Don't tell me modern music doesn't suck

[CouchCoach]

Funny you bring this up as I have been going on (in the music thread) about how, the older I get, the more and more I find that artists sample each other more than I ever knew. I will know a song I've liked since I was a teenager and then somebody in the music thread will drop the original song (that I never knew about) and it will blow my mind. This hasn't been just a once or twice occurrence either. Just a ton of songs I've found. It's interesting to me but it also kind of knocks those songs down a notch for me in the originality department. So, yeah, I can see how so much music sounds like alike these days with everybody sampling each other. Plus, to think about time, you wonder how much more original you can get in the next, say 100 years, when everything has been already been done. I can see more and more sampling and cover songs being done.

--Which brings me to my quick side thought: You ever think about how media will age? Say in 150 years somebody will hear a Def Leppard track and be like "Wow! This is a good track. It's 180 years old!" haha Trips me out. --

Back to topic, this is definitely a fine line for me as I can agree with both sides. While I would say the majority of "today's" music sucks, there is still good music out there. You may just have to look for it a little bit more deeper than times past. Though I can say, in my opinion, mainstream has absolutely gone downhill. I do find some new artists (The Weeknd) that I absolutely love though, so, it's out there. Plus, I just think it has to do with generations. The music I grew up with has nostalgic ties to my life, so, of course I will argue that it was great music. My daughter's generation my claim in 25 years that Post Malone was great music. It just really depends on the generation listening I think.

As a music lover though, I'm super open-minded to any genre, so just give me good music.

I've never been a mainstream or pop music fan and back in the day, I took it on as a personal assignment to find music before it found me and certainly before my crew. I wanted to be on that edge and always took pride when a band or a song made it when I'd felt I'd "discovered" them. I was that guy that our friends were always asking "what are you listening to now"? And my burn factor was really low, by the time a song became a hit, I was past it in search of something newer.

I agree that there is a lot of crap out there and not only in music, but film and TV as well. Creativity is in a lull with covers, remakes and remixes galore and the exceptions are hard to find but they are there.

 

[CouchCoach]

How much is that hound dog in the winder.
The one w/ the sad achin' heart.
Cuz he looks so much like my girlfriend.
I cain't hardly tell 'em apart.

Y'all see? There IS good stuff out there.

 

[DoctorChicken]

Another thing I find funny about the criticism of modern music is the tactic of going straight for the garbage as examples. I feel like it's like me going to Surfing Bird by the Trashmen and saying that 1960's music sucks.

Yeah, Justin Bieber sucks. We know already. So does One Direction. It's an idea that goes straight for the crappy popular acts that everyone already knows suck, as if that's all that makes up modern pop.

Meanwhile, Billie Eilish is the most popular pop-artist in the world currently, and her music is far more comparable to the likes of Massive Attack and Portishead than the stereotypical modern pop. And she is stupidly popular right now.

 

[Runwildboys]

Another thing I find funny about the criticism of modern music is the tactic of going straight for the garbage as examples. I feel like it's like me going to Surfing Bird by the Trashmen and saying that 1960's music sucks.

Yeah, Justin Bieber sucks. We know already. So does One Direction. It's an idea that goes straight for the crappy popular acts that everyone already knows suck, as if that's all that makes up modern pop.

Meanwhile, Billie Eilish is the most popular pop-artist in the world currently, and her music is far more comparable to the likes of Massive Attack and Portishead than the stereotypical modern pop. And she is stupidly popular right now.

If you compare the mainstream music today to the mainstream music of the previous eras, it's absolute crap, by and large.

I'll be at a family gathering, and a song will come on my niece's Pandora or whatever she listens to, and she'll say, "Ooh, I love this song!", and I didn't even realize the song had changed. It sounds almost exactly the same, with no discernable meaning to the lyrics. Just the same the or four word phrase being repeated over and over, until someone starts singing, "Ooh yeah, ooh yeah, ooh yeah", and then it's back to the other stuff. It's like disco with rabies. Granted, that's usually the dance music (which is why I bought earbuds and got the Sirius/XM app, for when I go to the gym), but the stuff that isn't dance music mostly sounds the same, except slower and without the percussion.

 

[Hardline]

I've never been a mainstream or pop music fan and back in the day, I took it on as a personal assignment to find music before it found me and certainly before my crew. I wanted to be on that edge and always took pride when a band or a song made it when I'd felt I'd "discovered" them. I was that guy that our friends were always asking "what are you listening to now"? And my burn factor was really low, by the time a song became a hit, I was past it in search of something newer.

I agree that there is a lot of crap out there and not only in music, but film and TV as well. Creativity is in a lull with covers, remakes and remixes galore and the exceptions are hard to find but they are there.

Someone should create a thread to represent all the un-mainstream bands and musicians we all listen to.

 

[DoctorChicken]

If you compare the mainstream music today to the mainstream music of the previous eras, it's absolute crap, by and large.

I'll be at a family gathering, and a song will come on my niece's Pandora or whatever she listens to, and she'll say, "Ooh, I love this song!", and I didn't even realize the song had changed. It sounds almost exactly the same, with no discernable meaning to the lyrics. Just the same the or four word phrase being repeated over and over, until someone starts singing, "Ooh yeah, ooh yeah, ooh yeah", and then it's back to the other stuff. It's like disco with rabies. Granted, that's usually the dance music (which is why I bought earbuds and got the Sirius/XM app, for when I go to the gym), but the stuff that isn't dance music mostly sounds the same, except slower and without the percussion.

Oh definitely, modern pop generally follows the same formula.

 

[Hoofbite]

I think current music lacks staying power. It's not written or produced to be listened to in 10 years, or even 5. Songs are all so niche-based on current trends that the next generation won't even be able to understand what the lyrics means. Don't think the music is necessarily good or bad, but it's clearly produced with a flash-in-the-pan mindset. Get a hit and then ride that one song for a year or two. Rinse and repeat.

 

[triplets_93]

And that's when the Stones were at the top of their game.

And Led Zeppelin
And Deep Purple
And Grand Funk Railroad
And The Who
And Alice Cooper
And Emerson, Lake & Palmer
And Pink Floyd
And CSN&Y
And Jimi Hendrix
And Janis Joplin
And ZZ Top (imo)
And Chicago (imo)

I lived in an era when there was more than Pop Radio. There was Pop radio all the way through every decade.... But.........I lived in an era, when FM Rock Radio played mostly songs that were great, that did not suck. You didn't listen for an hour or two to maybe hear one or two great songs... But I do realize that today, only the pop crap highlights make onto the radio, and you would have to dig for the non-suck music.

Well sorry, I was spoiled in the late 60's and early 70's as a teen, with FM Rock Radio, and basically had great music served up to me on a platter, day in and day out, for a number of years, without having to wade through a pile of **** to hear the best music. That's my DNA. But, what I will do, is dig for hidden gems, from the bands that I have already developed a respect for.

 

[BigStar]

If you compare the mainstream music today to the mainstream music of the previous eras, it's absolute crap, by and large.

I'll be at a family gathering, and a song will come on my niece's Pandora or whatever she listens to, and she'll say, "Ooh, I love this song!", and I didn't even realize the song had changed. It sounds almost exactly the same, with no discernable meaning to the lyrics. Just the same the or four word phrase being repeated over and over, until someone starts singing, "Ooh yeah, ooh yeah, ooh yeah", and then it's back to the other stuff. It's like disco with rabies. Granted, that's usually the dance music (which is why I bought earbuds and got the Sirius/XM app, for when I go to the gym), but the stuff that isn't dance music mostly sounds the same, except slower and without the percussion.

Disco with rabies Stealing it

 

[Londonboy]

Why?

These "it were better in My day" threads always remind Me of Pythons 4 Yorkshiremen sketch.
The truth is that every generation produces enough cultural garbage to sink the U.S Navy's 7th fleet (excepting any submarines on temporary secondment).

 

[Runwildboys]

These "it were better in My day" threads always remind Me of Pythons 4 Yorkshiremen sketch.
The truth is that every generation produces enough cultural garbage to sink the U.S Navy's 7th fleet (excepting any submarines on temporary secondment).

I'm not familiar with that sketch, sorry.

 

[Londonboy]

I'm not familiar with that sketch, sorry.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I remember my grandmother telling me how bad modern music was. Then later my parents telling me how modern music sucks, and now I find myself telling younger people that modern music sucks.

Truth of the matter is...modern music will always suck to the older generation because it is not the music they grew up on and have a nostalgic connection to.

Just like the parents or grandparents that had kids when Elvis and Chuck Berry were the newest thing...how could these young people stand watching or listening to those two in their minds.

The same kids that are listening to some of the mumble rap now, in 30-40 years will be saying how their kids music sucks.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Well, I always resist the general notion of “[Whatever it is] sucks more now than it did back in [name the era],” especially when it comes to subjective things like art/music.

That said, I thing part of the issue (to the OP’s point) is the access and ability for anyone to make music from home behind a computer and put it out to large masses independently, which is both a good and bad thing.

Back 20-30 years you needed to have someone discover you and champion you (e.g. AR of a record company). That alone would filter-out the wheat from the chaff. Now in the age of social media and soundcloud musicians are getting to bypass the gatekeepers.

 

[Runwildboys]

I remember my grandmother telling me how bad modern music was. Then later my parents telling me how modern music sucks, and now I find myself telling younger people that modern music sucks.

Truth of the matter is...modern music will always suck to the older generation because it is not the music they grew up on and have a nostalgic connection to.

Just like the parents or grandparents that had kids when Elvis and Chuck Berry were the newest thing...how could these young people stand watching or listening to those two in their minds.

The same kids that are listening to some of the mumble rap now, in 30-40 years will be saying how their kids music sucks.

And they'll probably be right.

 

[Reverend Conehead]

There is good music being made today, but you have to hunt for it. Try checking out indie and local bands. They're the ones not doing the same old rehash. I think a lot of modern music is suffering from being made "perfect" via computerization. The stinking drums do not need to be quantized to perfection. That makes the sound robotic like a drum machine. The pitch does not need to be perfected with autotune. It was better when you had to nail it in the studio by being talented/skilled. I want to see passion put into music, not perfection.

 

[jsb357]

There is good music being made today, but you have to hunt for it.

^^^^ THIS

 

[Runwildboys]

There is good music being made today, but you have to hunt for it. Try checking out indie and local bands. They're the ones not doing the same old rehash. I think a lot of modern music is suffering from being made "perfect" via computerization. The stinking drums do not need to be quantized to perfection. That makes the sound robotic like a drum machine. The pitch does not need to be perfected with autotune. It was better when you had to nail it in the studio by being talented/skilled. I want to see passion put into music, not perfection.

The slight imperfections are what give music character. Not Alanis Morrisette type imperfections, but little ones you don't really notice unless you're really listening.

 

[Runwildboys]

BTW, I don't want to have to hunt for decent music.

 

[John813]

IMO popular music now isn't really supposed to be in depth life changing songs.

I believe nowadays the producers for top artists and their writers aim for catchy songs/catchy videos.
What will get hits, sell albums and what will get 1 billion views on youtube.

Whether it's pop, rap, rock etc.
Don't really care for it either. Especially when rap for a time had a bunch of fake wanna be gangsters(although I got a guilty pleasure from some Rick Ross songs).

But there are modern artists/bands out there that have albums with in depth topics/meanings. Just might have to look off the billboard top 10 to find them.