Has music become stagnant (stopped moving/evolving)?

**Janszoon** · 12-08-2012, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojopinuk

Wouldnt it be safe to say that it would probably be more difficult to create something unique or 'new' now than it was in the 60s, 70s, 80s etc?

Why would that be safe to say? There were thousands of years of human creativity prior to the 60s, it's not like they started with a blank slate.

Rock N' Roll Clown · 12-08-2012, 02:00 PM

I'll just say that the more genres there are, the more opportunities there are for combining them. For example, there are great artist combining electro/house with rock/metal. And, on the other hand, the more technology there are, the more potential there is of making good music. So, logically, the more there is, the more can be created. But is it happening? I'd say yes. Because, even not very famous, there are artist who make absolutely every kinds of music. The problem is that the most commercial music is only one style, but when it wasn't like that?

Mojo · 12-08-2012, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Why would that be safe to say? There were thousands of years of human creativity prior to the 60s, it's not like they started with a blank slate.

I know that but personally I would have said that as music has become a bigger industry, as the way are access and are exposed to it has changed, as each new genre of music is established, the room in which to create something new that can't be categorised by the genres we have, it would likely become harder to make something that hasnt been done before.

Not impossible, just harder.

**Janszoon** · 12-08-2012, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojopinuk

I know that but personally I would have said that as music has become a bigger industry, as the way are access and are exposed to it has changed, as each new genre of music is established, the room in which to create something new that can't be categorised by the genres we have, it would likely become harder to make something that hasnt been done before.

Not impossible, just harder.

Meh. I think the context and technology keep changing though. So there's always room for new categories.

Mojo · 12-08-2012, 02:10 PM

Well, thats true. Technology does keep changing and, as has been mentioned since my post, the more genres you have, the more room there is for them to overlap and crossover. Both very good points, in my opinion.

I really don't know. As you say though, Jans, I could be listening to something today I would file away under a certain genre but over time it could come to be considered as something else altogether. It's quite difficult to foresee.

midnight rain · 12-08-2012, 02:10 PM

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Originally Posted by Janszoon

That's because the early 2000s still weren't very long ago.

The genres established in the early 90s were pretty clearly defined in the early 2000's.

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I guess it depends what you mean by equal. I mean, for example, there was material rationing in the 1940s that limited the production of records for a while. So that's a decade that you could point to and say that music was hampered by war, but at the same time it was the decade that gave us bebop, which in my opinion is one of the most interesting forms of music of the 20th century. So I'm not so sure I'd be comfortable labeling the decade a slump. Honestly I can't say I'd describe any decade of the mass media era as a musical slump and I feel that the kind of thinking that leads people to label them as such is the same of thinking that leads one to become a grumpy old person who thinks nobody makes real music anymore.

Does that sound like how I'm approaching it? I'm not intentionally avoiding listening to new music.

I can think of hardly any classic r&b, blues, and jazz albums that were released in the last decade.

sidewinder · 12-08-2012, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

I totally disagree with this. There's plenty of innovation going on currently. The problem is that the present is murky and hard to define because you're living in it. Some time needs to elapse before you're able to look back and discern what was innovation and what was just novelty.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Genres are usually defined after the fact.

This and this. End of story. With age comes experience and wisdom.

FrigginParadox · 12-08-2012, 02:53 PM

[QUOTE=Rock N' Roll Clown;1259945]I'll just say that the more genres there are, the more opportunities there are for combining them. For example, there are great artist combining electro/house with rock/metal. And, on the other hand, the more technology there are, the more potential there is of making good music. So, logically, the more there is, the more can be created. But is it happening? I'd say yes. Because, even not very famous, there are artist who make absolutely every kinds of music. The problem is that the most commercial music is only one style, but when it wasn't like that?[/QUOTE]

an example would be Deathgrips, theya re a mixed genre and its innovative... but all my friends who only listen to radio stuff think ALL hiphop is like the stuff on the radio and would never imagine anything like deathgrips to be considered "hiphop" cus its so innovative

**Janszoon** · 12-08-2012, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna

The genres established in the early 90s were pretty clearly defined in the early 2000's.

What genres would those be?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna

Does that sound like how I'm approaching it? I'm not intentionally avoiding listening to new music.

I'm not saying you are. I'm just saying that having the mindset that all the creative times are behind us is the first step to being the kind of person who disregards all new music as you get older.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna

I can think of hardly any classic r&b, blues, and jazz albums that were released in the last decade.

Not sure what you mean by this—and I think generally you need more than a decade to go by before you can determine if something is a classic or not—but I can certainly think of a few jazz albums from the past decade that are fantastic.

**Janszoon** · 12-08-2012, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidewinder

This and this. End of story. With age comes experience and wisdom.

So glad you're back.

12-08-2012, 02:00 PM	#32 (permalink)
Rock N' Roll Clown Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Bulgaria Posts: 169	I'll just say that the more genres there are, the more opportunities there are for combining them. For example, there are great artist combining electro/house with rock/metal. And, on the other hand, the more technology there are, the more potential there is of making good music. So, logically, the more there is, the more can be created. But is it happening? I'd say yes. Because, even not very famous, there are artist who make absolutely every kinds of music. The problem is that the most commercial music is only one style, but when it wasn't like that? __________________

12-08-2012, 02:10 PM	#35 (permalink)
Mojo Melancholia Eternally Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: England Posts: 5,018	Well, thats true. Technology does keep changing and, as has been mentioned since my post, the more genres you have, the more room there is for them to overlap and crossover. Both very good points, in my opinion. I really don't know. As you say though, Jans, I could be listening to something today I would file away under a certain genre but over time it could come to be considered as something else altogether. It's quite difficult to foresee. __________________ Last.FM \| Echoes and Dust

12-08-2012, 02:53 PM	#38 (permalink)
FrigginParadox Music Addict Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: NY/LA Posts: 293	[QUOTE=Rock N' Roll Clown;1259945]I'll just say that the more genres there are, the more opportunities there are for combining them. For example, there are great artist combining electro/house with rock/metal. And, on the other hand, the more technology there are, the more potential there is of making good music. So, logically, the more there is, the more can be created. But is it happening? I'd say yes. Because, even not very famous, there are artist who make absolutely every kinds of music. The problem is that the most commercial music is only one style, but when it wasn't like that?[/QUOTE] an example would be Deathgrips, theya re a mixed genre and its innovative... but all my friends who only listen to radio stuff think ALL hiphop is like the stuff on the radio and would never imagine anything like deathgrips to be considered "hiphop" cus its so innovative __________________ Sound Cloud The Nostalgic Music Timeline of Paradox Last.FM Twitter