The Official "Music Was So Much Better in the Glorious Days of Yore" Thread

[Trollheart]

I reckon on a very basic and simplistic level you have two types of music: the first being what you might call, not meaning to be unkind, wallpaper music, that is, music you just listen to for the tune, beat, melody or to dance to, and don't pay or have to pay or are expected to pay much attention to the lyric. Your average dance or pop tune (though not by any means all of them) would probably fall into this category, as would a lot of disco music from the seventies, much of which was just concerned with getting people out on the dance floor and telling them in the lyric to have a good time.

Then there is the more "serious" music, with deeper, more meaningful lyrics and a message to impart. You get this in everything from punk to prog and metal to new wave. Most songwriters, if not just writing to a formula to get into the charts and make money, like to write lyrics that make people think. They have something to say, and they want to say it. This sort of music can be enjoyed on a deeper level, the kind of thing where people listen to and even learn the lyrics and perhaps then contemplate what they're about. In general, I would think, this is more the music than can move you emotionally - positively or negatively - and which may mean more to you.

Both types of music are fine, but I prefer music that has something to say. Of course it should entertain, or at least be listenable - that's probably the primary goal of music, from classical on down - but personally I believe it should also have something more in the lyric than ooh baby i love you etc.

[guitarstrummer]

You are totally correct but the question here is

why do you think the "music to entertain" that is just without any message and basically very similar to its predecessor staying in the charts when "serious" music is not climbing the charts as often anymore while in previous decades it was the other way around?

Is the world becoming more tired? more robotic? dumber? or just a coincidence hehe?

[SGR]

Originally Posted by guitarstrummer

You are totally correct but the question here is

why do you think the "music to entertain" that is just without any message and basically very similar to its predecessor staying in the charts when "serious" music is not climbing the charts as often anymore while in previous decades it was the other way around?

Is the world becoming more tired? more robotic? dumber? or just a coincidence hehe?

Here's a couple thoughts, just my opinion of course.

There's more music now at the fingertips of the largest music listening demographic (young people) than there ever was before. Couple this with the medium in which much of the conversation/sharing of the music takes place (social media), and artists have to do perhaps more than they used to in terms of maintaining attention.

The average attention span of young people is becoming shorter and shorter, hence why probably most young people don't hear a song they like and immediately think "I have to figure out what album that is from and buy it and listen to the whole thing!". Instead, they simply add it to their spotify playlist. One way to combat short attention spans is with immediate and rewarding hooks. For young people, if you don't give them that quick dopamine hit, they'll look elsewhere for it. Why do you think forums like this one are dying off while a site like Twitter is growing bigger and bigger?

Another thought - when it comes to "messages in music". Messages of social and political import are everywhere these days, from corporate guidelines to mass media marketing to those *******s you grew up with in high school on your social media feed - everyone and their grandma today has a "message" - perhaps many young people tire of this and look towards music as an avenue where they can relax, have a good time, and not worry about the broader context of society and culture for a brief time?

That's not to say that music with a message is no longer being created and produced - it still is and it's still popular.



But, like with the song above, you need to have something more than just a message to be popular - it needs to be stylized, it needs to be catchy, it needs to be unique and perhaps a bit flashy. Sympathy for the Devil won't cut it anymore. Without having something to differentiate yourself in a meaningful/political song, you're apt to be lost and ignored as a sea of catchy songs like this eclipse you:



Disclaimer: I wouldn't group any of the young people here into my descriptions above and not all young people are like this. But as a young person, with many young people I've met, these descriptions tend to have truth to them.

Originally Posted by elphenor

now I don't even know who radio is for other than the lowest common denominator still looking to be told what to listen to

I think satellite radio (e.g. SiriusXM) is stil still pretty popular. But yeah, terrestrial radio is basically moot. I suppose down-on-their-luck autobody/woodshop owners might still use them. And maybe soccer moms too, listening to Good Morning America on their morning commute.

[Frownland]

Fun, dancing, general joy of life are valuable messages too. Reflecting on the evils of the world is just boring ass misanthropy if you can't appreciate what's under attack.

[SGR]

Originally Posted by Frownland

Fun and joy of life are valuable messages too. Reflecting on the evils of the world is just boring ass misanthropy if you can't appreciate what under attack.

Very true - it doesn't all have to be hedonism and nihilism. Not everyone needs to be Elliott Smith and Bob Dylan.

[The Batlord]

"Sympathy for the Devil" never cut it.

[SGR]

Originally Posted by The Batlord

"Sympathy for the Devil" never cut it.

[The Batlord]

No, it's ****ing boring and always has been. Eat my ****.

[SGR]

Originally Posted by The Batlord

No, it's ****ing boring and always has been. Eat my ****.

Every now and then, I get glimpses and hints that you have actual taste in music. And then you come out with takes like this. It's sad really. You're the type of guy who's favorite Stones album is Some Girls.

[Tristan_Geoff]

Originally Posted by SoundgardenRocks

Every now and then, I get glimpses and hints that you have actual taste in music. And then you come out with takes like this. It's sad really. You're the type of guy who's favorite Stones album is Some Girls.

Some Girls was their venture into punk so it can't be all bad right?

Still not best Stones.