We’re quick to imagine musicians as predictable.
Their public personas, their familiar hits, the mythology we build around them. We know how they think:
Right down to what they like to sing in the shower.
But every now and then, they reveal otherwise. And suddenly all those neat and tidy assumptions collapse.
As in:
- Someone whose trademark appearance is “armored up” and full of aggression, but can adore a somber and stripped-down acoustic record?
- Or another, who built a career on industrial rage, but tears up over a breezy pop record?
- How about a legend of the working-class hero who unabashedly says, “I love disco”?
- Or the hip-hop and Southern Rap icon who finds solace in soaring and ethereal soundscapes – that come from the UK, no less?
And therein lies the beauty of an open mind:
Even when we think we “get” someone musically, the swinging door can suddenly open in an opposite direction, providing a fascinating little surprise.
The best part is that in each of the following examples, the choices are not made just to be some sort of an artistic contrarian; to come off as gratuitous, and somewhat embarrassing: “well, gee, … ya got me… now you know my Guilty Pleasure…”
They instead come across as genuine admiration, the kind that surprises you, but also makes sense once you hear the reasons.
From Gore to Ghostly Americana
If you’ve ever watched GWAR perform:
The horns…
The incomprehensible costumes…
The stage fluids that defy description…
Well, than you could reasonably expected to assume the frontman’s musical tastes lean entirely toward extreme, aggressive sounds.
But according to the head gwarrior:
The ever-adorable Blöthar himself…
has openly expressed deep admiration for Bruce Springsteen’s quiet and reflective epic album, Nebraska. He wrote about it in a piece for Revolver Magazine:
“I will always love this record. Nebraska is pretty much the epitome of Springsteen’s promise as an artist:“
“(A)n unflinching ode to a gothic vision of America, as full of terror and despair as it is of hope for a better life.”
Considering the source, It’s a slightly startling revelation.
Beneath all the theatrical mayhem, the intergalactic metallurgy, and, you know, the udders, there’s a man moved by the raw storytelling and emotional depth of one of rock’s most somber albums.
I was not a rabid fan of GWAR before I wrote this paragraph, but I think I can say now that I’m a fan of Blöthar.
The Working-Class Hero Who Appreciates The Glitter and Groove
Speaking of:
Bruce Springsteen is the guy you picture perennially driving a beat-up 1974 Camaro across the New Jersey Turnpike:
Windows down regardless of the season, and waxing poetic about working-class heartbreak.
What you likely don’t picture is him drifting toward the world of disco, a genre that sits about as far from his own as possible. But he does, and it’s not some throwaway curiosity.
On the topic of disco music, Springsteen has pushed back hard many times against the irrational backlash and kneejerk of the genre. As recently as last month, Bruce was asked about “Cover Me,” a top ten hit that he almost gave away to Donna Summer. He related:
“No, my manager Jon Landau heard it and told me to keep it for myself. Instead, I wrote a song for her called “Protection.”
“[Donna] could really sing… Yeah, I didn’t like the whole anti-disco thing.“I always thought it was racist. And I really liked disco. I still do.”
This isn’t a casual nod to a genre outside his usual wheelhouse. It’s layers of moral, political, and personal commentary. He believed the “Disco Sucks” movement was more than aesthetic snobbery; he saw it as racial animus.
And like a lot things that Springsteen does, it deepens his myth rather than diluting it.
When Industrial Darkness Meets Pop Brightness
Trent Reznor is the embodiment of industrial grit and intense sonic landscapes.
You wouldn’t expect the face of Nine Inch Nails to admit that pop music can move him on a deeper level.
But he sure did.
In a podcast with Rick Rubin, as reported by NME, Reznor said he’d “teared up listening to a Dua Lipa track … because it was just a really well‑done piece of music.”
Which song?
Reznor revealed in a Stereogum Instagram interview chat the song was her 2020 hit “Levitating”, adding:
“When she got to the ‘sugarboo’ line, it broke me.”
A man who built his career on darkness and industrial rage can be moved by the brightness and songcraft of a modern pop hit.
And in an adorable coda: turning into a certified puddle of soup upon hearing the word “sugarboo.”
It’s an unexpected but reassuringly human testament to the emotional reach of music across genres.
Good on you, Trent. “As alive as you need me to be,” indeed.
A Southern Rap Legend’s Unexpected Journey Into Ethereal Sound
Who doesn’t love Big Boi:
50% of the essential Southern-rap duo OutKast.
His stock in trade is a heavy bass line, wild lyricism, and razor-sharp orchestration, shaken like a… OK, never mind… you get it.
But he’s also said that some of his most profound listening moments come courtesy of Kate Bush:
Particularly Hounds of Love.
He admires her for her fearlessness, her vocal layering, and the way she arranges songs like they could exist outside this world.
Big Boi really likes Kate. In fact, he likes her so much that he lobbied to be the one to induct her into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2023:
“What I love about Kate’s music is that I never know what sound I’m going to hear next … She ignores anything that seems like a formula …“
“She challenges me … and expands my ears and my mind.”
“No matter how many times I listen to The Dreaming or 50 Words for Snow, they sound fresh … They surprise me every time.”
Unguarded and honest words from a rap, soul, and hip-hop vanguard, moved by the strange, beautiful architecture of Kate Bush’s soundscapes.
That, right there, gives me hope. I have no idea why, but it’s somehow inspiring.
It’s a delight to discover that an artist, famous for one very specific thing, is quietly enamored with a genre or song that lives on a completely different musical plane.
The joyful mismatch is a reminder that even rock and roll icons, metal warriors, and rap legends have secret rooms in their musical houses.
And on those occasions when we get a peek inside, it’s fun to find them grooving to something we never, ever expected.
Thank You For Your Vote!
Sorry You have Already Voted!
This is a fun topic and those are all good examples. I particular got a kick out of Blöthar digging Nebraska and his eloquent appraisal of the album.
Back in 90s, Billy Corgan did an interview for a guitar magazine in which he revealed that he was a fan of the band Boston. That seemed odd and out of character at the time.