An interesting discussion about the disconnect between the taste of the masses and that of critics is being had thanks to an insightful post at Coolfer. In it, Glenn takes issue with a critique published last week by Jon Pareles in the New York Times. In the Times piece, Pareles laments the fact that consumers chose comfort over ambition in making their pop music purchases. Glenn points out that Pareles falls into the common critical trap of reminiscing a bit too fondly about the past. Pareles mentions great, ambitious works that also were top sellers, but fails to note that the bulk of the music released in any of those years was probably terrible.

"...through the years, the most memorable blockbusters have aspired to something beyond popularity. They set out to inspire, to startle, to define an era or to defy it. For the likes of Nirvana, the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Eminem, Alicia Keys, Metallica or Bruce Springsteen, catchiness has been a means rather than an end," Pareles writes.

True, but Glenn counters with this: "For every Nirvana there's a Bush, three Silverchairs and a dozen Candleboxes. For every Eminem there's a Kid N' Play, a Vanilla Ice and more than enough Black Eyed Peas."

Both make good points, yet miss the overall point: The year's most ambitious discs simply didn't sell as well as those of prior years, because they were made by cult artists, not superstars. They certainly were there (look up my Top 10 list or that of any other blogger for evidence). Pareles is right that in the past top discs aspired to be more than just disposable pop, but seems to miss the fact that the kinds of artists topping the charts these days (and being promoted by the industry) are more interested in sales than art. You can't compare Mariah Carey to U2 and be credible. No matter how good U2 is, if they hadn't risen to prominence at a time when the music industry deemed them worthy of promotion, they wouldn't be the kind of superstars who could sell the heck out of a marginal disc like How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb in 2004.

Glenn also is right to point out that those ambitious yet best-selling discs of yesterday were the exception, not the norm. That's always the case, and it's why top 10 lists from critics rarely have much overlap with lists of top-grossing CDs, films or books: "How easily we forget that popular music tends to be popular precisely because it doesn't take chances. It's not just music. Popular movies aren't very challenging or brave. Hit novels are no different. And ask any politician how to win an election and you're sure to get one answer: Stay as close to the center as possible."

Those breakouts -- Nevermind, Born in the USA, et al -- are quirks, and Pareles can't see that through his fogged-over rose colored glasses.