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Other Things => Off Topic => Topic started by: Kradie on February 10, 2019, 04:15 PM

Title: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: Kradie on February 10, 2019, 04:15 PM
Do you think that mainstream music from the 2000 and now is bad? Music genre e.g of; Top 20-50, pop, rock, hiphop and rap. There is no clear blueprint on my inquiry, but everyone has their own ears and interpretation on what sounds good. This is a ambiguous question, and is open for different answers.

In my opinion, today's music is generally bad. There's not enough creative room to differentiate today's music from one another, because it all sounds very similar. Barely anything sounds unique, everything is over equalized and repeats the same loud obnoxious pattern. Vocals are frightening to listen to, it sounds so artificial to listen to, and I can swear some of these songs has the same voice. I only hear these music through a friend, local transportation, malls, and clothing stores. I just don't understand the appeal of this electronic waste. It literally sounds like diarrhea going through a converter of some sort.

I personally prefer music where I can enjoy every little nuance provided by the musician.
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: h3oCharles on February 10, 2019, 05:29 PM
first of all, "good" and "bad" are subjective
second, define "bad music"

to answer the topic, my personal opinion is that most of what VEVO has is hot stinkin' garbage
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: Kradie on February 10, 2019, 05:37 PM
first of all, "good" and "bad" are subjective
second, define "bad music"

to answer the topic, my personal opinion is that most of what VEVO has is hot stinkin' garbage

1. I have already provided this obvious statement.
2. I have already provided my own opinion about it.

At your age, Vevo was already trash to my ears.
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: HHC on February 10, 2019, 05:54 PM
Is there still 'mainstream' music?

Only thing left IMO is 'elevator music', the kind of music they play in stores, just feel-good, easy-listening tunes.

Radio is dead, MTV is dead. People find stuff they like on platforms that cater specifically to them.. music is suggested to them based on what they already listen to.

I mean, WTF is VEVO.
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: Kradie on February 10, 2019, 06:09 PM
Is there still 'mainstream' music?

Only thing left IMO is 'elevator music', the kind of music they play in stores, just feel-good, easy-listening tunes.

Radio is dead, MTV is dead. People find stuff they like on platforms that cater specifically to them.. music is suggested to them based on what they already listen to.

I mean, WTF is VEVO.

I wouldn't say that Elevator music is mainstream, it is strictly for elevator rides, and there are not enough skyscrapers to provide to a broad general audience this experience. This goes for lounge music too, very chill, jazzy and casual sounding. So what I am simply describing is literal, and based on my own expectation of where certain type of music is to be played.

I do agree that people find their music on their chosen platform. But still, majority seem to lean towards music that is registered as popular, such as Linkin Park, Justin Bieber, Kelly Minguel, Rihanna, & Eminem. In other words; music that is popular among the masses, is mainstream.

Vevo is just an ad place for mainstream music.
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: philie on February 10, 2019, 06:32 PM
Radio is dead

maybe depends on your location, regarding mine, it is sadly not dead. everywhere you go, you're forced to listen to the same few popular radio stations that play the german top 100 charts back and forth. imo music for ppl who are not interested in music.
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: HHC on February 10, 2019, 07:06 PM
Well.. it's alive in the sense that people listen to it either in the car, or in stores / public places.
That's why the playlists are so boring.. same 'light' music on nearly every radiostation.

It's not taste-defining anymore as it used to be in the 70's. Or MTV in 80's and 90's.
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: TheKaren on February 11, 2019, 02:01 AM
imo music for ppl who are not interested in music.

I think you've hit the nail on the head there philie.

In my opinion, mainstream is for people who are into social media, popular parties and whatnot, mainstream festivals where people go to get wasted and have a good time with their friends, they listen for the experience of interaction and dance rather than explicitly become one with the sound.

The above is why I don't personally make music with lyrics/singing except a rare few, all the music I make reflect my hobbies, emotions and experiences in life, like gaming, relationships, philosophy, curiosity of space etc.

@Kradie - The music itself, there are some facts that cannot be avoided, in each genre, the most popular releases are generally considered to have the best quality of mixdown, whether you like the song or not, it has sound music theory no one can argue, and even though a lot of people don't like autotune and pitch perfect voices, they are for the most part tone perfect.

I personally don't like mainstream music, but I appreciate it somewhat as these days, with the help of the internet and video editing etc, more and more tutorials for producing/mixing are available because it's in demand, and that helps people like me learn sound design, mixing techniques that I can apply to my own music without in a sense, "selling my soul".

Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: Mega`Adnan on February 11, 2019, 04:56 PM
10-20 years from now on, rappers will make phrases like baby noises and will be considered super intelligent and more supreme than PhD professors and wise old men.
What has world come to.....

Spoiler! View

Rapper in 2020's:
GA GA GU GU TU TU TU TU
I F*CK YOU KUU NUU TUU NUU OBA BA BA BOO

People in 2020's:
OMG! WHAT A ROAST! HE IS GOD!

Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: Kradie on February 11, 2019, 05:00 PM
imo music for ppl who are not interested in music.
@Kradie - The music itself, there are some facts that cannot be avoided, in each genre, the most popular releases are generally considered to have the best quality of mixdown, whether you like the song or not, it has sound music theory no one can argue, and even though a lot of people don't like autotune and pitch perfect voices, they are for the most part tone perfect.

I personally don't like mainstream music, but I appreciate it somewhat as these days, with the help of the internet and video editing etc, more and more tutorials for producing/mixing are available because it's in demand, and that helps people like me learn sound design, mixing techniques that I can apply to my own music without in a sense, "selling my soul".

Komodo, with tool assisted technology, music will be artificial regardless, this applies for nonmainstream too. It all depends on how you incorporate these different elements; artificial or not into the music. E.g, some music contains artificial artifacts, but this can be mixed in such unique way that it can surprise the listener.
I do agree that technology help provide better overall sound, but one does not have to enjoy it compared to a good big bowel moment. A biological process of joy, but some music does not provide the same sensation. Unless if you adapt to it, like you adapt to pain, which isn't joy at all. So I have no problem accepting that there are teachings and techniques for sound of torture and joy. I personal prefer the latter.

In general, all the art that we make, is a reflection of ourselves, but it is also inevitable absorbed by passed down teaching, that of course we make it into our own art. Sometimes, it fails completely because, it is so much alike to what other have made, So that the painting e.g will look identical except for minor adjustment in color code. But if people can allow themselves to take what they gained from knowledge, and then add their own special spin on it, it could prove to be something really amazing.

If people could allow themselves to step outside the comfort zone of their familiar sound, it could help them to develop a more sense of branches that will lead them to new interesting discovery. That they never knew they could had, and this could tap their creative spark like crazy. Unfortunately, people are too reluctant and safe. They will remain close minded and not be able to reach out, and their music will remain dull, & lifeless like a robot. Programmed to appreciate a string of particular things.

Do not get me wrong, I do like mainstream music, particular older ones 70-90s, even some today, though I do not recall them because my interest is not totally there. Perhaps I am reluctant to accept this music? I grew up with it, and I grew out of it. I don't relate to say; rap music, where they shout the N word, and  about representing a neighborhood. It is of its own agenda, though I do understand why it exist, I commend the people who approach this and make it. Again,  it is not for me.
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: Sensei on February 11, 2019, 06:29 PM
Rhetorical question. Every music finds their listener.

EDIT: deleted rest of the comment.. Some ppl here may take it offensive.
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: Kradie on February 11, 2019, 06:57 PM
Rhetorical question. Every music finds their listener.

EDIT: deleted rest of the comment.. Some ppl here may take it offensive.

That is very true, it is rhetorical. Great vocabulary there Mr Sense :)

And good job of avoiding toxicity. But sadly, the tiniest thing can be considered an insult these days. I salute your consideration.
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: HHC on February 11, 2019, 07:01 PM
I don't relate to say; rap music, where they shout the N word, and  about representing a neighborhood. It is of its own agenda, though I do understand why it exist, I commend the people who approach this and make it. Again,  it is not for me.

Would you call rap / hip-hop mainstream?
It is, and it's not. It wasn't, and now it is.

All mainstream music once wasn't mainstream, and at some point in the future it won't be again.
A guy who listens to 60's psychedelic rock can say he listens to alternative music, even though it once scored high up in the charts. If a 14-year old nowadays says he's into the Beatles, you wouldn't accuse him of listening to mainstream music.

That given, it's kinda hard to make any real statements about the matter. You can, at best say, I like music that not many people listen to.. simply because not many people listen to it.
There's good reasons for it. Stuff like wanting to be an individual or 'deep' or whatever. But you can't really objectify it and come up with phrases like 'mainstream music is shit quality'. Cause you know, that wouldn't be right, there's music in the top of the charts too that is made by really good musicians and is top-class, even from a technical point of view.

And I dunno where i'm heading at this point. I'm going back to work. Goodday y'all :D
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: lacoste on February 12, 2019, 08:42 AM
Mainstream to me is like what your regular person without sophisticated taste is able to swallow and enjoy, it's flexible (playable on any occasion), simple, it has to sell well just like any other product for masses, and somehow trendy so the majority can talk about it. Theres hardcore selection for overall flow, sounds used, words spoken, so artists freedom is very rarely in it, it's more like label is forcing what you will get to hear. It's been like that for many years, it's just we now live in a far different world than we had in 90's and before, we have access to information and internet, and music style thats pushed mainstream happens to be the worst since years, but that also goes for many different areas. At least we have choice in music's area and its all affordable, often cheaper to pay for original and non-mainstream content, unlike other things like electronics or food quality for example, which used to be good back in the day and now its worse and worse, even if more advanced giving a lot flexibility.
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: MrTPenguin on February 12, 2019, 09:58 AM
I agree as well. IMO pop(ular) music is like classical music, in that it followed a "journey"; with classical, it goes: early > baroque > classical > romantic > modern; with pop, it goes: 60s > 70s > 80s > 90s. Music-makers build on what went before them, and when they come to the end of the journey, it isn't really possible to continue. The reason we don't get good pop music anymore is therefore the same as why we don't get great symphonies and concertoes anymore.

But we are "old men" (I'm 36) and maybe our minds have closed to new things (video games as well as music). Or maybe we are speaking the truth. Either way, I'm glad I'm a 90s kid and not a 00s kid  :)
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: TheKaren on February 12, 2019, 12:27 PM
This is the 1st time i've ever read a thread and thought, everybody is spot on.

I really like what HHC and lacoste said, I have similar thoughts there.

I appreciate all music except that which is used for manipulation in a bad way, for example music with subliminal messages which have been used in the past, for an example I can remember, do any of you remember an episode of The Simpsons where they used subliminal messages in music to recruit soldiers for the navy? YVAN EHT NIOJ! (This is an extreme and obvious example, and it's a cartoon so not real, but it has happened in the past and does reflect this.)

There has been evidence of hidden messages in music in the past, I haven't really done much research into this so not sure if it's a big thing these days.

However, I do appreciate subliminal messages in music in a positive manner, for example spiritual stuff with a positive vibe aimed to make the listener feel at ease and relaxed, self-help music as well.

Also, it's a 50/50 opinion I have for hand picked bands with extremely good looking people designed specifically to sell sex and make money, I hate manipulation and the fact people are so easily swayed and attracted to this kind of music, but at the same time, it makes a lot of people feel good and have something to aspire to, it can make friendships and amazing experiences in life for people. I could only wish that the money was distributed more fairly, rather than the managers and people like Simon Cowell who make ridiculous amounts of money, if it went to charity to help struggling families or cultures i'd be much happier with it.

I used to be a horrible person for this kind of thing, if I didn't like something i'd get angry and tell the person it's bad, it sucks, you are stupid for doing it etc, I hate that part of me in the past, i'm much more open now, if somebody likes something and it makes them feel good, and they aren't harming anyone in the process, wtf does it have to do with me if I like it or not?

Music itself has helped me realize this and grow as a person. So I have to say i'm learning towards mainstream music being more good than bad, there are some problems with the music industry, some corruption, manipulation, abuse etc, but for the most part music is a beautiful thing :)

Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: STRGRN on February 12, 2019, 07:39 PM
I used to be a horrible person

you still are
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: TheKaren on February 12, 2019, 10:16 PM
I didn't see that coming from you STRGRN, I thought we got along fine :D

Good to know what you think of me though, useful to know who to avoid spending time with :)
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: skunk3 on March 01, 2019, 06:14 AM
This is a difficult one to answer.

First, let me start off by saying yes, I do think that much of today's mainstream music is garbage. However, hasn't that been the case since sometime in the 90's? There's always been great music that is completely ignored by the mainstream. The reason why I barely even try to keep up on new music these days (despite being a music junkie) is the fact that there's SO MUCH great music from previous decades that is obscure and never got much attention.

To keep it on topic - There are some good reasons as to why mainstream music of today sounds 'bad' in a sense. One reason is that most of the top pop hits are written by the same small handful of people and recorded by various artists. Max Martin is one of them. You can read his story here: https://www.celebritynetworth.com/articles/entertainment-articles/max-martin-powerful-person-music-business-people-never-even-head-name/

A second reason is that the playing field has been evened out to such a degree when it comes to composing and recording music that a lot of recordings can sound very similar. Virtually all studios track to a DAW (digital audio workstation) these days and have audio interfaces that are capable of capturing external audio in such pristine quality that it makes older digital recordings sound very dated, especially those from the 80's when digital tech was new. The cost for this stuff has also plummeted as well. My personal audio interface (Focusrite Scarlett 2i2) is about as cheap as it gets yet the sound quality is pretty great, especially compared to the Roland digital multitrack recorder I bought back in high school in the 90's... and it only cost a fraction of the price, especially when one accounts for inflation! In addition to this, powerful PC's are cheap and readily available these days and there's tons of free software effects and instruments that people use, and since most people aren't sound designers they tend to just use the (admittedly decent) presets for these bits of software, so it's not at all uncommon to hear the same sound in many different songs... although it's not like this didn't happen back in the day with hardware keyboards or rackmount sound modules. Basically, in the past each studio had a somewhat unique 'sonic fingerprint' due to the particular gear they used but today this isn't the case. The starting point is pristine and sterile now, lacking color.

A third reason why mainstream music sounds so shitty today is because our modern era doesn't really reward originality. People just want to grasp at trends while they are new and hot, ride them until they are played out, then drop that trend before it is seen as passé. It's all about making money. The entertainment business is just that - a business. The big labels and media outlets cater to the lowest common denominator; in other words, they cater towards casual fans of music who aren't discerning listeners, people who just want something new and catchy and popular to listen to. Mainstream music is safe and doesn't take risks or push the envelope, otherwise the Jews in control of the music industry (I say that literally) would realize that some new style of music could lead to an uncontrollable rebellion / renaissance / awakening. Music literally has that power, which is why people act as gatekeepers and ensure that only the most bland and 'acceptable' music is allowed to go mainstream. Just look at what happened to MTV. It was amazing when it was new and literally transformed society to a significant degree, but eventually a bunch of Jews took over and started diluting it and turning it into a mainstream/pop music channel sprinkled with reality tv... then it became more and more reality tv and completely disintegrated.

Mainstream music these days is also just plain lazier. The lyrics are vapid. The arrangements are basic and formulaic. The depth of musical theory and nuance put into writing songs is a fraction of what it used to be. There's very little dynamic range in pop music... it's all loud and in your face and lacks subtlety. Why is it this way? Because it is easy to crank out, and catchy. It doesn't require critical listening, just repeated plays so it gets drilled into your head. Songwriting in the 80's was much more clever and beautiful. Ever wonder why 80's tunes are so memorable? This guy gives a fantastic explanation:
&t=877s


Anyway... long rant short, mainstream music sucks because it is made for people who are only casual music fans and just want instant gratification and not having to think about anything. There are no emotions to process with modern mainstream music. It is emotionless garbage with no soul, which is why I keep going to record stores and digging in the crates until my hands are dusty. Vinyl ftw.

Also related: https://thepatterning.com/2016/08/20/the-millennial-whoop-a-glorious-obsession-with-the-melodic-alternation-between-the-fifth-and-the-third/
 
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: KinslayeR on March 01, 2019, 05:30 PM
well, 90% are about tits and disco polo shit, at least in poland,  one time I heard "the unforgiven" from metallica in most commercial polish radio, I was like wtf, is metallica commercial now too, maybe, but anyway it is hard to find some good music in commercial shit
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: HHC on March 01, 2019, 10:00 PM
It was much better in the 90's yes. We grew up with 'Barbie girl' and what not.  :-X
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: philie on March 02, 2019, 02:45 PM
It was much better in the 90's yes. We grew up with 'Barbie girl' and what not.  :-X

rofl
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: TheKaren on March 02, 2019, 07:39 PM
Who can forget such socially winning classics as:

MMMbop - Hanson
Wannabe - Spice Girls
Livin' La Vida Loca - Ricky Martin
Good Vibrations - Marky Mark
Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice

And so much more :D
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: skunk3 on March 03, 2019, 09:04 PM
Who can forget such socially winning classics as:

MMMbop - Hanson
Wannabe - Spice Girls
Livin' La Vida Loca - Ricky Martin
Good Vibrations - Marky Mark
Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice

And so much more :D

FWIW I actually like those last 2 songs.
Title: Re: Is mainstream music bad?
Post by: nino on March 07, 2019, 02:30 PM
I didn't see that coming from you STRGRN, I thought we got along fine :D

Good to know what you think of me though, useful to know who to avoid spending time with :)

Dont listen do this puto Komo, you r0x he sux!!

Cos king!