How do you feel about the state of music today?

[Tsunade]

 

This is a discussion thread about your thoughts and opinions regarding the current state of music, all genres included (so not only the Pop girls for example). Is it better than what it was a decade ago? Is it worse? Why?

I will start by saying that I am extremely happy with the diversity, and that rap is becoming a female dominated space. I also appreciate that visuals have been upped, very obviously since the debut of our reigning queen. On the other hand, I feel like everything has become oversaturated in music. It's hard to have longevity. Any artist can 'happen' with the right team (Harry Styles, Shawn Mendes *ehem*) and they don't necessarily have to bring anything new or interesting either. I believe while the music scene is much, much more colorful and interesting than what it was it has become even more manufactured. Authenticity is basically out the window, and people are cosplaying being woke to sell records.

Then again, that's my opinion. What's yours?

[TINDER PronounsHe/Him]

Hey Tsunade sama!

I think with artist venturing into different businesses apart from music, it kindoff had made music their second priority or even a side project. So for me current status of music is not it! lack of interest, lack of star power, lack of that "It factor".

the last phase of imperial music for me was 2010-2013!

Edited October 23, 2020 by TINDER

[Tsunade]

3 minutes ago, TINDER said:

Hey Tsunade sama!

I think with artist venturing into different businesses apart from music, it kindoff had made music their second priority or even a side project. So for me current status of music is not it! lack of interest, lack of star power, lack of that "It factor".

the last phase of imperial music for me was 2010-2013!

Hey boo!

I agree. I think that the goal right now is more so maintaining the celebrity status. Singing seems like it's just part of the journey now. 

[Dirkje PronounsShe/her/hers]

I think that trends could go on for too long. I was already done with trap when artists kept coming with trap songs. 

So that makes it so nice when artists dare to bring back a genre or just do something else really

[Joannesrats PronounsHe/Him]

Overall, it is much better than it was 10 years ago. I’m not talking about radio or the charts here - i’m taking about it as an art form. It is now incredibly accessible for most people to create music they want using decades of influences and references. This year gave birth to some of the most creative and boundary-pushing music and I am insanely excited to see what this decade brings. 
 

Not to mention the amount of female rappers, LGBT artists, etc. that are coming forward 

[zach PronounsHe/Him]

Is it controversial to say I think it's been declining since the early 2010's and just the basic start of streaming? And that a lot of new popular music doesn't have personality?

I feel like a lot of personality has been taken out of music, especially like avant-garde music style is fading (in the vein of Kate Bush, Bjork, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, or Diamanda Galas) or sometimes lost. And even if we do get great bodies of work and songs similar to what's consider some of music's greatest, it's just not popular or goes unappreciated.

Not like we don't have or did have talented artists in this new artists that made very defining albums, like for example:
Adele makes very strong emotional music which in my opinion, while some people can say is boring or overrated, I think her messages in music is extremely powerful.
Beyonce with Lemonade, THE MESSAGE. You can feel the love that was put into Lemonade, and how it spoke for black power and love and female empowerment.
Kendrick Lamar with either good kid, m.a.a.d city or To Pimp a Butterfly blew me away on first listen. Like there was so much feeling in a ton of different emotions told in each story of the album. You couldn't just help but be intrigued.
Our beloved late Amy Winehouse with Frank was already pretty good, but Back to Black is absolutely a masterpiece of music, soul and R&B.
Lorde with both Pure Heroine and Melodrama, you could feel the fears, emotion, and see growth in her as a person as she ages with each album. Not to mention, she wrote Pure Heroine at 16, that's actually insane. That album ends some careers alone.
I CAN'T FORGET MADVILLAIN OF MF DOOM AND MADLIB. That was such an underground type of group for hip hop, but it sounds so fresh and unique. On my first listen I sucked into the sounds and production on Madvillainy. It flows with clever transitions, wordplay, and more. This is most CERTAINTLY a must listen if you haven't already.
Fiona Apple is pretty close to someone like Alanis Morrissette and Kate Bush, and she's still going strong, with Idler Wheel, FTBC, and When The Pawn... She's certainly not new, but I have to mention her, she's so incredible. And is feeling more and more like a hidden gem (well, until recently at least).

However, this era of music feels commercial, somewhat unique(?), but commercial. And it's not a jab at a lot of newer artists now, because they do fit the current trend and do it very well, but I just feel like sometimes that depth or interesting qualities/personalities of music is just not there. A lot of complaints is modern music is "underwhelming, safe, similar sounding". And that's extremely true. A lot of artists right now are either try pushing an old sound mixed with something new, and while a lot of artists do it well and make good music, it's starting to feel like everyone wanted a piece of that success and it's blending together. I don't know, whether it be the current pop or hip hop scene, it's becoming pretty blurry with trying to find certain "aha" or "unique" works.
What I'm going to say next is very targeted during pop music and what's praised. For example, recently with Heaven & Hell and Smile, are given compliments for having bops and making them "good albums", even though I feel they play to a very safe and common demeanor. Like that just feels sad, there's little substance to some songs produced by big or "trendy" artists that is considered "Album of the Year". Erks me a bit. Guess you got to search through the trash to find the gems nowadays. 

However, this isn't to say everything nowadays is bad. Because while I feel like some quality has faded, there has been more diversity in people representing music more than ever. People of color, LGBT+ artists, and female icons have been an incredible upbringing for this new era of music, and that's nothing short of incredible. I'm glad we got here for representation, and I wonder what more will come in the coming years.

[Ms Arid Lost]

Nowadays music is not worse or better than it has ever been tbh. In the 90s, for example, there was bad music and good music, now we just have more content because of internet but that's it. There's a lot of potential in so many artists rn, some are more mainstream, others are not, but they have that star factor and they care deeply about their art: Billie Eilish, Melanie Martinez, Alice Chater, Allie X, Doja Cat, Au/Ra, Ghostemane, Kim Petras, Poppy, Rina Sawayama, Troye Sivan, YUNGBLUD...

It is exciting to see these artists evolve and becoming the stars they were meant to be 

Edited October 23, 2020 by Ms I am a local

[Battle For Your Life Pronounshe/him]

Not really a fan of the short songs trend. It's annoying af when people listen to pre-streaming songs and complain about them being too long.

[Edonis Pronounshe/him/his]

There's good music and bad music just like any other era. As time goes on and different trends come and go things will shake up again like it has every decade.