Yuck to modern music

[ckay87]

I'm not an "old fart" by any means when it comes to music. Like many of you, I think I'm pretty open-minded. I like to rock, I like a good melody. Whatever. But there is just something about today's music that is beyond irritating and I think my 13 year old (spending his snowday watching VH1) just summed it up perfectly. "Modern music is just SO boring."

Yep, that's it. The new "singer/songwriters" produce no memorable melodies (ala Elton, Billy, Jackson Browne, etc.). The rockers rarely actually rock (like where are the great guitar solos?), IMO. And the pop stars manage to do neither.

Maybe I am an old fart, but there is at least one young man who agrees with me, bless him.

I do hold out some hope...Vampire Weekend is interesting, Cage the Elephant is FUN (going to see them on Sat.) James Morrison has a neat voice, but his tunes still kinda bore me. Los Lonely Boys are amazing, but not popular. Any other suggestions?

 

[HugsForEeyore]

Same here as the OP - I joke that I barely liked any song made after 1993. My issue is that everything now is all about the image/attractiveness of the singers, not the music. In the olden days, talent was more important (though image was always a factor) but today image is everything - the marketability rules, not the talent.

The Olympics CD is a perfect example. NBC has been trying to market the CD during the Olympics on TV, but not one single song I heard has any beat, no melody, nothing catchy - just nothing memorable to me. Boring. I am not sure what's missing, but the music just doesn't has anything that grabs me.

Of course every generation thinks the music they had as a teen was the be all, end all.

 

[Joe in VA]

I'm only 25, but I pretty much stopped listening to new music for the most part about 4 years ago. You can't hear a real instrument on top 40 radio these days, it's all auto-tune and synth crap. Rap which used to be my favorite genre has disappeared into a craptastic abyss.

Give me 90's grunge, 90's rap, 60s and 70s rock, and some Johnny Cash.

 

[PeterPan09]

I like some new stuff, but I don't see too many of today's bands and artists being rediscovered by my grand-neices and nephews the way the Beatles, Hendrix and the Stones were rediscovered by my DN and her friends.

 

[FireDancer]

I agree that most of the stuff that makes the radio is pretty much garbage and can't wait for auto-tune to go the way of the synthesizer. There has always been garbage from every era of music though, I would put almost every hair band in the same category.

The reason I think we look back on past eras of music is that, for the most part, the good music has survived down through the years while the crap was filtered out. In 20 years there will be people saying modern music sucks and the stuff from the early 2010's was so much better. What will make the cut I can't predict but it will happen.

 

[Brocktoon]

I think it's more that the modern 'pop/rock' music is generic and trying to find a formula to hit record sales.

There are a ton of great new bands out there, but they'll never get picked up by major labels or reach large popularity because they don't fit the corporate record label mentality.

I think the only popular newer band I've been blown away by would be Muse.

There's a ton of other new music I love, but most people who only listen to top 40 would never have heard of them. The interwebs, satellite and and word of mouth is where I hear about all the great new stuff. You won't anything good anymore from MTV / VH1 or terrestrial radio.

 

[Christine]

Okay, my son's music taste will probably get bashed for this but he really likes Paramore. Therefore, I listen to Paramore and saw them in concert. For a newer group, they play their instruments well, the singer has great vocals, and I like a lot of their songs.

However, with the exception of some songs from their last album and their big Twilight hit, I hardly EVER hear them on the radio. I have Sirius XM so I will only hear their new stuff on either the BBC station or AltNation. That's it. And one would think that for the high school set, they would be a great band to hear on regular radio.

Their latest album has a great, slowish pop song (The Only Exception) that is very pretty and I think would do well on mainstream radio. But they get no play as well as other bands like them.

So, what's up with that. I think there is a lot of interesting new music but it doesn't make the radio anymore.

 

[dawson5]

you like good rock music, guitar solos, just great "rock" music? try picking up gov't mule or some of the later allman brothers stuff (assuming you might like the older stuff). Warren Haynes is one of the guitarists with the ABB, he also played with Dickey Betts (former ABB member) and Great Southern. He also does stints with The Dead (what is left of the Grateful Dead) and is just a phenomenal guitarist. For Mule pick up the Dose album or Life Before Insanity. Allman Bros Hittin' the Note is great--Rockin' Horse and Desdemona.

Gov't Mule Thorazine Shuffle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4s4hW-oGZ0

Rockin' Horse:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf-cucMXDiE
(crappy video, great tune)

Ben Harper is another great. I really liked the Lifeline album.

Having Wings:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90ZcZccUrFQ
Put it on me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUz54mrrnwg


Really off the wall try some North Mississippi Allstars, John Spencer Trio and they did one album together (Cody & Luther Dickinson of NMAS and John Spencer), Spencer Dickinson

NMAS keep the devil down:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oS6v8vj_M4A

spencer dickinson:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbSRiZFgXxQ
zigaboo is my favorite by them but I can't find that on youtube, check myspace. I am pretty sure they have it.

My musical tastes are not mainstream at all. Might not be what you are looking for but they are some of the first things to come to mind when I think great rock music with great guitarists. I know I won't hear them on the radio.

A little bit of funky stuff, try some Ween. Be warned, not all of their stuff sounds like this though. Probably not great "guitar" rock though, but catchy & good (to me).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjvPudHZ6Ow

Have you ever listened to Doyle Bramhall II? He's relatively unknown but a great guitarist.

shoot, thought you were looking for suggestions of some music. Oh well.

A great documentary of the state of the music industry today, Before the Music Dies. Just eye-opening, very interesting and informative.

 

[ckay87]

I think it's more that the modern 'pop/rock' music is generic and trying to find a formula to hit record sales.

There are a ton of great new bands out there, but they'll never get picked up by major labels or reach large popularity because they don't fit the corporate record label mentality.

I think the only popular newer band I've been blown away by would be Muse.

There's a ton of other new music I love, but most people who only listen to top 40 would never have heard of them. The interwebs, satellite and and word of mouth is where I hear about all the great new stuff. You won't anything good anymore from MTV / VH1 or terrestrial radio.

This I agree with and I should modify my point to modern popular music is boring. I actively look for, and find, great little bands and artists that you'll likely never hear on the radio. They are more fun anyway because their live tickets are cheap and you can see them in intimate venues.

But there was a day when popular music oozed with talent. Back to the singer/songwriters, great example. Great songs were actually on the radio, ya know?

 

[Brocktoon]

Back in the day, you could also buy a entire CD/abum that had almost all good songs. Many times the singles you heard on the radio got you to buy the album, but the better songs weren't even released as a single. Now the industry tends to force a band to write one or two decent singles that sell well on iTunes, and the rest of the songs on the CD are filler.

Why release a CD full of good songs, when you can milk your decent material over the course of years as a bunch of singles with filler?

Although some of these bands have been around for years, I'd reccomend:

If you like Pink Floydish stuff - Porcupine Tree (CDs to check out ... Stupid Dream, Lightbulb Sun, In Absentia)

If you like metal - Mastodon (Crack the Skye), Opeth (Blackwater Park, Ghost Reveries)

Steely Dan/Genesis/Rush/King Crimson - Umphrey's McGee ( Anchor Drops, Mantis)

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

I'm 36, and until very recently, I really, really didn't like any new music, of any genre.

In my teens, early 20's...I loved rock and some alternative. But I also thought there wasn't much good out there.

Don't laugh, but I borrowed my sis's "Twilight" soundtrack (please..don't laugh). And really found 3 newer artists that I now like.

Muse
Paramore
Iron&Wine

They remind me of some of the music I enjoyed 10-15 years ago. But I still don't like much of the newer music that is out.

 

[Planogirl]

I like a lot of the Alternative music that's out now but I can agree when it comes to the rest of the new stuff particularly Pop. Luckily there are still some old-timer favorites kicking around too.

 

[fraggle551]

I'm 23, and I completely agree with you. In one of my classes last night a girl kept referring to all these new musicians and how they are all crap, and I realized I don't even know one song by them. I was raised on Billy Joel, Elton John, Joni Mitchell, The Allman Brothers, The Band, The Beatles, Jackson Browne, etc.

Have you heard of the band Carbon Leaf? They are a great band, who are not really well known. Let me look through my iPod and i'll give you a few more suggestions.

 

[dawson5]

I'm 23, and I completely agree with you. In one of my classes last night a girl kept referring to all these new musicians and how they are all crap, and I realized I don't even know one song by them. I was raised on Billy Joel, Elton John, Joni Mitchell, The Allman Brothers, The Band, The Beatles, Jackson Browne, etc.

Have you heard of the band Carbon Leaf? They are a great band, who are not really well known. Let me look through my iPod and i'll give you a few more suggestions.

Tea Leaf Green is another good one. I always get them mixed up (the names).

 

[ckay87]

I'm 23, and I completely agree with you. In one of my classes last night a girl kept referring to all these new musicians and how they are all crap, and I realized I don't even know one song by them. I was raised on Billy Joel, Elton John, Joni Mitchell, The Allman Brothers, The Band, The Beatles, Jackson Browne, etc.

Have you heard of the band Carbon Leaf? They are a great band, who are not really well known. Let me look through my iPod and i'll give you a few more suggestions.

I LOVE CARBON LEAF!!!!

What About Everything is one of my favorite songs But I like most everything they've done

Yes! I want to get to one of their live shows, but haven't yet. They're opening for Gaelic Storm in April and I'm thinking about it.

Sounds like you and I have similar taste.

 

[NY Disney fan]

Back in the day, you could also buy a entire CD/abum that had almost all good songs. Now the industry tends to force a band to write one or two decent singles that sell well on iTunes, and the rest of the songs on the CD are filler.

Not true. iTunes is certainly a vehicle to buy individual songs but that has no bearing on an album's quality. You cannot achieve longevity in the business or a large fan base on singles alone. You still need to produce a quality album.

If you like metal - Mastodon (Crack the Skye), Opeth (Blackwater Park, Ghost Reveries).

Most people think heavy metal died in the 80's/90's. They're wrong. It went underground and got better than ever. Some of the best heavy metal music has been released in the 21st century...not only from new bands but from the classic bands of the 70's and 80's.

 

[fraggle551]

I LOVE CARBON LEAF!!!!

What About Everything is one of my favorite songs But I like most everything they've done

Yes! I want to get to one of their live shows, but haven't yet. They're opening for Gaelic Storm in April and I'm thinking about it.

Sounds like you and I have similar taste.

Wow, no one ever knows them! A roommate I had in college turned me onto them. Changeless is a huge favorite of mine. I think my iPod's in the car, but I will most certainly look through for you. It does seem like we have similar tastes in music.

 

[Myothername]

I am glad I am not the only one. I am 47 and honestly there is very little modern music I like. I do like Three Doors Down. That is about it. I like some country but even that does not sound like country anymore. Thanks for the heads up on Carbon Leaf and Tea Leaf Green. I am going to look for them when I get home on itunes.

I listen to talk now and that is just about all. When I look at the music on my ipod 90% of it is from the early 90s and before. There are just not any good bands and singers like when I was growing up. There is no new "Eagles", "Bob Seager", "Eric Clapton", etc. Why is that? I ton't think it is that I just don't like the music now and there really are artists that big. I don't think there are any like that anymore that will stand the test of time.

 

[dawson5]

I am glad I am not the only one. I am 47 and honestly there is very little modern music I like. I do like Three Doors Down. That is about it. I like some country but even that does not sound like country anymore. Thanks for the heads up on Carbon Leaf and Tea Leaf Green. I am going to look for them when I get home on itunes.

I listen to talk now and that is just about all. When I look at the music on my ipod 90% of it is from the early 90s and before. There are just not any good bands and singers like when I was growing up. There is no new "Eagles", "Bob Seager", "Eric Clapton", etc. Why is that? I ton't think it is that I just don't like the music now and there really are artists that big. I don't think there are any like that anymore that will stand the test of time.

There are good bands out there, they just don't get airplay.



As for picking up a live show, try here:

Carbon Leaf
http://www.archive.org/details/CarbonLeaf

Tea Leaf Green
http://www.archive.org/details/TeaLeafGreen

You can search by year or by date. I believe you can listen to a song and/or the whole show. The rating system (stars) is pretty fair. You can download the whole show or just a song. For these to be uploaded onto Archive, they usually have the okay of the band. It's not illegal. Most of these bands support taping and trading of shows.

 

[clarabelle]

I like Carbon Leaf's "life less ordinary" and "The Boxer"

OP Have you tried Florence+The Machine?
I like "Dog Days are Over" and "Kiss with a Fist"