ZZ TOP VS THE BOSS

[Texicaster]

I'm not a Springsteen fan at all, but the disparity is probably about right as their respective catalogs really aren't comparable. Someone already mentioned it, but Springsteen's tunes are far more malleable than ZZ Top's. Sony paid a premium at $500M ($300M would have seemed more in line with other catalog sales) but it was always going to sell for many times more than the ZZ Top catalog.

As someone who really doesn't care for Bruce's music, I'm dreading the Springsteen carpet bombing Sony is about to inflict on us.

Absolutely!

BS is the safe blue cardigan sweater.

But I'll go out on a limb and say in the long run La Grange will prove to be the most valuable song in either catalog!

BTW I have never bought a ZZ Top album! Bought one BS, Born To Run, and after one listen actually broke it in half and ripped the cover I was so mad I wasted my weekly record budget on that lame arse album.

Never compelled to see either live.....so never did. In the long run it's simple; ZZ Top 10 songs I like a lot, BS 0.

 

[Greg70]

I'm not a BS fan and find most of his stuff boring and repetitive, but I do like a few of his tunes. I respect ZZ Top as musicians but don't seek them out to listen to them. The thing to remember is that what YOU think of either of them doesn't mean s--t. The people buying their catalogs are looking for a return on investment. They may think Bruce has a terrible voice or that ZZ Top's lyrics are too risque, but they don't care. They certainly don't care that Billy Gibbons has a legendary '59 Les Paul. They look at the sales figures and advertising/licensing/royalty potential of each catalog and value it accordingly.

I don't think anyone can say with a straight face that ZZ Top is just as popular as Bruce. Remember, we are a group of highly guitar-oriented people. I would be willing to bet that there are a much higher percentage of guitarist attending a ZZ concert than a BS one. These catalogs aren't being bought to appeal to guitar players alone.

 

[3fngrs]

Well ZZ Top was on Two and a Half Men, was Bruce?

I didn't think so.

Don't forget Eddie Van Halen.

 

[3fngrs]

And Steven Tyler!

 

[northernguitar]

Absolutely!

BS is the safe blue cardigan sweater.

But I'll go out on a limb and say in the long run La Grange will prove to be the most valuable song in either catalog!

BTW I have never bought a ZZ Top album! Bought one BS, Born To Run, and after one listen actually broke it in half and ripped the cover I was so mad I wasted my weekly record budget on that lame arse album.

Never compelled to see either live.....so never did. In the long run it's simple; ZZ Top 10 songs I like a lot, BS 0.

Market doesn’t care about your opinion.

 

[kafka]

Springsteen sells out tours played in stadiums. ZZ Top was playing casinos. Springsteen has sold 200 million albums vs ZZ Top at 50 million.

The math is easy.

Is it? I'd think that would make Springsteen's catalog worth $200M, not $500M. And you can't tour a catalog.

 

[Manual Slim]

The difference is between blues and pop rock. Yup, unfortunately it is that simple.

I get where you're coming from here, but if Sharp Dressed Man is going to carry the torch for blues I think I should go start a fire.

 

[northernguitar]

Is it? I'd think that would make Springsteen's catalog worth $200M, not $500M. And you can't tour a catalog.

It’ll be based on sales over the long term, and who is still selling. Again, Springsteen is selling out stadiums when he tours. ZZ Top will have casino hall tickets still available at the box office at showtime. And crowd sizes will be commensurate with album sales, so yes, the size of the catalog matters.

 

[Texicaster]

Market doesn’t care about your opinion.

Sure. But I wonder why you do?

 

[That Cal Webway]

Well to me ZZ Top is worth a lot more.

But then again pain and angst sells,
and I don't ZZ plays around with that contrived drama.

 

[northernguitar]

Sure. But I wonder why you do?

I don’t. I’m a sucker for an easy argument.

 

[Manual Slim]

Sure. But I wonder why you do?

If we didn't then this place would dry right up.

 

[Fiesta Red]

I like about half of Bruce’s catalog…and usually, it’s not his “epic” songs.

I love 97% of ZZ Top’s catalog. I only dislike a few of their songs, and those are neatly collected on one or two particular albums.

I understand the disparity in their selling prices, but not 10x the disparity.

 

[Grandy]

I kinda liked the Beatles/Springsteen, Stones/ZZTop pairing early on in this thread. The first two have written some great tunes that will translate into any musical context. The Stones/Top shares a distinct style when they play. And that's more important than any of the songs.

 

[Texicaster]

I don’t. I’m a sucker for an easy argument.

Haha

me too. Ever want a tussle just bring up ol’ Bruce and I’ll come bounding in!

I guess I’m still sore I wasted $3 of my allowance on BS way back in 1974+/-

short memory is shot but can hold a grudge!

 

[posttoastie]

Tube Steak Boogie could be used for a Hot Dog commercial to help recoup some of that 50 million.

 

[northernguitar]

Haha

me too. Ever want a tussle just bring up ol’ Bruce and I’ll come bounding in!

I likely wouldn’t bother. I probably listen to ZZ far more. But I acknowledge my opinion on matters of taste and what sells is useless.

 

[Blue Bill]

Here's my theory: BS, long ago, figured out which side of the bread has the butter on it. He systematically cultivated his image to cater to the beautiful people, the "elites" the one-percenters. He's as PC-progressive as you possibly can get. The irony of selling a working class hero to the ruling class is interesting.

I was born in New Jersey, but I lost interest after Born to Run.

ZZ Top never completely lost their Texas redneck leanings, plus, there's little in their music that might appeal to feminists, or even women in general. Their first hit was a mildly impolite name for an area of one's body. Plus, they wear hats that are even goofier then Bruce's Big Beret.

 

[radtz]

I likely wouldn’t bother. I probably listen to ZZ far more. But I acknowledge my opinion on matters of taste and what sells is useless.

I would echo and reinforce this by saying the more I like something the less popular it is. I've always felt the popularity of music was a bell shaped curve with pop music and pop country at the apex. Just flip that upside down at that's what I like.

 

[tanplastic]

BS is the safe blue cardigan sweater.

But I'll go out on a limb and say in the long run La Grange will prove to be the most valuable song in either catalog!

Then ZZT is fuzzy slippers, neither are remotely edgy or interesting any more.
If the advertising world discovers John Lee Hooker then ZZ Top's value tanks.