Why has popular music gome to pot nowadays?

Question

You really don't to be able to sing to be a "great" singer apparently nowadays. I'm so through with witnessing the degredation of American music. For example- first Ashanti, then Keyshia Cole, and now this Cassie chick? what the... When did music turn to crap and why? And can we reclaim it?
Remember when hip hop was ABOUT something? It wasn't offensive, obnoxious, or rude- it was just FUN. People actually had to have talent to be rappers (ex. "I Need Love" LL Cool J, Public Enemy's "fight the power", Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five, The message)

What happened?

taubdave- I'm 25. I despise popular music. I go for less mainstream, R&B soul and old school. I also love gospel because I never feel embarrassed or like I shouldnt be listening to it like I do when I hear this new crap full of nothing but sex, drugs, and defamation of human dignity. I'm too intelligent for that and I have always cherished the power of music.

PS I'm also a teacher and I see how pitifully unintelligent the media has made these kids nowadays. We can memorize a rap song but not out times tables! Unless I wear a thong and shake my behind while multiplying. Now there's an idea.

Answer 1

Because we have let it.
And when I say we, I mean the majority of music-buying people, probably not the people asking or answering a question like this.

What has happened in all forms of media, be it movies, music, literature, etc. is that passion has been replaced with profits. No longer is it about how strongly someone believes in something or how much they dedicate themselves to their art, it is about money. Producers of all types are willing to pick up anyone they can market, whether that means a girl with a pretty face or a guy with an attitude, and make them a star.

For a long time this didn't work for several reasons: one, music distribution was too limited until cassettes and CDs (and later digital) came about with mass distribution and cheap media and player costs. Two, with limited means of "getting out the word" to people (i.e. no internet or "instant info" source) there was only room for so many bands to tour or do local events within record company budgets.

As these changes took place starting in the 80's and continuing now we have seen time and again the formula of creating a star (insert name of a boy band or your favorite sell out) and creating a media frenzy, capturing a small portion of the market (which, with the expansion of music to almost all ages groups still means a niche artist can sell more than enough records to profit), putting out album after album of heartless dribble, and fading away into nothing with the cash they picked up.

While we can't change the musical tastes of the masses, what we can do is revel in the fact that for as many horrible mainstream artists as there are today there are just as many incredible "underground" artists. You see with the increase of information in our electronic age it has become easier for not only American Idol to promote it's "winners" but also for guys recording some of the most insightful, soulful, meaningful, incredibly groundbreaking music ever in their garage or on an 8-track at home to get their music out there.

The problem is that you, as the consumer, must do the legwork to find great music these days. Labels will not bring it to you. The radio will not play it. It makes it all the more challenging but all the more rewarding when you do find a great band though, almost like it's your little secret. And even if you wish everyone had heard their music blasting from every radio across the land you also know that if that happened the music would lose some of that passion, that magic, that comes from some guy in their garage jamming their heart out not for the profit, but for the passion.

Do some research, find some message boards, or sites on music that interests you, get an ipod (or any mp3 player), turn off the radio, and just immerse yourself in music you picked out, not some corporate owned media conglomerate radio station / TV station / newspaper.

Answer 2

The consolidation of the music industry into fewer and fewer companies has allowed the industry to essentially dictate what will sell by controlling the frequency any band will be played. Music companies don't have to take as many risks on innovative or unique groups and, as a result, the quality of the airwaves has suffered.

As for hip hop, I think the beginning of the end was when The Chronic came out around 1993 and sold about a billion copies. There was always gangsta in hip hop, and some of it (including Dre) wasn't bad, but after Dre, it was kind of turning into all gangsta all the time. When big media stepped in, it was all over, because they took guns, bling, and eye-candy women to be the proven formula for the genre. Whereas the rap labels used to be independent or were at least given free reign, they are now much more controlled by suits, with almost comical results like G-Unit. But at least hip hop still has a vibrant and talented group of artists working under the radar.

Answer 3

I don't think it's so much that music has gone down hill, I think that since there's way more artists nowadays, there's a much better chance that alot of them will suck. There's plenty of good music around today, and I still listen to Classic Rock like the Beatles, Hendrix, and Pink Floyd.

Edit: I also NEVER listen to the radio because they overplay everything. I find new artists to listen to mainly from friends or through movies.

Answer 4

You may not believe this, but the Illuminati have been using popular music as a brainwashing, and mind control tool, probably ever since the recording industry began. The complete moral corruption and decay of society is their goal. Looks like they've come pretty close to achieving that.

Answer 5

Music's been going down hill since the 70s. Now there is still some good stuff out there. I'm just waiting for another Elvis Costello album and new one by David Byrne.

Answer 6

I'll tell ya what happened, Its all the big name companies trying to make more money. Thats all its about nowadays- MONEY. Songs now are just talking about sex, money, drugs, and alcohol because thats what the majority wants to hear. The media has pumped all this stuff into teenagers heads its like their "brainwashed". If they see it on tv their gonna buy it.

Answer 7

The reason that the popular music that you will see on MTV or listed on itunes is because of who is watching MTV and who is buying music on itunes. Its the youth. And by youth i mean 13 and under. Its the kind of music that they listen to, and they are the ones that will listen to the popular music. The only reason they like it is because they have never heard anytthing else. They are told this is what is new and cool and they like it for that reason.

Answer 8

Pop music hasn't gotten worse lately. You've probably reached the age where you naturally yearn for the good old days. I've managed to prevent myself from falling into that trap. I don't know your age, but you're probably considerably younger than me (I'm 45.)

Answer 9

Popular music appeals to the people who consume it - namely preteen/teenagers or delusional adults who try to be young. Most of the music that comes out today is trash, with little to no substance, and is all about catchy lyrics, beats, and the overuse of autotune.

Answer 10

what happened?!!! music producers always wreck things. they hop on the band wagon of what's up and coming....then churn out a thousand knock-offs of that. the music looses it's soul. Look at the '70s with disco...'80s with metal....''90's with "bubble-gum pop" and currently with....jeez....what would you call it?....folk-pop?!!