Are Ben Harper and Jack Johnson still popular?

[musicismylife78]

Im a fan of both. But it seems like their was a point, in like 2000 or something where both were hugely popular.

I dont get the sense either really cares about fame or money or status. Jack has toured the world, the last 2 tours, he has donated 100 percent of all ticket sales, of every show to his charity, which is pretty insane if you think about it, given the amount of money he could be making, and the amount of money he is giving away in that ticket sales are a huge portion of any mucisicians income right now.
jack could easily sell out an arena, and im sure does.

Ben, with him, his popularity was and always seemed based on grassroots. Friends telling friends about him and his music. He too could play arenas.

But i dont know, maybe its just me, but it seems like they arent as popular as they once were, yet both could feasibly be rolling in money if they so desired, and i dont think either desires that.

Is the fact they arent popular, a result of modern music and technology in that their are so many bands releasing music each year, its easy to for bands to get lost in the shuffle so to speak?

maybe its that, they are still popular but their cd's are collecting dust because of as i said the thousands of cds released each year, and people still love ben and jack, but they are more into listening to bon iver, or adele, which are fine choices to listen to obviously.

I never hear people talk about jack or ben anymore. Why is this? Both have been experimenting music wise their last few albums. jack's last album is pretty different, and then ben;s had side projects, and got into harder rock with the relentless 7. maybe its that people arent into their newer stuff but like the old stuff.

[LloydXmas]

Jack is probably content with staying in on rainy Sunday mornings, making banana pancakes and then playing mud football, in the afternoon.

[DewieCox]

I don't remember either of them being hugely popular. Did either of them get big enough for arenas on their own? Aside from a big single or 2 I don't remember hearing that much about them.

I think part of why Ben Harper isn't as big as in the early 2000s is b/c at that time jam bands and Bonnaroo friendly bands were kinda at their peak.

Maybe the same could be said for JJ as I remember an influx of similar artists, and I don't remember most of their names at this point.

[g under p]

I don't remember either of them being hugely popular. Did either of them get big enough for arenas on their own? Aside from a big single or 2 I don't remember hearing that much about them.

I think part of why Ben Harper isn't as big as in the early 2000s is b/c at that time jam bands and Bonnaroo friendly bands were kinda at their peak.

Maybe the same could be said for JJ as I remember an influx of similar artists, and I don't remember most of their names at this point.

Depends on what you mean by hugely popular....I met BH when he was the headliner at Langerado Festival 2005? He sold out 90% Merriweather Post Pavillion, MD in 2006 which seats with the lawn 23,000 but then he also plays places like the 9:30 Club which seats 1,700 when he tour without the Innocent Criminals. Maybe he's more comfortable with playing smaller venues to be up close to his fans like he did at the Warner Theater in DC which was sold as soon as the tickets went on sale.

Peace

Peace

[foodboy]

ben harper no. jack johnson definitely yes.

[Nittany1bn]

Maybe people got tired of buying the exact same Jack Johnson disc over and over, I know I did. As for Ben Harper, I think his last 3 albums are spectacularly great, but it just isn't commercially popular. He has a tight, loyal following (as does Jack) it's just a small following.

ps. if you don't have "lifeline" by Ben Harper get it NOW

[musicismylife78]

I don't remember either of them being hugely popular. Did either of them get big enough for arenas on their own? Aside from a big single or 2 I don't remember hearing that much about them.

I think part of why Ben Harper isn't as big as in the early 2000s is b/c at that time jam bands and Bonnaroo friendly bands were kinda at their peak.

Maybe the same could be said for JJ as I remember an influx of similar artists, and I don't remember most of their names at this point.

interesting thoughts. i think you may be on to something with the jam bands being popular in the early 2000's comment.

[musicismylife78]

Maybe people got tired of buying the exact same Jack Johnson disc over and over, I know I did. As for Ben Harper, I think his last 3 albums are spectacularly great, but it just isn't commercially popular. He has a tight, loyal following (as does Jack) it's just a small following.

ps. if you don't have "lifeline" by Ben Harper get it NOW

I think jack has experimented and altered his sound. Sleep through the static was different in that incorporated electric instruments and its tone was darker than the usual "it will be okay" and calm persona of his first 3 records. And To the Sea I dont remember anyone talking about, that was 2010, and its sound is a hell of alot different than the first 3 or 4 records. In fact, I disliked it for this reason. My dad is into jack, and i disccouraged him from buying To The Sea in large part because it bears no resemblance to the stuff my dad likes, which is the "typical" sound you think of when you think of jack.

maybe people think jack's output and quality has declined? i dont know. I really liked 2008's Sleep through the static.

with ben, Diamonds on the Inside was a huge hit. Both Sides of the Gun was pretty big as well. But his last 3, lifeline, white lies, and give til its gone, all seem to have gone unnoticed, and are less recognized and praised, and talked about. When people talk about Ben Harper nowadays they arent talking necessarily about how great his current albums are. i think alot of people are talking about his previous work, I dont think Lifeline was a big hit with people for whatever reason. His first 6 or 7 records up to and including Both Sides of The Gun I think are what most people recognize as his best work, and thats the body of work that people think of when they think of him today

[musicismylife78]

as i said, i do think there was a time when both were really popular. When Burn to Shine came out and Diamonds came out Ben was pretty popular. Steal my Kisses is maybe his most popular song. Diamonds may be his most commercially successful album, he was big at that time, Live from Mars in 2001 was a pretty big live album.

jack got bigger and bigger with each album, but as i said, his last album from 2010 came and went without much fanfare. i dont remember it producing any big radio hits, and i dont remember it being a big hit with people. And as i said, its his most experimental album to date. sounds nothing like brushfire fairytales

[Empty Glass]

I don't know about everywhere else, but Ben Harper is the shit in my house. Give Till its Gone is a great album.

[Go Beavers]

I don't remember either of them being hugely popular. Did either of them get big enough for arenas on their own? Aside from a big single or 2 I don't remember hearing that much about them.

I think part of why Ben Harper isn't as big as in the early 2000s is b/c at that time jam bands and Bonnaroo friendly bands were kinda at their peak.

Maybe the same could be said for JJ as I remember an influx of similar artists, and I don't remember most of their names at this point.

Depends on what you mean by hugely popular....I met BH when he was the headliner at Langerado Festival 2005? He sold out 90% Merriweather Post Pavillion, MD in 2006 which seats with the lawn 23,000 but then he also plays places like the 9:30 Club which seats 1,700 when he tour without the Innocent Criminals. Maybe he's more comfortable with playing smaller venues to be up close to his fans like he did at the Warner Theater in DC which was sold as soon as the tickets went on sale.

Peace

Peace

I saw BH last summer outdoors with probably around 4,000 people. He was really feeding off the crowd and commented more than once about everyone being really into each song that covered his usual range of genres. Lucky me got the very front and center. Maybe he likes that intimacy of smaller venues, or maybe it's just a numbers thing and he's not going to fill big venues.

[Go Beavers]

I don't remember either of them being hugely popular. Did either of them get big enough for arenas on their own? Aside from a big single or 2 I don't remember hearing that much about them.

I think part of why Ben Harper isn't as big as in the early 2000s is b/c at that time jam bands and Bonnaroo friendly bands were kinda at their peak.

Maybe the same could be said for JJ as I remember an influx of similar artists, and I don't remember most of their names at this point.

Depends on what you mean by hugely popular....I met BH when he was the headliner at Langerado Festival 2005? He sold out 90% Merriweather Post Pavillion, MD in 2006 which seats with the lawn 23,000 but then he also plays places like the 9:30 Club which seats 1,700 when he tour without the Innocent Criminals. Maybe he's more comfortable with playing smaller venues to be up close to his fans like he did at the Warner Theater in DC which was sold as soon as the tickets went on sale.

Peace

Peace

I saw BH last summer outdoors with probably around 4,000 people. He was really feeding off the crowd and commented more than once about everyone being really into each song that covered his wide range of genres. Lucky me got the very front and center. Maybe he likes that intimacy of smaller venues, or maybe it's just a numbers thing and he's not going to fill big venues.

[uninnocent-]

I don't know if he's commercially popular, but Ben Harper is among my favourite artists if the past two decades.