Music.... Wow, why is it getting worse?

[The Black Adder]

After a day of listening to Viking Radio I've been exposed to the latest of the chart tracks as well as other previous chart stuff.

I have to say, it's not until you spend a day listening to such a station that you realise that music is suffering dramatically. The style of todays tracks are a simple rinse and repeat formula. You could do a carbon copy of most tracks and still come out with a track which would be worthy of airplay.

I don't mind change, I embrace it. But change which copies the same change is just boring. And it has no credible benefit to creativity. So, it makes me wonder where are we going? I thought by 2022 we would have done away with autotune and semi dubstep beat lines by now. But no... we are still there.

How do you find todays chart music?

[struth]

i dont listen to radio fortunately so cant help. ive a fairly eclectic liking for music but not for chart pop, and really never did.

[JohnNB]

BBCs Radio 6 Music plays quality non-chart contemporary music as well as older stuff, so Radio's not an entire barren desert of chart pop. I listen at the weekends to Giles Peterson and Craig Charles, and Guy Garvey on Sundays. Great way to hear new stuff, and be reminded of great music that I'd forgotten about.

[The Black Adder]

BBCs Radio 6 Music plays quality non-chart contemporary music as well as older stuff, so Radio's not an entire barren desert of chart pop. I listen at the weekends to Giles Peterson and Craig Charles, and Guy Garvey on Sundays. Great way to hear new stuff, and be reminded of great music that I'd forgotten about.

Indeed. But I do feel R6M has started to play less of the good stuff recently. Well, for the past year anyway.

A lot of the stuff they play is rap, don't mind rap but only when it's done well and it's not about killing n shit... The stuff they're playing are like the scrapings of Bandcamp. A mix of adolescent wannabes copying everything else.

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[Pigmy Pony]

Indeed. But I do feel R6M has started to play less of the good stuff recently. Well, for the past year anyway.

A lot of the stuff they play is rap, don't mind rap but only when it's done well and it's not about killing n shit... The stuff they're playing are like the scrapings of Bandcamp. A mix of adolescent wannabes copying everything else.

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I suppose that's true, but 6 Music is still head and shoulders above everything else on the radio. Shame I'm the only person I know who can tolerate 6 Music, or I'd have it on all the time while working

[JohnNB]

There's enough djs whose tastes coincide with mine - so I'm happy. And it's on demand on BBC Sounds. Great service.

[CageyH]

What is this “chart” that you speak of?
I stopped paying attention to that years ago..

[The Black Adder]

lol... it's the stuff workmen have on in the background mostly.

[Barry]

lol... it's the stuff workmen have on in the background mostly.

And for them it is just something played in the background - I doubt if they pay too much attention to it.

When I listen to the radio (usually Radio 4), it is for the plays and arts programmes. Radio 3 when the Proms are on, and occasionally BBC Radio Essex for '60s and '70s pop and rock.

[Sherwood]

The “charts” are no different now to what they have always been. They have never been about the best quality or the most original music. They are the product of the marketing efforts of the record companies and the efforts of “pluggers”. The stories of how the charts were manipulated are well-known, including the complicity of multiple record stores in fiddling sales figures. Amongst the records that made it into the charts were the products of such musical geniuses as: Terry Wogan, Benny Hill, Max Bygraves, Paper Lace, Renee and Renaldo. I could go on but the memories are too painful.


There are plenty of excellent new acts. Some of them make it into the charts whilst others don't. However, the charts are less important now in the success of emerging acts. Modern streaming services give us virtually unlimited access to personalised playlists rather than the curated, and often commercially determined, choices of radio stations.

After a day of listening to Viking Radio I've been exposed to the latest of the chart tracks as well as other previous chart stuff.

I have to say, it's not until you spend a day listening to such a station that you realise that music is suffering dramatically. The style of todays tracks are a simple rinse and repeat formula. You could do a carbon copy of most tracks and still come out with a track which would be worthy of airplay.

I don't mind change, I embrace it. But change which copies the same change is just boring. And it has no credible benefit to creativity. So, it makes me wonder where are we going? I thought by 2022 we would have done away with autotune and semi dubstep beat lines by now. But no... we are still there.

How do you find todays chart music?