Your opinion on today's music

[Chris-kun]

Spoiler: More picture time

More sad pictures comparing the golden days and now...

Misleading considering songs about partying and dancing have been around since the 1930s (ex, Irving Berlin's Let Yourself Go: "Come, get together, let the dance floor fill your leather."). the 1980s still had Madonna and other pop artists that sang about the kind of things sung about today. You can't make blanket statements about eras of music, it's neither fair nor accurate. There are artists now who provide wonderful lyrics to their music (Patrick Wolf and Florence Welch[Florence + The Machine] come to mind). Even Lady Gaga has brief moments of lyrical brilliance (also, lets not forget the fact that she made a #1 hit song, for at least six weeks, about it being okay to be gay, which is absolutely astounding).

 

[Hammerheart]

Why does Green Day wait so long between albums...

I assume because they will have a massive touring cycle after an album, then possibly some time off, and then they have to write songs, and I assume they are a band who (even though I'm not a fan) only want the best. So they take their time and make sure they have something good. Then they will obviously record it.

Pop music on the other hand as a lot of material written for the artist, or the artists don't tour as extensively, and as such there's less time spent on song writing and touring.

My biggest issue with today's music, is that the actual music is being forgotten. No one cares about the guitarists, the drummers... they only care about the actual artist.

Pretty soon, real bands will be nonexistent.

Perhaps pop bands, but in pretty much every other genre that has bands, they are stronger than ever.

Think about rock/metal. How many solo acts are there? You have the likes of Jorn Lande, but he's nowhere as big as someone like Ozzy, Dio of Gillan where back in the day. Nowadays there's no big personalities with solo careers, just bands.

 

[)WisP(]

EXACTLY.

The thing I don't like the most about today's music is that there's no quality. Sure, there's an occasional Katy Perry or Lady Gaga song that I like to listen to, but nothing like anything in the past. Being a drummer, I usually take apart songs, and these days, there's NOTHING in the songs. just a snare hit, a bass drum hit, alternating every beat, aka, the bare bones of drumming. As Zenotwapal said, listen to Elton John, The Beatles, a third other pop group/singer from the 20th century. There's quality in those songs. God, Elton John, a solo artist, has a guitar solo in one of his songs, something you haven't heard in years on the radio. As you can see, this is a very controversial subject to me. Why does Green Day wait so long between albums...

If you want more technical drumming, might I suggest looking into Metal where the drum kit is actually treated as an instrument rather than a tool to keep time. Fleshgod Apocalypse's Thru Our Scars has one of the best drum lines ever (Francesco Pauli is an amazing drummer) and if you look at other Metal bands, you'll see a lot more interesting drum lines.

 

[Hammerheart]

I agree and disagree there. A lot of metal is really basic (once you get the hang of double kick drums, and the blast beat). But it is better than your typical programmed pop drums a lot of the time.

Jazz is far superior in terms of drums though.

 

[WillieNelson]

Basically this, although, most mainstream and publicized stuff nowadays is honestly, just terrible. I think music is mainly subjective, but when "musicians" like LMFAO are taken seriously, there's something wrong.

That reminds me, I saw a video of a marching band doing LMFAO, what is the world coming to? Sure it was amusing, but that's pretty much it, sigh, I wish I was around when REAL music was popular.

 

[)WisP(]

I agree and disagree there. A lot of metal is really basic (once you get the hang of double kick drums, and the blast beat). But it is better than your typical programmed pop drums a lot of the time.

Jazz is far superior in terms of drums though.

They're difficult techniques to master though, I've tried even basic drumming and due to having quite a poor rhythm and slight lack of muscle control didn't do that well. Blast beats sound great in my opinion, and any drummers out there should try to learn how to do them, even if they don't have a huge interest in metal.

And I've heard great drumming from Jazz.

 

[Hammerheart]

I've been drumming about a month, and even though I cant double bass, I've got the basic blast beat pretty much sussed. It's much easier than you might think, especially in 4/4. If you do an basic alternate Bass/Hat then Snare and just make sure you keep your right foot in time with your right hand, then instead of focusing on coordinating the foot and hand (bass and snare) being alternate beats, focus on the hat and snare (both hands) alternating, and just let your foot go with your right hand. I find it's much easier to coordinate two hands than a hand and a foot.

 

[Crystal Clair]

I've seen many people say it before but music is so much about image these days like with people liking Katy Perry for her boobs and other things like Lady Gaga's gimmick of being so crazy. Not often do I hear unique, interesting stuff from the top 40 and that depresses me.
At least we have people like Adele who deserve the place they got.

I'm not calling Lady Gaga talentless. I just wish she'd apply her talent more. Talent is useless when you won't even use it.

 

[Cratess]

Two words Auto-tune

 

[)WisP(]

I've been drumming about a month, and even though I cant double bass, I've got the basic blast beat pretty much sussed. It's much easier than you might think, especially in 4/4. If you do an basic alternate Bass/Hat then Snare and just make sure you keep your right foot in time with your right hand, then instead of focusing on coordinating the foot and hand (bass and snare) being alternate beats, focus on the hat and snare (both hands) alternating, and just let your foot go with your right hand. I find it's much easier to coordinate two hands than a hand and a foot.

I've only ever been behind a kit about 3 times, but I'm thinking of starting a funeral doom solo project, and learning guitar before that, so next band practice I have I'll sneak onto the kit.

Back on topic a bit more, most charting acts these days don't have much talent, and have a lot of songs written for them. Most of them are just attractive singers who can sell both their appearance and their voice and would struggle to write songs thenselves.

 

[Hammerheart]

I've only ever been behind a kit about 3 times, but I'm thinking of starting a funeral doom solo project, and learning guitar before that, so next band practice I have I'll sneak onto the kit.

Back on topic a bit more, most charting acts these days don't have much talent, and have a lot of songs written for them. Most of them are just attractive singers who can sell both their appearance and their voice and would struggle to write songs thenselves.

I guess funeral doom is pretty simple, just make sure you can count time, especially with such infrequent beats, I imagine it's quite easy to loose time.

As for the second point, that's how the industry works. Just cause the artist didn't write the song hm/her self, doesn't take away from the fact somewhere along the line someone has written it, and someone has produced it, and people have performed on it, and they will all get paid accordingly.

 

[Zantera]

I think about 95% of the music I listen to are bands/artists from the last two decades, so very little music before the 90's.
Not that I have any particular preferences, but I'm somewhat of an audiophile, and it's hard for me to listen to some older albums, because they sound "old", and not in a good way.

I can't say I care particularly for the mainstream music-scene, but I don't really listen to the bands that everyone are talking about, or the bands you see on MTV or hear on the radio. I hear a lot of people say that "music was better X years ago", but I think that statement is wrong.
Sure the popular bands today might be considered worse then the popular bands a few years ago, but there are still a lot of quality out there, it's just a matter of actually looking for it.

 

[GhostAnime]

"Today's" music meaning this rap, hip-hop, dubstep, and pop ****? Well then, terrible. I've always been a rock fan that appreciates classical and jazz.

As long as you're just talking about mainstream..

Eminem is horrible now. He was nice in 2001. THAT is the REAL Eminem. Kids today only know this pop-Em. "He used to have songs where he made fun of Christina, Madonna. Now it's just pop songs where he features Rihanna."

Dude is still an amazing lyricist, but he's way too PG now. If Em from 2001 met Em from 2011 he'd be disgusted.

Relapse>>>>>Recovery

Yes the accent was annoying, but with songs like Deja Vu, Stay Wide Awake, and Same Song && Dance, I'd rather have "accent Eminem" over "Yelling Eminem.''

I disagree. Simply because he's not being controversial doesn't mean "he's horrible". he's 39-years-old now. Ragging on pop stars would make him look pretty silly today.

And those aren't pop songs.. they're just regular rap songs to me about subjects you don't typically hear Eminem rap about; which is fine, as far as I'm concerned.

By the way, you only seem to talk about his mainstream hits.

 

[Harmonie]

Afraid I can't speak much of modern music. I stopped listening to radio stations that play modern music years ago. I don't mean to bring out the impression that I think that older music is superior because I actually am really annoyed by a lot of classic rock as well.

When I have heard modern music I've mostly heard the pop side of things and it really doesn't do it for me. I'm not even talking Justin Bieber, I'm talking about Taylor Swift and those other girl pop singers' whose entire hit song list is composed of bland music that's lyrics revolve around "I'm an unpopular girl, and you only like the popular girls!".

I do have one modern band that I REALLY like, though, and that is Streetlight Manifesto. They are awesome. So I do believe there is plenty of good music being made today, I just haven't found it much (and I really haven't searched.)

 

[Tyranitarquake]

I personally love todays music. I listen to music all the time. I don't really mind auto tune or whatever as long as it isn't used too much (Ke$ha over-does it ) I mostly like the actual beats of the music the most so I couldnt care less if the song is about sex, drugs, partying, etc, and anyway, what do most people in modern society think about? Oh... Sex, drugs, partying etc. And it sort of works that the artists are singing/rapping about what people nowdays think about often. Targeting popular subjects would attract more people listen to the song right?
'today's' music had to become popular before it actually was popular.

 

[Fused]

For me, music plays quite an important part of my life. I like to listen to a lot of under-rated bands which most of you have probably never heard of but I believe have great talent. The music of today is sometimes quite good (mostly, it's just a catchy beat) but the themes are usually pretty meh. I think why the music is popular today is that the radio plays it a lot and then a lot of people think that it's good but mostly it's just because other people will know the songs and they won't be laughed at for listening to it. All the songs usually have, where I live near London, is catchy tunes, there is some talent to be fair but not a lot.

Sorry for the semi-wall of text but I'm just curious on other people's opinions.

I don't think it's necessarily fair to automatically compare two different genre's of music and whatnot. It's a little like comapring da Vinci to Pollack: the two lived in very different times and crafted artwork surrounding different themes using different styles and methods.

The same can be said of today's music. The Beatles and Kesha are considered to be pop musicians, but they obviously have very different ideas of pop, not to mention they each had their own experiences and different equipment and technology to shape their sound. Music is all subjective.

Today's music, I think, some of it is not necessarily music. The majority of rap songs are really just words with no melody placed over an automated drum machine. Some make use of synthesizers. But again, not all music is the same and can be compared like it is. For some people, it's about melody. For some, it's rhythm. For others, it's lyrical themes. Everyone finds "music" in different things. Like I said, it's all subjective.

My subjective viewpoint, recent music has really focused on hooks and making use of synthesized instruments. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Some songs nowadays are good all around (yeah, even some of those dance-pop tunes Katy Perry gives birth to every month) with the lyrics, instrumentation, and melodic structure. Others, well, are a hit and miss. I also like older songs too. I'd say my favorite song is Boston's "More than a Feeling." I like these different songs because they say different things to me. I don't like music that I don't relate to, nor do I like music that isn't relatable at all.

Music is music to different people with different tastes. Just because someone drenches their voice in Auto-Tune doesn't mean they haven't crafted a good song.

Sorry for the whole freaking essay, but I just get annoyed when people write off modern music just because they don't have a guitar in them or because the singer can't hit every note perfectly.

 

[Hammerheart]

Today's music, I think, some of it is not necessarily music. The majority of rap songs are really just words with no melody placed over an automated drum machine. Some make use of synthesizers. But again, not all music is the same and can be compared like it is. For some people, it's about melody. For some, it's rhythm. For others, it's lyrical themes. Everyone finds "music" in different things. Like I said, it's all subjective.

When you look at the history of music, you essentially have classical and folk. Folk songs would have evolved from bards telling tales, and probably didn't have musical accompaniment to begin with. (in fact if you listen to Topic Records Voice of the People collection, a lot of their songs dont have accompaniment. The voice is an instrument, regardless of technique. You wouldn't suggest that playing an open string on a guitar doesn't count as playing the guitar, so why suggest that a more spoken approach to vocals doesn't. Perhaps more so than any other genre rap requires the vocalist to be rhythmical, you have to have a good flow, and make your words fit the beat.
And a drum is an instrument, a synthesiser when playing a lead or chord is an instrument, so why is a synthesiser that's used subtractive synthesis to make a drum sound not an instrument, or shouldn't be counted as music? A lot of old school hip hop relied on sampling, which was taking existing drum parts, that no one would question in their initial context. Even if you like different things in music, you have to appreciate everything else too. You can't claim x or y genre isn't actually music, as it clearly is.

Music is music to different people with different tastes. Just because someone drenches their voice in Auto-Tune doesn't mean they haven't crafted a good song.

However that is right.

 

[Ice Blue Dragon]

Personally I don't like most of the recent songs. I am more of a Bach/Betoveen/Mozart person. I do like most 70-80's songs. Also some Katy Perry and assorted songs.

Don't stop Beliving, there will be some songs like the old ones. I put Money on that. Just Roll with the Changes. Dream On if you think all the songs will be your favorte. My mom just made some American Pie, got to Jet.

Piano Man, out.

 

[MegSuicune251]

IMO, most songs released in each genre today sound awfully similar. Ive noticed that more starting in 2010. Tik Tok and California Gurls anyone?

 

[Vodka Haze]

Two words Auto-tune

I agree. I actually found out the secret behind auto-tuning. According to Trey Parker, when he was singing "Gay Fish" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fO2biVQjNI here it is if you're interested) he had to sing off-key in order for the auto-tune to work. That explains why I hate so many singers like Rihanna who use auto-tune.

Here's proof: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC5Xp-5UcAs