Do you think music is getting better or worse?
- Thread starter reaper660
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Depends on what you listen to.reaper660 said:
I know that the beautiful/br00tal niche that is technical death metal won't be going down anytime soon.
This song was from late '08.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcbGSYXPapA
If that's not talent, then I don't know what is.
music is good. But, most of the people i know just have, horrible, horrible, taste. just because the guitar player is good doesn't mean that "I raped a chicken" is a good song.
Music was invented in the 60s, peaked in the late 70s/early 80s and it's been downhill since then.
I was born in 1990, so and all my favourite music is 'before my time'. I do like some modern bands (like Muse/Radiohead/Biffy Clyro), but being a trained musician its difficult to find anything original any more. Muse may be my favourite band, but I realise that there has been better music written long before they were conceived.
Probably half of the number ones (in the UK charts anyway) are covers of old songs, and I'm quite sure that proportion will grow. A cover getting to number one in the 60s and 70s was practically unheard of (I'm expecting people to prove me wrong with that point
).
Eventually all music will be covers, but the listeners will be too young to realise.
EDIT:
I was born in 1990, so and all my favourite music is 'before my time'. I do like some modern bands (like Muse/Radiohead/Biffy Clyro), but being a trained musician its difficult to find anything original any more. Muse may be my favourite band, but I realise that there has been better music written long before they were conceived.
Probably half of the number ones (in the UK charts anyway) are covers of old songs, and I'm quite sure that proportion will grow. A cover getting to number one in the 60s and 70s was practically unheard of (I'm expecting people to prove me wrong with that point
).Eventually all music will be covers, but the listeners will be too young to realise.
EDIT:
Those musicians are all incredibly talented. But that does mean the song is good. Personally I found it quite boring. If you've ever seen Dragonforce live you'll know how listening to amazing musicians solo for 10 minutes just isn't enjoyable.Artemis923 said:
Music is certainly getting more interesting. New recording techniques have opened up an awesome sonic world, even older styles of music can be manipulated in different ways to make it sound new.
Also, with more people able to create tunes from their home PC's these days, music has by necessity had to become more innovative. Think of all the bizarre musical hybrids these days. I'm looking at you Finntroll!
Also, with more people able to create tunes from their home PC's these days, music has by necessity had to become more innovative. Think of all the bizarre musical hybrids these days. I'm looking at you Finntroll!
Personally I think it's gradually getting better in the Indie area. In other areas of music I'm not sure.
Most music these days is bad. Like with a lot of media, it's falling into the trap of trying to appeal to everyone and just being completely mediocre as a result. I much prefer older music, stuff from the '70s and '80s: Queen, Springsteen, Aerosmith, R.E.M., and the like.
There are beacons of hope in the cesspit of mediocrity that is the current music industry, however, the Editors being one of them. My favourite "current" band without question; they're a combination of post-punk and alternative rock. Their sound is quite a lot like R.E.M., and the influence is quite obvious. Not that that's a bad thing, of course, because R.E.M. are bloody awesome.
There are beacons of hope in the cesspit of mediocrity that is the current music industry, however, the Editors being one of them. My favourite "current" band without question; they're a combination of post-punk and alternative rock. Their sound is quite a lot like R.E.M., and the influence is quite obvious. Not that that's a bad thing, of course, because R.E.M. are bloody awesome.
IMHO, the "greatness" of early bands can be chalked up to one thing: The industry of the era would take risks. Yes, you had one-hit-wonders by the score, but those hits are still being sung today. The Beatles didn't follow a formula. Their songs weren't composed by committee using audience polls and whatnot. And for crying out loud, they didn't take themselves so zarking seriously as lots of pop acts do these days.piers789 said:
For whomever might be following this thread in between working on their own music, please consider these ideas: Keep going. Keep playing. Seek inspiration anywhere, with anything. Accept failure with equanimity and learn from it. Write stuff down and keep it, especially those two or three weird bars or measures that you can't do anything with just yet, and go back over your notes from time to time. And in the name of all that is sacred and fine, insist on a "messing around" clause in your contract to allow yourself the freedom to experiment. Let the record label executives put 19 tracks of lowest-common-denominator pablum on your latest CD... as long as you can put one track on it that comes out of YOU, with no studio interference whatsoever.
Your honor; Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury. I present exhibit "A", Soulja Boy. I also present exhibit "B", the "song" crank dat.
I now urge you to pair exhibit "B" with any song by Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, or any rock or rap song from 10 years prior to this date.
Please note the complexities of any of the aforementioned songs by any of said artists, and compare them to the complexities of 5 notes being played over and over again, while exhibit "A" butchers the English language.
The State rests.
I now urge you to pair exhibit "B" with any song by Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, or any rock or rap song from 10 years prior to this date.
Please note the complexities of any of the aforementioned songs by any of said artists, and compare them to the complexities of 5 notes being played over and over again, while exhibit "A" butchers the English language.
The State rests.
Music goes in cycles. At the moment I'm in a bit of a down period, but others are enjoying a golden age...
On a more positive note however, artists like "lil' Wayne" are getting their atrocities turned into decent music....even if it is emo.
Original "Lollypop" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=740d8sTpM7U
Framing Hanley version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbUR0SRceD0
Even more amazing is the fact that I hate black metal or "screamo" but when these guys remixed "still fly" I found myself enjoying it. This suggests that either my tastes are changing, or the music industry going so very low, that I have had to drop my expectations to hear something other than music about "bitches" "rims" and "ballers"
Original Still Fly -http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5048371769693543333&ei=LmsUSsGQLpH6rALQ9Nz0BQ&q=still+fly&hl=en&client=firefox-a
Remix by The Devil Wears Prada- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fzE7wzrByE
Original "Lollypop" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=740d8sTpM7U
Framing Hanley version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbUR0SRceD0
Even more amazing is the fact that I hate black metal or "screamo" but when these guys remixed "still fly" I found myself enjoying it. This suggests that either my tastes are changing, or the music industry going so very low, that I have had to drop my expectations to hear something other than music about "bitches" "rims" and "ballers"
Original Still Fly -http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5048371769693543333&ei=LmsUSsGQLpH6rALQ9Nz0BQ&q=still+fly&hl=en&client=firefox-a
Remix by The Devil Wears Prada- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fzE7wzrByE
I honestly wouldn't know too much about second paragraph as I am musically retarded. But anyway...thausgt said:
I entirely agree with the first half. Recently music has become so repetitive and samey any one artist could sing another artists track and I sure as hell wouldn't notice. To be honest, I'm not that bigger fan of The Beatles, they have some truly great songs (While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Elanor Rigby, etc.) but at the same time some of it is a little middle of the road - but "middle of the road" would be a vast improvement to current standards. That's just my opinion, others may disagree but the majority here seem to think like-mindedly...
I hate Dragonforce. Take away their effect pedals and they have nothing.Overlord_Dave said:Music was invented in the 60s, peaked in the late 70s/early 80s and it's been downhill since then.
I was born in 1990, so and all my favourite music is 'before my time'. I do like some modern bands (like Muse/Radiohead/Biffy Clyro), but being a trained musician its difficult to find anything original any more. Muse may be my favourite band, but I realise that there has been better music written long before they were conceived.
Probably half of the number ones (in the UK charts anyway) are covers of old songs, and I'm quite sure that proportion will grow. A cover getting to number one in the 60s and 70s was practically unheard of (I'm expecting people to prove me wrong with that point
Eventually all music will be covers, but the listeners will be too young to realise.
EDIT:
Those musicians are all incredibly talented. But that does mean the song is good. Personally I found it quite boring. If you've ever seen Dragonforce live you'll know how listening to amazing musicians solo for 10 minutes just isn't enjoyable.Artemis923 said:
I understand a vocals/lyrics are a big part of what people look for in music. I liked the lyrics as well as the music, and I thought the two meshed quite nicely.
At least you checked out the song. Kudos to you, sir.
The real problem with the Music Industry nowadays is money. Back in ye olden days when 6 best selling albums barely paid for a van, musicians had to work so much harder and make music to a much higher standard. And it was good.
Now lets take a modern band like... dare I mention Metro Station. They've made one song which stupid adolescant girls listen to because apparently Trace Cyrus is sexy. And they're fucking rolling in money. Where's the skill in that? They made one bellow par song and now they can retire to their mansions in the hills.
As long as music is seen as a job rather than a way of expressing something like it used to be, all we're going to get is the same regugitated fuck ups of equally shit regurgitated fuck ups.
Also, Dragonforce are pretty bad. They're reppetitive to the point that you can own one song and claim to have an entire album.
Now lets take a modern band like... dare I mention Metro Station. They've made one song which stupid adolescant girls listen to because apparently Trace Cyrus is sexy. And they're fucking rolling in money. Where's the skill in that? They made one bellow par song and now they can retire to their mansions in the hills.
As long as music is seen as a job rather than a way of expressing something like it used to be, all we're going to get is the same regugitated fuck ups of equally shit regurgitated fuck ups.
Also, Dragonforce are pretty bad. They're reppetitive to the point that you can own one song and claim to have an entire album.
Music is getting better, the industry is developing a Long Tail [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Tail].
ps - popular music largely sucks, as always
ps - popular music largely sucks, as always
It's harder to market a song that doesn't give socially-awkward teenagers good lines to use when trying to pick up dates. Because, y'know, a song that tells a story or has a message means that the listeners have to, like, pay attention and stuff. And that's just not cool, aight?LimaBravo said:
'Scuse me while I go wash my hands after that bit of linguistic corruption.
Anyway. Music that invokes particular feelings is not, by definition, bad. But when the emotional spectrum is limited to "lust" or "glorifying the lust object" or "just wanna feel good", it's hard to find an up-side.
Bring back the storytelling! Bring back music that tries to matter, not just sell millions of copies!
