I'm looking through my itunes and skimming through my CD collection and realizing that I have significantly larger amount of PJ than any other artist. I don't have nearly as many bootlegs as some of you, but I do have over 100. I don't care how you look at it, owning 100 live performances of any one band (a vast majority of them encompassing multiple discs) is admittedly too damn much. They only have 8 studio albums.

So I'm wondering...what could possibly be so engaging about this band? I listen to a shitload of music. Everything from classical to jazz to rock to reggae to hip-hop to techno to whatever. There are many artists out there who are just more talented than Pearl Jam. So why the hell don't I go out and collect dozens of their live shows?

The question is...what do you honestly think makes you enjoy PJ so much? Let's face it...for the most part, they are a guitar-bass-drum rock band. I know they have experimented with their sound before and they are diverse for a to-the-roots rock band, but they haven't tried anything too daring.

Ultimatley Eddie. I love the classic rock sound but I was usually turned off either by the singers voice or the fact that the lyrics were often somewhat vapid. Pearl Jam brings it all together better than any other band. Really good musicans (not the greatest ever, but that's okay) and a fantastic singer (who for a few years was the greatest ever) who writes real good lyrics. He's not the greatest lyricist who ever lived, but the true lyrical superstars tend to shy away from the arena rock world that PJ lives in.

Stip...that is very fucking well put.

the lyrics does it for me too. not only are the lyrics great, they also complements the music very well, and vice versa. for me, Pearl Jam is the best at melting everything together and creating something that's always better than the sum of its parts.

the songs. they write good songs.

I liked them, because when I first saw them on MTV as a kid, I realized that I had found my 'The Doors' or my 'Led Zepplin'. I knew THIS was rock and roll, and THIS was exactly what I hadn't seen or found before that wasn't 15, 20 or 30 years old. It was truely love at first sight.

I continued listening because I found the records compelling and engaging. I never read or knew anything about Ticketmaster, tours, who they were or anything like that, etc etc. I saw Ozzy and Black Sabbath, No Doubt and STP, Bob Dylan and Korn before I saw Pearl Jam live...I think I was afraid of being let down, of them not being who I thought they were.

When I first saw them live, I had a lot of preconceptions about WHO they were. I wasn't 100% sure, but I was pretty sure I knew they were singing and playing from their hearts, from their souls, that they were being honest and from the heart. I knew, after a couple songs...I knew that they were true. MSG in '98, listening to Ed sing "don't let me down" during Betterman...fucking transcendental. Listening to Mike rip my soul with his solo during Black...I'll cherish those memories for as long as I live...

That is what brings me back, that allows me to listen to their songs, their concerts, their live albums, again and again. They are honest, which is exactly what a young, aimless teen needs to find when they are growing up.

their passion, their integrity, their ability

Initially it was the lyrics. The lyrics are still my favorite part. I would easily put Eddie in the top 10 lyricists of all time. I love the voice too...though Mike ended up really topping it all off for me.

amen.

Everything said here and more. I really like how they stay true to themselves and let their music truly be art and not some commercially made garbage. They believe in something and have an uncanny ability to create it.

This sums it up well for me. This is a great question since there is a whole lot of stuff that people love that I can't stand.

I hate when singers scream but when Ed screams I believe it to be true. I hate it when stuff is too heavy and Pearl Jam walks the lines but never goes overboard. I hate it when music is too sappy and again, PJ walks the line but doesn't cross it. It's like linear path of perfection. I love variety and Pearl offers it all.

I love how they don't shy away from their influences but have enough originality to make their sound their own. I love how they evolve and change. I love how they've grown old and are not holding onto anything but what they want to do at that certain time.

I love how they are musical in nature and that is why I listen to the side projects and the solo projects and the collabs. It's all wonderful.

I love how they are not perfect and they don't even try to be. I love how they are a mix of rock gods and a dude you can talk to at a bar on any given night. I love how they are outspoken but aren't completely obnoxious. I love how it's possible to buy/trade boots and have each one be special and interesting. That is amazing if you think about it.

Most of all, Pearl Jam strikes a nerve in me. Truthfully I could live without them, but there are moments in so many songs that will raise the hair on my arm on end, make me want to scream or cry or dance or rock...their songs make me want to live and enjoy life. It's crazy...crazy crazy crazy...but true.

the lyrics are all very meaningfull, i love them... i also love pearl jams diversity,not that many bands that can have both blood and thumbing my way in their catalogue... i also like eddies voice, and his and the rest of the band's passion for making music

its real

LUKIN@@!

we need more "praise PJ" threads like this one

They are pretty fucking special

wow i love all the posts in this thread. finally some downright passion and not just wanking and bitching, competing and comparing.

when i first heard ten, i was blown away, couldn't believe sth like that was even possible, that the whole package - music, lyrics, emotions - was for real. when i saw unplugged i started to believe it was. i loved the simplicity of it all. they got so big, and then they evolved, and no code was another one i couldn't believe. i liked the direction, they weren't done yet. from then on i just keep waiting for more, expecting whatever they wish to give us, happy that they do. and this last record is a whole lot more than i expected they'll come up with at this stage.

great post btw.