Today's Music Industry

[socksoff]

I'm Your standard 40-Something 70's Prog Rocker.

So I'm asking:
Is there any merit to today's music industry?
As near as I can tell - the boy and girl band era has disappeared.The young crowd is now into single performers (w/ generic back-up band).They love "American Idol"-type shows.
There are so many small venue bands (no real supergroups left).I sometimes liken the music industry to being "watered down",much like a great deal of sports leagues like baseball,football, and hockey.Everyone wants to be a rock star (if you can call them that!).
And yet I don't think today's generation (the computer age)hold on to anything for too long.They get bored easy.I don't think they will be nostalgic for their era of music 10 or 20 Years from now!
I guess it's just the way the current generation is!!

 

[dskodj]

Music period has been dead since the early 90s aside from the rare few here and there...and the rare few are either from artists that have been around since the 70s or 80s or stuff that never saw a US release from new UK bands of all genres.

 

[Dave2112]

This is why I've always said that Nirvana ruined music for generations to come. Every kid with a Fender and no talent can now pretend to be "deep" and throw music out the window.

There is real music left, you just have to look for it outside of radio and television. Funny how they have something called "Music Television" that plays no music...just 24 hours a day trying to convince you that you have to be a gangsta like everyone else.

It's funny that you mention "Idol". Up where I live, we get some channels from Canada, and Canadian Idol is so much different than the American version. There were people who didn't even make the final group that had ten times the real talent of any finalist from the American show. Canadians tend to see music more as art and less like a Pepsi commercial. While American Idol was forcing the little lemmings into the same R&B renditions, the Canadian kids were belting out Darkness and T-Hip tunes. Hell, a couple of the girls were actually...gasp...overweight! Can't market that in America.

The music industry has become like everything else here...quick buck, then forget about it so the next thing can show up for the obligatory McDonald's endorsement.

What kills me is that every bit of "originality" in this generation is just a veiled rip-off or re-packaging of shit from the '70's or '80's. Bell-bottoms become "flares", tank-tops become "baby-dolls"...they couldn't even come up with an original name for the generation itself: just took "Generation X", changed the letter and became "Generation Y"...real original.

Lemmings.

 

[grippedchimp]

That's why I've taken steps back to listen to better bands for inspiration. But think of it this way: Do you think all those "gangsta" and "airhead" types will continue to act act that way unitl their 30's, 40's and beyond? I shouldn't think not, as these are disposable people who we forget about later, so I reckon it's just a "creative recession" going on at the moment. In my opinion, there are a few artists today that I think are really worth listening too, but they are few an far between.

I live in an area that's fighting back against this kind of music by doing our own thing, mostly DIY art-rock style. I myself am getting my material together too, so watch out! 😉

 

[red indian]

before you guys get too sanctimonious.......

....lets not forget what guys of our age have on our consciences, The Osmands, Jefferson Airplain, John Denver, Kenny G , David Soul....."and many many more all available on just one fantastic album!!!"

 

[featherfingers]

I think there is great music out there... but you have to look hard to find it. I buy "Mojo Magazine", a music magazine from Great Britain, and I've found alot of great CD's by artists no one knows about because the music industry in America wants the big bucks NOW, so they push whatever "artist" will appeal to the teenyboppers NOW. (Every generation goes through this,i.e. Fabian and Frankie Avalon in the '50s, The Monkees in the '60s (I like them, though), The Osmonds, Leif Garrett, etc. in the '70s, Tiffany, New Kids On The Block,in the '80's, Hanson in the '90s, etc.) My problem with the music of today is that alot of the music lacks a decent melody. Or computers are playing all of the music. Or everyone screams! (and I love Led Zeppelin so go figure) A true test of a well written song, according to the late George Harrison, is its ability to be covered by other artists. "Yesterday", by The Beatles, has about 10,000 different cover versions (more or less). Could anything by Britney Spears match that? We'll just have to wait for the year 2020 and watch the results.

 

[socksoff]

Maybe today's music lacks "Craftsmanship".(I liken the great bands of the 70's from Purple,Crimson,Genesis,Floyd,ELP,Yes, and Zeppelin as
craftsmen of their music).
King Crimson is still going strong today.Just listen to their last CD "The Power to Believe" and you'll know what I mean about Craftmanship.

Once again,I might add - my opinion as a 40-something 70's Prog fan.

 

[featherfingers]

That's the whole point! Music from every decade since the 1930's has provided us with fantastic memories... the songs had meaning and to this day still can bring a tear to the eye or a smile to the face. I think this generation is at a standstill music wise... with all of the great music that's been around for years, how can they top it? I've talked to teenagers who can't stand today's music but they sure love Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, etc... all them "old fogie" groups. That always makes me happy.

 

[Ticklebell]

I mainly listen to showtunes (classic and contemporary) and some classical. I can't stand the mainstream of today. I'm 21. It's all spectacle, and I am an advocate of talent and content over sex appeal and predictability. There are a few artists who still turn out good stuff, which they write, sing, and play themselves, (Ben Folds, Tori Amos), but for the most part, if I want to listen to non-Broadway stuff, I turn to oldies. Early Elton John, Carly Simon, Carroll King, Queen, Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James. . .

I hope the next generation has better taste. And a few more Intelligence Quotient Points.

 

[terorizer]

I think today's Music Industry is the result of it's knee-jerk response to a number of things, primarily, the evolution of artists' rights and the ease of producing music.

Even with the internet, you can't get the exposure record companies can give you, (cuz radio, t.v. and print ain't free), but with a computer and the software, you can produce your own professional sounding, or close to it, tracks. You can set up your own publishing and copyrights online. You can shoot your own video and play it on local public access television.

The thing is, there's a lot more that you can do yourself now (aside from touring the country to create buzz), and I think the music industry is basically trying to "beat people to the punch" so to speak. The majority of the music buying audience in the U.S. craves "the next thing", like an coke addict craves the next hit. It doesn't even have to be "different", just in a "new" package.

I do believe there are plenty of talented musicians and singers out there, because the love of music is not something that is affected by generations and trends, etc. More of them slip onto the radio and tv than you might think, although some are forced into pre-manufactured image (usually created by non-artists), because the suits think they'll turn a higher profit that way. "Hey..you sing well, you right well... alright, lose the guitar, lose 15lbs, go see the stylist and record these 10 songs we didn't put on "Flavor of the month's" last album!"

By and large though, I think the music industry is the same now as it always has been. It exists to turn the most profit for itself that it can. Pound for Pound, there was probably more talent on the radio 30 years ago, but I don't think the disparity is that great. And so the cycle rolls on, there's an unbroken tradition of one generation discrediting the next generation's art, especially music.

 

[featherfingers]

That's another thing... I never want to be one of those "grown ups" who says, "Why, back in my day, we had the best music, clothes, etc." I've got proof that my choice of clothing back then was horrendous. And we had our share of sucky songs... "... my name is Michael, I've got a nickle, I've got a nickle shiny and new..." There is great talent out there today... I love Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, Radiohead, too many to mention. I guess I'm fed up with using sex appeal to sell CD's. I don't care how nude Britney or Christina appear on their CD covers, if the music isn't good, I'm not going to buy that CD. (I do love Britney's song, "Toxic", which surprised the hell out of me when I first heard it. Great melody). When asked what kind of music he listens to, Louis Armstrong replied, "Good music". That's all I'm asking. Forget categories... just give us some good music to listen to.

 

[General Zod]

I wonder if anyone who looks like Mick Jager,Steven Tyler or Bob Dylan would even be able to get any kind of contract nowdays Seems like it's now more of a beauty/looks contest instead of being able to come up with some great songs

A few weeks ago I was listening to a man named Robert D. Raiford he is on a morning radio show called The Bigshow (southeast mostly) He actually watched a Britney Spears video He commented she can't sing
But she'd make a great aerobics instructor

Thank God for classic rock stations😀

 

[featherfingers]

Gen.Zod, I salute you! If there were no Classic Rock stations and the only music available on CD was today's music, I would have popped my eardrums a long time ago!

 

[MrMacphisto]

I'll have to disagree with some of the posters here. Nirvana and the grunge movement gave the music industry some hope by killing the incessant pop that the 80s was flooded with. While there is plenty of good music from the 80s (like U2 and the Police), there were even more utterly horrible bands. The grunge movement attempted to bring rock back from the dead and finally kill pop, but it didn't work. Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, and The Red Hot Chili Peppers went on to become very significant in the world of rock, but the pop came back in the late 90s. Now, we have a bunch of boy and girl bands (like Blink 182 and Avril) pretending to be punk, but they're still nothing more than pop. Pop will continue to plague the industry as long as people buy it. The crass commercialism of the music industry and the lack of musical taste that so many people have nowadays has contributed to the crappy music we hear on the radio now. Techno, blues, jazz, classical, ambient, and a rare few rap groups seem to be providing some worthwhile listening material, but for the most part, rock is dead.

 

[leafstk]

I agree with many of you, but there is the odd band that inspires some hope. Radiohead comes to mind. I wonder if its more the recording studios and companies that feel everyone must sound the same and fit into the same mold. Not much creative influence or progression out there, sadly.

 

[socksoff]

MrMacphisto wrote
Techno, blues,JAZZ , classical,AMBIENT , and a rare few rap groups seem to be providing some worthwhile listening material, but for the most part, rock is dead.

YEA!!

JAZZ - Bill Bruford's Earthworks - "Random Acts of Kindness"
AMBIENT - Fripp & Eno - "The Equatorial Stars"

Sorry for the blatant plugs!!!

 

[Knox The Hatter]

The vast majority of what's out there's complete crap, and has been for many years. That the likes of Sheryl Crow, who's as old as ME, passes for any kind of appreciable talent, and you can say the same for Avril Lavigne, is indicative of this thesis.

Know what? Do you know what "great" REALLY means? Look at Mozart. They're playing and stealing from him still, and he's been dead for over two hundred years. Now, that's great.

 

[featherfingers]

(I like Nirvana) To tell you the truth, MrMcPhisto is right... with all of the genres of music available to us, we should just be glad there are alternatives to that "Pop Puke" being forcefed to the teenys. I got into jazz not too long ago, after years of being a rocker and I just love Miles Davis and John Coltrane! (and a few hundred others, as well) As long as CD's are available, we can turn our backs on the "fast food" that's being served and help ourselves to the "Gourmet" delicacies. Sorry if that sounds snobby, but I work hard for my money and I won't settle for less than the best! (Radiohead is fantastic, by the way. If you haven't heard "Paranoid Android", then you're really missing out on a beautiful song). (Always keep an ear open for potential new talent... maybe we'll be pleased with what we hear... someday)

 

[socksoff]

David Sylvian

Any David Sylvian fans out there!?

I like to call him the "male" Sarah McLaughlin

 

[featherfingers]

Re: David Sylvian

Any David Sylvian fans out there!?

I like to call him the "male" Sarah McLaughlin

If he's half the man that Sarah is, I'm sure I'd love his music. Wasn't he in a popular band years ago?

 

[socksoff]

re😀avid Sylvain

featherfingers wrote:
If he's half the man that Sarah is, I'm sure I'd love his music. Wasn't he in a popular band years ago?

He was the Founding Member of the band "Japan"
(Late '70's-Early '80s).One of the early members was Ryuichi Sakamoto
who went on to write the score to the Last Emperor with David Bryne.

Sylvian went onto a solo career releasing CD such as "Brilliant Trees","Gone to Earth" (My favourite),"Secrets of the Beehive","The First Day" and "Dead Bees on Cake".
He's worked with Robert Fripp,Flugel horn specialist Holger Czukay,
Former Japan drummer Steve Janzan (quite a good drummer),Guitarist
Bill Nelson (Bee Bop Deluxe)-to name a few.

 

[MrMacphisto]

Re: Re: David Sylvian

If he's half the man that Sarah is, I'm sure I'd love his music.

LOL... Um... I'm not sure if that's complimenting Sarah McLachlan or not, but yeah, I get what you mean. Sarah's great, and Radiohead seems like the U2 of the 90s. It's too bad Radiohead doesn't go back to its rock roots, like The Bends and Ok Computer. I didn't like Kid A or Amnesiac much. However, Hail to the Thief was decent.

 

[socksoff]

To: MrMacphisto & featherfingers


Re: David Sylvian
Go to Amazon and/or Barnes & Nobles and listen to some samples!

 

[featherfingers]

To: MrMacphisto & featherfingers


Re: David Sylvian
Go to Amazon and/or Barnes & Nobles and listen to some samples!

I like Sarah Mclachlan, Mclaughlin, McWhatever, especially "Adia". I also was looking through my Mojo magazine collection to find an article on David Sylvian. I'd like to read reviews of his albums. But that's a great idea. I'll check out his CD's at a listening post.
By the way, I just saw Britney Spears' perfume commercial ('Curious by Britney Spears'). She oughta stick to lipsynching.

 

[Azrael]

I think I'm largely clinging to the 90's myself, but I don't typically listen to a lot of mainstream music...

Is Marilyn Manson mainstream yet?

Rob Zombie, Metallica, Megadeth... Okay, I listen to 80's too... Oddly enough, I like Billy Idol *ducks*... Uhh, I'll listen to John Denver... I like Enigma a great deal, as well as Enya... new age and heavy/death/shock metal will usually get me unless I truly can't make out the beat and what's being said (typically the case with a lot of the latter).

Oh, yeah, I like some classic rock, easy listening, and classical music. Honest.