The TRUTH Why Modern Music Is Awful

[Mike Scott]

Don't forget the early "video" (16mm film) jukeboxes.

https://www.cultofmac.com/326640/kitschy-scopitone-jukebox-brought-the-jams-before-mtv/

[Jimi Bat]

MTV certainly changed the music industry but I think the rise in popularity of video games in the early 80s may have had a detrimental effect as well. Even worse was the rise of music executives who expected a hit single right out of the gate instead of nurturing an artist and letting them grow. It also seemed harder for up and coming bands to find a place to play and develop their craft in front of an audience.

[Wolfman]

I think the filming of singers and performers went on long before MTV so I don't agree with your "beginning of end" value.   Maybe "end of the end" because just about every hit song since the late '80s had to include some kind of tres expensive music video.

Elvis has articles from his '50s performances that decry his 'videos'... but so does Frank Sinatra's 1930s filmed shows, too.  But for the most part, filmed performances were heralded as highlights of films and shorts in theaters.  Radio's continued success for three more decades (into 1970) and a couple of decades of homogenized decay seem to be blamed on TV - not just about any one show. 

Also consider that popular shows like Ed Sullivan felt a need to stock their shows with top musical acts, although Ed faced the doubled-edged sword of Beatles in-person issues vs. mere Beatles videos.

While movies were the beginning of 'musical performances', those performances certainly couldn't happen as quick as putting out new songs on the radio, several a year.  TV The Industry was responsible for putting out more, more, more. And more quickly.  What year did THE MONKEES start weekly shows?  "1966" according to IMDB.  OK.  But there were other shows (something called "Shindig" 1964 and "Hulabuloo" 1965) and probably several others.  The Dick Clark American Bandstand - did he only start with Top 10 songs and dancing?  When did his show sponsor those lip-sync'd performances?  Anyone have an idea? 

On the BBC, there were TOP OF THE POPS and others of that era as well. 

MTV seemed to draw that noose tight around Radio's neck, though.  VH1 and the Euro offerings all seemed to jump on and even carry on when MTV caved and went into 'special programming'.  Gag. 

How do you feel the Performer Idol/Got Talent shows fit into this?  While not technically videos, these all make powerful visual demands on performers.   However, all of these performers still make their big-bucks doing live-shows (er, so called "live" shows).   (No mention of the horrible fate of Christine Grimmie, by the way.)

Yes, there were earlier videos, but it was always secondary to the music. MTV was the first medium solely dedicated to the making and promotion of music videos. Like I said, it took a long time, but the downward spiral was officially underway. You can disagree with me if you'd like, but there are many people who feel there is a definite connection. So, I'm going to politely disagree with your disagreement of me. LOL

JP

[Mord]

I think the early success of sh*tbags like Madonna,  began that long downward spiral (definitely aided by MTV).

[Hepcat]

Grannies love all this Justin Beaverlake crap.

Do they?

[Hepcat]

Don't forget the early "video" (16mm film) jukeboxes.

https://www.cultofmac.com/326640/kitschy-scopitone-jukebox-brought-the-jams-before-mtv/

A lot of good music was released on video for Scopitone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah-tui1ubnU

Tell Him - Exciters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCKY-Mv230o

Nothing But a Heartache - Flirtations

[horrorhunter]

I know I'm painting with a very broad brush here, but it seems to me that not just music but everything has become far too similar in the last few decades. The corporate world has taken the "mom and pop" variety out of most things we use, eat, listen to, drive, watch, etc. ad infinitum...

People can't even be different anymore without somebody with a chip on their shoulder taking offense to some perceived slight. I like different, and I liked everything a lot more back when there was more different and people were more generally okay with it.

Sorry about the million-shades-of-gray philosophical spacing out.

[LugosiFan25]

I know I'm painting with a very broad brush here, but it seems to me that not just music but everything has become far too similar in the last few decades. The corporate world has taken the "mom and pop" variety out of most things we use, eat, listen to, drive, watch, etc. ad infinitum...

People can't even be different anymore without somebody with a chip on their shoulder taking offense to some perceived slight. I like different, and I liked everything a lot more back when there was more different and people were more generally okay with it.

Sorry about the million-shades-of-gray philosophical spacing out.

You hit the nail right on the head.

[Wicked Lester]

I think the early success of sh*tbags like Madonna,  began that long downward spiral (definitely aided by MTV).

I gotta admit that I actually like a fair amount of her early stuff. My wife was a huge fan but you can only take so much.
Mr Owl,how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop. Sometimes too many.

As far as commercial media goes,I think this pretty much says it all. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIPr6Q2IYFs

[marsattacks666]

I remember a time when Metal, Goth, Punk....or when Alternative music was an UNDERGROUND medium. Now, it has become way more commercial, stagnant and pedestrian.

The local music scene which I am involved in, has become so cookie-cutter. Most of the local bands sound the same. It's aweful. Lack of originality.

[horrorhunter]

I remember a time when Metal, Goth, Punk....or when Alternative music was an UNDERGROUND medium. Now, it has become way more commercial, stagnant and pedestrian.

The local music scene which I am involved in, has become so cookie-cutter. Most of the local bands sound the same. It's aweful. Lack of originality.

Yeah, it's like the Movie-Remake-itis the Hollywood think-tanks  have suffered from for decades.

[Wicked Lester]

I know I'm painting with a very broad brush here, but it seems to me that not just music but everything has become far too similar in the last few decades. The corporate world has taken the "mom and pop" variety out of most things we use, eat, listen to, drive, watch, etc. ad infinitum...

People can't even be different anymore without somebody with a chip on their shoulder taking offense to some perceived slight. I like different, and I liked everything a lot more back when there was more different and people were more generally okay with it.

Sorry about the million-shades-of-gray philosophical spacing out.

I think you are almost right on the spot. Personally I believe that society as a whole is being dumbed down. Look at everything modern industrial societies do as a whole. It's all a diversion from what the governments and underbelly of control give us.

Go to a Starbucks and spend $5 on a mooka chinko double blah blah latte. Immersed in what you are doing on your phones which are insanely advanced. Hell,I was playing a game called Toy Blast. It is more advanced than any killer game in the arcades of 20-30 years ago on a little 3" screen.
Look at the famous(ly crapty) boy bands. Not a real band but a corporate creation to again pacify the masses with yet another diversion on society.

Most people are sheep. Thats one of the reasons I spend 2-4 hrs on any Saturday for alternate choices.
Ok,ramble over. Just woke up from a nap.

[Wicked Lester]

If you think we have it BAD. Check out this Russian band . Talk about being brainwashed. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1hxX7-92kE

[Wicked Lester]

For whatever reason I have watched this....mind altering abomination 4 X now and all I can say is.. Wheres a shotgun when you need one 

[Hepcat]

Here's a very good article on the subject:

Is Pop Music Fake? - The New Yorker

Almost all the music you hear on Top Forty radio these days is made on machines. You may hear a real guitar once in a while, but an actual drum sound is pretty rare.

But was it just the whiskey talking, or was Grohl onto something? The gist of the backlash against his comments was that in extolling the playing of an instrument over the programming of a computer, Grohl was privileging rock over dance, electronica, and hip-hop.

"Privileging"? So sneering at recordings done by computers is politically incorrect these days? Expecting groups to play their own instruments is somehow "elitist"? Such criticism is too "hurtful" to certain groups?