Scientists prove that most modern pop music is garbage

[chris harris]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/ ... 3320120726

[Smitty]

They needed science for this?

[chris harris]

They just validated what we've all known all along.

[kslight]

Next: Science proves that eating food (temporarily) cures hunger!

[Gregg Juke]

Well, Butch Vig knows for sure that at least some of it is Garbage.

GJ

[vvv]

"Old tunes re-recorded with increased loudness, simpler chord progressions and different instruments could sound new and fashionable. The Rolling Stones in their 50th anniversary year should take note."

That's what they've always done!

[Brett Siler]

Next: Science proves that eating food (temporarily) cures hunger!

HA! That would be a good onion article!

[Smitty]

[The Real MC]

I do a lot of business travel, and there is a LOT of good music elsewhere that I do not hear on our regional radio. The homogenization of broadcast radio is a low mark in entertainment. I can't stand the crap on broadcast television either.

I've since listened to other styles and have abandoned mass media which is too repetitious.

[chris harris]

There's more great music being made now than ever before in history. But, most of it is flying waaay under the radar because it's easier to sell homogenized crap and the profit margins are much higher than they are for developing real talent.

[Smitty]

There's more great music being made now than ever before in history. But, most of it is flying waaay under the radar because it's easier to sell homogenized crap and the profit margins are much higher than they are for developing real talent.

Yes, this. Just like every other aspect of our modern lives.

My girlfriend and I were discussing this the other night, how most modern children grow up without any connection to a musical heritage in the way children used to. I consider it a loss.

[vvv]

I sometimes analogize mass-market pop music to fast food.

Like, Lady Gaga is definitely Subway, y'know?

[ubertar]

There's more great music being made now than ever before in history.

Like what? That's quite a claim. I'd love to hear some new great music, on the level of Coltrane, Bach, Hendrix. I haven't heard it.

I'd guess there's less great music being made now than usual, simply because it's too difficult for most musicians to support themselves through music alone. The more time one has to devote exclusively to making music, the higher the chances of an end product that's at the top of one's abilities. Aside from the current structure of the music business-- and it's debatable whether it's better or worse now for non-established artists-- just the bad economy in general (regardless of whether it's technically a recession) makes it extremely difficult for anyone to put all their time into music unless they're independently wealthy. Otherwise, you've got to split your time and energy.

I'd love to be proven wrong, though, by hearing some examples of all this great music being made now. And great means great, not merely good. I've heard some good stuff that's recent, some really good stuff, even. I can't think of anything from the last 20 years I'd call great, and that's a wider span of time than what we're talking about here. What's a single example of GREAT music from the last five years?

[T-rex]

I would agree with that. There is a ton of good music being made the the mainstream (whatever that means) don't have easy access to. But I think that's a great point about the dwindling number of people able to support themselves with their music. And the number of people who do seem are overwhelmingly in the commercial side of things; not just pop music but advertising, post production etc.

I would love to hear something that just dropped my jaw like when I first heard Thelonious Monk or Coltrane, admittedly after their time.

[dfuruta]

Lots of kids grow up with a strong connection to musical heritage: hip hop, punk, dance music, whatever.

And, I think there's lots of amazing stuff from the last few years. The music world is so fragmented that it can be hard to find, though, and so much depends on one's taste. For me, it's mostly extreme metal, and the first time I heard Corrupted was as life changing as the first time I heard Coltrane.