taylor Swift, "Tim McGraw."

[edgeofwhatever.livejournal.com]

How far back are we going? Eurythmics used to do it a bit -- "I believed in you / like Elvis Presley" in "Angel," the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in "Shame" -- before they just started referencing themselves.

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

hahahahahaha, HOW COULD I FORGET:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkMnp187K0Y

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

I was wondering if it's fallen out of fashion recently (and hence Miley standing out in 2009), so older comparisons v useful! I wonder if mentioning dead people (such as Elvis/John Lennon) (o noes I just remembered 'I Shot John Lennon' by the Cranberries argh my brain) is more prevalent than artists who are alive/currently recording?

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

wood beez!
when smokey sings!
black man ray!

does Rip It Up count? "and my favourite song's entitled 'boredom'"