So Why Does Music Today Suck?

[reallyjake]

I got my last.fm set up perfect. I won't hardly tag or love any song in fear of ruining a great thing.

Originally Posted by chribble

because you don't know how to use last.fm

[bugs]

I think the problem today is the profound musical ignorance of the listening public, which goes hand-in-hand with declining eduational standards. Look at all the tasteless crap they buy--why should music be any different? Very few shop for quality--cheap is what they want.

[reflixtinian]

I think most of today's rock-pop music suck's ... there's some good stuff do .. very little. and lots of "retro stuff" hey, that thing sounds like Iggy Pop, or like U2 ....
I think the problem is that bands, and producers are seeking something specific for the audience , something fashioned, competitive, actual, allready boxed in some "music style"

There's no longer songwriters freedom, new sounds,..... and technology ... EVERY SINGLE SOUND FROM THE 50 60 70 80'S IS AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE AND EVERY SINGLE ALBUM AVAILABLE FOR FREE IN MP3 FORMAT


can't complain about the retro stuff.....makes me feel good

[Daniel Antix]

Originally Posted by Kenny Gioia

I can't find one person who likes Nickelback yet they sell tons of records.

i know one... i'm planning an intervention.

[reflixtinian]

Originally Posted by bugs

I think the problem today is the profound musical ignorance of the listening public, which goes hand-in-hand with declining eduational standards. Look at all the tasteless crap they buy--why should music be any different? Very few shop for quality--cheap is what they want.

i feel the same

[Dirty Gear Pimp]

"so why does music today suck?"

i don't know.....

maybe because people can't hear what they are listening to...

[MarkRB]

So WHY does music today suck?

Did everyone forget how to play a guitar, or did the evil A&R put everyone who could write a tune into a dungeon?

No, that didn't happen.

You are getting old. End of argument.

You grew up listening to "Welcome To The Jungle" or "When The Levee Breaks" and said '**** Yeah" This is what I'm ALL about'. You then proceeded to drink a **** load of booze and shag some hot chicks. Therefore the pinnacle of music was playing while you were ****ing hot girls.

Now the girls you **** aren't so hot, but your Son is banging really hot chicks (and I mean REALLY hot, shaved and everything) and you look back to your former life and go "Goddamn, it was better 20 years ago".

Music doesn't suck. You do.

[mbradzick]

Originally Posted by MarkRB

So WHY does music today suck?

Did everyone forget how to play a guitar, or did the evil A&R put everyone who could write a tune into a dungeon?

No, that didn't happen.

You are getting old. End of argument.

You grew up listening to "Welcome To The Jungle" or "When The Levee Breaks" and said '**** Yeah" This is what I'm ALL about'. You then proceeded to drink a **** load of booze and shag some hot chicks. Therefore the pinnacle of music was playing while you were ****ing hot girls.

Now the girls you **** aren't so hot, but your Son is banging really hot chicks (and I mean REALLY hot, shaved and everything) and you look back to your former life and go "Goddamn, it was better 20 years ago".

Music doesn't suck. You do.

LMFAO

[SyncSailor]

I don't think all music todad sucks. Radio stations, however, DO!

[ProducerBoy]

People aren't any more or less talented.

The tools with which to make music, as well as the music itself, are much more accessible to the public than ever before. This affords both the excellent and the mundane the power to share their music. Thus, Corporations/Labels/Advertisers aren't to blame for the quality of music as it pertains to the writing and performance.

What has changed is the variety of musical expressions and the mediums through which we make and consume music.

Tastes and Preferences also have a lot to do with this perceived "sucking."

It doesn't suck. There are plenty of lackluster, embarrassing, contrived songs from every decade of recorded music. It's just that nostalgia, or the public at large, tend to forget them.

[henryrobinett]

I think people are missing the point - at least of what *I* saying. And I'm a minority of one voice here anyway . . .

Of course there's no less/more TALENT today than yesterday. Of course there are more tools today to make music. It's not TALENT at issue. This is a major misconception, I feel, regarding music. Talent doesn't have THAT much to do with it. Knowledge and ability have everything to do with it however.

The TECHNOLOGY of making and understanding music is down the toilet.

[MarkRB]

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

I think people are missing the point - at least of what *I* saying. And I'm a minority of one voice here anyway . . .

Of course there's no more TALENT today than yesterday. Of course there are more tools today to make music. It's not TALENT at issue. This is a major misconception, I feel, regarding music. Talent doesn't have THAT much to do with it. Knowledge and ability have everything to do with it however.

The TECHNOLOGY of making and understanding music is down the toilet.

So, is understanding music exclusive to you and/or people of your generation?

Pisses me off to be honest when people (in many cases younger than me) tell me I don't know what "real" music is. If I am even aware of a computer then I know **** all about music?? Idiocy.

I say "**** you". Stop whining bitches, music didn't stop when you stopped liking it.

[henryrobinett]

No!! My god. I never said anything about people of MY GENERATION! Where the hell did that come from? Obviously you either haven't read what I've written or you haven't understood any of it.

[dropblacksky]

Originally Posted by MarkRB

So WHY does music today suck?

Did everyone forget how to play a guitar, or did the evil A&R put everyone who could write a tune into a dungeon?

No, that didn't happen.

You are getting old. End of argument.

You grew up listening to "Welcome To The Jungle" or "When The Levee Breaks" and said '**** Yeah" This is what I'm ALL about'. You then proceeded to drink a **** load of booze and shag some hot chicks. Therefore the pinnacle of music was playing while you were ****ing hot girls.

Now the girls you **** aren't so hot, but your Son is banging really hot chicks (and I mean REALLY hot, shaved and everything) and you look back to your former life and go "Goddamn, it was better 20 years ago".

Music doesn't suck. You do.

Truth.

[CZ101]

It depends on what you're into... If you liked Alice in Chains back in the 90s but can't understand why there's nothing that "good" now - then I guess music would suck for said person.

If you liked psychedelia/kitch/poetic/not-really-top-40/quasi-experimental pop before, like in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s - then today's music is some of the best ever.

Originally Posted by DeathMonkey

I agree, there's tons of great stuff out there for people to find. But as far as mainstream stuff goes...

[bitterness=on] [generalizations=large] [rant]

I have a theory - it's because we no longer value true emotions. Everyone wants everything to be this light, poppy fairy tale, where it all ends up happy at the end. They want the sappy, saccharine bullshit of Hallmark cards, not the actual dark turmoil of the soul.
No one learns in a vacuum. If all you're fed is sh*t, all you will eat is sh*t. People HATE real emotions these days. They're scary, and hard, and they hurt, and it's far better to just keep the blinders on, avoid all that stuff, and float gently through this vaseline-lensed dream.

[/bitterness][/generalization][/rant]

Spot on man... damn good stuff. I think we're in the new eighties, pop-culturewise - vacuous, hell most of the music is starting to sound like eighties music - eventually it'll flip around to the dark side of the soul and we'll get a new nineties - though hopefully less drug-addled and F*cked up than the original nineties - less drug OD/suicides, more music.

[henryrobinett]

to MarkRB -- Yeah, well it pisses me off too. But it's not music of MY GENERATION I'm talking about. The music of MY GENERATION is still part of the problem. You have to jump back a 100 years to start to see what I'M talking about.

[MarkRB]

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

Yeah, well it pisses me off too. But it's not music of MY GENERATION I'm talking about. The music of MY GENERATION is still part of the problem. You have to jump back a 100 years to start to see what I'M talking about.

Ahha getting somewhere now. Show me the money..

Hehe, Pop is eating itself and we are happy watching.
Even alleged "metal" these days is pop music with loud guitars. The result that I see is we get really very good pop music.

[henryrobinett]

Huh? Show me the money? We're not tracking here.

[dannygold]

You sound all like your parents sounded when they went off about rock n' roll, or punk, or heavy metal, or rap, or culture club (depending on your age). Just thought I'd tell you. Carry on.

[henryrobinett]

I just want to reiterate that that's not me. But I'm saying something different.

I think much music today sucks, but I think much music in my generation sucked. I think music began seriously sucking since the 50s. It had nothing to do with my generation vs these young whippersnappers. I think music has been on a slow and increasing speedy decline. Not that there isn't great music. Nothing's worse than Tommy Roe and "Dizzy."

And it's not rock and roll I'm talking about. Music has been getting increasingly stupid. Fabian sucked big time, and all those corporate Don Kirshner and Dick Clark beach blanket blue eyed Philly boy groups.

It's not one generation being better than another. It's the corporate bullshit and the lack of musical intelligence. When music becomes a cultural movement, a commercial cultural movement and just as a means to sell other products, the ART of MUSIC lands in the toilet.

But I don't think people here are remembering or are aware of Schumann, Ives, Duke, Berlioz, Ligeti, Bach, Tatum, Bird, Billy Holiday, Joan Tower -- THERE IS PHENOMENAL MUSIC OUT THERE! I mean absolutely phenomenal. Brilliant minds making brilliant music. But folk seem to only be able to understand Radiohead, NIN, Incubus, Beatles, Hendrix, SRV - I'm not talking about ANY OF THAT.

Those people I mentioned are NOT any part of MY GENERATION. Sure I listened to the music of my generation. But I don't value you that any more than music of today. I loved Hendrix and Cream, but I never listen to those guys now.

Primarily I'm concerned with musicianship. I think today there's a serious lack in musicianship, but I'm not talking MUSIC. The music has been receding since the 50s, in my mind.

So I hope I have now offended everybody. But please, if you're talking about ME, I'm not 'this vs my generation' thing. I've NEVER been that guy -- anything BUT that guy.

[Gordon]

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

Primarily I'm concerned with musicianship. I think today there's a serious lack in musicianship, but I'm not talking MUSIC. The music has been receding since the 50s, in my mind.

I what genres are you referring to? Pop music simply doesn't require this.

[crufty]

I feel you henry. I blame the Andrews Sisters personally j/k...

edit: appreciating music is not a generational thing. FOR example, I personally find Venetian Snares / breakcore etc hard to listen to. But that doesn't mean I can't appreciate it for what it is, nor would I call experimental music bad because it lacks form.

[PepsiFX357]

Music sucks because pot is illegal.

[henryrobinett]

Originally Posted by Gordon

I what genres are you referring to? Pop music simply doesn't require this.

I think it should. There is some pop music that requires training and musicianship, whether it means writing for a string orchestra, arranging harmonies, playing in a band ensemble, reading. REQUIRED is a loaded term. There are always people who get around it., What I'm seeing is more and more people getting around it and the standards of musicianship are waning. If the standards of musicianship wanes so does the general level and quality of music, from a MUSICAL standpoint. Musical in this sense is being defined as that which indicates a basic sense of general musical know-how, theoretically, emotionally as well as stylistically.

If you're just looking at today, the standards are at their general lowest - so that would be a poor comparison. Not that there isn't great music, but plunking away with loops in Live, Garage Band or Logic, doesn't necessarily require any actual musical knowledge. And some people with ample musical knowledge still come up with crap, so that's not it either.

I have been in pop bands where musicianship was definitely required.

But I'm talking about music IN GENERAL, pop music included. MUSIC. I don't separate it into tiny categories. But I have a general love of pop music; always have.

[Gordon]

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

If you're just looking at today, the standards are at their general lowest - so that would be a poor comparison. Not that there isn't great music, but plucking away with loops in Live, Garage Band or Logic, doesn't necessarily require any actual musical knowledge. And some people with ample musical knowledge still come up with crap, so that's not it either.

This is where you and I disagree, I don't even consider this stuff to be music

[indravayu]

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

I just want to reiterate that that's not me. But I'm saying something different.

I think much music today sucks, but I think much music in my generation sucked. I think music began seriously sucking since the 50s. It had nothing to do with my generation vs these young whippersnappers. I think music has been on a slow and increasing speedy decline. Not that there isn't great music. Nothing's worse than Tommy Roe and "Dizzy."

And it's not rock and roll I'm talking about. Music has been getting increasingly stupid. Fabian sucked big time, and all those corporate Don Kirshner and Dick Clark beach blanket blue eyed Philly boy groups.

It's not one generation being better than another. It's the corporate bullshit and the lack of musical intelligence. When music becomes a cultural movement, a commercial cultural movement and just as a means to sell other products, the ART of MUSIC lands in the toilet.

But I don't think people here are remembering or are aware of Schumann, Ives, Duke, Berlioz, Ligeti, Bach, Tatum, Bird, Billy Holiday, Joan Tower -- THERE IS PHENOMENAL MUSIC OUT THERE! I mean absolutely phenomenal. Brilliant minds making brilliant music. But folk seem to only be able to understand Radiohead, NIN, Incubus, Beatles, Hendrix, SRV - I'm not talking about ANY OF THAT.

Those people I mentioned are NOT any part of MY GENERATION. Sure I listened to the music of my generation. But I don't value you that any more than music of today. I loved Hendrix and Cream, but I never listen to those guys now.

Primarily I'm concerned with musicianship. I think today there's a serious lack in musicianship, but I'm not talking MUSIC. The music has been receding since the 50s, in my mind.

So I hope I have now offended everybody. But please, if you're talking about ME, I'm not 'this vs my generation' thing. I've NEVER been that guy -- anything BUT that guy.

I see your point and agree for the most part - though even before music got commercialized Western musicians have had to face the question of how to make a buck - they used to pimp themselves out to noblemen and the Church in order to survive...now they pimp themselves out to multinational corporations (which, in our money-worshipping society, combines all the worst elements of the Church and the nobility!).

Anyway, at any given time, in any generation, there are only ever a handful of truly genius musicians - I don't think that's any different now than in the era of Bach. We may not be able to recognize them as such now, but future generations will pick out those folks who are worthy of "genius" status from out current era and the rest will be forgotten, just like every generation before us.

- Chris

[chribble]

you realize the world is in a state of decline when a song like "crazy frog" can go to the top of the charts in the UK.

[EvilE]

i gotta say thanks to the few people who still see the bright side of todays industry and haven't been jaded by the previous 6 or so years of the music industry. i think there was a doldrums for a while (i.e. the hey day of limp bizkit, korn, icp, etc). but now we are faced with a really exciting resurgence of creativity, DIY spirit, and overall freshness in the music scenes around the world! I have heard more amazing records coming out in the last 4 years than i have in the previous 10 before it! with infinite possibilities due to new and affordable technologies and more and more people creating records everyday, not only is the output of new material growing but also the market!! forget about about major labels, syndicated radio and MTV. to me and most all of my peers those media outlets are moot and irrelevant. go out to the clubs and see what's REALLY going on! you might be pleasantly surprised. NOW, if there was a way to make some more MONEY doing this.......i am confident, however, that we will find a way!

cheers,

E

[EvilE]

if anyone is concerned about musicianship today they must really be out of touch w/ the younger generation. i personally know tons of kids and young adults (under 25) who can quote charlie parker note for note, rip through donna lee, nail a john petrucci solo, beautifully interpret debussy and on and on. these are the same kids who will go to a cold war kids concert or dance all night to snoop dog and kanye at a party. what the hell is up with all the snobbery? let's just have some fun. if all the engineers are disgruntled and angry about todays music, how can we make fun exciting new records? HUH?