This new music, what do you think?

Question

Most of us seniors here grew up in the beginnings of the rock n roll era. Music has progressed a lot since then, and there have been some really great new artists in the last few years, but do you find that a lot of the new stuff is redundant, same
sound over and over with not a lot of originality? I don't like the fact that a lot of performers "eat the mike" and you can't understand the words. Even my 17 yr old grandaughter says, "what good are they if you can't understand the words so you can sing along?," so I don't think it is just my aging ears. What new rock songs or artists that you really like? Do you think American Idol is a good thing, are are we getting really good performers or are we getting "manufactured" artists?

I agree, there was some pretty redundant music in the fifties, sixties and seventies. It just seems like there is more now, and a lot of it isn't very good, either. Maybe it is just because there are so many more groups. The amount of music out there is astounding, my grandaughter has over 5000 songs on her iPod. How can you listen to that much music?

LOL, Bruce,have you ever watched PBS during a fundraiser when they have all the oldies? I mean the musicians, not the songs!

Pad-D I definitely agree! But really, a lot of rock music has a classical base, after all, somewhere in there. Most of the intros are better than the songs!

Yeah, USA, half the stuff my granddaughter's got downloaded is golden oldies!

Answer 1

I grew up with rock and roll. Oh, not with my parents approval (guess who cheered when the radio station DJ smashed Elvis records after playing them?), but secretly. I’ve listened to it, sung it, and for a time played some of it, so I’ve been exposed to it for quite some time, watching it change and evolve(?) over time.

Some wise person once said, “The more things change, the more they remain the same,” and I’d have to say that applies to music as well. We’ve always had great music, and we’ve always had trash passing itself off as music.

I personally don’t much care for somebody just whanging away on a highly distorted guitar, screeching some unintelligible lyrics, and calling it music. Too many musicians sound too much alike in that regard. But apparently somebody likes it enough to buy it....

What freaks me out is not the new artists, but the old guys getting up there and doing their bit. I mean, some of ‘em have more gray hair and wrinkles than I do! Now THAT’S weird.

As far as “new” music goes, if you’re referring to that stuff kids are vibrating neighborhood windows with, I’m not sure if that really qualifies or not. Yes, it’s loud, it’s rhythmic, and it has words (lyrics?), but music - I’m not quite sure it qualifies under the definition of music. The part that bothers me most is that, whether or not I catch all the words, it just sounds negative and at times, somewhat sinister. Signs of the times, maybe?

Overall, I’m sure that really “good,” by which I mean “timeless,” music will emerge from this generation just as it did from ours. By the same token, there will be the “One Hit Wonders” from it just as we had ours. Talent is talent, no matter whether it appears on American Idol or is discovered on a street corner. Some people have great voices and tremendous instrumental talent, and some can’t carry a note in a brown paper bag, and the important thing is to be able to develop the ability to tell one from the other.

Answer 2

I like some of the new music but I have not kept up with it this year due to family illness. I like Sugar Ray, Bare Naked Ladies, Counting Crows, Kelley Clarkson and I love The Dave Matthews Band. I sing along with the new songs as well as the old. There are a lot that I don't like too. But I hate ''Corporate Country". To me country music has become nothing more than a pretty face and a sexy body. They don't even have to have that great of a voice anymore to make it much less substance in the lyrics.
The thing about American Idol is that they are looking for a well rounded voice. And 3 or 4 good singers have come out of the contest. But most of our best and most popular singers would never have made it on Idol. Sometimes being unique and having debth is what it takes ...or should

Answer 3

Until recently, I was a high school teacher, and I usually played music during classes. Kids would ask me if I would play their rap music, and I'd say no. "But it has no bad words!" was their defense! "It's not music!" I would reply. Music is, by definition, something with a tune! Can you sing it for me without the words? If not, it's not music. Then they suggest R&B. Now R&B in my day (60s) was great, but it seems to have degenerated into some tuneless warbling. So I put on the old R&B hits, and whaddayaknow? The kids are hoppin' and a-boppin', singing along, and begging for more! My own three kids have been Classic Rock fans for years. My youngest daughter got a stereo when she was a teenager, so she could play all the classic albums she'd pick up at the second-hand stores. She has a better collection than I ever did! My older daughter is a 30s-40s jazz fan. My son once asked her husband, "So, you've been married to her for 2 months now. Are you hep to the jive yet?" He answered, "I'm reet to the beat!"

Talk about how the more things change, the more they stay the same -- I was in a used book store, shuffling through the records to buy one for my daughter. I came up with a Led Zeppelin album and asked my other girl if her sister had this one. A man my age was nearby and asked if my kids liked that kind of music. "We love it," said my daughter, "It's much better than today's music." The man got all misty-eyed and said, "Wow! It gives you hope for the future!" Anybody remember what OUR parents said about that music?

Answer 4

I too must join the crowd and admit that I only watch American Idol in the beginning to see the people "that think they can sing" it is a riot. But once they start the actual competition I no longer watch it.
Todays music there are very few artist that are any good. You can be sure that they will not be singing any Golden Oldies. 30-40-50 years from now. Or even remember who they are.
I was flipping channels one day and stopped on the Hanson Bros. there were a bunch of tweens screaming like he was Elvis. Didn't impress me much. Here today, gone tomorrow.

Answer 5

As far as the new music being redundant I can remember my farther saying in the 60's that all the music I listened to "sounds the same". It didn't to me of course so I don't think the new music all sounds the same to kids today either.
I get to really stay in touch with current music having 2 teenage daughters. There's actually a lot of it that I like. Not real big on Rap or Hip-Hop or heavy metal (or whatever it's called these days) but I even like a few of those songs. You're right about the garbeled words though but older rock music has it's share of that too.

Answer 6

I have always enjoyed music especially the oldies . My grandaughter is 13 and listens to her music on the computer and I have enjoyed listening too. Her fav band is The Fallout Boys. When I'm listening to country, her head will pop up and she'll say," who is that ?" I like Johnny Reid , The Road Hammers, Shane Yellowbird and George Canyon., Miranda Lambert ,Taylor Swift and Jessie Farrell. I also like Michael Buble.
We used to watch American Idol but find it getting boring.
I've caught my grandaughter listening to and singing Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry. Music is timeless. People like classical music and it's hundreds of years old! I wanted to share a few links with you but it seems Yahoo has vetoed that option. Thank goodness for Youtube.

Answer 7

I grew up in the 50's listening to WEAM -Arlington VA.The song was "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", so now you know my age. I like the "alternative " rock and "metal " bands, not RAP.
As far as American Idol, never watched it. Now we get to manufactured groups, they have always been around.Didn't Ameican Bandstand manufacture Paul Anka,Fabian,Dion ,Annette just to mention a few? The Monkey's were made up to have a t.v. show. The group Chiago was manufactured by the Mafia,the same people who gave us Frank Sinatra.The Partridge Family ,yeah,manufactured.The music business is just that...BUSINESS. You can only sell what people are willing to buy.JIm Steinman and Michael Adday (aka Meatloaf) made a thirty year career from only 3 albums! The best guitarists in the world are still playing as studio musicians somehere

Answer 8

I have two teenagers at home who think it is their privilege to play DJ when they are in the car. So maybe it's the more you hear it the more you like it. I like a lot (but not all) of the stuff my daughter likes-I hate all the swearing though- I like Pearl Jam, Offspring, Silversun Pickups, Fall Out Boy, New Found Glory, Reel Big Fish. There is no band where I like all their songs (like I did in the 60's and 70's) but I do like individual songs. Never seen American Idol.
**No Rap-Hip Hop-or Emo.

Answer 9

I must say I have yet to watch American Idol,sorry.I can guess at the music of now days.They are not singing,they are rapping.No not on the door.They call this music rap.Let me tell you,if you understood some of the words,you would be sick.They use vulgar words to no end.I know cause my daughter confiscated some Cd's from my grand and the words were on the inside of the cases.Shame.Best to just stick to singing music,I say....

Answer 10

Bruced . says it all. I remember the first time Elvis was on Tv ( the Dorsey brothers Hour ) now I'm telling my age. I love rock & roll but I also like other kinds of music including classical. But I do not consider rap as music.