We bend over backwards trying to find meaning in today's popular music, when the problem is that, as always, the music is simply reflecting life. In an earlier post, Orpheus10 was chastised for pointing to the politics and social movement of the times as important forces; he is exactly correct, those cannot be taken out of the equation. There will always be well crafted music; but, that does not great music make. It has nothing to do with wether it might be rooted in the blues or not. One can write (compose) a great poem (song) about Mickey Mouse; but, it's still just Mickey Mouse.
What made a lot of classic rock great was not just how well crafted much of it was, but also, and most importantly, how relevant the subject matter was. Even if the subject matter was, say, love, it was very new (revolutionary) to speak (sing) about love/sex with so much abandon and openness. Today, that's all old hat. We live in a society with much complacency, smugness, and COMFORT on a level never seen before; we take a lot for granted.
I am very hopeful, however. I am hopeful about the future of pop music because the problem is NEVER music's potential for greatness. First of all, I don't subscribe to the idea that the font of great melodies has run dry; it is a bottomless font, and that is the very meaning of CREATIVITY. More importantly, the forces that inspire greatness in pop music will come roaring back and hit creative artists in a big way. It is highly ironic that in spite of example after example of the failure of social trends that this country is currently flirting with, we continue to head straight for that inevitable disappointment (to put it mildly). THAT inevitable disappointment, and subsequent revolution, is what will ultimately inspire greatness in artists again.
What made a lot of classic rock great was not just how well crafted much of it was, but also, and most importantly, how relevant the subject matter was. Even if the subject matter was, say, love, it was very new (revolutionary) to speak (sing) about love/sex with so much abandon and openness. Today, that's all old hat. We live in a society with much complacency, smugness, and COMFORT on a level never seen before; we take a lot for granted.
I am very hopeful, however. I am hopeful about the future of pop music because the problem is NEVER music's potential for greatness. First of all, I don't subscribe to the idea that the font of great melodies has run dry; it is a bottomless font, and that is the very meaning of CREATIVITY. More importantly, the forces that inspire greatness in pop music will come roaring back and hit creative artists in a big way. It is highly ironic that in spite of example after example of the failure of social trends that this country is currently flirting with, we continue to head straight for that inevitable disappointment (to put it mildly). THAT inevitable disappointment, and subsequent revolution, is what will ultimately inspire greatness in artists again.