There is a way in which everything has sped up -- due to pressure for profit and the increasingly metrical way in which life is now timed to fit with an intricate webs of devices. There is an attention economy in place that was not there before. Things are different. Read this book to really understand why. Everything feels rushed, including music, movies, meals, etc. Thoreau complained about this and saw it as the zeitgeist (alas). Thoreau was right. |
I find the rather myopic perspective quite comical: the author acts as if music quality has only been dropping for the past generation due to some of his opinions of what good music is. . . why start in the 1960's; couldn't you say the same about music since the 1600's? A longer perspective could rather argue that musical quality has been dropping for 300 years, and we have only been alive to see the past 50 years of deterioration. |
I tend to agree with article as it pertains to 'commercial' music, however, I assume much prejudice from certain cohorts. The music of our youth and adolescence is often perceived as best since it elicits fond memories of those discovery years. So, at least some of these judgments are clouded by bias.
In favor of yesterday's commercial music being superior to today's is the idea that the cohesiveness of society was much stronger then. In general terms, individual lives were far more similar in past years, Virtually everyone experienced the same culture since we were all informed by similar limited media.
I suppose much greater individual variability is a natural evolving phenomenon, but certainly the IT revolution accelerated that variability. Based on my observations, individual alienation,increased number of out groups, and generally smaller numbers of cohorts within highly variable groups is symptom of increased societal fragmentation. In fragmented societies, entire lives can be lived devoid of contact or empathy for other individual lives and groups. Not difficult to understand some can't appreciate music coming from those individuals and groups!
Today's music reflects that fragmentation, I have absolutely no sense of familiarity with many forms of music. I've not paid any attention to 'commercial' music for decades, I have no idea of any songs from Top 40, So, for me, today's 'commercial' music is rather alien, I haven't a clue as to the culture it represents. I can relate to 'commercial' music made from anytime in past and into the 80's, as it came from times when society was far more cohesive, and I have either lived in those times or can at least understand the group think of the eras I wasn't alive in.
As for more recent decade's music, I've continued to listen to music I can relate to. Its just not the 'commercial' music, I've discovered a great variety of genres that represent much smaller cohort groups. Popular and/or mass culture holds nothing for me, tons of out groups is where I find the culture I can relate to. May seem rather strange, but I can even relate to 'world' music far more than mass market American music. |
Another old guy complaining that "todays music isn't as good as the music I grew up with". Every generation says the same thing. I think we all have a time in our lives, 18 - 30 (?) that becomes the music we love. Because the boomer generation is so large, and wealthy, it stands to reason our music will rule the airwaves for some time to come. At 67, I still try to listen to newer artist but must confess I find it very difficult to engage. I turn on the local University station and find myslef wondering why anyone would listen to that crap. Oh no, I've become my father. |
