Ballads.

Almost each band has one or more ballads.
Do you like it when bands put a ballad on their "rockin'" CDs?

Are there ballads you absolutely love and yoy really don't like?

To be honest, it is all about both the quality of the song and the meaning of the lyrics.  If it seems to touch my heart, then I don't mind ballads.  I just don't like when an album is bogged down with them.  If you have 10 songs, then no more than two ballads, please.

I chose other because it depends on how it's done.  The 80's ballads got out of control.  I'm with alldat in that the ballad better have substance to it and not just a nonsensical catchy hook.  One of my favorite ballads of all time is I Remember You by Skid Row.

I absolutely love a well performed ballad, especially power-ballads from the 80s.

Having said that there are some really bad ballads out there, and from some reason some bands just cant seem to do them very well.

What's funny or ironic, is that I'm working on a slower tune for Joshua's Creed.  Wasn't planned, it's just how it's turning out.  I'm going to avoid the power ballad formula.  We'll see how it goes.

Typically I do NOT like them at all. Maybe a few. I don't like any by Stryper or any other Christian band. Off the top of my head I can name maybe 2 or 3 that I like... Every Rose Has It's Thorn by Poison and Babe by Styx (and lately I skip over that one). Just not a fan of them but they do have their place on an album. If they didn't put one on there it wouldn't be as diverse.

Some bands can do ballads a lot better than others.  Stryper has always done pretty solid ballads.  Other bands, not so much.

I like some ballads.
Not all, but when they touch my heart I like them.

If a ballad is well done, I will probably like it.  If not, forget it.  The "harmony" parts in Sacred Warrior's "He Died" absolutely killed what could have been a good song for me.

Then there's also the more traditional meaning of ballad--a story told in song.

A ballad or two on an album is great, but more than 2 and it's too much!  Whitecross' In The Kingdom was a great album, but it had too many ballads on it.  If that had had a couple more rocking songs it would have been top notch!  When you get a rock band release an album you just want them to rock your socks off!

I agree with what most have posted here. I like ballads but I guess it depends on the band, meaning of the song, and the mood I'm in. Sometimes a band will surprise me with a ballad that turns out really good, and from a band you would never think would do such a song. Other times like in the 80's it was more of a cookie cutter format with bands where they would have the typical two ballads on a record.

For the records Jenny and I seem to do (concepts) there is no formula. We just try to develop a good story and let the music take us through it. If that means 1 ballad on the record, then so be it. If that means 4 ballads on the record, then so be it.

At then end of the day if the music is good then it may just be what mood I am in. Do I need a good cry and want to hear something sad? Am I annoyed with something at work and want to listen to something more aggressive? Either way, my playlists are filled with both metal and ballads to suit my mood swings!

Of course I write all of this as I am about to post a sample of one of our new ballads. LOL!!

Fundy wrote:

A ballad or two on an album is great, but more than 2 and it's too much!  Whitecross' In The Kingdom was a great album, but it had too many ballads on it.  If that had had a couple more rocking songs it would have been top notch!  When you get a rock band release an album you just want them to rock your socks off!

Along these lines, I'd also have to say the placement of the ballad in the track listing affects how I hear it too.  Some bands know how to lay out their songs, some just throw them together.

I still dont care for them...

I like most ballads, I agree with the In The Kingdom opinion stated above

Some of my favorite ballads would have to be done by: Holy Soldier (Not as cheesy as most other glam bands), Deliverance (has one of the best of all time with 23), Demon Hunter (There has never been a bad DH ballad), and Phinehas (Surprisingly has some epic slower songs)

Hardcore Christian wrote:

Demon Hunter (There has never been a bad DH ballad)

This man speaks the truth.