I listened the final top 20..10 ..that Mike posted ,,and with the exception of three ,and maybe a 4th ,, I just pass with all the others.
As Mike says, " A lot of their staff, as reflected in this top twenty list,seem to be big into prog metal. The listeners on aural moon don't seem to be into prog metal so much(I personally like some of it but am not a super huge fan)..."
To me,,metal and all its derivatives,, prog metal included ,,have a common quality,,a lack of melodic and harmonic ideas,, harmony makes richer and interesting any song but let s say just a lack of melodic ideas as a main thing. And I ll include also instrumental parts and solos.
Mostly Riffs and patterns,,clearly in guitar parts of course ,,,and also a very processed signal in general in the sound of instruments,,,,,I wont tell about singing.
I m super aware that what I m saying is a very subjective opinion of course.
Nicolette ! ..."and I like the sophistication of it..",,,maybe I think it is what I m trying to talking about,,, sophistication could be too much to me,,but I m super agree with you
I would say according all these years and knowing my friends here ,,and given we all share a huge music background,,,rock,,,popular ( when pop. or radio songs were played with much much more musicality actually..another topic ),,jazz,blues,,progressive,,experimental,,classic and even soundtrack music...etc....that....
I trust and enjoy by far AM Top10 lists
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by the way,,thanks to Jim ,, Top10 is about what we hear in this huge library,,with a little exceptions