Is today's music horrible and if so why?

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i am clearly no expert on this, but i couldn't help but note that your answer was eye-catchingly novel, in that it was the only one which hit the nail on the head about how most pop music has appeal based not strictly on musical values but on other social values associated with conformity/group-think, how the lions' share of today's pops are tools of social cohesion among like-minded listeners, more than they are expressions of musical values as would be expounded upon in a theory class. so the "emperors" [not wearing any clothes] reference was an allusion to this, that the financially successful music doesn't have to be technically "good," it just has to be popular among all the important social groups, it has to be a useful social currency. nobody that anybody important would want to listen to, would bring up the fact that the music itself is theoretically threadbare, that only its social baggage is worth a damn in terms of fealty to our cultural values. but you are the wise young 'un who brought it out in the open.

Ah, got it. I thought this is what you were getting that, just the particular smiley through me a little.

Being anthropologically curious I suppose the other thing I'd love to figure out is why people even bother with music as currency at that level - if it does still have some emotional value when its purely for group branding. I guess going to a concert with friends where it all feels like a big party or club would add something (ie. a Britney or Madonna show), in that sense for the live sense people can still just take it as stage entertainment, get wasted on triple-priced liquor and weed, and hob-nob while the music's going on because its not *quite* as important as the partying aspect. Then again, lol, I have to wonder - the high school adage "Oh, you're just trying to be cool" when someone does go off the reservation, maybe the people saying that are speaking for themselves with sincerity.

Poorly worded. Let me try again.

From the majority of individual perspectives, most music sucks. From the majority of individual perspectives, most music always will. Does that make more sense?

Personally, I love a lot more music than most people do. Most people though, only like a very narrow bandwidth of the total that's available. Most always will.

That's what I meant by that.

It's difficult for me to listen to Top 40. I think it's because I have a background in music, playing the clarinet for 6 years and being in choir for 4 years. Top 40 all seems the same to me.

Today's music isn't bad at all, however the stuff that is pushed through the Corporate channels (Your local Best Buy, and your local commercial radio station, as well as what you see on network TV) is just horrible and has been so for 30 or so years, most likely longer.

Here's a good a place as any to start WFMU

I believe there are lots of hidden gems in modern music, if you're willing to sift through all that auto-tuned crap they're releasing these days. It bothers me when a voice is edited to sound like a machine, it's just not natural.

That's why I like music from the older times, because there was a lot more natural talent.

I like "not natural," though. I like the auto-tune stuff that's done for musical effect, but to be honest I'd rather hear an old-school vocoder.

But I do think that if you're going to use your natural voice in a production, you ought to be a well-trained professional-caliber vocalist who doesn't need any more than the occasional touch-up with auto-tune. And that's not even necessary since you can do multiple takes and create a composite from the material you generate that way (since you typically won't sing anything the same way twice). I use Logic Pro 9, and what I like about it is you can adjust individual notes and syllables and even manipulate audio rhythmically. No need for auto-tune, since auto-tune typically affects an entire track. If you want to correct just a few notes, fine. Good tracks that are auto-tuned are very subtle. That voice-synth singing-robot effect is really cool. I would say go either one extreme OR the other. If a singer can't live without auto-tune, then maybe the record label producing him or her should give newer talent a chance.

70% of todays music indeed sucks, i think this is to blame because of the stupid public and the low expectations of that public(teens in particular), everything is about money,love and sex today and it's partially the fault of the artists and executives that are just plain capitalists and don't care about making good or bad music but just making money, the public checks into it and we are now in a circle that can only be broken by the listener trying to use some more brain cells in their daily life.

The Beatles were about money, love and sex. Look on Last.fm and The Beatles are still in the top 5 most popular artists. That puts them alongside Bach in historical significance.

they indeed made lots of songs on those topics but also about lots of other topics, recent artists don't do other topics.

If you're saying the difference between The Beatles and 'modern music' is The Beatles' interest in things that weren't love, sex or money then I'm going to have to stagger backwards a few paces and look at you with my mouth agape.

As far as I'm aware, you always have had music that has been considered as 'rubbish' in every decade.

It's just that through the ever-growing opinion of the public, there seems to be more and more 'rubbish' about.

I'm done looking for newer, better musicians/bands, I have enough music to satisfy my ears for now.

Fine , enjoy standing there while i drink a cup of tea.

i dont really like the mainstream music today, but i'd listen to it. I just prefer older music better

Well I would agree they have songs about love and sex......but I don't recall any that are about materialism and money, I realise they where making an income by playing their music but I doubt they would have been playing music if its not what they enjoyed doing.

for those listeners frustrated with today's music, remember that what is popular today is but the tip of the iceberg of all recorded music for the last 100 years, there is a whole world of other music to choose from. don't be seduced by the newer, give the older a chance to charm you.