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Where are the front men? (Rant)

I've been in a slump for a while trying to find new music. I use Qobuz and it does an abysmal job of suggesting music for me. So I browse their playlists.

Today I ran through their "Ones to Watch in 2025", mostly in the pop, rock, indie, Americana, R&B and soul categories. Probably listened to 50 or 60 songs....or parts of them.

I noticed across all the genres mentioned above that there was the absolute lack of male singers with good or interesting voices. This was for two reasons. The first is that the male singers I heard weren't interesting. The second is that of those 50-60 songs I'd say at least 75% had female lead singers.

I have nothing against female singers but amongst the ones I listened to most of them sounded identical. Its this sort of breathless, emo sounding,  slightly slurred, slightly little girl inflection often with a touch of L.A. or Detroit ghetto affectation. Song after song after song across all those genres. (Jazz seems to be spared from this blight).

I don't know who started this trend among female singers. Courtney Burnett (who I find entertaining at times) maybe? Hannah Reid of London Grammar (not as bad as most of these but still)? Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star) further back? I don't mind a smattering of it but it seems like its all you can hear from female vocalists these days.

So where are the front men? Where are the guys with big voices, great range and dynamics? Charisma, swagger, stage presence? A thing of the past maybe?

n80
sls883
446 posts
 

Most of the music that I’ve been listening to has female vocalists. One exception is the group Riverside. It’s progressive rock, so if you don’t like that genre, you may not appreciate it. Qobuz has the album Riverside 20 - Vol.1, The Shorts. Songs from several of their albums. I like the entire album, but try "We Got Used to Us" first.

I have one of their concerts on DVD and the singer sounds excellent live. Not one of those dudes that’s been doctored up in the studio. He also plays bass guitar. 

If you want something more upbeat, play Friend or Foe on their ID.Entity album. Listen to the entire song. Some really cool guitar. Needs to be cranked a bit...

stuartk
2,968 posts
 

@n80 

There are notable male vocalists with distinctive voices but, I'm guessing, not of the "swaggering" variety.  Four that come to mind -- none of them Rock: 

Nathaniel Rateliff of N.R. and the Night Sweats 

Chris Stapleton 

Eric Burton of Black Pumas 

Trent Wagler of Steel Wheels 

 

grislybutter
3,257 posts
 

M Ward is very 2010s but still, a giant

Jacob Banks

Paolo Nutini

I find a lot of new talent in the tiny desk concert series

kennymacc
431 posts
 

Welcome to the world of the worst, most dark and depressing music in the history of music!!!  IMHO, I believe this downward quality of music trend started when good old fashioned Rock and roll began to fade in the 90’s and degenerated into Grunge, the decline of good old fashioned Country music that lost it’s very soul, and when good old fashioned Soul and R&B degenerated into a universally accepted, scary, hard, street, gangster, Hip Hop Rap. Now, most newer music (last approx. 25 years) sounds either too weird, or too distasteful. Happy listening

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