CoSForums Archive - Music: Has the Quality Gone Down Or UP?

Ren Shacklebot

July 18th, 2004, 9:32 pm

Bee

July 18th, 2004, 10:08 pm

I don't think there's a straight answer for this question. I do think Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin and all those cool guys made better music than most of the artists today, but there are some recent artists that I really like, like Shania Twain. And yes, I even like hip-hop :)

daronisgod

July 18th, 2004, 10:58 pm

The talent is around, but big companies aren't interested in good music, they want to make as much money as possible.

~Tonks~

July 18th, 2004, 11:11 pm

It's my opinion the quality of music has gone way down. This is why whenever I drive and listen to the radio (I have an old school car with tape dec only) I listen to classic rock stations, jazz stations, and oldies stations. When I'm at home I have my playlist of mixed goodies of all of that, plus current day music that I like that doesn't get any exposure because record companies and corporations like MTV and Disney throw at the public. (Hilary Duff, for example)

Raethul

July 19th, 2004, 1:56 am

plus current day music that I like that doesn't get any exposure because record companies and corporations like MTV and Disney throw at the public. (Hilary Duff, for example)

It's honestly hard for me to think of a better example of a talentless person who is so unbelievably popular than Hilary Duff. I don't know who told her she could sing; that nasal, high-pitched, scratchy voice of her's drives me crazy! Seems as long as songs have a catchy beat and pretty face attatched to them, talent in irrelevent.

Somekid9

July 19th, 2004, 1:58 am

~Tonks~

July 19th, 2004, 2:08 am

It's honestly hard for me to think of a better example of a talentless person who is so unbelievably popular than Hilary Duff. I don't know who told her she could sing; that nasal, high-pitched, scratchy voice of her's drives me crazy! Seems as long as songs have a catchy beat and pretty face attatched to them, talent in irrelevent.

:rotfl:

It's horrible, really. Maybe I'm just biased, or maybe I have the soul of an old rocker, at my age of 21, but really. If you turn on classic rock stations or put on old records of bands in the 60's-70's, these people can actually play instruments, compose music, carry a tune, and add variation to their songs. Pick up any mass produced pop album and the songs all sound the same, the voices are completely altered to sound halfway decent, and they don't write their own music or play any of their own instruments. The bands that are any good nowadays (and of course this is subjective and I realize that, for all I know I could be in my own little bubble thinking the current day music I like is good when someone else thinks it's junk) are either never given any play, or they're played to death so that people get sick of it, then you never hear of it again until they come up with a new album, after which the same cycle happens. And don't even get me started on rap. I personally don't like it and I feel that some groups are great (I loved the Fugees and I love Lauryn Hill and Outkast is okay) but it seems to me like all a lot of them do are act like tough guys who will kill you if you look at them cross-eyed and show off their bling-bling and their (insert substitute word for pregnant dogs here).

The current day bands I like are:

Coldplay
The White Stripes
Radiohead (although I really don't care for much after OK Computer, which was almost ten years ago)
Tool/A Perfect Circle
Bjork
U2 (though many would argue they're classic rock by now)

Like I said, other people probably don't like them, which is fine by me, but odds are they're probably disliked by others because it's not their style, whereas, let's face is, Hilary Duff, is just mindnumbing junk.

The rest have either been around since the late 80s/early 90s and haven't done anything since then, or, I only like their early 90's stuff, because they've lost their touch post 2000.

Barbara Kennedy

July 19th, 2004, 2:14 am

I miss John Denver. That is all I will say.

beebeeblack

July 19th, 2004, 2:16 am

I listen to a lot of early '90s rock music, and when I listen anything new, I'm always like, "This sucks!!!" because every new band sounds like the "new" band before it.

I really wish they'd bring back originality. And give up the stupid money-hunger thing. I really think the music industry would do better if they signed more original music instead of what they know will sell (because it already has--with another band).

Ren Shacklebot

July 19th, 2004, 3:47 am

I'm so glad people agree with me. Hilary Duff is a great example of how you don't even have to have talent to become successful. It's true back in the day you could get by with minimal talent but you wouldn't last too long especially when the looks faded and a better band came out.

It's all about sex appeal and dance steps. You can have a horrible voice but if you have a nice instrumental, a catchy chorus, and a over-choregraphed video, you can make it.

Singers from back in the day criticize these new 'singers' (eh...) saying that, "They sound flat." (Chaka Kahn said that).Mary J. Blige made a indirect comment about Ashanti's vocal sounds before. Old singers can't stand these new kids but since they've lost their sex appeal, they can't make a decent comeback and its sad.

What ****** me off the most is when a horrible new artist comes out and 'borrows' a track from a old singer who made the song a hit. Then they ride to fame on this 'updated version' and they become famous. It's retarded and I hate unoriginal artist who steal other tracks...

y0rkie

July 19th, 2004, 3:58 am

I think it's gone WAY down...but maybe that's because I live in a place where everyone listens to mostly country. I can't stand country.

Most of my favorite bands and such are older...like Cake for example.

guitarplayer

July 19th, 2004, 4:14 am

ok let me sum up current music
it sucks
its resampled techo or pop or rap
country sucks also its just 4 chords and lyrics about your dog dying and truck breaking down
rap is a joke
pop is a desperate attempt at what some call music
music quality has gone way down
real musicians are eric clapton jimmy page jimmy hendrix etc etc
they could play
and they wrote their own lyrics
and to top it all off none them used powerchords or any simple guitar parts like that
they played from the soul
music is an expression of an emotion or a thought
not someone speaking over a beat about drugs and sex
music has gone way way down

iluvhhr

July 19th, 2004, 4:37 am

The quality has DEFINITELY gone down. Have you seen the top singles list in the US? It's made up almost entirely of rap and R&B, with most songs needing to be bleeped on the radio. A lot of bands or people (such as Avril Lavigne and possibly Ashlee Simpson, depending on what her album is like) call themselves rock or punk but are really pop. It's so annoying. And what about actresses becoming musicians? First it was Jennifer Lopez, then it was Hilary Duff (who cannot sing, along with her sister), and now it's Lindsay Lohan and probably some others. They probably only got a recording contract because of their connections. Three other annoying forms of music to me are country (never liked it), the wave of nu-metal in the late 90s, and rap-rock. I don't like music from the 60s and 70s all that much, but it was probably the best time for music.

Spikey

July 19th, 2004, 4:41 am

I agree the quility of music has gone WAY down since the 80's. The best decade for music if you ask me well since the 60's anyway :)

Hammi

July 19th, 2004, 4:45 am

Top music today is definitely horrible. But, that doesn't mean all music is. Look at bands like Something Corporate (link in signature), Brand New and Dashboard Confessional, they all have great music by real musicians with awesome lyrics. There is good music out there, you just need to know where to look

~Tonks~

July 19th, 2004, 4:52 am

What ****** me off the most is when a horrible new artist comes out and 'borrows' a track from a old singer who made the song a hit. Then they ride to fame on this 'updated version' and they become famous. It's retarded and I hate unoriginal artist who steal other tracks...

:rotfl: You have no idea how angry I was when P. Diddy, Puff Daddy, Fluff Baddy, whatever the heck his name is, redid Kasmir for, of all things, the Godzilla soundtrack. Granted, Jimmy Page had to give permission, but still, gah! Blast you Jimmy Page... Oh well, he obviously got his wits back about him in doing a tour with Robert Plant...

I had this awful roommate last year who listened to things like the A-Teens and Justin Timberlake (because she was going to marry him) and even had the Hampster Dance techno remix on her playlist. :nc: She'd always get so excited when a song would come on that was a cover by a pop band, and I'd say to her, "Do you have any idea how old that song is? It's like, decades old, this isn't the original..." and she'd look at me with a vacant expression on her face like I was speaking Parseltongue or something, then say, "No way, besides, Jessica Simpson does it better!" :scared:

The biggest heartbreaker was when my ex and I were in the car and heard, "I've got to admit it's getting better, a little better all the time..." Classic, from the Sgt. Pepper's Album, the one and only Beatles, and he said, "Oh it's the Philips song." I said, "What?" He said, "Yeah the Philips commercial song, for lightbulbs and all that..." I said, "The Beatles made this song famous hon," and he said, "No wonder I'm not liking this then, I like the commercial better..."

:nc:

I also cannot stand emo... Emo kids... I dunno. Them and their "scenes." In my opinion emo is just whining into the microphone about how bad your life is. Let's see, you're a rock star making millions with women throwing themselves all over you. I'm a college student who can barely pay my bills, is ten grand in debt with student loans, and is graduating into a terrible economy...

again, :nc:

daronisgod

July 19th, 2004, 11:42 am

Well I'm not exactly a youngster any more, far from it actually, but I prefer the music thats out now.

I'm not talking about bubblegum pop, I despise that.

But System Of A Down are my favourite band bar none, and it isn't that I don't like music from the 60s/70s/80s because I do, I just love the stuff thats out there now.

Nothing could make me willingly listen to most popular music: Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Avril Lavigne... and all that junk.

But most of the rock music today I think is amazing and some of the rap/hip hop: Outcast, Black Eyed Peas, Missy Elliot... And I could listen to... System Of A Down, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Deftones, Machine Head, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Weezer and so on.... all day, I think its absolutely amazing, they do music that sounds really different, its like they've actually got the talent to make music that doesn't sound like anyone else... shock, horror... :wow:

Judging by bubblegum pop you'd think it was a crime to be original, to be different, and that is what I despise about todays music industry.... but the alternative music scene is fantastic, I believe it rivals anything that was out there 10/20 + years ago...

Don't judge this generations music by most of what you hear on the radio, the good stuff is out there, its just hard to find.

When John Lydon saw Amen live he said they were way more (insert words for very, very angry here) than the Sex Pistols ever were.

Jillstar03

July 19th, 2004, 11:58 am

What ****** me off the most is when a horrible new artist comes out and 'borrows' a track from a old singer who made the song a hit. Then they ride to fame on this 'updated version' and they become famous. It's retarded and I hate unoriginal artist who steal other tracks...

That is just so true! I'll give you an example of a popular pop group who have done exactly that in the UK: Westlife!
Most of their songs are ballards, and half of these are copies, and yet, all but 1 of these 12 tracks got to number 1! :wow: :grumble: :sad:
I think that is just so stupid! The only reason they probably got to number 1 was because of their large fan base and screaming girls, even more so than Garath Gates (runner up of Pop Idol 2001, thankfully who is now gone from the music buisness)
All Westlife used to do in their songs was sit on their chairs, swaying, and at the end a "dramatic" stand up from chair! Wow! (not!) The worst song they ever released in my opinion, a cover of Barry Manalow's Mandy, got straight to number 1! I didn't know it had until it it won Record of the Year 2003! It even beat Beyonce's Crazy in Love! :wow:
That is how a band, with over half of their songs covers, can eaisily get to have 11 number one's! (even more than the Beatles did I heard!)

Nothing could make me willingly listen to most popular music: Robbie Williams,... and all that junk.

Robbie Williams in my opinion is a great singer! Let me Entertain You, Millenium, Angels, his Kids duet with Kylie Manogue and his "Swing When Your Winning" Jazz Tribute album were amazing! I have to admit, Escapeology, his latest album wasn't as great as the others, but me and my mum love his music! He's a legand!
However, if you live in the US, you might not have heard his greatest music, because he only came to the US recently I think!

Morgan

July 19th, 2004, 12:08 pm

I really don't think you can say the quality of music has gone up or down. Who are you to say the music today is worse then it was ten, twenty or thirty years ago? You might not like it but what says everybody has to like what you like? Music, like all art, is about how the listener or viewer precives it, what it does to their feelings. It's individual and shouldn't be judged on what others say is good or bad music.

And "Somekid9", you're missing out on a lot by scrapping all post-1994 music...

daronisgod

July 19th, 2004, 12:20 pm

Robbie Williams in my opinion is a great singer! Let me Entertain You, Millenium, Angels, his Kids duet with Kylie Manogue and his "Swing When Your Winning" Jazz Tribute album were amazing! I have to admit, Escapeology, his latest album wasn't as great as the others, but me and my mum love his music! He's a legand!
However, if you live in the US, you might not have heard his greatest music, because he only came to the US recently I think!

No, I live in the UK, and to be honest I think he's as pop as they come, maybe not as bad the average boyband, but still I don't rate him at all.

Droobles

July 19th, 2004, 12:37 pm

matchboxer

July 19th, 2004, 1:40 pm

It's not the quality of music that's gone down, it's the quality of music on the radio. Record companies don't care about talent, they care about money.

It all started in the 1980s with the advent of hair metal. Record companies saw that hair metal was really big, so all they signed were hair metal bands. Pretty soon hair metal was everywhere and people started to get sick of it. Then grunge started. It slowly gained popularity, and suddenly the record companies caught on and started signing "alternative rock" bands. (I put alt rock in quotes because it's hard to define). Pretty soon there was an overexposure of alt-rock and such, and you couldn't tell one band from another. So the record companies introduce the boyband/girlband and the poptarts. BOOM, megahit! But then you got 25986792845613456 different boybands, each one suckier than the last, and the consumers were slowly catching on that these people had no talent. So to counter that, the record companies debuted Avril Lavigne, Good Charlotte, Simple Plan, etc. etc., bands that were really all fluff and no substance but had that "edgy" image. Teens bought into it like the world was going to end, and they haven't stopped yet. Now record companies are catching on to the "I'm so emo my wrists cut themselves" trend and are coming out with one pseudo-intellectual band (Something Corporate*, Brand New, etc. etc.) after another. The pop-punk and emo trends sell so well because they give teenagers a chance to think they're rebelling, when really they're just putting cash right into the pockets of corporate America.

Through the past twenty years, "talent" has simply been an aside. The big things are "Do you fit this image?" and "Will you be gimmicky enough?" It's rediculous.

Ocassionally, a band/artist with real talent will get signed, but it's rare.

*I'd like to point out that 'Something Corporate' is the most rediculous band name ever. To quote Blender magazine, who says it so much better than I can: SoCal quintet Something Corporate are so pompous, they think their name is ironic — despite the fact that they play corporate rock like a grunge Billy Joel.

NashiraErato

July 19th, 2004, 1:48 pm

I think there is still great quality music out there, unfortunately you just have to look very hard to find it. Most popular music is pretty bad these days, single sales keep dropping, very few bands/artists achieve longevity...When you think that today having more than one top ten single counts as a career...while some bands have been together 20 or 30 years and still have devoted fans...Pah! I think it's turning me into a grumpy old woman - I'll sit watching Top Of The Pops and say "I could do better than that!"

martinnyg

July 19th, 2004, 2:00 pm

HammerTime!

July 19th, 2004, 2:42 pm

Hillary Duff and Avril Levigne, but there are many cool bands around the world, that are probably not very popular in America.
I watch the British MTV2 all the time, and most fo the time I like what I see. Bands like The Hives or Dogs Die in Hot Cars are quite cool in my opinion. I even like the hit of The Ordinary Boys, even though a critic in an Israeli paper said that only in England people still get excited over bands that want to play exactly like The Smiths. On the other hand, I love The Smiths.

matchboxer

July 19th, 2004, 3:02 pm

Hillary Duff and Avril Levigne, but there are many cool bands around the world, that are probably not very popular in America.

In America, if you want foreign music that isn't all discopop, you usually have to seek it out yourself (current exceptions to this rule: Franz Ferdinand, The Hives, The Strokes, The Vines.)

And this is slightly offtopic, but your sig is quite awesome. :tu:

maryfinn

July 19th, 2004, 4:37 pm

"... And I could listen to... System Of A Down, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Deftones, Machine Head, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Weezer and so on.... all day, I think its absolutely amazing, they do music that sounds really different, its like they've actually got the talent to make music that doesn't sound like anyone else... shock, horror... "

I dont know about system of a down, but all those other bands have been around for awhile, they werent created recently.

as for me, i like some of todays hip/hip stuff,
but mostly i dig music from the nineties, counting crows, guster, fiona apple, radiohead, you know, good stuff.

if you want to hear someone even worse than hilary duff who is also part of the disney machine go see beauty and the beast with christie carlson romano. It was absolutly pathetic.

daronisgod

July 19th, 2004, 4:54 pm

"... And I could listen to... System Of A Down, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Deftones, Machine Head, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Weezer and so on.... all day, I think its absolutely amazing, they do music that sounds really different, its like they've actually got the talent to make music that doesn't sound like anyone else... shock, horror... "

I dont know about system of a down, but all those other bands have been around for awhile, they werent created recently.

True, they have been around for a while but they are still a part of todays music scene, and they aren't classic bands with the possible exception of RHCPs.

My point remains the same there are people in the music industry today who are still releasing music that I think is as good as music released in any of the aforementioned decades.

HammerTime!

July 19th, 2004, 5:08 pm

In America, if you want foreign music that isn't all discopop, you usually have to seek it out yourself (current exceptions to this rule: Franz Ferdinand, The Hives, The Strokes, The Vines.)

First of all- thanks!

Well, that's the way it is with music that's even slightly alternative.
I'm glad to say that in Israel there are quite a few radio stations that play interesting music, new and old. And it's not that we have an auful lot of radio stations. In America you can probably listen to hundreds of stations if you stand in one place with a radio in your hand. In israel it's about 10-15 I think. The good thing about it is that the stations that play good music play all kinds and all genres, and the editors know what they're doing.

matchboxer

July 19th, 2004, 6:56 pm

First of all- thanks!

Well, that's the way it is with music that's even slightly alternative.
I'm glad to say that in Israel there are quite a few radio stations that play interesting music, new and old. And it's not that we have an auful lot of radio stations. In America you can probably listen to hundreds of stations if you stand in one place with a radio in your hand. In israel it's about 10-15 I think. The good thing about it is that the stations that play good music play all kinds and all genres, and the editors know what they're doing.

Anytime. Clerks=awesome.

It's true that we have a ton of radio stations here, but they all play the same stuff, at least in my area. There are a bunch of oldies stations, even more classic rock stations, two or three stations dedicated to 70s/80s music, six or so for "alternative rock" that's really not alternative at all (Brand New. Eeeccch.), and the rest are all Top 40 stations. It's really nothing good. Some days, when the wind is blowing right, I can get a couple of quality college stations to come in, but it's rare.

Mainly I stick to my walkman.

HarryPotter

July 20th, 2004, 12:07 am

I think that Music, as most of things in this world has high and low phases... it is a permanent evolution, although sometimes it may seem it is involution... there will be always good and not so good bands and artists...

Mango

July 20th, 2004, 12:12 am

I think there's way too much of all that eminem-and-r 'n b-type of stuff around nowadays... :td:

I wish I could have spent my teens during the 80s - bring back Queen! :agree: They were (and are still) the best.

Somekid9

July 20th, 2004, 12:27 am

TheThyphon

July 20th, 2004, 3:22 am

Well, I´m a fan of good music, doesn´t metter the style, but I haven´t heard any thing good, except for Norah Jones, in the recent years. Where are the good and old talent so great in Ella Fitzgerald and Jimmy Hendrix?

doadpadfoot

July 20th, 2004, 5:09 am

i definetely think that the music quality has gone down the drain. :td: some of the best music was probably played in the 80s and 90s. what happened? what happened to the good artists? now, i have to admit that some of the music today is really krunk (cool), but it's not what i'm looking for. i'd say it's been 2 weeks since i've last listened to something good on the radio. most of the cds i buy are music from the 90s. no offense to hiphop fans, but hiphop is kinda getting annoying. yeah, it was krunk (cool) for a little while, but now it's just annoying, to me at least. hiphop has taken over the world, not that i mind, but it needs to give other types of music a chance. :cool: :eyebrows:

Morgan

July 20th, 2004, 8:17 am

Who decides what's good music and what's bad music....?

daronisgod

July 20th, 2004, 11:22 am

Who decides what's good music and what's bad music....?

I couldn't agree more.

matchboxer

July 20th, 2004, 6:12 pm

Who decides what's good music and what's bad music....?

Everyone decides that for themselves. I, for example, think that Modest Mouse is great music and that New Found Glory is terrible. Those are my general ideas of good and bad. Compare those choices to my average peer's, who is head over heels for Good Charlotte and thinks that anything that doesn't follow a traditional radio pattern is awful. Odd as it may seem, we are both right, at least for ourselves. There is no unviersal standard and never will be.

Raethul

July 20th, 2004, 7:03 pm

Who decides what's good music and what's bad music....?

Good question, all very subjective. Most of the people I know base it on talent and skill. That is to say, crappy guitar players and people who can't sing a note are considered "bad music." Respect also seems to play a big deal, such as bands' talent in writing lyrics or if they simply hire someone to do it for them.

up2nogood0o7

July 20th, 2004, 7:05 pm

Everyones definition of good music is their own. Like i cant stand some of the music from the 90's and before then. And some of it I like very much. Same goes for todays music. Some i like a lot and some i don't. It all depends on what mood im in and what my tastes are at the moment. So to answer your question on wether or not the music is degrading... i think not. I just think that peoples tastes in good music are changing.

Padfoots_Realm

July 20th, 2004, 7:14 pm

I think everyone is entitled to their own opinion whether something is good or bad.In this case it's music. Since everyone owns a mind of their own, its understandable that not everyone will like the same music, just like everyone doesn't like the same food,colors,clothes,etc. In my opinion, I listen to whatever I think is a good song;which means I'm open to every genre of music and it doesn't have to be a specific artist. I like new songs and I like old songs, it doesn't really matter as long as there's enough music for everyone in this world.

jennypage

July 20th, 2004, 7:21 pm

As a big music historian, i have studied the past half century and compared many different aspects of music. The truth is, most music these days is horrible. I can literally make all the music i hear on the computer. there are some exceptions, of course, but music in general was much better in the 60's and 70's. I now listen to nothing post 1994.

I agree with you for the most part. There's only a handful current bands that I'll listen to (Jet, Velvet Revolver, Modest Mouse, The Vines, and Audioslave) because I'm tired of hearing of another new nasal, whining emo band every day. Most music today has been Pro-Tooled all to Mars and back, and it's not really helping.

Morgan

July 21st, 2004, 8:47 am

That's my point exactly. Just the very question of this thread, "has the quality gone up or down" is very judgemental. Very few are saying "I think music from post-1974 is of a lower quality compared to earlier stuff." People are saying whiny this and pop that, no talent, to much, to commercialised. I just get annoyed because people aren't voicing their opinions, they are saying "this is the way it is because this is what I say, all hiphop sucks!" Some more nuances in the debate would be nice...

Mundungus Fletc

July 21st, 2004, 9:13 am

Morgan wrote
Who decides what's good music and what's bad music....?

Posterity - good music is enjoyed by later generations bad music gets forgotten. At any given time huge amounts of the output is dross that's destined for oblivion. We only notice it at the present time

Theodorre

July 21st, 2004, 9:16 am

Music has gone down!!!

dumbleedore

July 21st, 2004, 9:24 am

Picko

July 21st, 2004, 9:30 am

~Tonks~

July 21st, 2004, 9:33 am

I only have one complaint about music today and that's the fact that everything has to have an extended disco version. A nice, soft song has to have a twenty-minute long 'chunka chunka' version.

Whenever I listen to the radio, the songs blur into each other. It's either all dance or all rap. The two genres I can't stand.

Hence why I tend to go for more 'independant' bands- bands that pretty much are unknown here in Australia.

I hear you. The other day I turned on the radio and much to my horror I heard "You're Gonna Lose That Girl" by none other than the Fab Four... in a discotheque style remix that went on for a half an hour. I never thought I could be made to hate a Beatles song... then I reminded myself it's not the Beatles, it's some mad man at a synthesizer butchering a classic...

Personally, and this is just how I feel, I do think the line between good music and bad music is the ability to write your own music, play your own instruments, and sing without needing a machine to basically remix your voice so it can sound halfway decent. Granted, some artists start out with help from writers and back up bands, but when they don't move on to developing their own talent and they let everyone do the work for them, they stagnate. Even the music I don't like, if it's original, and it sounds good (it just doesn't happen to be my taste) I give it credit because someone took the time and effort to put their heart and soul into it and make it something meaningful. When the person is basically "artist in a can" thanks to some big corporate record company or media mogul (Disney, MTV) drowning the public in their #1 single, which they didn't write, the instrumentals as well as their voice pretty much comes from a machine, and really there's nothing noticable about them except how trendy they are and how sex appeal they have, in my opinion that's not music. What it is, I have no idea, but to me it's not music.

dumbleedore

July 21st, 2004, 9:36 am

And they have the singing at the original speed whilst the music is played at a ridiculous pace :D It's usually why I don't listen to music on the radio past 10pm :lol:
I only have the radio on of a morning because it's my alarm. And I spend most of that time yelling at the stupid 'DJ' for stealing Jay Leno's jokes and just being, well, himself. And it's bad that he's so bad on the radio because he's quite good looking :p.

I hear you. The other day I turned on the radio and much to my horror I heard "You're Gonna Lose That Girl" by none other than the Fab Four... in a discotheque style remix that went on for a half an hour. I never thought I could be made to hate a Beatles song... then I reminded myself it's not the Beatles, it's some mad man at a synthesizer butchering a classic...

Oh!!! Don't get me started on that!!! Some covers of songs work out alright. My favorite most recent one was the 'Boys of Summer' by The Ataris- however 99.9% of covers just make me want to scream, especially when I love the original. And that's why they do covers, because people love the original. And unfortunatly, a lot of people don't know they're covers. I had 'Boys of Summer' the original playing and someone I know started talking about how much they love The Ataris- they didn't know it was a cover.

And this person studied music...

*fumes*

Picko

July 21st, 2004, 9:40 am

I only have the radio on of a morning because it's my alarm. And I spend most of that time yelling at the stupid 'DJ' for stealing Jay Leno's jokes and just being, well, himself. And it's bad that he's so bad on the radio because he's quite good looking :p.

You know I'm sure you could turn it onto a station where the DJ doesn't steal Jay Leno's jokes ;)

FLYBUYF1

July 21st, 2004, 9:52 am

Music on the whole is ever heading the up and up provided you actually seek it out. the problem is that what gets played on the radio and smelly MTV is all S***. Check out the australian scene. not the stupid pop scene. the rock scen and even the Aus hip hop scene. I am a massive fan of rock n roll. but not even I can deny that the aus hip scene is making some really great stuff at the moment. dont accept what they cram down your throats. if you do and you have any brains then yeah, your going to think music is getting crapper every minute. but if you find a real radio stationa nd listen to some real music then youll see its all good so long as the record companies dont force it onto the charts and screw the band over. and really. the charts dont have bugger all real bands on their anyways!!!

mozinha

July 21st, 2004, 10:50 am

Well, I think people care less with the singers talent. I'm not gonna say any names because I don't want to offend other people who actually like the singers I'm talking about. But unfortunately, most people know some singers for their huge breast implants, or because they are half naked in photos and videos, because they make scandals, because they are sexy, because they are good dancers, because they have a pretty face. What about the voice? What about the quality of the music? It bothers me that some people out there just can't sing a note and are on top of charts. And some others do sing and have a great voice but must take out some clothes, otherwise the record won't sell. This is sort of disgusting.
You can see from the pic who is my idol. you may like her or hate her but one thing no one can deny: she is one of the rare singers in the world who built a lifelong carreer because she had a voice, and never based on looks, in a body, scandals or in a sexy dance but in a voice. Say the same about some other beautiful and intelligent ladies out there.
And I think about the teens like my sisters who go through this complicated time of their life (it is too much complicated) listing to and watching these people.

dumbleedore

July 21st, 2004, 10:52 am

You know I'm sure you could turn it onto a station where the DJ doesn't steal Jay Leno's jokes ;)
I have a choice of that DJ, talk back or country. That's it. And no matter what it would make me angry :p

Hence why I prefer my phones alarm clock now- at least it wakes me up with the HP theme :p

Picko

July 21st, 2004, 11:49 am

I have a choice of that DJ, talk back or country. That's it. And no matter what it would make me angry :p

Hence why I prefer my phones alarm clock now- at least it wakes me up with the HP theme :p

Your dislike for country music angers me. TAKE IT BACK! :p

Mad Macca

July 21st, 2004, 12:31 pm

*raises hand* Im a fan of folk and roots, which some would class as country (those with the untrained ear of course! dont hear the differences)

Although I think that the vast majority of music that is heard on popular radio and in films and television has decreased in quality (and then some!) I still believe that there are numerous unknown talents out there who are just as equal, if not better than musicians back in the day. The only problem is that because the Media wants to rake in the $$$$, they wont promote them, because unseen = uncool to their eyes. If they aren't wearing a pair of pants that is several sizes too big for them, or several sizes too small for that fact, they won't cut it, aren't cool, they can go out the window.
We need to support the musicians in this world who are actually decent!! Go buy a record of some guys you've never even heard of, its bound to be great :D

Bouncing_Ferret

July 21st, 2004, 2:03 pm

I think the quality of music definitely seems to be going down these days... Perhaps it's just because the market is so flooded with music that all sounds exactly the bloody same - well, to me anyhow. I truly can't tell where one hip hop beat ends and the next begins, and it's impossible to keep track of the over-tanned, over-bleached pudding-faced 'new talent' who are constantly plastered over the walls of train stations and buildings. It just seems far too easy to throw a few semi-talented-but-mostly-not pre-pubescent blondes together and waah hey, you've got the next No. 1 single! Of course good music does still exist, but the music business is already flooded with that much shite that it makes it so much harder for talented artists to make it anywhere.

However, I don't believe the idea that music peaked in the 60's/70's/80's and has been going downhill ever since - it's just that the music world goes in cycles. So once all this enthusiasm for tuneless boom booming has died down, perhaps some interesting and talented new musicians will emerge. Oneday. :p Anyhow, it's happened in the past - it's all because of luck. What if Brian Epstein had decided to settle into the furniture store business rather than track down that odd little leather-jacketed beat group... And look at the artists from the Liverpool scene of the 60's who followed as a result - Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy Kramer, Cilla Black, the Fourmost.

And then there's punk, of course. If pop hadn't been so rubbishy in the 70's, perhaps the Sex Pistols would never have gotten farther than playing in front of 42 people in Manchester in '76. I think one just has to be positive and believe that eventually some great music will break through the mountains of detritus that currently exist and hopefully change popular culture all over again. Fingers crossed, eh? :D

I suppose it's all down to personal opinion anyway - some people still firmly believe that the 80's was the decade of bad music, and that the 90's were a breath of fresh air, while others still believe that Dexy's Midnight Runners were the zenith of popular music (and they never can understand why HMV doesn't ask for more than two quid for their albums...) :D

Calencoire

July 21st, 2004, 2:55 pm

I also agree that the quality of music has gone way down. When you turn on the radio, chances are you are listening to someone who's had their voice modified and are filling the song with 'uhuhs' and 'yeahs' (I can't stand that) And the songs they sing mean nothing For me, I like a story that goes with the music, something to keep me listening. "Remaking" old songs from also makes me angry. Recycling and using something someone else wrote is just not cool.

These days, I can't think of one 'popular' song or artist that I'm going to remember in 30 years as a classic, and even though I'm young, I know many great oldies songs.

Even though it's hard to find, good music is out there, its just really hard to find. I like Josh Groban and Charlotte Church; they have beautiful voices and sing in a style that's all their own. Basically anyone who is outside of the little unoriginal box of pop, rap, etc. is worth a listen to in my book.

doadpadfoot

July 21st, 2004, 4:49 pm

oh yeah! i forgot to mention that most of the songs are about the reproduction process which is just nasty! :td:

sergorat

July 21st, 2004, 6:36 pm

The quality has gone DOWN!!!!!
Since the sixties/ early seventies the music is getting worse! the worst time ever were the 80ties and now.

there are nearly no good bands. :upset:

Lhvgoosegirl

July 21st, 2004, 8:50 pm

It seems that there is a lot of mediocrity in the music world, at least with popular music. Honestly, the singers aren't terrible since they can at least sing on pitch. The problem is more that they are not good. Phrasing and musicality is nonexistent- they breathe in the middle of words, for goodness sake! People care more about a pretty face and how famous a person is rather than the ability to sing or play well, though the problem seems to be more with vocalists than anything else. Sadly, my theory class which is mostly instrumentalists can sing better than a lot of pop singers. As for the songs themselves, the content seems to be going from questionable to inappropriate. There could be a little more originality in the tunes themeselves, but people like to stick with the same progressions.

But if the new stuff isn't so hot, then give some older music a shot! Even classical is worth a try at least (I love it!). Jazz is pretty cool as well.

mozinha

July 21st, 2004, 9:49 pm

I stopped watching MTV, it was making me sick. I know what I like, I know want I want to hear. I have a HUGE crush on french language so french music is my thing. I like 80s music and I also LOVE powerful ballads. And, of course, I'm a fulltime Celine fan. So I have my mind made up, I listen to what I like and don't care about the others. If **** music music is playing on tv or radio, I don't care. They are winning awards with their junk? I don't care. Because these artist just fade away some day. Won't be remembered as the GREAT Beattles or Elvis (my king) and like so many other living legends around.

::Revolutionary::

July 21st, 2004, 10:59 pm

Yes. Everything there is to be said on this subject has been said. So i'll just leave it at that.

Morgan

July 22nd, 2004, 9:11 am

Alot of people who like rock music, especially from the more alternative scene, will tell you that at the end of the 1980's, early 1990's, we were fed up with poodle haired ballad "rock" and bubble gum pop like New Kids. Breaking through all that Nirvana came and changed the music scene radically and for three intense years they laid the groundwork for a very healthy and powerful music scene came out of Seattle, migrated over to Manchester and laid down the base for alot of the really fantastic alternative rock that's actually out there today, if you know where to look for it.

FLYBUYF1

July 23rd, 2004, 12:39 pm

Their Is Good Music If You Bother To Look For It!!!!!

Kimmetje

July 23rd, 2004, 12:43 pm

I think there's a lot of good music out there. If you look you can find it. I think the quality has gone up for the past few years. Some are bad, while others make great music. I agree with FLYBUYF1 that you just have to look beyond...

I love Pop, RnB, Rap, HipHop and Dance!

Gwenog Jones

July 26th, 2004, 2:13 am

There are some good bands out there that I enjoy listening to, for example Something Corporate or Brand New. I appreciate the music more when the artists actually write their own lyrics. But, when they are singing some song that some talented songwriter wrote(who is getting no credit), that makes me mad. One of my friends is an extremely talented singer, and she has written over 20 great songs. Yet, she cannot get a record deal. It doesn't make sense.

Marissa

July 26th, 2004, 2:25 am

in general was much better in the 60's and 70's. I now listen to nothing post 1994.

I'm agree. After Nirvana, music just...IT JUST SUCKS.
Its now, dominated by hip hop...which is **** in my opinion...and pop.

I Listen to classic rock stations, where you can here real bands with talent, and not stupid..computer generated...****.
My fav bands are:
Nirvana, Queen, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin.

rotsiepots

July 26th, 2004, 1:40 pm

It depends on your definition of quality, really. If an artist is only considered quality if they write their own music, then a fair majority of music on the radio could be considered garbage. If we use this definition, though, we're slotting in groups like The Monkees in with Avril Lavigne, and I'm rather fond of Davy Jones, so I can't bring myself to do that.

The evolution of pop music from something that was just "popular" to a separate genre has probably contributed to this perceived "decline" in music quality. Similarly, the digression of genres such as punk rock, rock etc from their original forms to somewhat more mainstream existence has led many to despair.

Personally, I don't think music quality has gone down, or up. It's just evolved and changed with time.

There were quite a few people who thought the Beatles were ghastly.

deathfairy87

July 26th, 2004, 7:37 pm

I think the quality of music has definetly gone down. If you turn to the popular radio stations, it's all rap. Not all rap is bad, but the most popular stuff is horrible. All it talks about is sex! I've completely boycotted the radio, because my favorite punkrock station sold out to pop.

rmjoots

July 27th, 2004, 7:52 am

Today, I definately agree that music has gone downhill. The singing artists do not create their own songs and bands don't play their own instruments or write. Every true note of music is drowned out by synthisizers (?) and computers.

No matter what genre, I really love TRUE singers. If the voice is good, I'm happy.. in my opinion, I beleive these people are examples of true singers: Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, Lena Horne, Karen Carpenter Michael Jackson (the way he sung in the Jackson 5, he changed his technique now :() Barbra Streisand, Anne Murray, Josh Groban, etc. Sadly, many true singers are overlooked for sex appeal than quality.

And I respect bands who have written their own lyrics and played their own instruments like Beatles, Bachman-Turner Overdrive and even Nirvana wasn't too bad with some songs. The problem is that its my generation that is producing music now and we have grown up surrounded by bad popular music during the 80s and 90's.

Morgan

July 27th, 2004, 8:49 am

matchboxer

July 27th, 2004, 5:22 pm

U2
The Hives
The Strokes
Sissor Sisters
Broder Daniel
Kent
Franz Ferdinand
Morrissey
Avril Lavigne
Coldplay
The Ordinary Boys
Cardigans
Backyard Babies
Hellacopters
Louise Hoffsten
Norah Jones
Ben Harper
Josh Ritter
Jamie Cullum

Want me to go on? All bands and singers from post 1994 who write and sing their own music. :)

You forgot matchbox twenty. And Avril Lavigne doesn't write her own music. She cowrites, which is a [small] step up but not the same thing.

Either way, it's horribly unfair to use "writes own music" as the only criteria. There are some fabulous songwriters out there who just cannot sing to save their lives, so they enlist other people to bring their songs to life. Does that give their music less substance? It shouldn't. And then there are groups that do write their own music but are still God-awful (*coughGoodCharlottecough*). It can go either way.

I think what constitues "good music" is the same thing that constitutes good books. It's all a matter of personal opinion. Don't get so caught up in who wrote it, just be concerned about whether or not you can enjoy it, both lyrically and melodically.

michaela

July 27th, 2004, 5:36 pm

I only really like rock/indi/metal music. I think that has improved so much, and the British bands are really good! Music like pop, rap, and RnB is just trash music in my opinion.

Morgan

July 28th, 2004, 8:03 am

You forgot matchbox twenty. And Avril Lavigne doesn't write her own music. She cowrites, which is a [small] step up but not the same thing.

Either way, it's horribly unfair to use "writes own music" as the only criteria. There are some fabulous songwriters out there who just cannot sing to save their lives, so they enlist other people to bring their songs to life. Does that give their music less substance? It shouldn't. And then there are groups that do write their own music but are still God-awful (*coughGoodCharlottecough*). It can go either way.

I think what constitues "good music" is the same thing that constitutes good books. It's all a matter of personal opinion. Don't get so caught up in who wrote it, just be concerned about whether or not you can enjoy it, both lyrically and melodically.

Here, here! I agree completly with you! Forget "good" or "bad"! Just listen to it and enjoy it. If you don't, turn the **** thing off! :D

Bouncing_Ferret

July 28th, 2004, 1:52 pm

The quality has gone DOWN!!!!!
Since the sixties/ early seventies the music is getting worse! the worst time ever were the 80ties and now.

Eh? 70's was an absolutely dreadful decade for music until the Pistols, in my humble opinion. :p I'm a big 80's fan - such super fun, absolute nonsense music that you can actually dance to! :D These days you go to a party and it's just silly girls thrusting their bottoms in every direction and nervous boys who move like wooden puppets covered with something sticky. What happened to the days of dancing? What an old, sad world we live in. :sad:

HammerTime!

July 29th, 2004, 11:21 am

The Ordinary Boys

I just listened to their album, and they do sound like they've been listening to The Smiths several hours too long. When one listens to a song of theirs one can say : "Oh! Here's a Smiths part. Ok, now it's over. Hey! It's Smiths again!". I realise that this is the way they want it to be, after all, they are called The Ordinary Boys, but still it's a bit weird.
Are they really that popular in Britain that you put them on your list together with U2, The Strokes etc.?

FloydTheBarber

July 30th, 2004, 2:51 pm

Compared to the past decades our music quality today has definitely gone down....that's why i don't listen to a lot of new music now adays.

Weatherby

July 30th, 2004, 3:46 pm

I do have a thread about fantastic artists releasing sub-par stuff this year but despite that I don't think this is a new trend.
There's been a lack of anything original or exciting to a lot of people but that could be the social climate as well as artists themselves.

With the information that's out there it's easier to comb the world for the quality released in each country but people would rather play the same 5 songs on the radio which boils down to money.
Until companies are willing to take chances and stop forking money over to evil clear channel stations then they won't stop playing the same five crappy songs.
So it depends on how far you're willing to look to listen to something new.
People have discovered bands like moby, modest mouse and the walkmen through commercials selling beer for heavens sake. Keep your ears open.

There's no reason not to listen to the old stuff. If it's good it'll always be good and we should continue to crank it out 40 years later.
My advice read reviews. Critics are willing to take more chances then the radios or mtv.
They may lead you astray too [they have given Avril Lavinge good reviews afterall] but it's a start.
Read amazon lists!
There's so much music. There's going to be bad with the good.

accioinsight7

August 10th, 2004, 5:03 am

Ana-Magus

August 10th, 2004, 7:00 am

for the most part the quality has gone down...or at least the mainstream music...the underground stuff or at least the lesser known stuff is still great (see Paste magazine for samples)
I really like Norah Jones though, maybe just because she is ravi shankar's daughter.

I definitely agree... It seems as if people don't care much about quality anymore.... it's more important to look good in front of a camera than it is to have actual talent.

I don't watch it, but it's one of the reasons why I like the idea behind American Idol - it searches for actual vocal talent! For example, if Britney Spears would have been put in front of that panel of judges - she would have been shot down long ago, like she should have been.

It's one thing to sound good in a studio, it's another to sound good in front of a live audience.

I applaud artists like Norah Jones and Alicea Keys who are recongnized for their raw musical talent.

squirpy

August 10th, 2004, 7:39 am

Mundungus Fletc

August 10th, 2004, 7:47 am

Squirpy wrote
Here's the problem with asking if music quality has gone up or down : what we hear now of earlier decades' music is the best of those decades. It's the stuff that survived the test of time.

I agree one hundred percent. I am old enough to remember the sixties whic is often suggested as a great decade for music. I promise you 98% of what was produced then was dross. I guess it has always been true in all areas of the arts. Those composers we think great now were not all considered great in their own day and composers that were thought great are forgotten.

And if anyone cares to point out that if you remember the sixties you weren't there I was a bit young for the drug scene at the time

Hagrid442

August 10th, 2004, 8:06 am

I believe it's more a cyclical thing, however there is a disturbing culture developing in the music industry today. It reflects the greater part of society, though, in looking at form instead of substance. I personally can't stand 95% of the pop and "hip hop" they play nowadays. Even the rock scene is less than adequate with only a few bands that don't sound like the other.

Since I'm a fan of rock, I'll concentrate on it. The mainstream rock has gone way, way, way down in the last 7-8 years. You have rap-"metal" bands like Linkin Park and Dip Bisquick. And cookie-cutter bands like Staind Puddles of Coldness that sound alike and blame all their problems on someone else. Really, the only fairly new rock bands that I really like are Godsmack and System of a Down. But as a hard-rock fan, most of what is good is pre-1994, and many of those bands (Alice in Chains :sad: ) are no more. Even radio mainstays like U2, Greenday, and Metallica are rather old now. (And many argue that Metallica's best days are way behind them, but that's a different thread!)

I'm not ashamed to admit that this guy that listens to Slayer, Type O Negative, and Sepultura/Soulfly also likes Coldplay!

The radio stations that I listen to tend to be harder rock stations that sometimes play classic rock, or just full blown classic rock. I do like Floyd, Zep, Ozzie, and especially Skynyrd. (There's a band whose life was cut short. :sad: )

Natsufan

August 10th, 2004, 8:17 am

Here's the problem with asking if music quality has gone up or down : what we hear now of earlier decades' music is the best of those decades. It's the stuff that survived the test of time. There was a lot of horrible music, but they just don't play it anymore. So there's always a larger collection of past good music because it keeps building up, while the bad gets forgotten. But with current music, we have to hear it all, so it just seems like there's more bad music because there's more of it on the radio. It doesn't mean that there's less good music now than there was in the past, it just means that what we hear is more of a mix between good and bad.
I quite agree with that, though I must add that the sixties gave more masterpieces than the eighties, for example. But, although I agree that only the test of time chooses what remains, I must also add that when I was 14-16 I used to watch MTV, and now I'm 25 and I don't. I stopped watching it about 18 or so. When I was younger than that, in an hour of TV, I would watch some new songs, some good songs, and a few bad songs. Things came to a point where if I heard ONE good son in an hour, I'd be lucky. So I stopped watching it, because it was a gross loss of time. I really think that there is more **** nowadays, at least in TV. Why? Well, just look at the singers and make a list of the ugly ones and the pretty or beautiful ones. In the females, it's incredible. There is NO single ugly female singer anymore. Maybe some Janis Joplin is out there, but we'll never meet her. There are some talented pretty girls, such as Alicia Keys or Avril Lavigne. Because if you are talented AND pretty, you have a chance. But if you are untalented and pretty, you also have a chance. What seems impossible to live without is prettiness. This also happens with males, specially with "knickerbreaker" bands the kind of New Kids on the Block, but it happens much less.

Or is it my imagination?

~Tonks~

August 10th, 2004, 8:19 am

Since I'm a fan of rock, I'll concentrate on it. The mainstream rock has gone way, way, way down in the last 7-8 years. You have rap-"metal" bands like Linkin Park and Dip Bisquick. And cookie-cutter bands like Staind Puddles of Coldness that sound alike and blame all their problems on someone else. Really, the only fairly new rock bands that I really like are Godsmack and System of a Down. But as a hard-rock fan, most of what is good is pre-1994, and many of those bands (Alice in Chains :sad: ) are no more. Even radio mainstays like U2, Greenday, and Metallica are rather old now. (And many argue that Metallica's best days are way behind them, but that's a different thread!)

right on :tu: :rotfl: dip bisquick and staind puddles of coldness! That's great... I hear you... I can't stand Linkin Park. I think he sounds great when he sings softly, but when he screeches into the microphone and has the backup singer behind him rapping I can't handle it. I like older Godsmack, and older Metallica. Ever since Metallica only started caring about money I've lost all respect for them. I also prefer old Green Day. U2 to me is a classic band and I love them. Today I was listening to the radio and they played something from Soundgarden, Black Hole Sun... it made me wish for the pre 1994 days. When the Smashing Pumpkins broke up I cried. I knew a whole era of music I loved was over.

I hear you about bands who blame all their problems on someone else. This is why I hate emo bands. They're all a bunch of jaded snots who whine into the mic about how hard their lives are. Give me a break. You've got millions of chicks crazy about you and you're making millions of dollars and you have insane fame. Yes, life is so hard. :rolleyes:

I'm not ashamed to admit that this guy that listens to Slayer, Type O Negative, and Sepultura/Soulfly also likes Coldplay!

:D Hey, I listen to Ozzy, Led Zeppelin, and Tool one minute, and opera, broadway, and Coldplay the next :D variety is good

Aranel

August 10th, 2004, 9:48 am

Six months ago I would have agreed with the opinion that music has gone downhill. At that time the majority of what I was listening to was oldies. I just wasn't aware of the brilliant stuff that is being produced today because all I was seeing was the crappy MTV stuff. But people introduced me some more 'alternative' bands and I immediately loved what I saw, really interesting, original stuff that requires a lot of talent. Its just about discarding the bad stuff and looking for the good music, because I assure you, it's there, just hard to find under the detritus.

Hagrid442

August 11th, 2004, 5:36 am

right on :tu: :rotfl: dip bisquick and staind puddles of coldness! That's great... I hear you... I can't stand Linkin Park. I think he sounds great when he sings softly, but when he screeches into the microphone and has the backup singer behind him rapping I can't handle it. I like older Godsmack, and older Metallica. Ever since Metallica only started caring about money I've lost all respect for them. I also prefer old Green Day. U2 to me is a classic band and I love them. Today I was listening to the radio and they played something from Soundgarden, Black Hole Sun... it made me wish for the pre 1994 days. When the Smashing Pumpkins broke up I cried. I knew a whole era of music I loved was over.

I hear you about bands who blame all their problems on someone else. This is why I hate emo bands. They're all a bunch of jaded snots who whine into the mic about how hard their lives are. Give me a break. You've got millions of chicks crazy about you and you're making millions of dollars and you have insane fame. Yes, life is so hard. :rolleyes:

:D Hey, I listen to Ozzy, Led Zeppelin, and Tool one minute, and opera, broadway, and Coldplay the next :D variety is good

I like some orchestral music too, myself. :) Not much for opera or Broadway. But I love Tool, too. LOL.

I still love Metallica. They're still the best live band I've ever seen. I'm seeing them in a couple of weeks with Godsmack. Also going to Ozzfest, but I'm really only interested in Ozzy and Slayer. lol

I like the Grunge movement. It ended before its time, I think. That's my opinion. Funny how the only band of the main five that's still around is my least favorite of the 5! Audioslave was ok, but wasn't the same as Soundgarden.

Tonks... Billy Corgan grew up in my town and went to my high school. :evil:

Chrysalis

August 11th, 2004, 7:11 am

I think that on this topic everyone can agree up to a certain extent what artists are considered bad. It's about technical proficiency and originality and most popular artists have neither. But after that it becomes hazy. For instance, I don't like Slayer, Godsmack, or Ozzy Osborne. I prefer bands that write melodious music. Apart from the cliche-ridden radio-friendly rock I also avoid a lot of indie music. I mean, come on people. How many bands do you need that create 'subtly layered melodies'? After hearing some of this music I feel like putting my fingers in my ears, like when listening to Sigur Ros. But, I don't feel that the music scene is really any worse off than 30 years ago. Today's music is much more diverse, there are more genres. If you lived in the Seventies there were either only the bands that are considered 'Classic', now, or chewy radio confections, not much else. If you dig deep enough you will find something that you like. There is foreign music aplenty. And look beyond the Sixties. There is plenty of classical music for your listening pleasure. Not to mention Broadway.

So, good music is still there, so long you keep your mind open.

Hagrid442

August 14th, 2004, 4:54 am

One of my favorite bands is a band that has enjoyed mild success in the United States, but one of the biggest mainstream metal bands in Europe. Rammstein.

It's because of this, they don't tour often in the US. :( :upset:

Revolution

August 14th, 2004, 12:06 pm

Okay, so the music has become more diverse, but you can't deny that (pop)artists are only discovered for their body, not their talent. I heard they tried to make a Britney Spears out of Avril Lavigne, but she didn't agree to that. Well I don't like her music, but at least she doesn't go on showing of her body.
Beyonce used to be good, when she was in Destiny's child, but her solo-album only shows her the whole time dancing what she still calls 'sexy', but which is actually quite vulgar. These days, the only way you can stay popular is by showing of your body.

But there are still good bands these days. I like a little bit of hip-hop. I think Outkast is pretty good, since they are more experimental. And there are lots of good rock-bands, including Coldplay, Counting Crows, Snow Patrol and Keane.

Angelic Demon

August 14th, 2004, 4:26 pm

I think that in a few years time, some if not a lot of the music i listen to at the moment will suddenly make me wonder how i still have the power of hearing it's that bad, but i like it at the moment. However, i like to think that my taste in music is somewhat more cultured than others because i a lot of my favourite songs are by people my friends have never heard of, or are classics by the Beatles or the Stones. I was outraged when my best friend claimed to be a massive Bowie fan because she owned his latest album. It turns out she'd never heard of classics like jean genie or Ziggy Stardust. Is it sad that the current generation of young people don't have any idols of their own they can listen too? Because i know i'm not the only one my age who listens more to stuff their parents listened to than stuff their friends listen to. People keep asking when something genuinely new and exciting is going to come out, but i'd be the first to admit that maybe i wouldn't be sure what it was when i heard it because i'm so used to being told what to like and being disappointed by it.

and btw, what exactly is emo?

Sorcha

August 14th, 2004, 6:33 pm

and btw, what exactly is emo?

Haha, good question. I heard it defined once on the radio. It's basically a compilation of stuff from every generation, because supposedly this generation doesn't know where it belongs. As clothes go, as far as I can tell, it's mostly 80's stuff. The music is depressing, stuff like Fall Out Boy. Here's some of their lyrics:

"you want apologies
girl, you might hold your breath
until your breathing stops forever, forever
the only thing you'll get
is this curse on your lips:
i hope they taste of me forever

but there's a light on in chicago
and i know i should be home
all the colors of the street signs..
they remind me of the pickup truck out in front of your neighbor's

with every breath i wish your body will be broken again"
[x4]

Nothing like a good oldfashioned love song, eh? :huh:

Another is something about slitting his own throat and with his last breath apologising for bleeding on her shirt. Lovely.

Actually, their music is pretty good but the lyrics need help. They are very angry rather murderous children.

So yeah, that's emo. It's what my little sister defines herself as, so I have heard the definition many times.

I hear you about bands who blame all their problems on someone else. This is why I hate emo bands. They're all a bunch of jaded snots who whine into the mic about how hard their lives are. Give me a break. You've got millions of chicks crazy about you and you're making millions of dollars and you have insane fame. Yes, life is so hard.

Thank you! Emo is part of the reason music has gone downhill, IMO.

LuvHP_001

August 14th, 2004, 6:52 pm

My friend and I are aspiring writers/singers (he also raps) and we've been noticing that the quality of music (in our HUMBLE opinion) has dropped considerably these past few years.

Everything, well, just plain sucks. There are some good bands/groups/solo artist out there (Alicia Keys hasn't disappointed me yet) but the majority of artist out today just don't seem to have much talent what so ever.

You'd think the recent American Idol(s) would have the BEST industry writers penning their albums and the best producers laying out some 'hot tracks' for them but you'd be wrong!

All of the idols just blow. Their albums hardly move and critics bomb on their CDs constantly.

It's extremely hard for my friend and I to be taken seriously and while I'm not saying we are better artist than Britney Spears or Lil' Scrappy (I swear that's a real rappers name!) we are offering a lot more than some artist out today.

It's like their just giving away record deals to anyone who is thin and attractive. I'm thin and modestly good looking but I'm insecure about my vocal skills so I haven't been persuing a real record deal yet.

I want to work on my craft before I try to audition for say J Records or Motown. Maybe some artist should follow my lead and trying, ya know, taking some vocal lessons before record these horrendous CDs that cluttered the shelves...

OMG!!! I BOW TO YOU!!! i have been thinking that for so LONG!!!
i mean, there are all these untalented people just being offered a record deal! Rap has gone DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!! No longer are there like 2pac and Eminem rapping about their lives and important stuff (well eminem sometimes :p ) but their rapping about you know what,drugs and $$ and it's like SOO annoying, it really stresses me out. Kanye West is so fresh and new and raps about stuff that is actually meaningful! and what's up with Rock? They sign so many new people that are like one hit wonders and all sound alike: Hoobastank,Story of the year,Yellowcard ect. and pop? DON'T GET ME STARTED!!!! They aren't about music at all, they're so fake!! and i'm tired of their VULGUAR behavior, they should work as prostitutes!!!

I used to be such a music fan but now i only like VERY few people. Kanye West, Evanescence, Linkin Park, Eminem just a tiny bit, STILL LUVIN 2pac and that's it!!! i mean this is annoying! and the "Idols"? what kind of idols are they? they have a hit, they're on top, attend some award show and no one hears about them anymore, stupid "reality" shows! The only one that was ok was Kelly Clarkson but other than that... :td: :td: :td: :td: .

whoa you ppl got me worked up, Thanks for the AWESOME question!

red_fairy

August 14th, 2004, 7:03 pm

Much of the music seems so... processed. The record companies lump it up in a labeled box so that they can market it. And people like Britney Spears are not Artists, but acts. There are some good artist out there, Alicia Keyes was mentioned earlier, but much is c***.

LuvHP_001

August 14th, 2004, 7:19 pm

Credo Buffa

August 14th, 2004, 7:20 pm

The talent is around, but big companies aren't interested in good music, they want to make as much money as possible.

I completely agree. I go to school with some really, really incredible musicians whose talent will never be shown to the world because they don't have the "look" to appeal to the audience that record companies feel they need to target. They want someone who is going to look good in their music videos so that people will go out and buy their album that they won't really listen to the lyrics to or care that all the songs sound like all the other songs on their other albums with "artists" whose music videos have good-looking people in them. It seems that the recording industry has forgotten that music is an art of the ear, and not the eye.

I don't think that we can say the quality of available music is dwindling, because I know of plenty of amazing artists out there doing amazing work. The problem is that the quality of material being advertised to the public as "popular music" is dwindling. They are essentially insulting our intelligence. They figure that if they can get teeny-bopper girls interested in someone, then they'll make enough money to forget that there's a larger public out there wanting something intelligent to listen to. And when you have that going on for long enough, people stop realizing that there is an intelligent option out there. . . they just never see it.

Another problem is that too many "popular artists" out there have only one trick in their bag. They can belt out a tune, but they can't write their own songs, much less understand how it is constructed. They start to stagnate. They don't even listen to the songs that they sing, so that they all sound the same regardless of what the songwriter is trying to say. The more, the better. Always. It's so wrong!

Popular music today has become such a marketable product by the media that the industry doesn't care about what it sounds like anymore, as long as it looks good in an ad or on the CD jewel case.

But if you really want to go looking for it, the truly good stuff is out there. It's just not being ushered down the red carpet, unfortunately.

LuvHP_001

August 14th, 2004, 7:40 pm

I completely agree. I go to school with some really, really incredible musicians whose talent will never be shown to the world because they don't have the "look" to appeal to the audience that record companies feel they need to target. They want someone who is going to look good in their music videos so that people will go out and buy their album that they won't really listen to the lyrics to or care that all the songs sound like all the other songs on their other albums with "artists" whose music videos have good-looking people in them. It seems that the recording industry has forgotten that music is an art of the ear, and not the eye.

I don't think that we can say the quality of available music is dwindling, because I know of plenty of amazing artists out there doing amazing work. The problem is that the quality of material being advertised to the public as "popular music" is dwindling. They are essentially insulting our intelligence. They figure that if they can get teeny-bopper girls interested in someone, then they'll make enough money to forget that there's a larger public out there wanting something intelligent to listen to. And when you have that going on for long enough, people stop realizing that there is an intelligent option out there. . . they just never see it.

Another problem is that too many "popular artists" out there have only one trick in their bag. They can belt out a tune, but they can't write their own songs, much less understand how it is constructed. They start to stagnate. They don't even listen to the songs that they sing, so that they all sound the same regardless of what the songwriter is trying to say. The more, the better. Always. It's so wrong!

Popular music today has become such a marketable product by the media that the industry doesn't care about what it sounds like anymore, as long as it looks good in an ad or on the CD jewel case.

But if you really want to go looking for it, the truly good stuff is out there. It's just not being ushered down the red carpet, unfortunately.

AMAZINGLY SAID! :tu: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

Raethul

August 15th, 2004, 12:53 am

I don't think that we can say the quality of available music is dwindling, because I know of plenty of amazing artists out there doing amazing work. The problem is that the quality of material being advertised to the public as "popular music" is dwindling.
That's a very nice way to put that, agree completely.

They can belt out a tune, but they can't write their own songs, much less understand how it is constructed. They start to stagnate. They don't even listen to the songs that they sing, so that they all sound the same regardless of what the songwriter is trying to say.
Yes! This is a big annoyance of mine. Artists who have no variety on their albums at all. Their songs all sound so repetetive and similar that you can barely tell them apart. The person responsible for writing these songs is most likely thinking to him/herself, "Well, if they like ONE song, they'll like them ALL!"

Rita Skeeter

August 20th, 2004, 1:42 am

gosh yes .. music quality has gone down .. im sorry, that was to direct .. most mainstream music quality has gone down [but you must know that i live in an upperclass primarily white neighborhood and not to be steryotypical or biast, but very few of my friends listen to anything that isnt on mtv or z100 [radio station for tri-state area] .. yes, ocasionaly bands like maroon five and singers like alicia keys who have geniuine talent, but whats up with like good charlotte [i know theyre so last five minutes ago but its all i coulg think of] .. its almost impossible to belive that once genuine bands such as nirvana and beatles and the stones and pink floyd were mainstream .. where has the music industry gone?!?

Krobin822

August 22nd, 2004, 12:00 am

Hahaha...you guys crack me up. In a good way.

I think that music quality has gone both up and down. Alot of you talk about how much you love 80's music and how it was so much better. I'm completely in love with all the 80's music, so don't get me wrong, but wasn't it almost just as gimmicky and cheesy as it (ie mostly pop) now?!?! Duran Duran, Go-Gos, Queen (come on now...they are), Madonna, MC Hammer, Vanilla Ice, or any 80's icon that had insane fame and influence.

I think there will always be a category of music that is just there for when your having a party or cruising in your car and you just want to act stupid and sing along. There's no musical talent to it. That's where I think the Hilary's and Britney's come in. My rule of thumb now is if it'd able to get onto the radio it is basicly pop. Pop stands for popular and the only way you get on the radio now is if your popular with either the major record labels or somehow have some magically huge fan base.

So I think the major Music-Killer-Monster is the record labels and the radio stations and the monopoly they have on the music industry. And YES I ILLEGALLY DOWNLOAD MUSIC! Sorry, that was a complete tangent.

On the flipside, with the technology we have now, you no longer need a major record label to create great music. I could make a studio quality-like CD on my computer right now. Thats why I think the quality of music hasn't declined, but gotten smothered by the over zealous record companies. I'm a huge hip hip fan and there is some AWESOME underground acts right now that could be amazing, but either haven't gotten the opprotunity or don't want to be a part of the music massacre.

Basically, I just haven't made up my mind and am pretty much confused. What I do know is that I haven't purchased a real CD in about three years.

Kym.

Spirit

August 22nd, 2004, 1:13 am

I think that music quality has gone down. I will admit that I like some of the top songs, but usually I think that they are just noise made by talentless people. Channel 10 news plays a little bit of the top songs charts every Friday night, and 95% of the time, I think that the music is terrible.

And I also don't like the lyrics to most of the top songs. Most of the top songs are about sex, drugs, getting drunk, etc., or they are just about nothing at all. What I mean by nothing is that they just repeat words like, "lean back, y'all, lean back" or "slow motion for me, slow motion for me". :( I'm quite disappointed right now with the music that is considered "cool".

loopdeedoo123

August 22nd, 2004, 9:01 pm

I definitely think that music has gone down. My parents grew up with all these great bands, and now there are hardly any good ones. -- I love Dave Matthews, though, he's good:)

Hermywormy

August 29th, 2004, 3:38 pm

The talent is around, but big companies aren't interested in good music, they want to make as much money as possible.

I know!! I was bored once and watching a documentary of Brittney Spears and they were saying even when she was, like, 8 she had a good voice. I am not a Brittney fan, so I was preparing to laugh at them, but then I heard her and it was like...wow. I never thought she could actually sing GOOD. I knew that the industry manipulated her to sing with that sucky voice.

Actually, there are a lot of songs I like. But I won't deny that whenever they sing on I Love Lucy, I don't mind actually listening.

Barbara Kennedy

September 2nd, 2004, 9:15 pm

I just wish people actually sang, not yelled 'lyrics' at the top of their lungs.
Whatever happened to harmony and being able to understand the words?

I long for the acoustic days before loudspeaker music and explosions as part of a song.

(Although, hypocrit that I can be, I guess, I love the 1812 Overture with full Cannon. :D )

skistar123

September 2nd, 2004, 9:19 pm

I cannot bear Rap or R'n'B, Cheesy Pop or Heavy Rock Music, so basically, i like people like avril lavigne etc, i love people like Queen, the Darkness, i suppose you could say 'glam rock' and i do lik some pop, but mainly i like 60s-80s music, i think its much better than todays music.

Nathaniel

September 2nd, 2004, 9:21 pm

Yes, music quality has gone down. I mean, what happened to great bands like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Guns N' Roses, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Poison, Kiss, Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix...

I mean, now they have bands like Linkin Park (talk about sounding the same), The Darkness (just plain stupid), etc...

Yes, quality has definitely gone down. Even music styles. I wanna see rock come back to what it use to be, and put (c)rap in its place (no offense to the rap fans out there)...

And country? :nc:

I absolutely hate classical.

They wanna bring up music quality, then bring back the good stuff (listed above in first sentence)

skistar123

September 2nd, 2004, 9:39 pm

i love classical music, i am very musical, hovever, i can't sing!!! i play piano, flute, recorder, ocarina and im teaching myself the guitar!

~Tonks~

September 2nd, 2004, 9:48 pm

At least classical music requires one to be skilled in playing a real musical instrument. Some classical I love and some classical I don't. It's got such a wide range of variety and style, you can love some composers and pieces and hate others. With most pop nowadays, all you need are skimpy clothes and choreographed dance moves.

Barb, I don't think the 1812 Overture counts as a mindless explosion song :D Explosions yes, but that takes an orchestra :lol:

triki1988

September 2nd, 2004, 11:01 pm

I've always loved classical music. I get into it and start conducting in myself.
As for the "modern music", I think it's total and absolute...wait, the word will get censored.
I think it's just bad.
Come on, "Lean Back"? Please.
Where did the good stuff, like "Queen" go to? Why did the 80's music have to evolve? "You Spin Me 'Round" was such an awesome song (despite what everyone says about it) and now Thalia is makgin a cover of it and it's slaughtering it!
At least in the US, the quality went down.

I finally made it to Europe this summer and I thought "Dragostea Din Tei" was pure genius. Along with that song by Piero Pelu. I forgot the name though.
I think we might need the European influence again.

Animagi Girl

September 3rd, 2004, 2:23 am

The music today is so horrible. The quality of music has gone down and everything sounds the same to me. I listen to a lot of musicals because I think they're much better than anything anyone else is putting out.

RosetteDelacour

September 3rd, 2004, 3:22 am

I do think that today's music is not nearly as good as the music in, say, the 1960s or 1970s.

But I think, in the last five years, the quality of music has improved tremendously. Look at bands/artists like the White Stripes, Evanescence, Yellowcard, Norah Jones, etc., who are far cries from Britney and Christina. I think that, between 1998 and 2001, we had one of the worst eras in popular music history, the era of "bubblegum pop". (The '80s were pretty bad as a whole, but they did produce some great artists) But the people who struggled during the era of "bubblegum pop", the singer-songwriters, the people who sing with their own voices and play their own instruments, are getting out into the open now. We still have things like American Idol, but we will always have **** music, stuff for giddy preteen girls to listen to. The point is, the real artists are coming out into the open for the more discerning listener. So, yes it's gone down since the '70s, but it's definitely improved since the days of N*STYNCS (I call them that because, well, they stink).

potter_chick

September 3rd, 2004, 4:02 am

maybe its just me but music to me is not real any more ! its all done in a studio, no real instruments, voices changed to sound better ! what happened ? music used to be so good, real, pure and now its all gone down the drain !! it ****** me off ! the only good music to listen to is the music our parents listen to ! we need some real band, real singers there are very few out there !

It seems that they will give any one a record deal if there hott! thats all u have to have the "look" well music isn't bout the "look" its about the MUSIC !! look at paris hilton, she now is recording a CD ! O GOD we hink this stuff on the radio is bad, wait till her CD comes out ! its all about the marketing ! EHHH it just makes me so mad !! i could spen many hours on this subject but ill think ill stop

well thanks 4 the good question !!

Senna Wells

September 10th, 2004, 8:48 pm

I used to listen to a lot of modern music, but I scaled back over the years, diving back into older stuff more and more to find some soul and quality. Then I discovered Rush earlier this January and I was totally sold on classic/prog rock.

I'm still willing to give new stuff a try (Modest Mouse isn't half bad at all...they're pretty unique, especially when you play them on VH1 next to the rest of the tripe that's running), but I guess I feel like the older bands (80's and on) have more to offer.

I don't think it's that new talent doesn't exist...I'm thinking that music has become more commercial and that the real stuff is getting beat down by the bands that are willing to sell themselves out for contracts and the like. Modern music is more prepackaged and more meant for the masses...it's lost any risk and attempt at being original. I guess if you want the good stuff, you just have to look! I'm still discovering new old bands to this day that rock (anyone remember The Proclaimers' "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" or Harvey Danger's "Flag Pole Sitta"? Has anyone listened to the Flaming Lips? Tom Waits?)Keep hope alive!

evanescence4491

September 10th, 2004, 8:55 pm

look at paris hilton, she now is recording a CD ! O GOD we hink this stuff on the radio is bad, wait till her CD

Why say that? Have you even HEARD her sing live? How can you insult her if you've never heard her sing live?

Erich Theissen

September 10th, 2004, 9:05 pm

Music hasn't been good since the last hurrah of bands like Queen, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, and so on.
Music nowadays is about marketing and image, not about talent.
Take the cookie-cutter boy bands and female pop singers for example. Most are nothing special, and so-called "artists" like Britney Spears don't have a very good voice at all and portray an image that's far too mature for the age group that listen to their music. There are some exceptions of late, such as Evanesence, which has generally pure and unique music.

The best music came from the fifties, sixties, seventies, and eighties. The music then was pure, original, and some of the greatest songs of all time come from this time period. Hotel California, Yesterday, Stairway to Heaven, Bohemian Rhapsody - music like that just isn't made anymore. And the great artists and bands of yesterday can make quite a long list.
Elvis Presley, The Beatles, the Temptations, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, the Eagles, Queen, Metallica, Poison - the list can go on, and on, and on. Music just isn't as good as it used to be.

Infernochick

September 10th, 2004, 9:13 pm

I also think that the quality of music has gone down, i think this is mainly beacause the new trend in hollywood for actors and actreses is to sing to get more publicity and of course money. And lets face it they are horrible at it but who can stop them when so many people love them because they are celeberties and they have million and millions of dollars? For example Hilary duff (no offense to her fans) we all know the girl cant sing to save her life but she continies to sell hundreds of albums beacuse shes well..famose!

LuvHP_001

September 10th, 2004, 9:15 pm

Why say that? Have you even HEARD her sing live? How can you insult her if you've never heard her sing live?

Well, good point because you can't judge what you don't know about BUT what p***** people off is the fact that the only reason that she got a record deal is because she is famous FOR NOTHING,has "the" looks,and they think that just because everyone is obsessed with how dumb she is (me too,she's just so funny,she'll sell records. OH,and how can I forget? Because she's skinny like a stick!

Great posts everyone, I'm happy to know that I'm not the only who is passionate about music and respects good quality songs. WHAT HAS THE WORLD COME TO???!!! :upset: :upset: :upset: :upset: :upset: :upset:

jo schmo

September 10th, 2004, 9:30 pm

yes, the quality of music has gone down, but that is all in the eye of the beholder. i believe the classic rock and roll (zeppelin, skynyrd, guns n' roses, Deep Purple, etc) is the best music but i still listen to some new stuff. some of the new music is okay but there aren't any timeless hits like like those that were created in the 60's and 70's. some new stuff like Jet, which is a lot like the classic rock and roll, is good in my opinion.

grrliz

September 10th, 2004, 9:51 pm

Our view of old music vs. new music is myopic at best. We tend to think old music is better because the best music of the era is what rises to the top and is remembered, and everything else is just forgotten. The problem with trying to decide if current music is "good" or "bad" is that we're still in the midst of it; we're surrounded by both the good and the bad and are hearing both equally. It's hard to decide what is important / good / quality vs. what is forgettable / bad / annoying. In thirty years people will be looking back and naming all sorts of great bands from our era, ignoring all the bad stuff. We have the benefit of hindsight to know that all those people in the classic rock era are good, but if you look through Billboard's charts from the same time period, half the time you've never heard of half the bands. What is popular is not necessarily what is good.

Regarding the claim that people in the past wrote their own songs, played their own music, and didn't mess everything up by dancing: that's really not true at all. There was a strong tradition on the Motown record lable that the singers only sang and danced; they did not play their own instruments, they did not write their own songs. There were also lots of famous songwriters who predominantly wrote for other people and made other people famous with their music: Lieber / Stoller, Goffin / King, etc. Most Top 40 hits were not written by the peoplel who performed them, which is not that different from now. It was just as much of an industry then as it is now, we just don't notice it because a lot of the music produced in that way hasn't surivived in popularity to the same degree as the musicians who didn't work that way (i.e. wrote their own songs, played their own instruments, etc.).

For every Led Zeppelin there's a Tommy James and the Shondelles. For every Guns n' Roses there's a Flock of Seagulls. In the future, maybe we'll only remember Jet and completely forget about Jessica Simpson.

HPviolinist85

September 12th, 2004, 8:19 pm

Oh wow!!! the quality has DEFFINITELY gone down. I think it is because people like bad music though. Most people are simpleminded. The REALLY talented vocalists go into opera and musical theater (or some kind of classical form) People don't appreciate this type and the talented aren't heard as much as the "decent" Josh Groban is heard, but not as much as certain rap, punk and pop artists. Very few violinists/instrumentalists are as big as "The Backstreet Boys" were because it's not the style America likes as much. I think it's really sad.
There are some talented people in the other styles of music that are popular today, but I think that if people have a more open mind and a better ear for talent, then the music of today would be much better.

Rita Skeeter

September 13th, 2004, 1:51 am

i have to reword what i posted previously becuase after being in israel for a week[israel helps me think things over], i realized that the music quality hasnt gone down .. bands such as the strokes, the killers, franz ferdinand, travis, the distillers, kayne west [wow i cant belive im saying thsi but hes actually really good], modest mouse, libertines, razorlight, etc. are all really incredible, and while not nearly as incredible as say the clash or the beatles, they still have their own style which i respect .. on the other hand, generally, pop music quality has gone down .. when ashlee simpson has the number one selling album over the above bands, you know that the world has gone crazy .. so no, the music quality has not gone down, but suddenly, pop music is usually bad music that im quite embarresed to have friends that lsiten to it

Neon

September 14th, 2004, 5:16 pm

I'd have to say up; but only because my favorite Genre's are creations of the last decade (Maybe decade and a half).

Hollis

September 14th, 2004, 6:46 pm

this topic is funny to me because the older generation has been lamenting the state of popular music for centuries I'd guess. Definitely this century.

I vote for music quality going mostly up. As long as really creative people like Bjork and Nickel Creek and Radiohead etc... are still finding new and interesting ways to make music, things are good.

HPviolinist, I agree that it's very sad that there aren't more really good music programs in American schools. That's the one that loses it funding first when money is tight at at school. My uncle is a high school band and orchestra teacher so I've heard lots of stories about that.

I also think that a classical based training is the best way to become a good musician of any genre. Once again, look at Bjork who was trained at a music school in clarinet and voice and sang in choirs before going off to do Jazz and pop music.

roz

September 15th, 2004, 2:11 pm

I really don't think that this is a question that we can answer right now. I think that we need to wait about 20 years. Until then we just don't have the right perspective to say. I don't think that there will be fewer songs from this era that will be remembered than there will be from the 70's for example.

And I don't think that we should put such a huge emphasis on people writting their own material either. Do people really think that Frank Sinatra or Ella Fitzgerald for example wrote their own music? And yet both of them have been named in this thread as examples of the good old days. The ability to perform a peice is a skill that not everyone has. If someone has that skill and does it well then they shouldn't be looked down on for it. For example I love Jamie Callum's rendition of Singing in the Rain. I don't care that he didn't write it.

Roz.

Elena_Berezhnaya

September 15th, 2004, 4:15 pm

I think there are SOME ( a very select few ) Good or Excellent bands and singers around these days. Let me list a few and why?:

Yeah Yeah Yeahs
White Stripes
Coldplay
Sahara Hotnights
No Doubt
Heather Nova
Leona Naess
Alanis Morissette
Lucy Woodward
Dido
Evanscence OK not that good but some songs of their rock!
Lacuna Coil
Nightwish
OutKast
Kanye West
and some more I might remember later.... :huh:

Malice

September 16th, 2004, 6:26 pm

You know what? I would like to be able to say "Shake your a**" over and over to a beat and make millions.

The technical quality has gone up. No more scratchy record players... what? You mean the quality of the artists? That's gone down for the most part. Sure 90% of the bands I like are current. The fact is, there are just many more singers/bands out there to hate these days. Most of the singers and bands from the early 1900's were there because they were good. They're only still popular today because they were good. Now, you can become a millionaire from well, saying "Shake your a**" over and over to a beat! It requires no talent at all, and you can retire at 23 to One-hit Wonderville! Actually, that's where most of the new "Punk" and "Emo" bands and "Hip-hop" artists will end up. Those who are talented will stick around. We'll see.

Padfoot II

October 9th, 2004, 9:44 am

not down or up
just different

Sophie Patil

October 9th, 2004, 9:52 am

not down or up
just different

I have to say I agree.

who are we to judge if music's actually good anyways. I mean, you could kinda see it this way; there is music for everyone. how can we judge if it's good or bad, if everyone has a different taste.
I can understand ppl who'll say that they LOVE hip hop music, because I do too, but also I go to classical concerts with my aunt and uncle. I, for instance like both kinds. there will always be bands that we like , and some that we'll say that rubbish.
I don't like techno at all. but that's okay. if they like it, why should they not listen to it...

crookshanks1177

October 9th, 2004, 6:52 pm

Music is so broad of a subject that it is very difficult to claim if the quality of the music over the years have went up or down. I also have such a broad taste for music that it makes it even more difficult to answer that question. But I do believe that most (not all) music that I hear now a days have lost the capability of longevity. What I mean by that is most of the music I hear now a days I probably would vaguely remember 5-10 years from now if that makes sense. Where music from the 60's through up till I'd say mid 90's I would have a much better memory for years down the road. I remember growing up and hearing my dad complain cause someone had just remade a song he grew up with and I realized it to because I listened to that music also, but it didn't quite irritate me as much as it irritated him. But now that I'm hearing music that I grew up with the 80's and 90's I understand why Dad got so irritated. Don't get me wrong I get slightly irritated when bands such as Shinedown remake classics like "Simple Man" by Lynard Skynard. But when I sit down in my car turn on the radio and hear Jessica Simpson whining out "Take my Breath Away" originally by Berlin also probably more known from the "Top Gun" soundtrack, that just makes you want to rip out your steering wheel driving to that music...(overexageration in anger) but now I understand my father's frustration lol. That was just one example.

Padfoot II

November 24th, 2004, 8:46 am

I think people need to dig deeper then what's in the charts and what is commercial. I think there is too much rap hip hop etc in the charts. so dig deeper listen to uncommercial radio stations e/g Triple J. Unless you like rap hip hop etc

Dare Devil

November 26th, 2004, 6:37 pm

I am not sure whether the quality of modern music has really gone down, but fact is that good but different music is getting less exposure nowadays. It is either plastic pop, hiphop or Nu Metal. Great. :(

Atashi

November 26th, 2004, 7:13 pm

Where I live, most people listen to either rap or country. I despise both genres. A rock radio station here went out of business a few months ago due to lack of popular interest and their own financial problems. It was, of course, converted to a country station. I didn't listen it when it was a rock station, but a lot of my friends and other college students were very upset about it. Just an example of giving the majority what they want.

I never listen to the radio. I listen to the the music I like that I buy. I really can't say if the quality has gone up or down in popular music. That's for someone who listens to it regularly to decide.

ginnybatbogeysyou

January 9th, 2005, 7:38 pm

I think the quality has gone up or down, it's just different from the old days. I don't like the most music that in the Dutch charts, because only the songs that lose their vibe after hearing it three times seem to get into the charts.

I'm listening to other music now, music that's not in the charts, but gets good reviews from newspapers and magazines. For instance, when I bought the Love Actually soundtrack I loved the song Sweatest goodbye from Maroon 5. I went to their website, listened to some of their songs and bought the album. In February of last year, long before This Love came out.
Same with Jamie Cullum's Twenty-something. I've had it since April, and only now he seems to become a bit known in Holland.
And Thicke's Beautiful World is an awesome record, but nobody knows it; they only know the song When I get you alone.

And the music has changed. For instance, the Dutch charts are dominated by dance music, a style that did not excist when The Beatles where around. And the musical taste differs per country. Like I said, Holland loves dance, while the US seems to be more into RnB and hip hop.

evanescence4491

January 9th, 2005, 10:11 pm

i think it has gone up :D

Chrysalis

February 3rd, 2005, 4:12 pm

There is still great music. It's just the fact that the media is all focused on the boyband music. Though that seems to be over.

Bands like Coldplay are great. And you guys should try to hear some music by Danish Kashmir or Norwegian Kaizers Orchestra. Also the Danish Tim Christensen and Swan Lee are adviseable.
Kaizers Orchestra!:clap: I've only heard a few songs but I already love their music! I've asked my mother for one of their albums for my birthday.:D

What is really ironic is some of the same people who claim that the quality of music has gone down don't have a taste in music that extends much beyond Bright Eyes and Modest Mouse.