I really don't know that I'd agree with that. There's definitely a lot of stuff in the mainstream that lacks in substance, but if you really know where to look, there's absolutely amazing music happening right now.

No it hasn't. You're just looking in the wrong direction :)

...and there always has been.

End of debate, as far as I'm concerned.

I often hear the term mainstream reffered to in a negative manner. Whats the issue from others perspectives as to why it doesnt measure to up to whats considered nonmainstream? Do people automaticly assume it lacks in a certain area that non mainstream music does? Maybe somebody can shed some light on this for me.

i would just like current music to sound like 60s music, not that I want to live in that era in Malaysia - racial polarisation, black and white movies, US movies only showing five years later, reruns of the Ten Commandments and the original King Kong but at least the Malay girls were more open (no rampant Islamisation) and we had X-rated movies shown in the cinema

then again, we had a pretty bad racial riot in 1969 turning into a full-scale national emergency (but mostly in Kuala Lumpur)

Here you go sir ;)

I think there are two major points here. The first one is that mainstream music is a very tiny fraction of the music that's out there, which means that a person who only listens to mainstream stuff almost by definition has fairly limited musical tastes. The second thing is that mainstream music is often, though certainly not always, lowest common denominator music. That makes it popular but it also makes it boring to people who are more heavily into music than the average person.

It's often forgotten that Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, CSNY, Beatles, Al Stewart, Joe Jackson, Steely dan, Bob Dylan, the Band, Supertramp, Pink Floyd... all those bands were once mainstream. And almost no one will now criticize them for being 'mainstream'.

Appreciate the clarifacation Janz...dont always agree on other topics but your posts are always well worded and sound. I just didnt know if the mainstream hate somehow stemmed from the assumption of the artists being sell outs and playing for the dollar. As opposed to playing for the love of music so to speak. Which I know does happen but doesnt necessarily mean that they all are. Personaly I dont favor one over the other but thats just me. Anyways you answered my question thanks.

Do I wish I was born in that prime time to experience that era??
Absolutely! Back when music was music, and it wasn't all about money and promotion of feces across the airwaves. You ever want an accurate description of what has happened to music, the bands, the concerts more importantly, listen to 'Money Becomes King' or 'Joe' by Tom Petty. So sick, sad and true! I'd opt to go back in time and be blind, just as long as I could experience and hear the music the way it should be.