Thinking Music (Meta)

Well, you did leave enough clues.

Mmm mmm mmmmm! 62A was clever! Thanks Ben!

The car test clue made it easier! Really fun, thank you!

Fun one - and fun to go back and find all the extra hints. I had to google the band name but even this musical dinosaur recognized the name and at least one of their songs. Thanks Ben!

As usual, a band I never heard of. But the clues were very helpful and reduced my Googling time. Thanks, Ben!

I discovered that if I put enough of the names in the grid into Google, I'll get a band name I recognize. Knowing any of their hits or what they sound like is, of course, something completely different.

Impressive!

Don't know the band, but google helped figure it out. Nice to have confirmation with 62A! Fun

Fun one, thanks Ben!

Nice grid. Especially liked the clue for 60A -- got quite a chuckle out of that one. Was sure, given your Down Under proclivities, that the answer was going to be Men at Work, but that probably would've been a bit too on the nose. Thanks for the puzzle, Ben!

First off let me say, “that was fun”! I kept trying to tease names out of the long entries since you had obviously been willing to sacrifice symmetry to get them in. I’ll have you know there is a Music (well Musiq), a Deo, plenty of Ricks, a few Irvs, some Bens, lots of Amins and even a Hesi. “Well that can’t be right; what’s left?” – I said to my punny self. I decided to stop making it harder and take the names you gave me (again, because you sacrificed symmetry for one) and sure enough I stopped hitting my head against a wall. Interestingly enough, I wondered if I had mis-entered 62A because there is a singer named ASHE…talk about standing on the edge of the forest and missing it for trees! In the end I got there, even though I don’t think I have ever heard one of their songs but if I did I am sure I would say “Mmm mmm mmm mmm” because if you like them Ben I’m sure they are good. Now, a comment on clue 33A – OFFAL!!! I’d take umbrage at that but you would think I was throwing shade. By the way, you could have had a tie in limerick if you wanted:

Mary had a little lamb

She ate it with mint sauce

And when her sheep

Said, “you’re a creep!”

She replied, “but I’m the boss!”

Although I’m not Chat GPI, with gifts real or artificial, when it comes to limericks, I can get quite judicial. I judge them on their tone and length, their meter and composure, but mostly what I’m looking for is irony on closure.

Wow, I was already impressed that you fit that much thematic stuff in the grid and I hadn't even noticed the Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm!

Cool puzzle - though my favorite Winnipeg band is the Weakerthans. Thanks for sharing!

Here was my method (since I was mostly looking at the long themers with little satisfaction.) Googled Arista artists, and since CTD wasn't too far down on the alphabetical list, that jogged my mind about 62A. Then just a case of confirming names and Winnipeg. More than one way to skin a.....

Thanks for the puzzle, Ben!

Even I, as thick as I can be sometimes, was able to follow the crumbs on this one. Fun Puzzle, thanks.

Definitely a Hansel and Gretel meta (trail of bread crumbs). Rather eclectic goulash of clues (29A vs. 42A stand out) plus a dash of Australia educational PSA (55A). And I saw you just couldn't resist awful 33A. I had an enjoyable romp.

thank you, Ben, for leaving enough clues/hints. Music is not my strong suit but I have heard of "Crash Test Dummies" at least! Fun puzzle!

"CanCon" (Canadian content) always appreciated...thanks for another fun meta, Ben!

Thanks for the clear directions, or I would have never gotten that (not familiar with the group or of course their names). But enjoyed the interesting grid & clues!

Thanks, Ben!

I feel like you were very generous with this one. Please don’t try to make up for it next week!