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Drum corps and the mainstream


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It's a strange topic, but I thought I'd just put it out there for your consideration.

When you think of popular music, drum corps seldom comes to mind. I don't believe the Santa Clara Vanguard has ever made it on the billboard charts and the Troopers have never been on MTV; but Drum Corps has snuck its way into the mainstream, especially with groups like BD Entertainment . Do you think drum corps has a chance at becoming popular with the mainstream crowd? If so, why?

Edited by dccorpsfan
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One reason you won't find drum corps on the Billboard charts is because the shows are so long. Minus Michael Jackson's "Thriller," almost every song that comes out is 3 to 5 minutes. I wish drum corps could reach more people. Then maybe there would be more drum corps. :)

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I'd love to see drum corps become more mainstream. I try to bring as many non-fans to shows as possible. But do you really thing the average "NASCAR Dad" could relate all? That he would actually would trek to Indy for finals every year? Drum corps is more of a niche activity than anything.

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In the eyes of the mainstream, drum corps is band. Are you talking about mainstream popular music? Never. There ARE mainstream outlets for instrumental music... classical music radio stations (NPR, etc.). Those stations won't be rotating in youth drum and bugle corps with Chicago Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, etc. I can see NPR doing a drum corps feature though.

Instrumental music (classical, jazz, etc.) is NOT mainstream. "Buy U A Drank" by T-Pain Featuring Yung Joc (completely foreign to me... but it's #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 as of today) IS mainstream.

I do see more room for drum lines in music videos, etc. As far as your average Joe getting into listening to "marching band" instead of Molly Hatchet in his garage though, forget about it. Drum corps is one of the greatest youth activities in the world, but it is not (and will never be) mainstream commercial music.

Edited by midwesternlull
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It's a strange topic, but I thought I'd just put it out there for your consideration.

When you think of popular music, drum corps seldom comes to mind. I don't believe the Santa Clara Vanguard has ever made it on the billboard charts and the Troopers have never been on MTV; but Drum Corps has snuck its way into the mainstream, especially with groups like BD Entertainment . Do you think drum corps has a chance at becoming popular with the mainstream crowd? If so, why?

No

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No

Well, you don't waste time, do you?

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As much as I would love to say yes (both as a former corps member and current music teacher), it will never happen. Especially with the way mainstream music is going today. Attention spans are getting shorter, hence "great" songs like "this is why I'm hot" are popular. Also, I agree with the whole length thing, shows are just too long. If you were to split up the songs then we might stand a chance, but even then its considered "boring" because "it has no words" (an exact quote from about 10 of my freshmen in my exploring music class)

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I'd love to see drum corps become more mainstream. I try to bring as many non-fans to shows as possible. But do you really thing the average "NASCAR Dad" could relate all? That he would actually would trek to Indy for finals every year? Drum corps is more of a niche activity than anything.

Depends. What if you had bus races at Indy during finals week? Lucas Oil is the title sponsor for the stadium. Why not? You could have pit crew competitions, too, but it would be a little different than the car pit crews!

Garry in Vegas

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