“Amy Winehouse? Who?” - What’s your “surely everyone knows who/what” moment?

[hotpotina]

I was with some fairly new Canadian friends recently and "Valarie" by Amy Winehouse came on. I immediately started humming/singing along and one of them asked “what's this song?” I said (probably with a confused expression) “ It's... Valerie... by Amy Winehouse...” and they both said they'd never heard of her.

Now, I KNOW. I KNOW there are massive cultural, generational and geographical differences in what people know. Obviously I do. But for some reason Amy Winehouse is just so completely embedded in my personal schema that for a second I genuinely couldn't compute someone not knowing who she was. She feels (to me) like one of those people who are simply there in people's consciousness; whether you actually like them or they were ever particularly relevant to your life seems almost beside the point.

It made me realise how funny these little cultural blind spots are. There must be many things that are ubiquitous to one person, that another person has somehow just never encountered.

Have you ever had this happen, where someone didn't know something/person that you genuinely presumed consciously or subconsciously was universal known? And do you have a “surely EVERYONE knows who/what they are” person (or thing etc) that you'd be surprised if someone had no knowledge of that thing?

Not quite never heard of the Beatles, but I met a fellow student at uni in the early 1990s who had heard of Paul McCartney and had heard of the Beatles, but had no idea Paul had been in the Beatles.

Had a placement student (healthcare career) who’d never heard of thalidomide. That rocked me. Though in a way I can see how that one is fading now.

I told a colleague I was going to see the Bayeux Tapestry and he said ‘what’s that?’

DH knew Hazel O'Connor immediately but he's a bit older than me. I listened to a bit on you tube. I'd heard Will You? before I think. Never heard Eighth Day, it's a banger , surprised hasn't been covered lots.

I taught a class of teenagers in England in about 2018 who had never heard of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

My 45 year old friend who is a published fiction writer (in English) and was educated in England had barely heard of the Brontes, knew nothing about them, apart from there’s a tourist attraction near us in Yorkshire that’s about them.

Considering she died about 14 years ago, and if they are in their 20s it's quite possible they have never heard of her

I was talking to a young teen the other day who had never heard of Madonna. Shocked I was!

That is extraordinary! Assuming you live in an English-speaking country?

Yeah, not hearing of Bob Dylan if you're 18 isn't too wild, but someone in their 40s?!

And who hasn't heard of Madonna?!

There's plenty of people who are dead or even who died before people's lifetime that 'most' people have heard of, especially with people like musicians, whose work is often still circulated after they are gone. It's also not just about the music or art its infamy

It is a good comparison - 2/3 of all Canadians watched their last show on tv. It was a VERY big deal to us. There is a history there and a very large cultural reference you maybe don’t understand. English speaking country but no one in The UK would probably know.

No Amy Winehouse wasn’t as big as you say - having grown up there myself. A lot of what you have said about her being part of the 27 club was British media. People are very keen to say how big she was here but she was one of many in the US. There is a lot of music in the US - think all of Europe and a lot more diversity - country, Christian rock etc that isn’t that big here so it gets more diluted. I could name many artists you probably have never heard of that have sold millions of albums.

There are also many artists who have won Grammys that you may not have heard of either

It works both ways is kinda what I am trying to say.

I've never watched Futurama so wouldn't know a dog's name. Also never watched Family Guy, I don't watch soaps at all but have heard of Ken Barlow and Pauline Fowler!
Musically my parents were massive music fans and I grew up listening to rock n roll, skiffle, folk and country - dragged around watching bands. They had seen so many artists from Hendrix to Don Williams to Status Quo! Even at the end Dad would have music on and loved Lady Antebellum, Florence and the Machine and Jake Bugg! My son also has an eclectic taste thanks to his grandparents and me!
It amazes me as a teacher in a high school what kids don't know.

I was about to say I was teaching my year 8 class today and they did not know The Beatles. I was shocked!

I gave them the standard line - sorry we’re catholic - and they didn’t really know what it was other than another religion. They were pretty fresh out of Salt Lake City so… 🤷‍♀️

Yeah i get that they are/were a big deal in Canada wasnt disputing that , and I get the point you were trying to make.

Them both being major things in their home countries is comprable , however The hip have barely any commercial succes (never been in a chart ) in the UK, whereas Amy has recorded success in charts in both the US (which shhows her reach ) and multiple historical hits in Canada, so its not quite comprable.
Not arguing that you're experience in Canada of her not being popular or having much exposure to her wasn't real, another poster has said that their lived expeerince in Canada was that she was very big so I guess that's a subjective perspective.
but Amys popularity and success in Canada is demonstatable.

Anyaway don't want to go off course arguing about this! You've actually persuded me to check the hip out haha

That's bonkers. She was putting out huge hits for decades and such a cultural presence.
But I suppose she's not a judge on The Voice or Masked Singer, she hasn't done collabs with young singers I don't think, and her songs, though so famous, haven't been covered or sampled to a massive degree by equally famous younger acts. Nobody watches TV any more so TOTP2 reruns aren't on in the background while you're making dinner. Pointy bras, Like A Virgin lyrics and a book called Sex aren't going to bat any eyelids now.

I wonder how long it will be before the young 'uns haven't heard of Beyoncé.

Who?

Zammo ??byker grove or grange hill ? One or the other I hope x

I have two DDs, one at almost 18 and one at 14. We were on holiday recently and the eldest was singing along to the Amy Whinehouse tribute act, the youngest didn’t have a clue.

Im 41 and many of my friends don’t know who Freddie Mercury was.

I told my friend I was going to see Rylan in pantomime and she said "I've no idea who that is"

My own case- I never watch films or American TV shows so have no idea who any of the actors are - they're all just guys with beards.

Some people at work don't know who Princess Diana is/was.

One of the ladies was talking about how much her Son used to like magic painting books (the ones where water changed the grey dots to colour).... one of my team said "surely that technology doesn't exist".... The ladies Son is in his 40s 😁

All good - try The Tragically Hip

When Prince died, some late 20-somethings I knew said "who?"

😑

I love it when they do the music rounds on University Challenge and play 60’s/70’s stuff. Quite often voices/bands and songs that are so obvious (to me) they get completely wrong.

Same. I can remember full songs from 30 years ago! We're all 'wired' differently I guess!