6 Reasons Why Rolling Stone is Nuts

"Best of..." or similar types of lists are fun to read and fun to put together. They're also fun to "correct," so here's 6 responses to Rolling Stone's recent list, "State of Rock: 40 Reasons to Get Excited About Music."

1. The Black Eyed Peas the #1 Reason To Be Excited About Music? Seriously? Was that the trade-off for getting the cover interview? Nothing against the Peas -- they're a funky band that's a lot of fun and you can certainly dance to 'em. But Will.i.am doesn't believe in music as art and the article makes that clear: His writing is pure commerce. "...songs aren't discrete works of art but multi-use applications - hit singles, ad jingles, film trailers..." and "he draws no distinction between writing rhymes and business plans." If there aren't better reasons to turn on your radio than the Peas...well, spend some time with real artists' back catalogs and your used record store.

2. The Hip-Hop Arena Show Has Arrived. What's so great about a genre "moving up" to venues so big they require watching on TV, where prices must be higher, and where sound is often less than great? Maybe good for the music industry but nothing to get excited about for fans.

3. Killer Concert Tickets for Less Than $50. OK, that's something worth crowing about -- provided the seats are worth the dough. But in most cases they aren't. Sitting on a lawn or in the third level of the United Center for just about anyone makes for a frustrating evening. True, you are in the show and if being there is all that counts then maybe $50 is worth it. But few bands can connect with those distant seats and fans would be better off upgrading their stereo system. And in most cases these prices are not the fault of the band. Yes, they all want to and should make their money, but in this hyper-competitive environment event promoters are guaranteeing huge paydays upfront to land a band's tour -- then have to price the tickets to recoup the guarantee. And don't buy into this idea that by charging outrageous prices for the best seats more people can afford to see the show. All fans should have an equal opportunity to see and hear their favorite band from the best seats -- it shouldn't be only those with a lot of disposable income that can afford the front row.

4. Cellphone as Jukebox. Hopefully not. There are enough boneheads out there trying to carry on conversations too loudly in all sorts of public places, disrupting everyone around them. About the last thing we need is for those same numbnuts to crank up "Eye of the Tiger." Plus, at least at this point, the fidelity of sound coming out of cellphones is worse than transistor radios of the 1960s.

5. Tribute Bands Are Sometimes Better Than the Real Thing. Really? You'd rather go see The Fab Faux than The Beatles? Badfish over Sublime? People made fun of Elvis impersonators for years but now that it's happening in rock it's cool? Folks in these bands need to get their own life.

6. Pop Divas Because Women Rule the Charts. First of all, Katy Perry, Lada Gaga, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift haven't even been around long enough to be considered "divas." Plus, if Miley Cyrus is a reason we should be excited about music please re-read #1 above.