Is popular music today better than it was 10 years ago?

[Axl Van Sixx]

Just curious as to what people think about this question. My musical tastes tend to skew older than a lot of my peers, but I personally think that the kind of music you hear on the radio is better today than it was 10 years ago.

10 years ago we were still at the height of the teen-pop boom - Britney Spears, N'Sync, Backstreet Boys, Christina Aguilera, etc. I hated that stuff at the time, but even if those artists are still around, their music has gotten a lot more tolerable as time has passed (although I will always hate Britney Spears). I would say pop music is definitely a lot better today: Lady Gaga is a lot more interesting than Britney or Christina ever were. I generally find Katy Perry annoying, but even I have to admit she has one incredible song ("E.T.").

Regarding rock, 10 years ago was still the height of the nu-metal trend, which I never liked and which has only gotten more embarrassing with age. I'm so glad I don't have to listen to Limp Bizkit anymore, and I was never much of a fan of Slipknot, Korn, or any of the "k" bands. Linkin Park has definitely improved over the years. While I did listen to Hybrid Theory and that kind of stuff, I find that their newer songs like "The Catalyst" show an impressive progression in their songwriting.

I think the biggest difference for me is the changed influence of metal. The 90s was obviously a horrible time for metal, and even though the nu-metal seemed to bring elements of it back, it was all baggy pants, cornrows, and boring, depressing lyrics about about how mommy and daddy didn't love you enough (one of the most unfortunate side effects of grunge). But the worst part was the utter lack of guitar solos! For your average guitarist or metalhead, that's the climax of the song - a burst of instrumental virtuosity in the middle of an otherwise standard song.

Now today, the guitar solo is finally back in fashion! I love it. Hell, I heard this new Rihanna song come on the radio the other day and it was basically an 80s power ballad, complete with shredding guitar solo. If even the most mainstream pop artists are including that stuff on your records, you know it's a trend. I just love the resurgence of metal over the last decade, and how it's more like traditional metal than any of the stuff since 1991. There are way more current bands I'm into now than there were at the same point in 2001.

 

[Max J Power]

I'm not a big pop fan, but I like the electronica-influenced singers today more than the Britney/Christina types of the early 2000s. I've liked more R&B singers in recent years too. I don't really like mainstream rock from then or now. The Jay-Z/Kanye West-influenced sound of much of today's rap is way better than the early 2000s, which had more stuff in the Diddy vein.

So yeah, mainstream music is better now, although 10 years ago did have the period where bands like The White Stripes and The Strokes were really popular.

 

[moviedoors]

I've pretty successfully removed myself from being aware of what's on Clear Channel or Top 40 or whatever. I'd imagine it's bad, but I can't ever remember a time when what was new, popular, and on the radio was ever consistently good. Jewels here and there buried under all the crap that'll be forgotten in 5 years tops. I don't think that'll ever change.

 

[November Rain]

no, but it's just as bad.

 

[Thebumwhowalks]

at the risk of sounding like an old fart....there are still good commercial records being made today, of course there are , but I think there is a tendancy nowadays for a lot of commercial pop records to be overproduced, relying on a lot of studio effects, which are trying to get the record IN YOUR FACE, rather than letting the music or songwriting speak for itself.

I sometimes switch on the radio stations that play the current chart crop all day, and most times I immediately hear the exact same kind of loud, overproduced drum beats and screeching auto tuned effect laden vocals, with barely a scrap of melody, as opposed to a lot of other new pop records that actually do the work of sitting down and writing something, and the quality restiing on that, rather than a lot of crap sounding effects.

Sure, there were a lot of crap pop records in the past, but they at least were down to crap writing, half of these new records sound like they are only half written, knowing they don't need much of a creative idea, they can instead just get people's attention on the radio by just beefing them up in the studio with all of these terrible sounding effects.

 

[terry78]

Today is basically like the 70s were. Everything is like a pop/disco thing with pockets of "deeper" stuff occasionally found.

 

[Batman jr.]

Now we have Lady Gaga, a mishmash of Christina Aguilera, Grace Jones & Madonna, which many people call "original".

If this is "popular" music, then it's about to die. One of the very few "pop" artists of today I like is ADELE, closely followed by Christina A.

 

[Thebumwhowalks]

Today is basically like the 70s were. Everything is like a pop/disco thing with pockets of "deeper" stuff occasionally found.

Except vocalists were allowed to sing unemcumbered by awful effects back then. I just heard a Pixie lott record on the radio called 'All about tonight', now , i have heard this singer before, she has a very good voice, but on that record her vocals were drowned in so much sfx that you would never be able to tell.
and it's in that processed almost vocoder effect that is permeating a helluva lot of modern pop records, mostly i would say, to cover up the fact that the song does not have that good a melody or song for the singer's voice to rest on.
I would rather hear one of the crap disco records from the 70s(and i like a lot of the good ones) that was at least trying to be a good record, rather than a modern one that knew it was crap, and was trying to cover it up with effects.

 

[S.A.A.D.]

No. It's god awful. There hasn't even been a one hit wonder, imo.

 

[SpideyInATree]

Guess it depends on how old you are. If I was an 11 year old girl todays music would be "awesome 'n gr8 lmao!"

Considering I'm a 30 year old man I don't really listen to too much of what's on the top 40. My girlfriend plays that stuff from time to time when we're in the car together and most of it just sounds like your basic pop song. Nothing really to write home about, honestly.

 

[November Rain]

When did rnb turn into dance tracks by the by?

what the hell is snoop doing singing with david guetta???????????????

kelly rowland has reserved her place in hell for allowing this ungodly union.

 

[nimrodson]

Kreayshawn's song "Gucci Gucci" is the most refreshing song I've heard on Top 40 radio in a LONG time. Maybe since 10 years ago... Bless her and all her ridiculousness.

I wish that Rock would make a comeback like the early 00s. Hearing The Strokes and The White Stripes on Top 40 radio was a nice change of pace.

 

[Brain Damage]

at the risk of sounding like an old fart....there are still good commercial records being made today, of course there are , but I think there is a tendancy nowadays for a lot of commercial pop records to be overproduced, relying on a lot of studio effects, which are trying to get the record IN YOUR FACE, rather than letting the music or songwriting speak for itself.

I sometimes switch on the radio stations that play the current chart crop all day, and most times I immediately hear the exact same kind of loud, overproduced drum beats and screeching auto tuned effect laden vocals, with barely a scrap of melody, as opposed to a lot of other new pop records that actually do the work of sitting down and writing something, and the quality restiing on that, rather than a lot of crap sounding effects.

Sure, there were a lot of crap pop records in the past, but they at least were down to crap writing, half of these new records sound like they are only half written, knowing they don't need much of a creative idea, they can instead just get people's attention on the radio by just beefing them up in the studio with all of these terrible sounding effects.

This.

 

[Eddie Dean]

There has always been terrible music. Most people don't remember the horrible music from 30 years ago and 30 years from now no one will remember the terrible music from the present. The good stuff stands the test of time.

 

[DrewHLMW]

I havn't listened to current chart music since 2006 cause i got sick and tired of all the rap and r'n'b crap that just wont stop coming, wish it would hurry up and die like all other music trends.

 

[terry78]

I havn't listened to current chart music since 2006 cause i got sick and tired of all the rap and r'n'b crap that just wont stop coming, wish it would hurry up and die like all other music trends.

That's a long ass trend, then.

 

[wolferine]

10 years back the mainstream songs were bubblegum pop songs weren't they? Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls, Britney Spears... I used to like those songs but strange enough as time passes I started going back on the timeline to Michael Jackson (Well not that he's not popular now, I meant his older songs like Billie Jean) and now I'm into Beatles.

So right now for me, the techno / autotune songs don't work. I won't say music today sucks now, I still sing some of the songs, but I just don't think it's any better.

 

[Thebumwhowalks]

This.

Ah, you have fallen into my carefully laden 'old fart' trap, you might be in your 70s, and there is nothing you can do about that, but you can at least stop living in the 70s, hahaha.

Aye, I guess what I said could be true for some modern records, but I neglected to say that there are some producers who will put en effect on a good singer's voice, to try and acclimatise it to the electronic music it's singing over, which is a good idea sometimes. I do think there is a risk of losing the effect of a good quality vocal by overdoing that though, like the Pixie Lott example I cited earlier, now, I only heard that on the radio once, but I did think the effect was overdone.

But when more and more effects and tech are available, there will always be folk who will reach for the button to give it an attention seeking boost, rather than actually sitting down and trying to put a better verse or chorus together at the writing stage.

 

[Brain Damage]

Ah, you have fallen into my carefully laden 'old fart' trap, you might be in your 70s, and there is nothing you can do about that, but you can at least stop living in the 70s, hahaha.

Aye, I guess what I said could be true for some modern records, but I neglected to say that there are some producers who will put en effect on a good singer's voice, to try and acclimatise it to the electronic music it's singing over, which is a good idea sometimes. I do think there is a risk of losing the effect of a good quality vocal by overdoing that though, like the Pixie Lott example I cited earlier, now, I only heard that on the radio once, but I did think the effect was overdone.

But when more and more effects and tech are available, there will always be folk who will reach for the button to give it an attention seeking boost, rather than actually sitting down and trying to put a better verse or chorus together at the writing stage.

I think effects can be GREATLY used to enhance a song, but the key is that behind all the effects there is always a great written song. Don't Come Around Here No More by Tom Petty and When the Levee Breaks by Led Zeppelin are two quick examples that come to mind right away.

The problem with a lot of today's pop is that far too many producers and artists simply beef up a song with effects that sure, sound cool as hell, but when the song behind all the effects is crap, the result feels very much like a quick, uninspired attempt to make as much money as possible.

 

[TheIncredibleSk]

I don't listen to Rock so Idk. Rap is better than it was in the waely 2000's since they were still reeling from Biggie and 2Pac's deaths. R&B has gotten slightly worse since it's been too muddled with hip-hop and pop is pop.

 

[Manic]

Let's look up the top 10 singles today, and compare them to the top 10 in mid-August in 2001...


Today...
"Party Rock Anthem" - LMFAO
"Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" - Katy Perry
"Super Bass" - Nicki Minaj
"Give Me Everything" - Pitbull
"How To Love" - Lil Wayne
"Rolling In The Deep" - Adele
"Lighters" - Bad Meets Evil
"Tonight Tonight" - Hot Chelle Rae
"Run The World (Girls)" - Beyonce Knowles
"I Wanna Go" - Britney Spears


10 Years Ago...
"Bootylicious" - Destiny's Child
"Loverboy" - Mariah Carey
"Let Me Blow Ya Mind" - Eve & Gwen Stefani
"Hit 'em Up Style (oops!)" - Blu Cantrell
"U Remind Me" - Usher
"All Or Nothing" - O-Town
"Fallin'" - Alicia Keys
"Drops Of Jupiter (Tell Me)" - Train
"I'm Real" - Jennifer Lopez
"Where The Party At" - Jagged Edge & Nelly



Well, R&B certainly isn't as popular as it used to be. Also, O-Town must have lucked out and released their single during one of the lulls between NSync and Backstreet Boys albums. Today's music seems to be geared a lot more toward clubbing.

 

[TheIncredibleSk]

Party Rock is one of the worse songs I'v ever heard and I never truly bash popular music.

 

[terry78]

EVerything is a party anthem these days basically. And popular music is mostly geared towards girls. That's just how it is.

 

[PyroChamber]

EVerything is a party anthem these days basically. And popular music is mostly geared towards girls. That's just how it is.

This is why I just listen to classic rock and songs I loved as a kid.

 

[BatJakz]

Dude, music has been overall terrible for the last 15 years. Everything is waaaaay to commercial now. Start listening to rock form the 50's through the 60's (where I think it peaked) and through the 70's (which had some great music). I grew up in the 90's and eventually learned how bad that music was, and it has only gotten worse. Seriously, rock is dead now.