[Skylab]

One interesting thing is that a lot of very creative modern music is what I call "challenging".  King Crimson's "Red" is a good example.  So are fairly recent records by Mars Volta, Joanne Newsom, and plenty of others.  This music is outstanding, and extremely creative, but does require one to keep an open mind on first listen.

 

[bigshot]

Edison's phonograph, while kicking it all off in the very early 1900s, wasn't that practical yet. I'd say it all peaked with the introduction of samplers and other digital technology in the early 1980s.

Edison's Diamond Disk didn't fail because of sound quality. There are stereo tests from the 20s that show that Edison could have advanced sound reproduction much faster than Victor, and later RCA did. Edison's phonograph failed because he wasn't willing to pay the money it took t get top star performers. When Victor acquired Caruso while Edison fiddled around with vaudeville tunes, the handwriting was on the wall.

The peak of sound reproduction quality occurred in 1952 with the introduction of high fidelity stereo recording. The best sounding recording I've ever heard (Fiedler's Gaeity Paisisenne) was one of the first. After that advancements were in convenience and compactness, and ease of editing.

Sampling marked the nail in the coffin of musicianship, a trend that started with the Beatles.

 

[meme]

While I most definitely don't think music in general, and you have to be very general about these things, has reached a dead-end (I'm a big fan of modern experimental music), I can't help but think that "melody" or whatever you would define it is somewhat a lost art, too my ears at least.

 

[Deep Funk]

Quote:

While I most definitely don't think music in general, and you have to be very general about these things, has reached a dead-end (I'm a big fan of modern experimental music), I can't help but think that "melody" or whatever you would define it is somewhat a lost art, too my ears at least.

You are right, some artists/bands sometimes forget such a thing as a melody that makes the music memorable. Sometimes all you hear is technical wizardry with added sound effects. Sometimes it is nice for a change, but not too often (for me at least).
 

 

[afg34]

It doesn't really...i just ignore the commercial stuff and find good stuff using last.fm/other music discovery services
 
I used to be soo into rap but for the past few years i just kinda ignored the rap scene because it has evolved sooo much.
 
what's considered 'good rap' is what 12 year old girls like these days

 

[jack95]

Ya most the music today is trash and i don't listen to it anyways because i just listen to metal and rock on my ipod. Most of which they have on the radio these days is such crap.

 

[Ypoknons]

Quote:

This is one of the great freedoms that comes with getting older.  As a teenager, I actually didn't "fess up" to my affection for some kinds of music that I knew my friends hated.  As an adult, I could care less what other people think about what music I like.  Sometimes it's actually good to be an old fart

People give me crap for even listening to the low-end of Chinese (and western) pop, but hey - I go to karaoke bars and clubs, drink, make friends and meet girls. *shrug* That's just the way it is. I also have a musician friends who know better, but otherwise, I don't lose any sleep over it. 

 

[Deep Funk]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdgBPM2ram0&feature=related
 
Check it out, one of the best covers I have heard... It is not even a cover, just improved in my opinion.

 

[Fido2]

Quote:

Ya most the music today is trash and i don't listen to it anyways because i just listen to metal and rock on my ipod. Most of which they have on the radio these days is such crap.

Roger that brother!! Mainstream horsedung noises pushed by dollar hungry dung-minded corporate moe-rons!!  heee

 

[bigshot]

It's not just the fault of corporations. Our culture doesn't value creative expression like it used to. Thank you Andy Warhol for peeing in the pool of modern culture.

 

[PGNate]

It is sad how people can talk into a microphone, change their voice to something 'cool' and make millions without doing anything musical.

 

[Cianyx]

Quote:

Limiting yourself to just one or two types of music exposes you to the "90% of everything is crap" rule. Better to have a much wider range of tastes and influences and just listen to pure unadulterated genius. There have been a few unquestionable geniuses in the past couple of decades of popular music, but most people listen to the chaffe, not the wheat.

I disagree. I reckon that 90% of my favourite genre (Metal) is indeed crap (I'd probably bump that percentage up to 95-98% considering how many bands exist). I listen to other genres as well but I'm not as passionate and knowledgeable as I am with Metal. When I listen to other genres, I find myself being forced to apply the same rule again and again. The only exception to this is Ambient and Classical where good, great and bad are less discernible (or maybe I'm just not experienced enough). Also, having wide tastes is good but limiting it isn't necessarily a bad thing either.

 

[tru blu]

 
This young duo does not depress me. Caught them last week. This is the studio version of their single patched over video footage. M.I.A.'s label signed them.

 

[bigshot]

The only exception to this is Ambient and Classical where good, great and bad are less discernible (or maybe I'm just not experienced enough). Also, having wide tastes is good but limiting it isn't necessarily a bad thing either.

Music is like language. You need to be exposed to it and strive to understand it to be fluent. Its no wonder classical music is like Chinese to you. The construction of heavy metal music is very similar to nursery rhymes. Classical music has much more complex structure. It won't work to listen to all music like you listen to heavy metal. When you make the effort to understand other types of music, the world opens up and you're presented with more richness and passion than you ever imagined. Until you know, you just don't know.

 

[elbuzzard]

OP,  the song you mentioned by Usher is by far one of the worst songs I have heard on the radio in a long time.   Worst lyrics of all time?  Who is behind this?  That dude from the Black Eyed Peas, Wil.i.Am, Purveyor of  crappy lyrics, silly dance moves and auto tune software.   The fact that he is tight with Obama makes me wonder if he is sent by Bin Laden to take down the U.S.  from the cultural epicenter=entertainment.   The airwaves are poisoned, people.  Look away or be sucked into the void.  You have been warned.