Some music is worse, some is better.
I'm 33 so grew up with a lot of 80s and 90s music. And nowadays, when I listen to older stuff like some of Michael Jackson's 80s tunes, I think ............ singers now just don't make songs with those kind of unique melodies any more. Of course there's always exceptions to the rule, but a vast majority of the chart/pop music I hear on the radio is quite forgettable and all sounds very similar. It's not as catchy. And that's just one artist - there are thousands of other artists in the 80s asides from MJ who also produced very innovative, catchy music. Why is it like that? Well for one thing, I think the music industry exerts more control now and artists have less means to pursue their individuality in their musical style. They opt for safe (a beat or hook that works) rather than different.
However, I will admit that Rap has got much much better than the MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice pop-rap we were subjected to at one time lol.
Can't vouch for R&B or the like as I'm not a big fan; a lot of it sounds identical to me. But I'll admit that could just be down to me having little interest in it.
I started playing guitar when I was 16 and progressively got into rock music in a big way - all styles, pop rock, hard metal, punk, glam, grunge. It's still by far my favourite kind of music and I still play very often. I think Rock has come the opposite way of pop music and has improved immeasurably. 70s and early 80s rock was characterised by big hair, epic riffs, power ballads ........... all quite cheesy. I think rock nowadays is much more serious (a good thing in my book) and the songs have got better and deeper as a result.
I'm a huge lover of Muse, and I like the way they have started out as a very simple 3-piece band doing typical guitar/drum/bass songs, but as they've got older have evolved into this arena-filling group who can make so much noise from so little. I still think it's hard to beat the buzz of seeing a real band making real music as opposed to watching another Justin Bieber type singing about things he's never experienced whilst worrying about his haircut. Even if I go to a bar now, my face lights up if there's a band there with a guitar and drumkit and not just some guy with a few backing tracks and a microphone.
As for the Internet and the huge changes it's wrought on the music industry ................. I still don't know if that's a good thing or bad. More freedom for artists publishing themselves, less money for established artists and the record companies which means less risks taken on new and exciting acts, bigger show ticket prices for us as a result. But more proliferation of good music for us, all of which is instantly accessible. Pros and cons all round!
