Aurorasound Vida vs FM Acoustic 122 Mk2

[Audio Advent]

Never said that at all, if you read it. 'But there is still decent music out there I'm sure if you look for it, on the fringes mainly, of folk and world music, electronica, fusion of different kinds. ' It's the 'mainstream' stuff I said that's utter shit.

Sometimes I gently tease my 19 year old daughters and her 'Korean bouzuki music' as I call it but she too has taken the trouble to find some thoughtful stuff (even if I doubt that she pays anything for it) ... the same can't be said for a lot of the rubbish out there - sadly she is in something of a minority.

That is because the world doesn't work like that any more, it's the internet age. Back in the day, bands had to become semi-mainstream just for their records to reach your local record shop, they had to have a record deal and someone promoting them. As per Arkless' conundrum, publicity drives popularity, drives publicity, drives popularity... It's then no mean feat for a diverse range of tastes to break into the mainstream - they're half way there already by virtue of being heard of.

Today you can find a band on the internet and you can tell all your friends about it and yet the band will never need to be promoted any further than the internet connection in their bedroom. They can enjoy a small world-wide fan base without any other part of society ever needing to hear of them, no radio air play, nothing.

Today's mainstream is effectively music pushed by publicity machines and just there for those who want a bit of background music to sing along to at the office. People really interested in music have never had it so good in my opinion because there is so much more out there with easy access.

[Reffc]

That's all very true Sam, but in context of what is "mainstream", and given air time, most of it seems like utter pap to me. Most of my serious listening when not listening to classical or World Music, is of groups or individuals few have probably heard about and I only got to hear those from word of mouth recommendation or from internet finds, so your point is valid, as is Guys in that context. One could be forgiven for thinking that mainstream only exists to line the pockets of large producers such as the sCowels of the world, and they tend to drop whoever they're championing like a hot rock once the money gravy train slows down.

Whilst there is indeed an abundance of good music available and some cracking classical recordings these days, mainstream radio-promoted stuff seems to be either resurrected artists coming out for a pre-retirement fund top-up or manufactured pap that all sounds the same...background music indeed all bar a few exceptions who off their own bats earn enough publicity to earn mainstream coverage (eg Amber Rubarth for example who's music I've heard on radio and on a tv ad).