Something that is liked by a majority of people and doesn't pertain to any particular subculture. Mainstream is not a particular style of music, it has nothing to with rap, it has nothing to do with the media forcing various types of music down our throats. It's just stuff that a lot of people like. That's it.
And as for the people saying shit like "Mainstream should die"... What do you think would happen if everyone started listening to the more underground music that you like?

It would be mainstream. Faggot.
by Zer0T September 7, 2011
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CRAPPY MUSIC that goes by the standards and implied guidelines set by other songs that are currently popular.

The only inkling of individuality is either a) the lead singer's voice, or b)the fucking tone of the guitar.
Both of those are still a rarity.

Sometimes, you can define a mainsrteam band by the ranking they are at on the top 40 list, or the iTunes most popular. But not always, because sometimes good indie music is mistakenly put there.
jock: "Dude, I just got this new CD. It's 'American Idiot' man!! I feel so bad-ass! Aren't they awesome, singing about America and shit?!"

smart indie kid: "Fuck man, don't spend money on that mainstream garbage.
Go buy some Pinback."
by Tartar Martyr June 23, 2005
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A term used to describe when a "underground" genre of musical expression has been fully embraced by the public media through aggressive advertising (aka MTV). Following this phase, the style begins to rapidly plummet in popularity while the ravenous leeches and posers choose to find a new fad to gnaw upon.

During the "Golden Years" of a mainstream topic, the genre recieves praise in record numbers, often represented by record numbers of identity-free morons with nothing to make themselves "stand out". It gains brief immortality during this phase, with not enough love, and not enough hate to dislodge it.

Only when the "haters" prevail in larger numbers in proportion to fans will the death sentence of a genre be finalized.
Rap music still hasn't died because for a decade, it has worked secretly to poison the urban population with wife-beating lyrics and brain-damaging rhythmes, making a permanantly imprint on the inner-city folk.

Very devilish plan indeed...
by Chang Tan May 16, 2005
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culturally conventional, wideley accepted, standard
She is seeking to eventually be a mainstream artist.
by The Return of Light Joker October 5, 2007
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What most people like. Not always bad because everyone likes it. Often is curropted by things like MTV
by Whatever... April 7, 2005
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it's shite, a form of cloaking device to bundle the masses into one wavelength of similar thought...escape this desease of a music, lusten to underground music, music that requirtes thought and talent
anything on kiss100 *cough* piss100 is mainstream
by techno fan July 9, 2004
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A person that goes with the crowd, and is in no way alternative at all.
'Look at Jess Turner, she is well mainstream'
by Jtaylor16 October 29, 2009
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