Why does music suck now?

[Jaguar]

First, a moronic top 100 songs of 2005 list.

http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2005/topsongs.htm

The top five are, in this order, a Mariah Carey song, three Kelly Clarkson songs, and a Lifehouse song that was played way too much for its own good.

Of course these lists are always dumb, but it occurred to me to compare the best music of a better era. Arbitrarily I picked 1965 because it was 40 years ago. Back in 1965, the Beatles came out with Yesterday and Eleanor Rigby and the rest of the stuff on Revolver, while Bob Dylan came out with Tambourine Man and Like a Rolling Stone. Meanwhile, the Rolling Stones were bursting on to the scene with Satisfaction and two gentlemen named Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel were working on their second album.

Everything was so good just 40 years ago, and it all sucks now. Frankly I am embarassed that my parents grew up listening to cooler music than I did, but it's true.

[Japher]

That's because those songs aren't selected by popular opinion.

We only get songs that some radio exec, who is probably 90 years old, thinks will most likely sell more air time. Popular opinion is sheit. Really it is just a selection of the least crapy songs being played on the radio.

Kind of like the winnners on America's Funniest Home Video

[:) Smiley]

There was just as much **** 40 years ago; it's just not heard anymore.

[Asher]

That list is even worse than the ones Oerdin linked to.

Not only a Kelly Clarkson song, there's MANY.

Feel Good, Inc. is way too far down the list...

For what it's worth, I'll take Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone" over Ashlee Simpson/Britney Spears/Etc anyday. At least it's kinda rock-y.

[Asher]

Mr. Brightside, "Sugar, We're going down" are also WAY too low on that list.

[Apocalypse]

Yeah...Kelly Clarkson is incredibly tolerable compared to most of what is on there. I only listened to the radio from mid May to mid August though, as I was in school most of the other time.

I really have a difficult time with most music today. I'm kinda stuck in a 90s alternative rock mindset. I even put Eagle Eye Cherry's Save Tonight as my ringtone for my new phone.

[Jaguar]

I forgot to mention that in 1965, the Who came out with their first big hit, "I Can't Explain," and a young band calling itself The Doors began practicing in L.A.


It's not a question of how much bad music is being produced these days. There's always been bad music. But the good music has disappeared.

[Pekka]

that's because you look at top 100. Who cares what's at top 100. Do you also wear g-strings really high so you can see them and then complain how much they hurt too?

[Asher]

Originally posted by Jaguar
I forgot to mention that in 1965, the Who came out with their first big hit, "I Can't Explain," and a young band calling itself The Doors began practicing in L.A.


It's not a question of how much bad music is being produced these days. There's always been bad music. But the good music has disappeared.

As Smiley said, time has filtered out all of the crap music of old.

There's still good music being produced.

[Jaguar]

Originally posted by Pekka
that's because you look at top 100. Who cares what's at top 100. Do you also wear g-strings really high so you can see them and then complain how much they hurt too?

The songs from 1965 were in the top 100 at the time. As I see it, there are two possible theories here:

1. Music quality has declined
2. People have worse taste

And they aren't mutually exclusive, and in fact, each probably leads to the other.

[alva]

There is a difference though, in that the biggest music buyers are girls between 11 and 15...
Need I explain more?

[Pekka]

There are also more theories than just those two.

Like the people who loved those hits in 65 also live today, and still like those songs. Don't mind me doing some dancing if I hear some 90s hit I liked when it's 2020.

There are also more theories than that.

How's then g-strings? Bleeding already?

[Last Conformist]

Who on earth is Kelly Clarkson?

Where do all these allegedly famous people come from? Do they brew them in damp cellars or what?


(And no, this isn't simply me being totally out of touch with popular music. I'm no expert, but I rec'nize most people on that list.)

[Asher]

Kelly Clarkson came from American Idol.

[Last Conformist]

Originally posted by alva
There is a difference though, in that the biggest music buyers are girls between 11 and 15...
Need I explain more?

We need to have mandatory music piracy classes in primary school.