Who Is The Better Team, The Beatles or the Pittsburgh Pirates?

Reprint of a 2009 blog

How would you determine this? In sports, especially baseball there are statistics. You could say the entire sport is based on math and statistics. What are the odds that Chone Figgins will steal second base? What is Bengie Molina's caught stealing percentage? Baseball loves stats. The sport was made for the math wiz. New stats are being invented almost yearly. Old statistic categories are becoming less important (Batting Avg. and Wins). While others become more important (On Base Percentage and Earned Run Avg.). Baseball is pretty black and white. Based on statistics, you can figure out who the good teams are and who the bad teams are. There are some gray areas, but not many. There are differing opinions....I think Albert Pujols is a better hitter than Alex Rodriguez. I could make that argument and not be wrong. I could also make the opposite argument just as easily and also, not be wrong. The statistics support both arguments. I'm not saying something ridiculous like, Mario Mendoza is a better hitter than Ty Cobb. There's nothing that could support that statement except mental illness.

So where does the immense world of music fall into this? I really don't know. I think about it often. How does one determine what band or performer is better than another? There are no statistics that really mean anything in music. Record Sales, in my opinion, just mean you appeal to the least common denominator. Luck, I believe has a lot to do with success. How else do explain a lot of the one hit wonders? The moon, the stars and the sun, all line up correctly. The timing of the release of the song, hit enough people just right, for it to explode. Shooting stars burn out quickly. It has nothing to do with quality or talent or any other factor you can think of, really. "Disco Duck" was a #1 hit. How do you explain luck? How about Influence? The Beatles and Beach Boys were incredibly influential. I agree, they are fantastic bands on many different levels. Are Creed and Nickelback influential? Of course they are...most bands wish not to sound like them. That's an influence. All four bands are successful on some level. Good or bad is determined by personal preference. For every Simon & Garfunkel there is an Air Supply. Now, I could easily reverse that statement and not be wrong. For someone out there believes Air Supply to be better than Simon & Garfunkel...they wouldn't be wrong. That is the great and frustrating thing about music. There is no real way to measure it.

There was many a time I'd get wrapped up in an intense discussion/argument/if you don't take my side I'll kick your ass; about best guitarist, drummer, bassist...glockenspielist. You throw Hendrix at me and I say he was sloppy. I throw Paul Gilbert at you and you say he plays with no feeling. And on and on and on...Who's correct? Both, neither...depends who take a better punch? Just like the old saying, "Opinions are like assholes, everyone has on." Some people, no scratch that...depending on the subject...most people...think their opinion is the correct one. I've been one of "those people" too many times to count. Comes down to personal preference again. I like X, but you like Y.

So I don't know if there will ever be a way to determine the best anything in music. Who is the better team Beatles or Pirates? I'm not sure if any of the Pirates can play an instrument, but if both were playing baseball...I'd put my money of the Beatles. Even in 2009.

As an aside, if you are a fan of the Pirates, Royals or any other small market team. Remember, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Yet, a couple million people go to their games every year...expecting these teams to win, when they already know the owners don't care about you. Just your money. Hit the owners where it hurts.


Editor's Note: Reprint of a 2009 blog.  I'm tired, still getting over a migraine and what I had planned on writing...sucked.  At least, I'm honest.