Anyone else not 'get' today's music?

[mrs.gingerhinkley]

Originally Posted by FactoryGirl

Ms. Aguilera is ten times as talented as most of the female singers from back in the day like Lesley Gore, Diana Ross, and Cass Elliot. All three ladies had mediocre voices while Christina is top notch!

I'm afraid I couldn't disagree more.

NO ONE can top Cass Elliot's voice.
and Lesley Gore and Diana Ross were amazing to!

But you know, everyone's entitled to their opinion... afteral, you've got to make your own kind of music!

[platinumblondelife]

Originally Posted by Judith's Eyes

I don't think Rihanna is going to last either, like Ashanti and Ciara and Brandy, the novelty of a 'black pop tart' girl is going to wear off, she doesn't have the chops like powerhouse Beyonce. I also think Lily Allen nor Amy Winehouse is going to make it in seven years, Lily will be singing in local pubs where she belongs and Amy is going to end up dead.

Jermaine Dupri said that?! Wow, Janet is a grown woman who can make her own decisions and I wish that she shouldn't listen to Durpi, I mean when was the last time his artists had a hit? No wonder Bow Wow broke away from him!

Brandy hasnt had a huge hit in a while. However Brandy is very talented and can sing well imo, I hope she has a comeback...her very first cd was such a classic, and I loved Never Say Never in elementary too. Afrodisiac was actually a good album, but it didnt get much promotion. I agree that Beyonce will be around for a very long time.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally Posted by mrs.gingerhinkley

^nice.


Yeah... while all my friends are listening to Justin Timberlake and whoever else... I'm tuning in to the local AM oldies station for some REAL music (The Mamas and the Papaps, Beatles, CCR, Elvis, The Doors...)

why do people feel like they have to be fragmented into liking one genre/era of music and nothing more? Screw that, I like the groups you mentioned and current acts. You can love the music from 30+ years ago and also live in the now musically. It's called diversity. I love Elvis, The Beatles and Mamas And The Papas (I always found The Doors pretentious) and also think "FutureSex/LoveSounds" is one of the best mainstream pop albums of the past two years.

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by Hollywood Rock Chic

All I can say, what people think about rap being crap and how hip hop is terrible, is exactly how people felt about Rock and Roll 50+ years ago; there is some good music out there from; actually, there are a lot of good, up-coming LA based bands, that have promising futures, and they are not of the Hip Hop or Rap genre, but Rock and Roll.

Can't compare because Rock 'n' Roll of 50+ years ago is far, far different than what is popular now. It would really be wishful thinking that modern music will ever be in the same category as these "mean 'ol" Rock 'n' Roll songs...

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

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYDSFKLu-TA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfBTw8qqM2U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdMEx609X_8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBTITHA8twI

[ABlairican Pie]

I don't know if I mentioned this, but the problem with today's music compared
to the earlier days of rock and roll is that it's the industry's fault: the music industry and mainstream radio is concerned with musicians that are "safe bets", they want artists who sell pretty much and once certain artists show stronger showings on the playback lists, then they'll concentrate on pushing artists who have a similar sound, and therefore, they'll be commercially succesful. Case in point: Nickelback and its bastard hellspawn. Ever notice that once Nickelback replaced Creed as the quasi-alternative lite/post-grunge
mainstream band of choice that EVERY OTHER BAND with that raspy Eddie Vedder/Layne Staley wistful voice, bittersweet, self-pitying lyrics, and drone-y-yet-melodic guitar riffs has glutted the airwaves? Smile Empty Soul, Breaking Benjamin, Shinedown, Three Days Grace, Theory Of a Dead Man, and countless others come to mind. Oh gosh, there's that puke-y Sixx A.M. with Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx and his whiney, sappy song about life being beautiful and not crying at his funeral, etc.


I'm listening to a song by Steve Vai on KNAC.com radio, you don't get more different than his music. This song is very Zappa-esque, as he was playing with Frank Zappa in the early 80's.

[platinumblondelife]

Originally Posted by Fleet

Can't compare because Rock 'n' Roll of 50+ years ago is far, far different than what is popular now. It would really be wishful thinking that modern music will ever be in the same category as these "mean 'ol" Rock 'n' Roll songs...

You cannot say what will and what will not be played 50 years from now. Every generation has music they consider classic. So to you, music from the 60s is classic and timeless because you're older and can relate to it and it brings back memories. To someone my age a Beyonce song may be timeless and a classic, and when we hear it 30 years from now, it will still be considered a classic because it was a classic for my generation.

[Nighthawk76]

I think that what most people don't take into account is that popular (or mainstream or top 40) music is aimed at young people. Once a person turns 25 or so they are no longer considered part of the target audiance of popular music. So, no I don't "get" todays music, but since I'm 31 I'm really not supposed to.

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by platinumblondelife

You cannot say what will and what will not be played 50 years from now. Every generation has music they consider classic. So to you, music from the 60s is classic and timeless because you're older and can relate to it and it brings back memories. To someone my age a Beyonce song may be timeless and a classic, and when we hear it 30 years from now, it will still be considered a classic because it was a classic for my generation.

That's true, but on an absolute scale, not taking age into consideration, modern music cannot touch the classics.
There are loads of comments (and many from people under 25 years old) on youtube for a '50s or '60s song saying things like "why can't modern music sound like this?" or "that was back when real music was made." But I've seen very, very few comments saying something like "modern music is the best ever" or "why can't the classics sound like today's music?"

One of my brothers introduced my niece to Eagles music. Now she is a big fan of theirs (she also likes the Beatles to a lesser degree). I don't think she even listens to current music (she is 14 years old). I think that in many (not all) cases if someone under 20 years old is exposed to '50s-'70s music, most of the time they will prefer it to modern music. All I can say is I can't blame them!

[ABlairican Pie]

I've done a calculation on when rock and roll reached a midpoint, when things reached a certain peak level before going downhill, or perhaps improving, depending on your point of view. Rock and roll has technically been in existence since about 1955, so I subtract 1955 from 2007:

2007
- 1955

= 52

So rock and roll has roughly been around for 52 years, that's a little over half a century. Divide that in half: 26

1955 + 26 = 1981.

Okay, so rock and roll's midpoint hit about 1981, and what big musical event happened in 1981?

MTV.

And there we go, the day of the music star selling huge hits based more on how cool and cute they looked, their ability to pantomime and, uhhh, lipsync on cue. Duran Duran, the Thompson Twins, A Flock Of Seagulls. THE PEAK OF ROCK AND ROLL!!! Big hair = big hits!!!

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by ABlairican Pie

I've done a calculation on when rock and roll reached a midpoint, when things reached a certain peak level before going downhill, or perhaps improving, depending on your point of view. Rock and roll has technically been in existence since about 1955, so I subtract 1955 from 2007:

2007
- 1955

= 52

So rock and roll has roughly been around for 52 years, that's a little over half a century. Divide that in half: 26

1955 + 26 = 1981.

Okay, so rock and roll's midpoint hit about 1981, and what big musical event happened in 1981?

MTV.

And there we go, the day of the music star selling huge hits based more on how cool and cute they looked, their ability to pantomime and, uhhh, lipsync on cue. Duran Duran, the Thompson Twins, A Flock Of Seagulls. THE PEAK OF ROCK AND ROLL!!! Big hair = big hits!!!

That is a coincidence!
I just happened to stop listening to top 40 music in 1981 (I went "all oldies" in March of that year) because there was less and less songs I liked in the top 40. Actually, for me personally, the downhill slide began in 1979... I liked a lot more songs from 1978 than I did from 1979. '79 was kind of a disappointment for me muscially and that's the year I graduated!

[platinumblondelife]

Originally Posted by Fleet

That's true, but on an absolute scale, not taking age into consideration, modern music cannot touch the classics.
There are loads of comments (and many from people under 25 years old) on youtube for a '50s or '60s song saying things like "why can't modern music sound like this?" or "that was back when real music was made." But I've seen very, very few comments saying something like "modern music is the best ever" or "why can't the classics sound like today's music?"

One of my brothers introduced my niece to Eagles music. Now she is a big fan of theirs (she also likes the Beatles to a lesser degree). I don't think she even listens to current music (she is 14 years old). I think that in many (not all) cases if someone under 20 years old is exposed to '50s-'70s music, most of the time they will prefer it to modern music. All I can say is I can't blame them!

That is your opinion that yesterday's music is untouchable to today's music. I don't know if people under 25 who leave comments like "why can't today's music be like this" mean thats what the majority thinks or that music was better then. I'm sure there were young people who did not like rock n roll in the 1950s and liked their parents music or agreed with their parents that that type of music was garbage. I like hip hop and I also like classical music. I would never compare Beethoven to Beyonce, but both will be remembered a long time from now imo.

[Dean Winchester]

Originally Posted by platinumblondelife

That is your opinion that yesterday's music is untouchable to today's music. I don't know if people under 25 who leave comments like "why can't today's music be like this" mean thats what the majority thinks or that music was better then. I'm sure there were young people who did not like rock n roll in the 1950s and liked their parents music or agreed with their parents that that type of music was garbage. I like hip hop and I also like classical music. I would never compare Beethoven to Beyonce, but both will be remembered a long time from now imo.

I agree there, I don't listen to music with a "well, this artist will never accomplish what Elvis or The Beatles did" because it's pointless to compare an established legend and icon from 40-50 years ago with someone who is doing their thing now. You can't define artists in terms of someone else.

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by platinumblondelife

That is your opinion that yesterday's music is untouchable to today's music. I don't know if people under 25 who leave comments like "why can't today's music be like this" mean thats what the majority thinks or that music was better then.

It's quite obvious what they mean... they like the older music much more than modern music.

I'm sure there were young people who did not like rock n roll in the 1950s and liked their parents music or agreed with their parents that that type of music was garbage. I like hip hop and I also like classical music. I would never compare Beethoven to Beyonce, but both will be remembered a long time from now imo

Again, the 1950s songs had a melody... you know, actual music. And a lot of the 1950s bands had excellent harmonizing... The Flamingos, The Platters, The Harptones, Lee Andrews & The Hearts, The Everly Brothers, etc. Try finding harmonies like that today!
A lot of music will be remembered a long time from now- but some of it will be remembered as bad music.

[Fleet]

Originally Posted by platinumblondelife

That is your opinion that yesterday's music is untouchable to today's music. I don't know if people under 25 who leave comments like "why can't today's music be like this" mean thats what the majority thinks or that music was better then. I'm sure there were young people who did not like rock n roll in the 1950s and liked their parents music or agreed with their parents that that type of music was garbage. I like hip hop and I also like classical music. I would never compare Beethoven to Beyonce, but both will be remembered a long time from now imo.

Here are some of the comments I was referring to:

Song: Johnny Angel (Shelly Fabares, 1962)
"It's her facial expressions that do it for me. It reveals a grace and passion that you rarely see anymore. Alas, I truly miss an era of innocence I never knew."

"I'm 24 and love these type of songs. They have a good mood about them. Timeless."

Song: Hey Paula (Paul and Paula, 1963)
"I'm only 14 and I love this song. My 9-year-old sister and I always take turns singing this song. I love it!"

Song: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (The Platters, 1958)
"This song has got to be my favorite song of the '50s. I am completely mesmerized by this song in every way, shape and form. Such a shame that the generation of my day (present) can't come up with anything interesting. I'm only 19 but I'd rather listen to this than listen to the constant, annoying drivel which constitutes today's music."

"Haha, I definitely agree. I'm only 20 years old, too."

"That's when blacks could harmonize, not this Hip Hop c--- they have today."

"Why can't they make music like this anymore?"

"Forget Rap, mostly cheap and untalented music... not like this."

"Why don't groups sing like this now? They sing all around the melody and it's not even music anymore."

"We went from this to Hip Hop and Rap. I loved the Platters. Bring back music where you could hum along with it. Also, their pants weren't down around their knees and their underwear hanging out."

"You are so right. Black music has gone to h---. What happened to sophisticated black music like [Duke] Ellington, [Count] Basie and Ella [Fitzgerald]? Today's black music seems to me to be about foul language and guns. Such a shame."

"Gee performers had to have talent, music to have a tune and meaningful words then. How strange... and how much I miss it!"

"I wish when I pull into a gas station or a 7/11, this black music was blaring from the cars in the lot. This is real music. Real class."

Song: You Send Me (Sam Cooke, 1957)
"History repeats itself. More and more younger people are starting to listen to old '60s and '70s music. You know why, because they are too awesome."

"Love Cooke. Many people are listening to older music because today's music in all of our genres is pretty weak."

"You're so right. I'm only 21. I love oldies. Today's music doesn't compare."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
And on and on it goes. That is just a small sample of the many comments I've read.

[platinumblondelife]

There are always going to be people who do not like new music. In every generation. Again, the opinion that music from a long time ago had stronger melodies = better music/will be remembered longer is still all just your opinion though.