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Have a Cigar, Pink Floyd.
Life’s Been Good to Me So Far, Joe Walsh.
Lito Shuffle, Boz Scags.
Jukebox Hero, Foreigner.
Piano Man, Billy Joel.
(Yes, I am old.)
Have a Cigar was the first song I thought of.
“Oh, by the way, which one’s Pink?”Primus’ rendition is also awesome. https://youtu.be/aEf0SpAEnIc?si=PVfnyKpxFRuslQXo
Not bad, but let me present you with the definitive cover: The Main Squeeze - that solo trounces everything, I’d go as far as, even the original.
I love that some music industry asshole actually asked them that once, and the quote made it into the song.
I love that there’s a little guitar break right after that question, almost like a response
A fun industry fact: Have A Cigar was sung by Roy Harper, as he happened to be in the studio and the members of Floyd thought he could be a good fit. Roy Harper is perhaps more known in the mainstream through the Zeppelin song Hats Off to (Roy) Harper than through his own recordings, though he’s still alive and active.
Harper didn’t feel like he was appropriately compensated for his work on Have a Cigar, which is ironic considering the overall thematic.
Reel Big Fish - Sell Out
Tool - Hooker With A Penis
Dinosaurs Will Die - NOFX
Please play this song on the radio - NoFX
Rockin’ the suburbs - Ben Folds
From most favorite, descending:
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Bomb the Music Industry! - Side Projects are Never Successful (punk)
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Backini - Radio (hip-hop)
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They Might Be Giants - Hey Mr. DJ I Thought You Said We Had a Deal (alt-pop)
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Reel Big Fish - Sell Out (ska)
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MC Lars - Download This Song (cross-genre)
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Billy Joel - The Entertainer (pop)
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Barr - The Song is the Single (rock)
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They Might Be Giants - Working Undercover for the Man (alt-pop)
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Ben Folds - Rockin’ the Suburbs (pop)
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David Rovics - The Pirate Radio Song (acoustic punk)
Edited to provide links and genres.
MC Lars - Download This Song (cross-genre)
You’ve reminded me of my answer to this question:
Weird Al - Don’t Download This Song
I thought about it, but it doesn’t rise to “favorite” for me
I see you updated your initial comment to replace Piano Man with The Entertainer (or at least, I don’t remember seeing the latter there before). I’m not sure I like it better than the Weird Al song, but it could give it a run for its money. (I wouldn’t answer Piano Man, which is a song I live, only because IMO it’s not “about the music industry” enough.)
Rounding out my list would be Sell Out by Reel Big Fish, The Load-Out/Stay by Jackson Browne (if it doesn’t have the same problem as Piano Man), and Life’s Been Good to Me So Far by Joe Walsh. That last one is not because I particularly like it, but because it’s the only one that came to mind without having to read other people’s answers.
I did add it, before I started editing in links. I never had Piano Man on there, which is definitely about the performance life but not about the industry.
Of the ones I listed, “Radio” and “The Entertainer” are definitely the most critical of the industry.
They Might Be Giants - Rhythm Section Want Ad
They Might Be Giants - We’re the Replacements
They Might Be Giants - the entirety of Venue Songs
I almost included “The End of the Tour” but decided against.
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EMI, Sex Pistols
Unlimited supply!
Dinosaurs will die - NOFX
Complete Control by The Clash
Against Me - Unprotected Sex with Multiple Partners
Interstellar555, the music video movie that accompanies Daft Punk’s Discovery album
I think Hank Williams III with the Grand Ole Opry Ain’t so Grand deserves a shout-out. Basically a song about how the institution that chewed up and then expelled his grandfather can eat shit.
Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This - Eurythmics
So many songs by Muse which I find most amusing because they have an anti-corporate message but are made under a giant corporate label.
Specifically what comes to mind when it comes to the music industry itself are Showbiz and Uprising.
lost in hollywood by system of acdown
