Why does DT not get all the respect they deserve?

[MA2SWAWIDWJ]

Dream Theater is the greatest band of all time. Why is it so scarce to find someone in real life who has ever heard of them; or more than PMU. Why are there so few concerts in North America compared to the rest of the world? I am actually curious because i do not understand why they are not played more on the radio or barely ever nominated for any awards. Clearly the band does it for the fans and the music so they might not mind but it would be nice to see the band get the recognition they deserve.

[Train of Naught]

Because it's progressive metal? 

[Kotowboy]

I just hate that you can't mention Dream Theater without someone going " Lol James Labrie sucks "

[rumborak]

When you start the post with "DT is the greatest band of all time", lol...

[CDrice]

Because people just don't have the time for music anymore.

[seasonsinthesky]

And because you are equating popularity with "getting the respect they deserve." One does not require the other.

[Skeever]

All time great? Nah. Not even close to being part of that body for work, even for just progressive rock bands. They're more like a footnote  - A really long and interesting footnote, but still a footnote.

The "problem" I have with grouping DT into the same echelon as Yes, or Rush, or Floyd, or some of the truly great progressive rock bands is that DT never took as many creative chances as those other artists. Everything they've done has some immediate and obvious precedence in the past, and nothing they've done has ever really felt that "new" or off-the-wall. So what did DT do? DT refined the progressive metal genre and were successful as its bannermen for an extended period of time. That's great, but it's not that important. Other bands, like Radiohead, did a lot more to innovate of the principals of progressive and experimental rock music, while being far more influential. Meanwhile, DT are about a safe and conservative as progressive rock gets, at least anymore.

Don't get me wrong, they're a personal favorite of mine, for different reasons - not because I think they belong in some all time great category.

[pcs90]

Because the style of music that DT plays isn't exactly popular to begin with. You don't have to have any talent at all and you can be famous. I don't really care if a band has a ton of awards or none at all because honestly it doesn't mean much.
And come on, imagine them playing Metropolis on the radio...people wouldn't get it. I would bet most would change the station or at the very least be totally confused. Sure, a few people will enjoy it but it's just not something that is apreciated in pop culture and with the way most mainstream music is going I doubt that's going to change.

[Sir Walrus Cauliflower]

^^^ very well articulated point. They're my personal favorite band ever, but that doesn't equate to the all time great. I think they're up their a fair bit more than other bands, but there are a lot more who did more for the genre. And to be fair, they're fairly popular considering the type of band they are and the music that they play.

[MA2SWAWIDWJ]

I agree with many things stated above. Of course everyome has their opinion and this is only one, mine. I guess i just dont understand how so few people have even heard of them considering they have been around almost as long as Metallica but have done more work (not comparing the bands themselves, just more of the timeline). DT's music is so technical and emotional, why arent more people amazed by their work,  or at the very least what Petrucci can do with a guitar. Also there is the fact that just about anyone has at least heard of some of the other bands mentioned in this post such as Floyd or Rush which are amazing of course but why is their music so much more popular than DT? Im not trying to sound too whiny here, i am really just curious as to why others dont see the awesomeness that is DT, i have actually had entire conversations about it with my gf.

[bosk1]

Because the style of music that DT plays isn't exactly popular to begin with.

...imagine them playing Metropolis on the radio...people wouldn't get it. I would bet most would change the station or at the very least be totally confused. Sure, a few people will enjoy it but it's just not something that is apreciated in pop culture and with the way most mainstream music is going I doubt that's going to change.

[Rodni Demental]

I don't know how much respect they 'deserve', or what that even means exactly but, DT do get a lot of respect. If you're asking why more people don't appreciate them in the way that we do well... They don't have to, not to mention the expectation that they should appreciate it is a bit of an imposition. Anyone can think what they want about any kind of music. At the end of the day, I think it says more about ourselves than it does about DT or any other artist we're discussing anyway.

[Zirreall]

People of this time are being fed 3 minute 4/4 time songs. They only know how to digest simple tunes.  The Astonishing is now.

[TH1RT3EN]

Because the style of music that DT plays isn't exactly popular to begin with. You don't have to have any talent at all and you can be famous. I don't really care if a band has a ton of awards or none at all because honestly it doesn't mean much.
And come on, imagine them playing Metropolis on the radio...people wouldn't get it. I would bet most would change the station or at the very least be totally confused. Sure, a few people will enjoy it but it's just not something that is appreciated in pop culture and with the way most mainstream music is going I doubt that's going to change.

That makes me wonder what it was like to turn on the radio and hear Pull Me Under coming out of it 24 years ago. I know it's not as crazy as Metropolis, but stil...

[bl5150]

That makes me wonder what it was like to turn on the radio and hear Pull Me Under coming out of it 24 years ago.

it was awesome    Although I never heard it on commercial radio - was never any sort of "hit" in these parts  , just on an underground metal station.

DT get enormous respect from the people that matter 

[bosk1]

Well, I think what most of us heard most of the time was the edit, and even THAT seemed kinda crazy and out there.  But the thing is, people who would have liked music with heavy riffing that sounded like that would probably have been at least casual Metallica fans, and One kinda primed the pump in terms of people being mentally prepared for a metal song that was longer than 4 minutes and didn't go verse-chorus-verse-chorus-solo-chorus.  So while it was a bit "out there," it was accessible enough that people could still get into it.

[ariich]

I don't understand this thread.

[TioJorge]

Well, aside from the insane 'factual opinions', they get an astounding amount of respect from the fans. That's not what you're talking about...you're talking about exposure and people have cleared that up quite nicely. If someone doesn't like the music, that doesn't mean they don't respect it, though there is plenty of that as well. But I think that DT has a huge amount of respect from the musical community at large. There are naysayers and the handfuls of immature twits that will down-talk anything they don't like but that is with every single aspect of life out there.

I very rarely listen to DT these days but I still have the utmost of respect for the band entirely and they are still the starting point for my ever expanding musical journey. Not just for their musical talent but the guys are just downright wonderful people; the fact they are such talented musicians that have made some of the most beautiful music ever is just a big-ass cherry on top. Other than the aforementioned twits, I very rarely see anyone being disrespectful to the band that has any amount of respect themselves, which is not a coincidence. As they say...

RESPECT IS NOT A ONE WAY STREET!

I had to.

It was too perfect.

I will not apologize.

[Outcrier]

Because the style of music that DT plays isn't exactly popular to begin with.

This. Progressive Metal is a pretty niche genre, even to people into metal.

[Stadler]

Because the style of music that DT plays isn't exactly popular to begin with. You don't have to have any talent at all and you can be famous. I don't really care if a band has a ton of awards or none at all because honestly it doesn't mean much.
And come on, imagine them playing Metropolis on the radio...people wouldn't get it. I would bet most would change the station or at the very least be totally confused. Sure, a few people will enjoy it but it's just not something that is appreciated in pop culture and with the way most mainstream music is going I doubt that's going to change.

That makes me wonder what it was like to turn on the radio and hear Pull Me Under coming out of it 24 years ago. I know it's not as crazy as Metropolis, but stil...

Actually, I was there, then, and that's exactly how I got into Dream Theater to start with.  And to be honest - and this is NOT a dig on the band at all - it wasn't the earthshaking experience you might think it was.   Remember, this is 1992; it wasn't all that "crazy"; we had already gotten "...And Justice For All" but Metallica seemed headed off on a tangent, we had already gotten "Rime Of The Ancient Mariner" but Iron Maiden was off on a slight tangent, we had already gotten "Red Barchetta" and "La Villa Strangiato", but Rush was off on a slight tangent... for me, anyway, it was far less "HOLY FUCK LISTEN TO THAT!!" than it was "Wow, that's pretty damn neat; I wish the bands I loved still did that!".  The only thing I can remember really being something to note was the use of the double bass drum; and even that, at first I was like "This is a great song, that singer is WORLD CLASS, but that drummer needs to stay in his lane!"   I've since changed my tune:  still love James' voice, but Mike is my favorite member of DT, and one of my three favorite drummers of all time.

Look, everyone's opinion, and yadda yadda yadda, but the reality is, they have the respect and popularity they deserve.  That they are YOUR favorite band doesn't mean squat beyond the fact that they are your favorite band.  Unfortunately, it's NOT because "people are dumb", it's not because "all people are sheep who only want 4/4 simple", it's not because "their record labels blow".  To the extent that anyone "deserves" anything, I firmly believe that  they DO get the "RESPECT" they deserve - they are all regarded as very highly skilled at their craft - but I think this thread is more about "why don't other people like what I like"?  And that is a fool's game trying to figure that out.

[rumborak]

The prog snobbery is strong in this thread.

Regarding PMU, yeah, it was neat, not earth shattering. My thought upon listening was "oh, a heavy Genesis with a contemporary singer. Neat"
("Contemporary singer" is the hilarious part, as that style of singing would soon fall out of favor)

[Woodworker1]

They did get nominated twice for a Grammy Award.  And DT does get a lot of respect from musicians as well, even musicians that do not play progressive metal. 

Given the low musical standards of today's music I am amazed that they are as popular as they are.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Because the general public has abysmally short attention spans and if it can't be fit into a 4-ish minute radio piece, then people will lose focus and change the channel.  I admit to being one of those people.

[Tick]

As mentioned they have had 2 Grammy nominations. They are at the top of the heep in their genre. They just play a very non popular style of music. The world likes brainless simple crap for the most part.

[Bertie_Wooster]

Probably because Rush fans are snobs and unlike DT fans they worship everyting the band does and have no time for DT.

[Jinx]

...The world likes brainless simple crap for the most part.

I know of a few people who won't listen to DT due to (in their words) "pointless wacky solos" and "I won't listen to a five minutes guitar solo which is their just because they can".

That's the reason I listen to it!!

Also my brother in law rather annoyingly refers to them as a piss poor Floyd tribute. Like, I think he listened to one song (Octavarium), noticed the intro was similar to SYD and has based a whole bands work on that. Also he will headbanging to say TEI then when he finds out its DT he will turn off. 

[Stadler]

Given the low musical standards of today's music I am amazed that they are as popular as they are.

The world likes brainless simple crap for the most part.

I don't know; I don't want to start a fight, but I reject this.   There's nothing "low" or "brainless" about, say, Bruno Mars or Adele.  It's just going for a different vibe.   I think if you want to say anything about more popular music is that it taps into more 'baser' emotions.   I don't think the average person is all that interested in lyrical discussions of stem cell research, but that doesn't make them "simple" or "brainless".  Many people, myself included, use music as a way to step back from the "stem cell research" type questions.   It's a way of capturing that feeling of love or loss or anger that is sometimes hard for people to express or wrap their arms around.  If writing a song like "Once In A Lifetime" by One Direction was so damn easy, everyone would do it.  But they don't. 

I don't want to minimize what they do, because I love it and I am a dedicated Dream Theater fan, but there is an element to which some of what we profess to adore is "muscle dexterity".  Even I, a two-bit shitty guitar player, can, with enough time, sit down and figure out complicated pieces, but I could sit for 1,000 years and never write a song as beautiful as "Yesterday".  2:03 of almost pure perfection, and nary a diminished chord, polyrhythm, or unison line to be found.

[MirrorMask]

Also, the thing with music is that, while being a passion for many, for countless many others is just background entertainment. Same with books, some are books fanatics and others just read a book once a year while they're chilling out at the beach during summertime.

I'm sure there are art forums out there with a topic that says "How can people go to the Louvre only to see the Monna Lisa?"

[kirksnosehair]

Dream Theater is the greatest band of all time. Why is it so scarce to find someone in real life who has ever heard of them; or more than PMU. Why are there so few concerts in North America compared to the rest of the world? I am actually curious because i do not understand why they are not played more on the radio or barely ever nominated for any awards. Clearly the band does it for the fans and the music so they might not mind but it would be nice to see the band get the recognition they deserve.

Two words:


Britney Spears

[Prog Snob]

The prog snobbery is strong in this thread.

I didn't even say anything yet. 

[Mebert78]

they are not played more on the radio or barely ever nominated for any awards.

Dream Theater was nominated for a Grammy two of the past four years, "Metropolis" was one of 11 new songs on Rock Band 4 in October, and I&W was recently named the top prog album of the past 25 years by The Prog Report.  In my opinion, the band is very well-respected!

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

DT gets plenty of respect in their musical circles.

[matthewmatt]

The prog snobbery is strong in this thread.

I didn't even say anything yet.

Will you mind if I adore you if only for this exchange, your nickname and your signature? 

But to answer the op, it's just that prog rock has it tough generally, prog metal even worse (because prog rock fans won't touch it with a hundred feet pole cause it's "too heavy") and so it will never be that popular. Yes, I don't like it too, but that's pretty much everything I can do with that. (Oh, and I converted my wife! I succeeded! One more snob walking the Earth! Yes!)

[DragonGuitar]

I think DT does get the respect they deserve; in musician circles they are regarded very highly. Any musician can appreciate the virtuosity with which they play. That doesn't mean all musicians want to play like them, I know a fair amount of people who don't like the complexity of their music, or think they are pretentious and "showing off", but even then there is a grudging respect for how technically advanced they are.

As for why dream theater is not POPULAR, though, is another story. Listen to some pop music or rap; that's what most people like. Then listen to some DT. There isn't really a lot of overlap. The songs are too long, epic, and complex to be fully appreciated by many people, and the public has a short attention span. Not a lot of people will take 20 minutes to listen to one song.

[thosava]

I think DT get the right amount of praise from prog fans. But on the other hand, i don't think prog in general is getting the amount of praise it should. Prog should be up there alongside classical and jazz as the "technical/hard/intricate" music genres. It's also often looked down upon by more casual music listeners.