Has Pop Music Got Worse In Recent Decades?

[Macca]

All Dan is absolutely essential.

[AJSki2fly]

Like Steely Dan's 'Aja' which somehow passed me by till I bought a copy last year - always liked the Dan, but not heard all their stuff.

I was glad I was sitting down, I nearly fell of my chair.

[Pigmy Pony]

I know it must be a bit of a shock, AOS member who's never heard 'Aja'! Here's another shocker - I still need Pretzel Logic and Can't buy A Thrill to complete. But this kind of stuff I prefer to get on vinyl, so it's a slow process.

[struth]

Amazon have Aja on sale on vinyl. Great cover20£

[Minstrel SE]

I have concluded that it is an age thing and I wonder what will cheese off the young generation when their kids come along ...because that will happen to some degree.

You guys have already mentioned that this is a topic that has carried on through the generations

I see young students with Hendrix and Beatles posters in their student digs but they will still list their main interests as Ed Sheeran or Minaj for example.

I found myself with strange and condescending thoughts that the young know nothing about music which cant be fair as they listen to lots of stuff they seem to like. I instantly dont want to go near it but that again is probably unfair. They tend to think I know nothing about their scene which is probably true. What niggles is they will mention say Birdy as if Im a grandad that needs help to understand the better new music..as if I need educating about music and not them

What hurts me is that Joy Division The Smiths or The Fall doesnt seem to register with them as if time has moved on.. Indeed it has but how dare they not recognise the seminal music which changed my life

I just think I am harder to impress now as Ive heard so much music. Have I become wiser? I like Opera now and find a good production very moving

[Sherwood]

Yes I was thinking that it is probably me.

Im not sure I even like the term "pop" music as I would like to think most of my tastes are more exclusive than that. I suppose its no different to when they were trying to ban Elvis Presley records.

I realise there has always been pop music around that Im not going to like. I tell you though that I would prefer the rubbish pop of yesteryear any day of the week.

Oh well I will just have to try and enjoy my period of life when Im shouting up the stairs to turn that awful racket down

You could hear what they were saying in my day (1980s) and sing along

HMMMM! are you sure?

CONSIDER:

"we're the young generation and we've got something to say" .......... HEY HEY WE'RE THE MONKEYS!

Very meaningful!

OR,

"Got a pound of gelatine!" I'M GONNA MAKE A BIG TRIFLE!

Popular music has always been about money. The so-called charts were always rigged and the industry ran on backhanders and payola. We remember the better tunes of our youth but conveniently forget all the banal crap that formed the majority of the industry, and the manufactured acts that were foisted on us. Have you watched any of the TOTP repeats on BBC Four?

Technology has changed and very good artists no longer need record companies to make a decent living or to be constrained by the album format. I hear great new music every week both live and on streaming services.

Geoff

[AJSki2fly]

Popular music has been around for a long time in different guises, and in most cases has been about money. Think about all the classical composers who wrote compositions for various kings, queens, and high society through the years, some of their offerings becoming favourites to many but not necessarily to the masses as today.

Then we move into the 20’s and 30’s with blues, jazz, and various big bands coming along. Music was then popularised by radio and written music. It became more accessible to the masses and became more of an industry. And of course records came along. What was previously popular music before became categorised under the classical umbrella. Oh I forgotten to mention popular folk music which is a subject in itself whichever side of the pond you live.

So music evolved and the 50s/60’s came with pop(ular) music and rock music of various varieties. And the circle turns again and we now talk about classic rock, just what it is I’m not sure. For me pop or popular music is any music which is listened to by many for a period in time, whether it remains popular only time will tell.

[Pigmy Pony]

HMMMM! are you sure?

CONSIDER:

"we're the young generation and we've got something to say" .......... HEY HEY WE'RE THE MONKEYS!

Very meaningful!

OR,

"Got a pound of gelatine!" I'M GONNA MAKE A BIG TRIFLE!

Popular music has always been about money. The so-called charts were always rigged and the industry ran on backhanders and payola. We remember the better tunes of our youth but conveniently forget all the banal crap that formed the majority of the industry, and the manufactured acts that were foisted on us. Have you watched any of the TOTP repeats on BBC Four?

Technology has changed and very good artists no longer need record companies to make a decent living or to be constrained by the album format. I hear great new music every week both live and on streaming services.

Geoff

What's a-madda you, hey! Gadda no respect, hey! Whadda-you think you do, hey! Why you looka so sad!

Oh and no one knows how much gelatine they had - I believe the words were: 'Gunpowder, gelatine'. And it may have been for a nice juicy meat pie rather than a trifle. Lyrics of yesteryear really made you think.

[AJSki2fly]

HMMMM! are you sure?

CONSIDER:

"we're the young generation and we've got something to say" .......... HEY HEY WE'RE THE MONKEYS!

Very meaningful!

OR,

"Got a pound of gelatine!" I'M GONNA MAKE A BIG TRIFLE!

Popular music has always been about money. The so-called charts were always rigged and the industry ran on backhanders and payola. We remember the better tunes of our youth but conveniently forget all the banal crap that formed the majority of the industry, and the manufactured acts that were foisted on us. Have you watched any of the TOTP repeats on BBC Four?

Technology has changed and very good artists no longer need record companies to make a decent living or to be constrained by the album format. I hear great new music every week both live and on streaming services.

Geoff

Well, I stand up next to a mountain
And I chop it down with the edge of my hand



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sherwood]

What's a-madda you, hey! Gadda no respect, hey! Whadda-you think you do, hey! Why you looka so sad!

Oh and no one knows how much gelatine they had - I believe the words were: 'Gunpowder, gelatine'. And it may have been for a nice juicy meat pie rather than a trifle. Lyrics of yesteryear really made you think.

... and what was it with Sting and Sue Lawley?