Today's Music Sucks - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Rickenbacker · 06-10-2003, 01:07 AM

Major sweeping generalization, I know..Not all of it. But things are slowly improving from what I've been seeing very recently.

So why does it suck? One reason is because so few current "artists" seem to want to raise the bar of groundbreaking output anymore.

Lemme use history as a guide. I'll take the rock era because that's what's most familiar to most...

1950s- Rock is born. Groundbreakers like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Buddy Holly & yes, Elvis. (not a huge fan of his, but the guy deserves big credit) The nay sayers (mainly Bible thumping, redneck southerners is my guess) said rock was "negro's/devil's music" that would corrupt youth. 40+ years on, we revere those names & we see now the nay sayers were wrong....Really wrong.

60s- This decade is too easy to praise.
So much experimentation & adventurousness in rock songwriting as it began to mature. There was a movement to further rock as a genre & The Beatles were the ones who singlehandedly made it a legit music form for everyone to enjoy. Immeasurable influence on music to this day. Of course, their contemporaries of the time also produced countless gems that people not even born until 20, 25 years on still listen to.
Soul & r&b comes into its own as well & perfectly reflected the period...when artists like Aretha & Marvin really meant what they were singing. It truly was *soul*...

70s- rock fragments & becomes big business. Despite being so, this decade gave us the singer/songwriters (yeah, they wrote their own songs), "do-it-yourself" punk rock (influencing today's pop punk & "real" underground punk & showing that it wasn't the "fad" people made it out to be), disco (show me a kid of 2003 who doesn't know "YMCA" & I'll show you a kid who was brought up in a cave), heavy metal (how many of you people watched The Osbournes or have heard of a 2 bit song called "Stairway to Heaven"?)
Turn on the tv & half the music used in commercials is music from this decade.
Music during this decade sucked? Then the recent release of Led Zeppelin's live cds would not've made it to #1 in Billboard. ..And they're just one example.

80s- This is where things start slowly going downhill, IMO. The early 80s had plenty of pioneering new wave acts, but MTV shook things up in '81. The one thing I'll give MTV is the fact that it exposed the world to different forms of music that they might not have ever heard otherwise. Hip hop is a great example of that & the 80s is the decade where rap took off. Most of today's mainstream rappers don't hold a candle to the guys who built the groundwork for them. You can probably name the truly good ones that'll stick around for a while on one hand. The rest are flashes in the pan acts...Also, 2 names stick out of this decade that people still love today: Jacko & Madonna. Jacko is a freak now, but he still has a huge following. Madonna opened tons of doors for future female performers. (not a huge fan of hers either though)

90s- It sure was nice to see another "big thing" band that forced others to follow suit. Talkin' about Nirvana & the whole grunge thing. (which did get outta hand) But after grunge died, we hadda endure another sad crap pop period. This is where we hit rock bottom, people. It's always been a business, yes, but as of the 90s to now, it's blatantly moreso not about writing a good, lasting & memorable tune anymore. Just get that voice electronically treated in the studio, get that video in heavy rotation & do your best lip-syncing on stage, baby!

I'm thinkin'- so what'll today's kids have to look back on in 30 years & say- "Man! Now That was good, well written music!"? Christina Aguilera? Britney? Lil Bow Wow? Nsync? The Spice Girls? I dunno, people...maybe those names & others like em *will* be revered in 30 years...but it seems pretty unlikely...

Tell ya what (*gets off soapbox*)- I'm liking this fairly new, striped down "garage" rock we've been seeing lots of recently. The White Stripes, The Vines, et al...

All this & I'm not even 35 yet!

Night kids!

~*Hannah_Lee*~ · 06-10-2003, 01:37 AM

*stands up and applauds*

Thank you!! I agree with what you're saying. I'm only 15, and this is supposed to be my generation, yet I find I am living in that of the early 90's. I mean, don't get me wrong, there are some good rock bands out there now. I love the Foo Fighters, but they have been around since the ending days of grunge, and Dave Grohl knows what he is doing, he's been there before. I'll have to agree with you on the whole "garage-rock" thing. Those bands are good, but they aren't getting the recognition they deserve. I mean, the White Stripes are getting some, but the rest aren't getting very much. There are a lot of good emo bands out, but the only 2 that get any recognition are The All American Rejects and Dashboard Confessionals (who deserve soooo much more). I don't know what is going on. It's like all my fellow teenagers are just into the fake, computer-generated sound.

But I'm not.....

Cashodeen · 06-10-2003, 03:22 AM

Yes, what a concise description of music's history since 1950. I am a little more lenient on where things went downhill though. What you described for the 80s is precisely why I won't say music went downhill just yet.
I see a dry spell to be around the years 88-91 though. So I guess things did go downhill in the 80s--the late 80s no less! Fortunately music came back to life in the early 90s. I'd say another dry spell came officially in 97, and music has been in a funk ever since. Believe me, I won't be looking back 30 years saying "man this and that was great." I'll be able to name some things, but as a whole, the new millinium has been a disappointment. I like certain things that are out now only because "beggars can't be choosers."

I've jumped for joy with the rise of artists like The White Stripes and The Vines. Unfortunately they haven't been quite as mainstream as I'd like them to be. Mainstream doesn't mean squat lately, but it would still be nice for mainstream music to include their deverse sounds.

fr00ti · 06-10-2003, 03:35 AM

My opinion is that pretty much everything sucks except country. Country is the only music I like to listen to because its what I grew up with and it doesnt change all the time like that crap that's on pop radio now.

Rickenbacker · 06-10-2003, 07:06 AM

Hola!

Ok, now that I've written such a looong post, now that its gotten a few replies, I can "clean it up" a little as I'm aware it's full of holes.

I guess it's known that there's a little crap in every decade. Just that it seems to me that there's *more* crap today than ever. Why? Thank you MTV. Who on God's green earth *doesn't* have access to it? Making a video is a neccessity for new bands, or they run the risk of dying fast. Thing is, MTV is showing so few actual videos, they've found the need to create MTV2. It sure was great to see such brilliant ideas like 'The Grind' & TRL...

I agree that we did indeed hit a *really* low point in the late 80s. We had lots of lousy acts that were a joke then & still a joke today. eg: New Kids On The Block (sorry old fans- just a late 80s Nsync), Tiffany (sorry old fans- just a late 80s Britney), and the act that *proved* what I'd been saying all along to my friends during that period.. Milli Vanilli. Here were 2 clowns who *actually* won a freakin Grammy for lip-syncing. When they got busted for it, it proved to me that I & others w/ similar opinions were right: You literally don't need much talent to make to the top anymore. Just have the right look & you're halfway there. This also showed me that as MTV's popularity increased, the lower the creative standards became. When you watch MTV, you're not using your imagination one bit. You're looking at some *director's* vision of the music.

Turn off TRL & see a live show....

Just also wanted to add that hip hop hit a high point in the 90s. (during the early half of the decade) We got acts like Tribe Called Quest & De La Soul who injected a jazzy vibe into it. That stuff was great. Gangsta rap followed soon afterwards & this'll sound weird to some, but the better acts of that subgenre were fantastic. They were literally telling us about life as they saw it & no one had ever been musically exposed to that aspect of life in such an in-your-face way. Helped rap become "the new rock" because it was so shocking to many. But of course, like grunge, when the copycats came along, it became predictable & dumb.

Anyway, that's it for now. & again, I'm not saying *all* of today's music is lousy. There's lots of great music being made out there, just that you have to look a little harder for it now...

Oh yeah, as for country- well got mixed feelings. I'm not a country fan, but I have great respect for the pioneers of it. (eg: Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson et al) I can't speak for it b/c I don't know enough, but it seems to me that what passes for 'country' today is really just pop w/ a southern accent. The Dixie Chicks appear to be trying to bring it back to something resembling the roots.

Later! (& thanks Hannah for the applause! The fact that you're only 15 & love older music shows me there's hope! Lol! You can't be the only one. And I agree w/ you & Cash'- lots of these new bands that're making good music are not getting the attention they should. Some are better than others, but they're putting fun back into rock.

ABlairican Pie · 06-10-2003, 08:29 AM

Case in point: the new Metallica album. Formerly a groundbreaking metal band, they have sold out and recorded a "NU-METAL" album.

Good news, tho': The new Led Zeppelin box set totally bakes!!!

Hollow · 06-10-2003, 08:46 AM

i like some of it

Rhiannon · 06-10-2003, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rickenbacker
Hola!

I guess it's known that there's a little crap in every decade. Just that it seems to me that there's *more* crap today than ever. Why? Thank you MTV. Who on God's green earth *doesn't* have access to it? Making a video is a neccessity for new bands, or they run the risk of dying fast. Thing is, MTV is showing so few actual videos, they've found the need to create MTV2. It sure was great to see such brilliant ideas like 'The Grind' & TRL...

I [i]hate[/i[ MTV! I like rock music from the 80's and early 90's like The Red Hot Chili Peppers and so on...and I agree with Hannah Lee about most kids our age just like the computer generated sound of today's music.

Tuesday Weld · 06-10-2003, 12:39 PM

I agree that today's music totally sucks.

mcgwirefan · 06-10-2003, 01:21 PM

ITA with the original post.
1950s and 60s R&R was the best. You could understand the words and dance to the beat. I am always very disappointed that Rick Nelson never gets credit for bringing R&R to accceptance. Through the TV show, her got parents to see that it wasn't a bad thing.

*PinkLady* · 06-10-2003, 02:17 PM

I was raised on contemporary jazz and classic rock, and that's pretty much everything I listen to. I do like some of today's songs, but I hate most of it, and the singers as well. It just doesn't have the same quality as the old stuff.

AKA · 06-10-2003, 02:38 PM

There's great music being made everyday, Rickenbacker. It's just that most of it isn't mainstream. Don't blame the musicians; blame the RIAA, MTV, ClearChannel Communications, and other whores in the corporate gangbang.

*Mogwai* · 06-10-2003, 03:22 PM

Look past the radio and MTV and you'll find plenty of good bands but I do agree as far mainstream music goes a lot of it sucks.

MonarC · 06-10-2003, 03:24 PM

i call it Crap-Rock

also the rap and hip-hop has just gotten more and more rotten as it progresses. It's time for a change in music.

Im so sick of all these fake bands who try to copy others style from the past. Get your own style

I mainly listen to classic rock and a few people from today who are worthy...

LED ZEPPELIN ROCKS

Jimi HendriX Rocks

Crimson and Clover · 06-10-2003, 05:11 PM

i very rarely listen to any of the new stuff. there are a few new bands that are great but they are not mainstream.

06-10-2003, 01:37 AM	#2
~Hannah_Lee~ Let's dance in style Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 09, 2002 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,358	stands up and applauds Thank you!! I agree with what you're saying. I'm only 15, and this is supposed to be my generation, yet I find I am living in that of the early 90's. I mean, don't get me wrong, there are some good rock bands out there now. I love the Foo Fighters, but they have been around since the ending days of grunge, and Dave Grohl knows what he is doing, he's been there before. I'll have to agree with you on the whole "garage-rock" thing. Those bands are good, but they aren't getting the recognition they deserve. I mean, the White Stripes are getting some, but the rest aren't getting very much. There are a lot of good emo bands out, but the only 2 that get any recognition are The All American Rejects and Dashboard Confessionals (who deserve soooo much more). I don't know what is going on. It's like all my fellow teenagers are just into the fake, computer-generated sound. But I'm not.....
	__________________ Some are like water, some are like the heat Some are a melody and some are the beat. Sooner or later they all will be gone. Why don't they stay young? It's so hard to get old without a cause. I don't want to perish like a fleeing horse. Youth is like diamonds in the sun, And diamonds are forever. Forever young, I want to be forever young. Do you really want to live forever?

06-10-2003, 03:35 AM	#4
fr00ti Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 16, 2002 Posts: 12,846	My opinion is that pretty much everything sucks except country. Country is the only music I like to listen to because its what I grew up with and it doesnt change all the time like that crap that's on pop radio now.
	__________________ ...

06-10-2003, 07:06 AM	#5
Rickenbacker Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 15, 2003 Location: NYC Posts: 507	Mornin'! Hola! Ok, now that I've written such a looong post, now that its gotten a few replies, I can "clean it up" a little as I'm aware it's full of holes. I guess it's known that there's a little crap in every decade. Just that it seems to me that there's more crap today than ever. Why? Thank you MTV. Who on God's green earth doesn't have access to it? Making a video is a neccessity for new bands, or they run the risk of dying fast. Thing is, MTV is showing so few actual videos, they've found the need to create MTV2. It sure was great to see such brilliant ideas like 'The Grind' & TRL... I agree that we did indeed hit a really low point in the late 80s. We had lots of lousy acts that were a joke then & still a joke today. eg: New Kids On The Block (sorry old fans- just a late 80s Nsync), Tiffany (sorry old fans- just a late 80s Britney), and the act that proved what I'd been saying all along to my friends during that period.. Milli Vanilli. Here were 2 clowns who actually won a freakin Grammy for lip-syncing. When they got busted for it, it proved to me that I & others w/ similar opinions were right: You literally don't need much talent to make to the top anymore. Just have the right look & you're halfway there. This also showed me that as MTV's popularity increased, the lower the creative standards became. When you watch MTV, you're not using your imagination one bit. You're looking at some director's vision of the music. Turn off TRL & see a live show.... Just also wanted to add that hip hop hit a high point in the 90s. (during the early half of the decade) We got acts like Tribe Called Quest & De La Soul who injected a jazzy vibe into it. That stuff was great. Gangsta rap followed soon afterwards & this'll sound weird to some, but the better acts of that subgenre were fantastic. They were literally telling us about life as they saw it & no one had ever been musically exposed to that aspect of life in such an in-your-face way. Helped rap become "the new rock" because it was so shocking to many. But of course, like grunge, when the copycats came along, it became predictable & dumb. Anyway, that's it for now. & again, I'm not saying all of today's music is lousy. There's lots of great music being made out there, just that you have to look a little harder for it now... Oh yeah, as for country- well got mixed feelings. I'm not a country fan, but I have great respect for the pioneers of it. (eg: Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson et al) I can't speak for it b/c I don't know enough, but it seems to me that what passes for 'country' today is really just pop w/ a southern accent. The Dixie Chicks appear to be trying to bring it back to something resembling the roots. Later! (& thanks Hannah for the applause! The fact that you're only 15 & love older music shows me there's hope! Lol! You can't be the only one. And I agree w/ you & Cash'- lots of these new bands that're making good music are not getting the attention they should. Some are better than others, but they're putting fun back into rock.
	Last edited by Rickenbacker; 06-10-2003 at 07:28 AM.

06-10-2003, 08:29 AM	#6
ABlairican Pie Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 12, 2001 Location: Living where cats reign more Supreme than a pizza. Posts: 31,619	re: proof today's music sux Case in point: the new Metallica album. Formerly a groundbreaking metal band, they have sold out and recorded a "NU-METAL" album. Good news, tho': The new Led Zeppelin box set totally bakes!!!
	__________________ Release the kitties. --Nathan Explosion

06-10-2003, 12:39 PM	#9
Tuesday Weld I missed you all. hugs Forum Celebrity Join Date: Feb 02, 2003 Location: Having a great time. Posts: 22,285	I agree that today's music totally sucks.
	__________________ Cindy Formerly musicrocksmyworld, ElvisDustyfan and vintagetvgirl. After one look at this planet any visitor from outer space would say "I want to see the manager." - William S. Burroughs

06-10-2003, 01:07 AM	#1
Rickenbacker Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 15, 2003 Location: NYC Posts: 507	Today's Music Sucks Major sweeping generalization, I know..Not all of it. But things are slowly improving from what I've been seeing very recently. So why does it suck? One reason is because so few current "artists" seem to want to raise the bar of groundbreaking output anymore. Lemme use history as a guide. I'll take the rock era because that's what's most familiar to most... 1950s- Rock is born. Groundbreakers like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Buddy Holly & yes, Elvis. (not a huge fan of his, but the guy deserves big credit) The nay sayers (mainly Bible thumping, redneck southerners is my guess) said rock was "negro's/devil's music" that would corrupt youth. 40+ years on, we revere those names & we see now the nay sayers were wrong....Really wrong. 60s- This decade is too easy to praise. So much experimentation & adventurousness in rock songwriting as it began to mature. There was a movement to further rock as a genre & The Beatles were the ones who singlehandedly made it a legit music form for everyone to enjoy. Immeasurable influence on music to this day. Of course, their contemporaries of the time also produced countless gems that people not even born until 20, 25 years on still listen to. Soul & r&b comes into its own as well & perfectly reflected the period...when artists like Aretha & Marvin really meant what they were singing. It truly was soul... 70s- rock fragments & becomes big business. Despite being so, this decade gave us the singer/songwriters (yeah, they wrote their own songs), "do-it-yourself" punk rock (influencing today's pop punk & "real" underground punk & showing that it wasn't the "fad" people made it out to be), disco (show me a kid of 2003 who doesn't know "YMCA" & I'll show you a kid who was brought up in a cave), heavy metal (how many of you people watched The Osbournes or have heard of a 2 bit song called "Stairway to Heaven"?) Turn on the tv & half the music used in commercials is music from this decade. Music during this decade sucked? Then the recent release of Led Zeppelin's live cds would not've made it to #1 in Billboard. ..And they're just one example. 80s- This is where things start slowly going downhill, IMO. The early 80s had plenty of pioneering new wave acts, but MTV shook things up in '81. The one thing I'll give MTV is the fact that it exposed the world to different forms of music that they might not have ever heard otherwise. Hip hop is a great example of that & the 80s is the decade where rap took off. Most of today's mainstream rappers don't hold a candle to the guys who built the groundwork for them. You can probably name the truly good ones that'll stick around for a while on one hand. The rest are flashes in the pan acts...Also, 2 names stick out of this decade that people still love today: Jacko & Madonna. Jacko is a freak now, but he still has a huge following. Madonna opened tons of doors for future female performers. (not a huge fan of hers either though) 90s- It sure was nice to see another "big thing" band that forced others to follow suit. Talkin' about Nirvana & the whole grunge thing. (which did get outta hand) But after grunge died, we hadda endure another sad crap pop period. This is where we hit rock bottom, people. It's always been a business, yes, but as of the 90s to now, it's blatantly moreso not about writing a good, lasting & memorable tune anymore. Just get that voice electronically treated in the studio, get that video in heavy rotation & do your best lip-syncing on stage, baby! I'm thinkin'- so what'll today's kids have to look back on in 30 years & say- "Man! Now That was good, well written music!"? Christina Aguilera? Britney? Lil Bow Wow? Nsync? The Spice Girls? I dunno, people...maybe those names & others like em will be revered in 30 years...but it seems pretty unlikely... Tell ya what (gets off soapbox)- I'm liking this fairly new, striped down "garage" rock we've been seeing lots of recently. The White Stripes, The Vines, et al... All this & I'm not even 35 yet! Night kids!

06-10-2003, 03:22 AM	#3
Cashodeen Hi. Forum Star Join Date: Aug 30, 2001 Posts: 11,363	Yes, what a concise description of music's history since 1950. I am a little more lenient on where things went downhill though. What you described for the 80s is precisely why I won't say music went downhill just yet. I see a dry spell to be around the years 88-91 though. So I guess things did go downhill in the 80s--the late 80s no less! Fortunately music came back to life in the early 90s. I'd say another dry spell came officially in 97, and music has been in a funk ever since. Believe me, I won't be looking back 30 years saying "man this and that was great." I'll be able to name some things, but as a whole, the new millinium has been a disappointment. I like certain things that are out now only because "beggars can't be choosers." I've jumped for joy with the rise of artists like The White Stripes and The Vines. Unfortunately they haven't been quite as mainstream as I'd like them to be. Mainstream doesn't mean squat lately, but it would still be nice for mainstream music to include their deverse sounds.

06-10-2003, 08:46 AM	#7
Hollow Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 16, 2001 Posts: 30,406	i like some of it

06-10-2003, 01:21 PM	#10
mcgwirefan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 03, 2003 Posts: 458	Today's music ITA with the original post. 1950s and 60s R&R was the best. You could understand the words and dance to the beat. I am always very disappointed that Rick Nelson never gets credit for bringing R&R to accceptance. Through the TV show, her got parents to see that it wasn't a bad thing. Attached Images
	__________________ Rockin' with Rick (aka Rick Nelson fan!)

06-10-2003, 02:17 PM	#11
PinkLady Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jun 04, 2002 Posts: 7,457	I was raised on contemporary jazz and classic rock, and that's pretty much everything I listen to. I do like some of today's songs, but I hate most of it, and the singers as well. It just doesn't have the same quality as the old stuff.

06-10-2003, 02:38 PM	#12
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	There's great music being made everyday, Rickenbacker. It's just that most of it isn't mainstream. Don't blame the musicians; blame the RIAA, MTV, ClearChannel Communications, and other whores in the corporate gangbang.

06-10-2003, 03:22 PM	#13
Mogwai I'm a Poseur. Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 17, 2002 Location: fraggle rock Posts: 131	Look past the radio and MTV and you'll find plenty of good bands but I do agree as far mainstream music goes a lot of it sucks.
	__________________ "Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And when it does come, we no longer exist."-Epicurus

06-10-2003, 03:24 PM	#14
MonarC The truth will set you free Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 05, 2002 Location: 3rd Stone From The Sun Posts: 9,525	i call it Crap-Rock also the rap and hip-hop has just gotten more and more rotten as it progresses. It's time for a change in music. Im so sick of all these fake bands who try to copy others style from the past. Get your own style I mainly listen to classic rock and a few people from today who are worthy... LED ZEPPELIN ROCKS Jimi HendriX Rocks

06-10-2003, 05:11 PM	#15
Crimson and Clover Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 09, 2002 Location: NC Posts: 17,345	i very rarely listen to any of the new stuff. there are a few new bands that are great but they are not mainstream.
	__________________ Friend me: http://www.facebook.com/MaryLynnCall My Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/MotherMary You'll never find a sweeter combination As peace and love - Mishka