Hipster acoustic versions of famous songs in restaurants?

JMapleton

Diamond Member
Nov 19, 2008
4,179
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Why do they play acoustic versions of famous songs in restaurants and shopping places? Are they required to pay royalties if they play the real version?

I get really tired of hearing some organic feminist hipster girl singing some of my favorite songs when I'm shopping or eating. They're totally ruin the song 99% of the time.

Play your own songs, don't steal someone else's.

Anyone else notice this?
 

bearxor

Diamond Member
Jul 8, 2001
6,605
3
81
I was in a place recently and heard Michael Buble's cover of Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit.

It was simultaneously terrifying and awesome.
 

CZroe

Lifer
Jun 24, 2001
24,195
857
126
I work retail and this annoys me too. Luckily I do not work on the sales floor and I can turn the volume down in my office. :D
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,358
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it's called elevator music and it's been around a lot longer than hipsters.
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,418
1,599
126
lol i was just at the arts district and heard a hipster band cover royals, little black submarines, others.
 

OCGuy

Lifer
Jul 12, 2000
27,224
36
91
I will say that I deeply respect anyone who has enough talent to play guitar and sing reasonably well, let alone those get up in front of people and do it.

Remember, most of the "original" bands/songs they are covering were not written by the singers either.
 

KeithTalent

Elite Member | Administrator | No Lifer
Administrator
Nov 30, 2005
50,231
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Yeah it is weird and I have noticed this. I do live in hipster central though.

KT
 

JM Aggie08

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2006
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You really have no clue what a hipster is.

There's a pianist a Vic and Anthony's that plays modern tunes - is he a hipster as well?
 

Ns1

No Lifer
Jun 17, 2001
55,418
1,599
126
You really have no clue what a hipster is.

There's a pianist a Vic and Anthony's that plays modern tunes - is he a hipster as well?

I think OP is referring to bearded ironic 20 somethings using ukulele's to play gotye while at pitfire pizza

at least, that's what I'm referring to.
 

OCGuy

Lifer
Jul 12, 2000
27,224
36
91
I think OP is referring to bearded ironic 20 somethings using ukulele's to play gotye while at pitfire pizza

If you had mentioned PBR and a $100 "vintage" shirt I would have thought you had a camera on me.
 

OCGuy

Lifer
Jul 12, 2000
27,224
36
91
What I think you mean OP is actually "Coffee Shop", not "Hipster".

If you want to really hate life, drop by for some open-mic "Spoken word" some day.
 

who?

Platinum Member
Sep 1, 2012
2,327
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I was in a place recently and heard Michael Buble's cover of Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit.

It was simultaneously terrifying and awesome.
That might have been Paul Anka's version from his album "Rock Swings". And if you hear a lovely version of "Big Yellow Taxi" that's probably the original Joni Mitchell version from 1970. She wrote the song.
 

lamedude

Golden Member
Jan 14, 2011
1,206
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I guess its cheaper to get a license for a song and pay a nobody to do a cover than to get a ASCAP/BMI/SESAC license to play the real song.