Pathetic...the sad state of the music industry

[djdrock]

http://www.bohemian.com/citysound/?p=7181

http://music-mix.ew.com/2011/03/14/rebecca-black-friday-music-video/ Best comment..."Rebecca Black is the first teen singer to successfully marry the vocal stylings of Miley Cyrus and HAL 9000."

Not to show my age or inability to go with the times, but I was born during a time that gave birth to some of the greatest music ever known...the 70's. While this is debatable, and many anti-disco folks might disagree, but that time cranked out classic artists and music that will never be relived. I like a few songs from the last few years, but I can't think of them right now. For starters, we have almost no songwriters/musicians today that "make it." It is more and more about personal appearance, auto-tune, overly compressed and poorly mastered http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war music. Companies like http://arkmusicfactory.com/page/artists-1 just make me sick. But they are savvy and shrewd. They know the general young music-buying public really has no idea about talent, exploits that, will probably get rich off of that very fact. Just reading the comments on one of the "artists" pages from Ark Music, that says "you are my new God" to someone who quite honestly, respectfully, and sadly, has no real talent is very very sad.

 

[NSXrunner]

LOL I totally agree, However talent costs money. No one is willing to risk investing money into the unknown. Much cheaper to remix beats and churn out generic dribble. That's pretty much the mantra of the entire entertainment industry, music, tv, movies, etc. Can't come up with anything original? Let's reboot, re imagine, remix, or whatever the newest buzzword is that takes the place of "copying".

When they re boot the original Star Wars trilogy. (special ed/directors cut doesn't count...that was more like vandalism) You wait...someone will do it in our lifetime. They remade True Grit, only takes someone with a big enough check to give it the green light. Then I know it's time to just check out of the entertainment industry. :tongue::biggrin:

 

[Juice]

Take some time and listen to Indie music. Read the lyrics. There is still good talent to be found, but you will rarely find it on MTV, VH1 or Top 40s. You have to be willing to put up with some rather lack luster music to find the gold nuggets, but it is very rewarding when you do.

I am 36, and I understand where you are coming from. But I have always been the one who dances to different drummer.

Try here for anything BUT Miley Cyrus!

 

[CL65 Captain]

Oh come on, it's the teenage version of Toddlers and Tiaras. Delusional parents blow tons of money thinking that their kid is a super star that just needs to be discovered. I'm glad that someone is there to take advantage of them and take their money. :biggrin:

No different than say a certain IRL driver I know who's Dad chucked out the money for Skip Barber, and then found the sponsors for his kid to go racing in IRL for 3 years. Did he have the talent? No. But he came pre-packaged with sponsor money. The last year the sponsors bailed because he was consistently back of the pack, so Dad coughed up the money for "one more year".

I'd ask Billy if Reba's kid has talent or money? But seeing Billy is his coach....

 

[djdrock]

Further investigation of "Rebecca Black" and her song "Friday" has yielded that this is now viral, and thankfully, for the wrong reasons.

If you need a good laugh, and DARED to watch and listen to her video/message, you will appreciate this:

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9FISHEO3gsM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Swift]

^^

wow! wtf...



To truly show how bad music is right now...I am 25 and was in Best Buy with an 18yr old girl and i asked her if she knew who LIVE was...and she didn't know. Chances are I could have named any decent band from 10yrs ago that had multiple albums and she wouldn't know.

I listen to all music but mostly rock. I would give anything to just get The Offspring, Linkin Park, and others back at there glory on the charts from my "time". Now we got kids with bowl cuts singing and autotuned whores.

 

[BD]

Ever since the hip rap came to scene, I felt the pop music scene died.

Even the classical arena is very much one a downhill slide. I had the privilege of having a cigar session with Arturo Sandoval and Timothy Morrison the other day at Arturo's house (Amazon them if you have no clue who I'm talking about), and both of them told me that they may be the last of the mohicans.

It is no longer about the musicianship, but the flashiness. Drugs, sexs, minus the rock and roll.

 

[jond]

The music industry figured out it can manufacture bands.
Put a bunch of kids together, give them some pre-written songs, hook them up with a music guy who makes beats, loops, rifts for everyone, good producer, done.
It's sad. I can't think of a single CD I've liked in the last 5 years.

NIN had some great CDs in the last 5 years, but Trent makes his own stuff.

 

[jond]

Ever since the hip rap came to scene, I felt the pop music scene died.

I put the death at the feat of the death of MTV.
People stopped having a means to find new music when MTV stopped playing videos back in the 90s.

 

[NSXLuvr]

Sad but so true. I usually end up listening to the music from 70's to 90's on XM/Sirius.

Btw - The only new band I care for is Coldplay and even they sound mediocre in the last album.

 

[djdrock]

Yep, it just gets worse and worse. Any local idiot in any basement with a PC, Fruity Loops (software), a microhpone and a giggly tween can make "music." As our economic backbone has failed (industry) in this country, so has the industry of music. The singer-songwriter may still exist, but they, sadly, will never have the advantage that these giggly "Pshyaah, OMG, WTF" kiddies have. Dumbing down societey one mp3 at a time...

I miss these days... (3 of my favorite albums of ALL time up for a grammy at the same time).

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CuyWo01tCkQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[JohnJW]

check out "Interstella 5555" by Daft Punk, they get it. Its on youtube.

 

[SilverStone05]

I was just venting about this the other day...the SAME CRAP everyday on the radio on the way to and home from work.

Not only is it overplayed, but its overplayed rubbish.

Like Kesha....seriously? How did she make it on the radio?

Not to mention the recycled and commercial crap from Rihanna/Katy Perry et al.

I'd even place Britney Spears above all of them....that's how bad its getting these days. :frown:

 

[tof]

I think most of the problems with the music industry today are especially acute in music aimed specifically at youth and young adults (under 30). I don't think Country or Jazz, for example, are as troubled. And the reason? The Internet...and peer-peer music downloading. This technology has sapped billions of dollars from an industry that always depended on record sales. Since the practice is most widespread among the 10-29 year olds, the music targeted to this age group has suffered the most.

 

[e.pie]

I haven't listened to the radio in god knows how long.


With the advent of iPods and Pandora, there just isn't the need.

 

[NSXrunner]

IMO you have to earn the right to use auto tune. most new artists use it as a punchline.

Here is an example of auto tune at work, but at least S&G have earned it. Plus Art was a big smoker during his life so you need AT to help keep the performance clean. But still 70 years old and going. Lets see if Katy Perry is around at this age....or 50 for that matter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVAQhLeljsk

 

[RYU]

I feel the same way about pop music and even professional sports for that matter. It's all extremely commercialized and you all have claimed the same reasons I would use.

However, I have started listening to much more of the new gen electronica type music in the past few years and even the old Oakenfold tracks still hits home with me. I think the good DJ/Composers are the Bachs and Beethovens of our time. My mom was a concert pianist and she practiced everyday while I was growing up - I see a lot of resemblance here between them. Some of the tracks these "DJs" are producing are simply genius (no I don't take E! lol). Now, do I think they are comparatively as good as Debussy or Mosart? No way, not yet at least...

 

[JohnJW]

I feel the same way about pop music and even professional sports for that matter. It's all extremely commercialized and you all have claimed the same reasons I would use.

However, I have started listening to much more of the new gen electronica type music in the past few years and even the old Oakenfold tracks still hits home with me. I think the good DJ/Composers are the Bachs and Beethovens of our time. My mom was a concert pianist and she practiced everyday while I was growing up - I see a lot of resemblance here between them. Some of the tracks these "DJs" are producing are simply genius (no I don't take E! lol). Now, do I think they are comparatively as good as Debussy or Mosart? No way, not yet at least...

+1....... I enjoy the more organic side though, Chem. Bros. Daft Punk... Still Van DYke and Oakenfold are awesome.... I do agree with the classical instrumental comparo with today's electro.

 

[Midnight_Raven]

Oh man... That Rebecca Black - Friday song has to be by far the worst possible song I've ever had the misfortune to listen to. How can people even think that was worth making into a song in the first place. I agree the majority of music is how should I say getting pretty bad. I don't listen to the radio much for this reason and I also don't have cable because tv is just composed of mindless shows. I hope in the future we get quality forms of entertainment again but I'm starting to doubt it.

There are still good musicians out there but the best way to hear/find them is to use websites like pandora or last.fm where it'll look for artist similar to those of your choice and plays them randomly for you. I've found a couple of new artists that definitely have good music.

 

[Papalazarou]

I'd collect up all those Xfactor, got talent nominees, put them in a big hole along with anyone responsible for 'modern' R&B and set the attack dog on them. The bulk of contemporary music truly depresses me. I agree with all the other posters, in the regard that I am sick of hearing tracks from my youth cannibalized by people who have the ordacity to call themselves artists.
When did it become a prerequisite for female singers warble through every song, or for male singers/rappers to grunt over prolific 70's Police tracks? And don't get me started on voice sampling.

Cheers,

James.

 

[Sumeronthechain]

I always get a kick out of people thinking the commercialization of music is something recent.

This has been happening for a long long time.

Yes there are still some great original artists around today. Your 1st mistake is expecting to find good music on radio stations owned by corporate(money-making) entities. Your 2nd mistake is being older and expecting to find music aimed at a younger generation good. Your 3rd and final mistake is not realizing that people have had the same complaints since the 1960s and it is nothing new.

 

[docjohn]

I always get a kick out of people thinking the commercialization of music is something recent.

This has been happening for a long long time.

Yes there are still some great original artists around today. Your 1st mistake is expecting to find good music on radio stations owned by corporate(money-making) entities. Your 2nd mistake is being older and expecting to find music aimed at a younger generation good. Your 3rd and final mistake is not realizing that people have had the same complaints since the 1960s and it is nothing new.

so how do you define a great original artist,and who are they?

 

[djdrock]

I always get a kick out of people thinking the commercialization of music is something recent.

This has been happening for a long long time.

Yes there are still some great original artists around today. Your 1st mistake is expecting to find good music on radio stations owned by corporate(money-making) entities. Your 2nd mistake is being older and expecting to find music aimed at a younger generation good. Your 3rd and final mistake is not realizing that people have had the same complaints since the 1960s and it is nothing new.

First,...no, commercialization of music is not anything recent. In fact, even when good music was on the radio, it was commercial, which is exactly my rant/point. Radio stations used to play good music. In fact, many of them still do, and succeed very well playing music from yesterday.

Second, I don't agree that age is parallel with what is considered hip/in/good. My parents, when they were my age, were buying albums from Hall and Oates, The Eagles, The Bee Gee's, Paul McCartney and the Wings, The Cars etc. This is what was on the radio, and was popular, and GOOD.

To your third point, I do agree somewhat, but it was a different argument when the older generation was complaining about Elvis, The Doors, David Bowie etc. It was more of the SEXUAL nature and message of their music they objected. Today, I like many, just object to the shitty nature of the tween crap that is considered artistry.

 

[Caustic]

...when the older generation was complaining about Elvis, The Doors, David Bowie etc. It was more of the SEXUAL nature and message of their music they objected. Today, I like many, just object to the shitty nature of the tween crap that is considered artistry.

QFT

I stopped listening to the radio about 25 years ago.

With more and more access to music online, it is so much easier and cheaper to sample music. Outside of pirating, $1 to try something out? Awesome. Gonna recommend stuff according to my previous purchases? Great. User made playlists that have tastes similar to mine? Fantastic. Pandora lets me set up my own "radio stations"? Doesn't really get better than that.

But the one thing I've found after all these years? 50% of the music I listen to comes from outside the US.

 

[docjohn]

you want some good sh#t ..put benny lava in the search bar:tongue: