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You know in the AMG Artist Biographies, how each artist has a set of descriptive adjectives called "Tones"? How do they come up with those adjectives? Does the database have a huge drop box of adjectives? Does each critic carry a thesaurus? And what do they actually do with that information? Some examples from the website:

Richard Marx: Sentimental, Rousing, Theatrical

Steve Roach: Ethereal, Somber, Calm/Peaceful, Clinical, Eerie, Soothing

Scott Walker: Somber, Wistful, Ominous, Passionate, Autumnal, Quirky, Theatrical, Eerie, Melancholy, Wry

Cocteau Twins: Ethereal, Gentle, Calm/Peaceful, Detached, Stylish, Sophisticated, Elegant, Eerie, Soothing, Cathartic

Michelle Branch: Searching, Energetic, Reflective, Passionate, Sentimental, Playful, Rousing, Earnest

Miles Davis: Ethereal, Reflective, Intense, Fiery, Complex, Poignant, Provocative, Sensual, Laid-Back/Mellow, Aggressive, Restrained, Visceral, Intimate, Stylish, Cerebral, Sophisticated, Elegant, Nocturnal, Druggy, Eerie, Melancholy, Rebellious, Cathartic, Brooding, Volatile, Angry

Suicide: Intense, Paranoid, Wintry, Provocative, Hypnotic, Tense/Anxious, Detached, Eerie, Bleak, Volatile

Low: Somber, Reflective, Wistful, Reserved, Precious, Sentimental, Sad, Gloomy, Wintry, Poignant, Restrained, Earnest, Soothing, Innocent, Angst-Ridden, Brooding

O-Town: Energetic, Fun, Playful, Sweet, Cheerful, Theatrical, Party/Celebratory

― dn, Monday, 9 December 2002 01:47 (twenty-two years ago)

personal faves---

R. Kelly: Sexy, Romantic, Confident, Sensual, Stylish, Carefree

Rupet "The Pina Colada Song" Holmes: Romantic, Sentimental, Sweet, Gentle, Laid-Back/Mellow, Amiable/Good-Natured

Vanilla Ice: Snide, Rambunctious, Malevolent, Confident, Rowdy, Aggressive, Silly

Meat Puppets: Freewheeling, Playful, Rollicking, Quirky, Summery, Druggy

and the best, one that his one PR team would probably love to use...

Billy Squier: Rollicking, Rousing, Rowdy

and one that's just one mood killing term from topping it...

INXS: Sexy, Refined/Mannered, Sensual, Sexual, Stylish

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 9 December 2002 02:00 (twenty-two years ago)

just to add...I found another one with one term sticking out like a cold sore in the middle of a consistent deluge.

Prince: Energetic, Sexy, Fun, Freewheeling, Boisterous, Playful, Joyous, Witty, Sensual, Quirky, Exuberant, Detached, Sexual, Whimsical, Party/Celebratory

(detached?)

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 9 December 2002 02:02 (twenty-two years ago)

whip it. try to detach it.

― Chupa-Cabras (vicc13), Monday, 9 December 2002 02:07 (twenty-two years ago)

what i still wanna know is, why do they recommend the Blow Monkeys' she was only a grocer's daughter for just about everything?

― Tad (llamasfur), Monday, 9 December 2002 02:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Because it's GREBT, duh!

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Monday, 9 December 2002 02:20 (twenty-two years ago)

my favorites are:

Pan Sonic: Somber, Ominous, Complex, Wintry, Detached, Clinical, Cerebral, Nocturnal, Eerie, Brooding, Bleak, Volatile, Hostile

Terre Thaemlitz: Confrontational, Complex, Clinical, Literate, Cerebral, Sophisticated, Melancholy, Bitter, Brooding

Rob Theakston: Ambitious, Indulgent, Freewheeling, Thuggish, Manic, Elegant, Angst-Ridden

― Mike Taylor (mjt), Monday, 9 December 2002 02:35 (twenty-two years ago)

the best is the "similar artists" box at the bottom where it links to bands that are "more playful", "more dark", or "lighter, freer" then the artist on the page but makes no sense. for example if i want a brighter version of the specials it takes me to rupaul. try it

― juiceboxxx, Monday, 9 December 2002 04:50 (twenty-two years ago)

I actually like all those adjectival desriptors, silly as some of them might sound, those terms are usually somewhat helpful (to me) in describing an artist's sound. And while I usually question that "similar artisis" section, maybe it's not that bad either. There is some unpolished and/or too brief writting in ILM, but overall I find it to be a valuable resource.

― Sean (Sean), Monday, 9 December 2002 05:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Wait a minute - are you saying the Blow Monkeys are actually GOOD? (I've always assumed they were a just a one hit wonder)

― Kim (Kim), Monday, 9 December 2002 05:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Are people missing the point that a list of adjectives is given and users who know the artist's work vote for which ones apply? So it's presumably readers (not AMG critics) who think Prince is "detached".

― Rupert, Monday, 9 December 2002 12:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Tones are determined by the in-house staff.

I don't necessarily agree with Prince being thought of as detached, but I think a case could be made with some of his more robotic vocals up through 1999.

― Andy K (Andy K), Monday, 9 December 2002 12:31 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, though it makes me laugh, the "tones" usually are pretty dead-on. I love the site.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 10 December 2002 00:06 (twenty-two years ago)

"R. Kelly:...Carefree"

Not anymore.

― Colin Beckett (Colin Beckett), Tuesday, 10 December 2002 23:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Anal Cunt = Messy, Harsh, Humorous, Snide, Aggressive, Visceral, Cynical/Sarcastic, Volatile

*giggles*

― Curtis Stephens, Wednesday, 11 December 2002 01:19 (twenty-two years ago)

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