Why does most new music suck?

Tube,

The PT tree concert I attended (FOABP tour) was also excellent. It was my idea to go and dragged a friend along as well who also enjoyed it. It was the loudest concert I had been to probably since college. The sound was stellar as well as the performance, the best heavy metal volume live rock concert sound I have heard, and in a venue that has proven hit or miss for me over time.

YEah, I know SW has been around a while. HE is 8 years younger than me. Still making new music though that has appeal to multiple age groups, especially since adapting some heavy/death metal type elements into some more recent material.

*But it's always been the simplest of melodies that are the most pleasing

Couldn't have said it better myself.

The "90% of everything is crap" theory IMO is close to accurate and applies to OP's question.

Rja, mediocrity is the norm for everything, not just music. Interesting enough we always generalize on the 5% exception and compare to the norm of the here and now as we perceive it. A normal tendency I suppose. And when you add in the context of the discussion, mostly middle age gentleman speaking of the current state of the music art that they don't, for the most part explore, the opinions are generally predictable. I'm no critic of the here and now music and my bet is that many of the critics on this thread don't explore it in enough quantity or detail to really offer anything more than an anecdotal opinion based on their general taste than serious listining and critique, lets be honest here. Where are "All the Young Dudes"? come on Dudes, stand up and be counted!

I did check out Ben Howard, now there you go as an example of something that I would deem above mediocrity. Seems like there are plenty of others that listen to this guy as well.

Great tune, wasn't it? I loved it when it came out. No wonder our young folks want to follow suit.