What do you think of today's pop music?

[AshlynCheerleader]

Too annoying? Too hedonistic? No creativity? Does it sound the same?

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I don't mind most of it.
Although every song you chose is over a year old...
I would assume you'd pick this year's hits as examples.

 

[DisneyGuy]

I was just talking about this today. I think it's awful. Yes, I know i'm getting old (i'm 34) but these artists have no image. There's no iconic pop stars anymore (and certainly none in the making). No vision, no controversy, no message, no stage presence and no individuality - it's all the same. I don't see any of these songs being played in 20 years.

 

[shelemm]

There is always great and exciting new music being created, some of it both thrilling and challenging. Though I am not clear on how you define 'pop' music. Some truly great new albums have come out very recently. I am especially excitied by the new St Vincent album. For example, in the song "Masseduction", is she singing aobut how we use our smartphones? Lorde's new album is also a masterpiece. "Homemade Dynamite" is by turns scary, fun, and reckless. "Let things come out of the woodwork" indeed! "Wiseblood" by Zola Jesus is another exciting song as is "Do You Need my Love" by Weyesblood.

If by 'today' you mean within the last few years, then I think Kendrick Lamar is a genius as is Jay Electronica. How Jay Electronica blends samples of speeches into his music is nothing short of brilliant. His "Patents of Nobility" channels the whip smart reactions of Mohammed Ali to an overly aggressive interviewer. So much passion! "Learning" by Perfume Genius is achingly beautiful. There is always a lot to discover.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I like some of it. I really do love some of the Chainsmokers songs. My favorites are "Closer" (featured in the original post) and "Something Just Like This".

 

[mousehockey37]

Today's pop music is an insult to music. Sure, this sentiment can and will be handed down through the evolution of music.

As a former music teacher, all the electronica used today is nothing short of a slap in the face of real musicians. These "pop stars" use autotune of some sort, and hog the limelight for themselves. The few that actually have a real band behind them, the band members themselves are the real deal. No one wants to be a standout and a good chunk of the music sounds the same. As long as it gets hits on Youtube or people pay to get more than a sample on iTunes, these "pop stars" will wallow in the green.

 

[DawnM]

I don't listen to pop music. I find it annoying. Funny thing is, even my kids (19 and 17) don't listen to it. I think my 13 year old does, but the older two listen to either older music or alternative.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

Garbage.

If it ain’t Brittney or Justin, I don’t want it.

 

[L&Lfan]

I think today's pop music sucks and has sucked basically for the last 20 years (with a few exceptions). Give me anything pre 2000.

 

[MIGrandma]

I enjoy a lot of it and I'm 60 years old. I listen to The Blend in the car, and enjoy most everything they play (except I do switch it quickly anytime they play a Taylor Swift song, which thankfully isn't very often). I've always enjoyed a great variety of music from rock and pop, to country, bluegrass, folk, jazz, easy listening, classical, etc. About the only thing I can't/won't listen to is rap. I don't think it is "music" at all. Especially when it has vulgar language.

 

[Sabeking]

I don't listen to pop music. I find it annoying. Funny thing is, even my kids (19 and 17) don't listen to it. I think my 13 year old does, but the older two listen to either older music or alternative.

My 17 and 18 year old love rock from the 70's and 80's. They call us parents lucky, lol!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I was just talking about this today. I think it's awful. Yes, I know i'm getting old (i'm 34) but these artists have no image. There's no iconic pop stars anymore (and certainly none in the making). No vision, no controversy, no message, no stage presence and no individuality - it's all the same. I don't see any of these songs being played in 20 years.

While i don't disagree, most of the pop songs from my youth (and yours) were garbage as well, and most didn't stand the test of time.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

My 17 and 18 year old love rock from the 70's and 80's. They call us parents lucky, lol!

My 17 year old daughter fussed at DW last night for turning off White Room by Cream

 

[Hikergirl]

Pop music is for making people get up and dance, simple beats, lyrics that don't require much thought. I don't see today's pop music as any different than any other times. It is all garbage but I don't think it is meant to be anything more.

 

[L&Lfan]

I disagree about past pop music. I still listen to pop from the '50s, '60s, '70s and'80s and I think it holds up well. I just don't think the pop music of today will be played in 40-50 years except for a few songs that are more well known. People tend to listen to their own genre these days so Top 40 means almost nothing. When I was growing up almost everybody had at least heard the most popular songs. Today most of the songs that hit #1 on the pop charts, I've never even heard of. That was pretty unthinkable during the Casey Kasem era unless you were REALLY out of it.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

I think the majority of today's music actually comes from the 1930's-1970's, just in the form of sampling and re-compositions. The average music listener doesn't know that, nor do they have access to the vast catalogues of previously-recorded music in the vaults. Music producers know this, they have access, and they control "what is cool" through marketing.

The other day I was listening to some Eminem, and I was having such a case of deja-vu... so I did some research, turns out the song's entire beat/rhythm is actually re-composed from another artist...

"Shake That" by Eminem, versus "Dance With Me" by 112. Look it up!

 

[Colleen27]

There is some I like, more that I don't. But I'd say the same thing of the pop music of my era too. I think 90% of pop music ends up forgotten, but that it is hard to predict which bands/acts will evolve and endure over time. My kids lean more towards the alternative end of the current music spectrum and I like a lot of what they listen to, Chainsmokers and Halsey and Panic at the Disco and such. But I really don't care for the more hip-hop leaning pop stuff. I didn't in "my time" (90s/00s) either.

I'm taking my 16yo and a couple of her friends to see Halsey in about 2 weeks and I'm looking forward to it almost as much as they are. And I was as disappointed as she was that a schedule conflict stopped us from getting Ed Sheeran tickets. But Meghan Trainer two summers ago was torture - she is just *awful* live! I literally sat on the hill, leaning against a tree, reading and listening to music on my phone through most of the show. And I'm having a harder and harder time with my 9yo's Taylor Swift obsession with every new album.

 

[DawnM]

I think the majority of today's music actually comes from the 1930's-1970's, just in the form of sampling and re-compositions. The average music listener doesn't know that, nor do they have access to the vast catalogues of previously-recorded music in the vaults. Music producers know this, they have access, and they control "what is cool" through marketing.

The other day I was listening to some Eminem, and I was having such a case of deja-vu... so I did some research, turns out the song's entire beat/rhythm is actually re-composed from another artist...

"Shake That" by Eminem, versus "Dance With Me" by 112. Look it up!

But those are both rapp/hip hop, which all sounds 100% the same to me, so how can you even tell?????

 

[E&Cmom]

Some I like and some I don’t just like in every generation of music even the 80s and I love the 80s music.

 

[msjprincess]

Some I like, some I don't. I can't think of any generation where I like or dislike everything that came out at that time.

If I'm listening to satellite radio I usually have on Lithium or 70's on 7. There are plenty of songs that come on that make me change the station.