Is Old Music Killing New Music?

@la noise Your idea about cultural decline in general hits me hard. I've felt that way for a long time, and I wonder about historical analogies to our culture as it exists today. My wife was telling me about Jeff Bezos having an ancient bridge taken apart so he could cross his superyacht somewhere in Europe, at the same time Amazon, after boasting record profits during the pandemic, announced that they'll be raising the price of Prime membership due to the costs of the pandemic. Maybe it's just me. I still get infuriated at having to sit through commercials at a movie theater. I thought avoiding commercials was part of the reason we'd pay more to be there?
 
State of Epicicity said:
To my ears, it's better music. More passion. Stuff that arises from strife, internal conflict, the things that make art that moves people.
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You think kids of today have less strife and internal conflict? Seems to me if that is the criteria for great art, it would be being created right now! Political and legal polarization, climate change, the possibility of war with Russia, nuclear arms race with North Korea and Iran, multiple issues with China, cyber warfare, inflation, pandemic, etc. Kids of today face challenges that are as pressing as we have seen.
 
App12 said:
You think kids of today have less strife and internal conflict? Seems to me if that is the criteria for great art, it would be being created right now! Political and legal polarization, climate change, the possibility of war with Russia, nuclear arms race with North Korea and Iran, multiple issues with China, cyber warfare, inflation, pandemic, etc. Kids of today face challenges that are as pressing as we have seen.
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Toss in the enormous cost of higher education, housing being bought up in droves by private equity firms,
the 24/7 pressures of social media and one might wonder where some relief and escape can be found.
 
State of Epicicity said:
@la noise Your idea about cultural decline in general hits me hard. I've felt that way for a long time, and I wonder about historical analogies to our culture as it exists today. My wife was telling me about Jeff Bezos having an ancient bridge taken apart so he could cross his superyacht somewhere in Europe, at the same time Amazon, after boasting record profits during the pandemic, announced that they'll be raising the price of Prime membership due to the costs of the pandemic. Maybe it's just me. I still get infuriated at having to sit through commercials at a movie theater. I thought avoiding commercials was part of the reason we'd pay more to be there?
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He's a self-absorbed piece of excrement, unlike his ex-wife who seems to trying to make up
for being married to him for way too damn long.

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/02/mackenzie-scott-jeff-bezos-charitable-giving

"According to Forbes, while Scott has a net worth of roughly $46.7 billion and has given away approximately 18% of that, Jeff Bezos’s net worth clocks in at around $164.8 billion, of which he’s reportedly given away just $2.1 billion, or a measly 1%."
 
Depends. Do you like to listen to the roar of an ocean, or the sound of a new flower seedling wilting?

Me, I'll take reggae, calypso, or island music over the sound of a seedling wilting anytime. Hopefully, the genre isn't that "old."
 
App12 said:
You think kids of today have less strife and internal conflict? Seems to me if that is the criteria for great art, it would be being created right now! Political and legal polarization, climate change, the possibility of war with Russia, nuclear arms race with North Korea and Iran, multiple issues with China, cyber warfare, inflation, pandemic, etc. Kids of today face challenges that are as pressing as we have seen.
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I don’t think they have less challenges; I think for some reason it’s not translating to the they art they’re creating in the same way. And external challenges are not the same as internal strife. A lot of people in the 80s were well adjusted, but it was the ill adjusted who spoke to me. I don’t have an all encompassing answer, just my perception of bits of the puzzle.
 
Not a new band but their newest album and I believe it is a classic. I listen from start to finish and then start again. A 'proper' LP.
 
I don't listen to mainstream music and I never turn the radio on. I find it boring for a longer time. But when my children turn on the contemporary "hits" and their playlists, every song reminds me on some other song from the '80s or '90s. One has the same intro and sound as Aha. The other has the same chord progression like Bloodhound Gang etc.There is literally nothing new happening for a while. Did anyone else try to find some good new metal song on Youtube? Good luck...I went through hundreds of songs and playlists and to be honest, I do find something worth of coming back to it, but only once in a few months. Contrary to the older generations that just stuck with the Beatles, I'm open to new music. It's just generally not original or interesting. Is it me or the music?
 
"All of the great songs have already been written and played!"

I feel today's music has been over cooked, confined and trying desperately to be heard. The music of yesterday had a lot of content, meaning, support, dynamics and probably most of all unique talent! Musical acts today having to compete against yesterday's music is an uphill battle for sure.

I also think the loss of what the music industry once was or operated has a lot ot do with it, almost like it's a necessary evil in order to find, produce and drive the music.

Anyway that's my take it.
 
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