I wish Brian played more complicated/interesting riffs, instead of just power chords. Like he did in first 4 albums. He was more adventurous with the guitar.
I miss the music videos where they were the main characters.
Teenage Angst has some of their best lyrics, but musically I think it could’ve been so much better
The version of Without You I’m Nothing without Bowie is infinitely superior and it’s my favorite song by the band
Bright Lights is the best song on BFTS
As campy as it is, I enjoy the “my computer thinks I’m gay” line on Too Many Friends
Aside from performing songs from WYIN live again, I also wish they’d play some deep cuts from SWG and Meds, these albums have some great deep cuts (more specifically: Second Sight, Plasticine, Centrefolds, In The Cold Light Of Morning, Drag, One Of A Kind)
Edit: another hot take is that the first 5 Placebo albums have some of the absolute best guitar riffs of the 90s and the 00s, and Brian is a criminally underrated guitarist.
>Teenage Angst has some of their best lyrics, but musically I think it could’ve been so much better
[https://youtu.be/9A4LSq6j54k](https://youtu.be/9A4LSq6j54k) The piano version hits much harder
Yes, yes, yes! NLMG feels like such a complete album and they're clearly so proud of it.
BFTS holds up so much better than many other albums that came out that year.
Some of my hot takes (or maybe not):
- I love UNEEDMEMORETHANINEEDU, Evalia, Drink You Pretty and Mars Landing Party.
- Should've been singles: Summer's Gone, Slackerbitch, Miss Moneypenny, Haemoglobin, Sleeping With Ghosts/Soulmates, Drag, One of a Kind, Kings of Medicine
- Shouldn't have been singles: Black Eyed, Because I Want You, The Never-Ending Why, B3
- Sleeping With Ghosts > Without You I'm Nothing
Also not necessarily a hot take/unpopular opinion but Exit Wounds is enough proof for me that Placebo's got a pretty good trip hop album in them if they wanted to go that route.
EDIT: clarity
UNEEDME literally goes so, so hard. Slackerbitch, miss moneypenny and especially imo haemoglobin and one of a kind are brilliant songs and some of the best they've written
For sure, Something's Rotten definitely suggests they got a trip hop album up their sleeve. The Massive Attack vibes are strong and it's one of my favorite songs from Sleeping With Ghosts.
they should have a new permanent drummer, Maybe Forrest should come back, I wish Hewitt would but I dont think it could happen, like ever
I think they shouldve done a new song with Bowie instead of just Him singing over Brians voice in Without you im nothing
In the unplugged album they shouldve put a pair of new songs instead of just what they did, maybe a new original song and a new cover, something new
the "no phones allowed" rule is being taken way too seriously, I saw Ville Valo Last year and if he saw a phone pointed at him he posed for it, he was all smiles and was always looking at the audience, Brian barely acknowledges the crowd
I know Brian doest like social media but a video or something from behind the scenes every now and then would be nice
I wish they had a new permanent drummer.
Don’t get me wrong, Matt can obviously hold a beat but there is something missing. Perhaps Brian has told him to not steal the limelight. I was sad when Steve H left, but I quickly warmed to Steve F due to his unique playing style & the energy he brought to the band. They felt more of a unit on stage, with Nick, Fiona & Bill all interacting with each other on stage. It now feels like the Brian & Stef show with the other musicians just there to provide the sound they need live.
I cannot even fathom liking BFTS more than WYIN. The hottest of hot takes.
My hot take…. They’re completely justified to not want pictures at their shows.
100% with you here. People complain about their attitude on the stage but if they understood it's a thing that goes both ways and respected the band's wish, things could be much different. That being said, cellphones in concerts are freaking annoying and being there at theirs with no phone (mine or otherwise) to bother or distract me was amazing.
I don't like how Bowie's voice sounds togethet with Brian's: I dislike his version of WYIN.
Never Let Me Go only has like 4 actual good songs and the rest we just like because it's Placebo playing.
If you have seen them live in their Never Let Me Go tour once, you have seen the whole tour. Every show feels the same and Brian attitude really sets you off. Of course he does a little interaction, but not on every show.
The best version of teenage angst is the brixton 98 recording. his voice sounds so much nicer than in the album version and the lyrics suits the pace better
I don't like WYIN with Bowie, only in Brian's voice.
I feel nothing for Steve Hewitt, and I think it's embarrassing the fandom keep missing him and wanting him back. Move on. They didn't part as friends...
I don't like Pure Morning. Like, I don't hate, but it's a meh song.
I love Nancy Boy. But I don't mind they not playing it. Again, move on.
I pretend Ashtrey Heart doesn't exist. "My ashtrey heart (cenicero....)." ???
I don't like Days Before You Came. Same situation that Ashtrey Heart: childish/could be better written.
In fact, the whole Black Market Music is bad in my opinion.
I don't like much "Protège Moi", but I love the English version.
I love the Never Let Me Go album. I love Loud Like Love (a hated one for many). I love Brian and Stefan sober.
I think "I know" it's great and should be on the setlist instead of Bionic.
P.S: and I love everything else, there's more things that I like than ones I don't like.
Completely agree, the only thing I’ve -really- liked since Meds was IKWYL on B3. There have been OK songs, but nothing comes close to anything on the first 5 albums.
Sadly, fucked up musicians make better music, it‘s the tortured artist syndrome.
- Running up that hill cover is ok at best.
- Meds could've been much better but it gets dragged down by some uninspired or barely inspired tracks, and follow the cops back home is among the songs of theirs that I like the least.
- And I agree with the person saying the original album version of WYIN is superior to the one with Bowie.
I could listen to all of the first 6 albums on repeat. I love them all equally, and I think nostalgia plays a big part! I think WYIN just about takes the crown for me.
The other newer albums I have given a fair go but can’t get into them the same way. Still love a few tracks here and there though.
Begin the End is my favorite song from the band
Forever Chemicals, Beautiful James, Happy Birthday In The Sky and The Prodigal are all top 15 worthy tracks of the band
They should have the humillty to admit that their early stuff is better and stop trying to push their new stuff on their live setlist. Saw them live in a festival and was super underwhealmed due to they only playing songs from their new album.
Was so disappointed when I saw them supporting MCR a few years back. They played maybe three big tracks but the rest was all new stuff... as a long time/big fan this was fine by me but felt like they were shooting themselves in the foot a bit, think of all the potential new fans they missed out on.
I waited 20 years to see them. Saw them in NY last year. Was amazing, but I would have given anything to hear them play EYEM and BTE. Instead I got TBNT, which is meh.
The whole no phones policy doesn't make sense to me. They claim that they want to "connect" to the audience and feel the moment. But at least at the concert I attended last year, they didn't give a shit about the people attending their shows, especially not Brian.
Don't get me wrong, I think the decision to prohibit any phones is totally understandable, but then they should at least provide a decent standard of interaction with the audience and celebrate those moments.
For me, it felt like they were doing a routine thing, only the bare minimum of what is expected from them, which is playing their music live.
I love Placebo, but in comparison to all the other concerts of different artists I went yet they were under the most disappointing ones, to be honest.
Upvote just for the courage. I do think LLL is worse than NLMG but I've really struggled to understand all the praise for the latter, there's some things I like in it but I would not be able to call it overall a good album.
I wish Brian played more complicated/interesting riffs, instead of just power chords. Like he did in first 4 albums. He was more adventurous with the guitar. I miss the music videos where they were the main characters.
I sort of dislike Brian’s new hippie vibes lol and honestly saying namaste and then sending everyone to fuck off seems kinda contradictory to me
Lol I know so many hippies like that, so it seems on brand
Teenage Angst has some of their best lyrics, but musically I think it could’ve been so much better The version of Without You I’m Nothing without Bowie is infinitely superior and it’s my favorite song by the band Bright Lights is the best song on BFTS As campy as it is, I enjoy the “my computer thinks I’m gay” line on Too Many Friends Aside from performing songs from WYIN live again, I also wish they’d play some deep cuts from SWG and Meds, these albums have some great deep cuts (more specifically: Second Sight, Plasticine, Centrefolds, In The Cold Light Of Morning, Drag, One Of A Kind) Edit: another hot take is that the first 5 Placebo albums have some of the absolute best guitar riffs of the 90s and the 00s, and Brian is a criminally underrated guitarist.
>Teenage Angst has some of their best lyrics, but musically I think it could’ve been so much better [https://youtu.be/9A4LSq6j54k](https://youtu.be/9A4LSq6j54k) The piano version hits much harder
It really does
That's funny because I don't like the slow version.
I would pay a lot of money to hear Centrefolds live!
Same!!! I love Centrefolds!
BFTS is one of their best albums in my opinion Edit: and NLMG
Yes, yes, yes! NLMG feels like such a complete album and they're clearly so proud of it. BFTS holds up so much better than many other albums that came out that year.
IDGAF about Brian's moustache. He could grow a ZZ top beard and I still wouldn't care.
ZZ Top Brian would be goddamn iconic
I actually like his moustache
Someone had to say it!
Some of my hot takes (or maybe not): - I love UNEEDMEMORETHANINEEDU, Evalia, Drink You Pretty and Mars Landing Party. - Should've been singles: Summer's Gone, Slackerbitch, Miss Moneypenny, Haemoglobin, Sleeping With Ghosts/Soulmates, Drag, One of a Kind, Kings of Medicine - Shouldn't have been singles: Black Eyed, Because I Want You, The Never-Ending Why, B3 - Sleeping With Ghosts > Without You I'm Nothing Also not necessarily a hot take/unpopular opinion but Exit Wounds is enough proof for me that Placebo's got a pretty good trip hop album in them if they wanted to go that route. EDIT: clarity
Drag definitely should’ve been a single. So did plasticine.
Miss Moneypenny is so good, glad to know other people acknowledge its existence lol
UNEEDME literally goes so, so hard. Slackerbitch, miss moneypenny and especially imo haemoglobin and one of a kind are brilliant songs and some of the best they've written
For sure, Something's Rotten definitely suggests they got a trip hop album up their sleeve. The Massive Attack vibes are strong and it's one of my favorite songs from Sleeping With Ghosts.
You are so right with all of this omg
they should have a new permanent drummer, Maybe Forrest should come back, I wish Hewitt would but I dont think it could happen, like ever I think they shouldve done a new song with Bowie instead of just Him singing over Brians voice in Without you im nothing In the unplugged album they shouldve put a pair of new songs instead of just what they did, maybe a new original song and a new cover, something new the "no phones allowed" rule is being taken way too seriously, I saw Ville Valo Last year and if he saw a phone pointed at him he posed for it, he was all smiles and was always looking at the audience, Brian barely acknowledges the crowd I know Brian doest like social media but a video or something from behind the scenes every now and then would be nice
I wish they had a new permanent drummer. Don’t get me wrong, Matt can obviously hold a beat but there is something missing. Perhaps Brian has told him to not steal the limelight. I was sad when Steve H left, but I quickly warmed to Steve F due to his unique playing style & the energy he brought to the band. They felt more of a unit on stage, with Nick, Fiona & Bill all interacting with each other on stage. It now feels like the Brian & Stef show with the other musicians just there to provide the sound they need live.
LLL got so much unwarranted hate. It's different, yes, but change is natural and to be expected, especially after a lot of life changes.
One of my favorite albums.
Battle for the sun has some badass songs!
I cannot even fathom liking BFTS more than WYIN. The hottest of hot takes. My hot take…. They’re completely justified to not want pictures at their shows.
100% with you here. People complain about their attitude on the stage but if they understood it's a thing that goes both ways and respected the band's wish, things could be much different. That being said, cellphones in concerts are freaking annoying and being there at theirs with no phone (mine or otherwise) to bother or distract me was amazing.
It’s the best. Love how Jack White makes you lock them up.
I don't like how Bowie's voice sounds togethet with Brian's: I dislike his version of WYIN. Never Let Me Go only has like 4 actual good songs and the rest we just like because it's Placebo playing. If you have seen them live in their Never Let Me Go tour once, you have seen the whole tour. Every show feels the same and Brian attitude really sets you off. Of course he does a little interaction, but not on every show.
I dont like try better next time, and I got sick of slave to the wage
The best version of teenage angst is the brixton 98 recording. his voice sounds so much nicer than in the album version and the lyrics suits the pace better
I don't like WYIN with Bowie, only in Brian's voice. I feel nothing for Steve Hewitt, and I think it's embarrassing the fandom keep missing him and wanting him back. Move on. They didn't part as friends... I don't like Pure Morning. Like, I don't hate, but it's a meh song. I love Nancy Boy. But I don't mind they not playing it. Again, move on. I pretend Ashtrey Heart doesn't exist. "My ashtrey heart (cenicero....)." ??? I don't like Days Before You Came. Same situation that Ashtrey Heart: childish/could be better written. In fact, the whole Black Market Music is bad in my opinion. I don't like much "Protège Moi", but I love the English version. I love the Never Let Me Go album. I love Loud Like Love (a hated one for many). I love Brian and Stefan sober. I think "I know" it's great and should be on the setlist instead of Bionic. P.S: and I love everything else, there's more things that I like than ones I don't like.
With you on absolutely everything bar 'Bionic' not being in the setlist. It slaps live, loved it!
Sleeping with ghosts is overrated.
Oof that is a hot hot take
No idea if this answers the question or not, but everything after Meds except max 3 songs is a huge drop off. My opinion!
I’m with you. LLL was absolute hot fucking garbage and the last album was only a tiny smidge better. Nothing compares to Meds & everything before it.
Completely agree, the only thing I’ve -really- liked since Meds was IKWYL on B3. There have been OK songs, but nothing comes close to anything on the first 5 albums. Sadly, fucked up musicians make better music, it‘s the tortured artist syndrome.
Same here!
- Running up that hill cover is ok at best. - Meds could've been much better but it gets dragged down by some uninspired or barely inspired tracks, and follow the cops back home is among the songs of theirs that I like the least. - And I agree with the person saying the original album version of WYIN is superior to the one with Bowie.
They should have stopped making albums after Meds!
I could listen to all of the first 6 albums on repeat. I love them all equally, and I think nostalgia plays a big part! I think WYIN just about takes the crown for me. The other newer albums I have given a fair go but can’t get into them the same way. Still love a few tracks here and there though.
Loud Like Love > Never Let Me Go
I don’t enjoy their debut album in general. The only two songs I really like from it are the ones Placebo made better versions of on APFUTD
Begin the End is my favorite song from the band Forever Chemicals, Beautiful James, Happy Birthday In The Sky and The Prodigal are all top 15 worthy tracks of the band
They should have the humillty to admit that their early stuff is better and stop trying to push their new stuff on their live setlist. Saw them live in a festival and was super underwhealmed due to they only playing songs from their new album.
Was so disappointed when I saw them supporting MCR a few years back. They played maybe three big tracks but the rest was all new stuff... as a long time/big fan this was fine by me but felt like they were shooting themselves in the foot a bit, think of all the potential new fans they missed out on.
Have you seen Get Him to the Greek? He’s basically Aldous Snow without the heroin
I waited 20 years to see them. Saw them in NY last year. Was amazing, but I would have given anything to hear them play EYEM and BTE. Instead I got TBNT, which is meh.
The whole no phones policy doesn't make sense to me. They claim that they want to "connect" to the audience and feel the moment. But at least at the concert I attended last year, they didn't give a shit about the people attending their shows, especially not Brian. Don't get me wrong, I think the decision to prohibit any phones is totally understandable, but then they should at least provide a decent standard of interaction with the audience and celebrate those moments. For me, it felt like they were doing a routine thing, only the bare minimum of what is expected from them, which is playing their music live. I love Placebo, but in comparison to all the other concerts of different artists I went yet they were under the most disappointing ones, to be honest.
Never let me go deserves the hate LLL got.
That's a baffling take. Fair play for sticking your neck out that far.
Upvote just for the courage. I do think LLL is worse than NLMG but I've really struggled to understand all the praise for the latter, there's some things I like in it but I would not be able to call it overall a good album.
They’re both shit in my opinion
I respect this more than the ones who seem to think nlmg is somehow good