USA
1. Rock
2. Rhythm & Blues
3. Country
4. Pop
5. Alternative
6. Metal
7. Rap
8. Christian/Gospel
* Forget Classical, forget Jazz and forget New Age & Latin & Dance/Electronic.
Rock&Roll baby; the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and AC?DC.
Musical Paralysis - at age 30?
- Thread starter KeithR
- Start date
USA
1. Rock
2. Rhythm & Blues
3. Country
4. Pop
5. Alternative
6. Metal
7. Rap
8. Christian/Gospel
* Forget Classical, forget Jazz and forget New Age & Latin & Dance/Electronic.
Rock&Roll baby; the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and AC?DC.
I used to discover new songs by listening to Top 40 radio. Today I discover new songs by listening to Top 40 channels on Sirius/XM and to Spotify.
The problem is that today’s Top 40 is (to me) infused or infested with rap or hip-hop. Many of today’s Top 40 songs sound to me to be rapified or hip-hopified.
The most recent new song I have really liked is “Something Just Like This” by The Chainsmokers. Prior to this the last Top 40 song I liked was “Wake Me Up” — from about five years ago.
It is not my fault that today’s Top 40 sounds to me largely like rap, R&B and hip-hop.
CORRECTION: KeithR turned me on to London Grammar last year!
The problem is that today’s Top 40 is (to me) infused or infested with rap or hip-hop. Many of today’s Top 40 songs sound to me to be rapified or hip-hopified.
The most recent new song I have really liked is “Something Just Like This” by The Chainsmokers. Prior to this the last Top 40 song I liked was “Wake Me Up” — from about five years ago.
It is not my fault that today’s Top 40 sounds to me largely like rap, R&B and hip-hop.
CORRECTION: KeithR turned me on to London Grammar last year!
I bought an ipod from a pretty suburban teenage girl a few years ago. It was loaded with music from the itunes store. It was horrific, nothing but rotgut rap, hip hop, not a SINGLE SONG that I heard was anything I could stand. It was grisly. I actually like some rap and hip hop when it is done decently.
I couldn't imagine, I estimated at 99c a pop or whatever she spend over a thousand bucks on that stuff, and I erased it all.
The last time I went for an audiophile tea ceremony, listening to another guy's stereo, we all laughed at the end because "no matter where the music goes, you always wind up in the 50's to 70's" for listeners of a certain vintage.
I'm still catching up with the ECM catalog. Really, there's a lot of music out there.
I couldn't imagine, I estimated at 99c a pop or whatever she spend over a thousand bucks on that stuff, and I erased it all.
The last time I went for an audiophile tea ceremony, listening to another guy's stereo, we all laughed at the end because "no matter where the music goes, you always wind up in the 50's to 70's" for listeners of a certain vintage.
I'm still catching up with the ECM catalog. Really, there's a lot of music out there.
Can't imagine every stopping the search for new music! I still do at least 1 show a week. Many in small clubs. GA standing only, checking out up and coming bands. To look for new music could not be easier. I use Bandcamp' WKEXP in Seatle KEXP in Iceland Audiotree Chicago Youtube and and on and on! I use my Youtube subscritions to track new videos and also am on mailing lists for many independent small record labels to track the artists I like looking at newly signed artists as well. One of my favorite small labels in Milk in Melborne Asutralia. That is Courtney Barnet's start up and it has some good music and bands.
Rob
Rob
To me the study is too narrow but is interesting and a bit disheartening. I don't think this is the case for most audiophiles or musicians. For me, older than 20s or 30s I'm thrilled to be alive in a time when there's global music available via the internet / streaming 24 x 7. There are so many great musicians and music to add to the already incredible catalog. Having an exemplary system to portray such music makes it all the more enjoyable.
We both tend to post up good, new music. Sadly nobody on the forum really cares...which is maybe why the study rings true imo.
I bring new music to every show intentionally - people love it, just don't seek it out.
Sorry, I do care; I checked almost every new music posted @ WBF. That's one of the reasons I highly value my membership. Some members here have great taste in music, the best.
It's just that I am quiet about it, I listen. And occasionally I comment.
I wish there was more time to explore all new music and share it, like 24/24.
It's just that I have many other passions too.
Buy yes, I do take a lot of time to check what members post about new music selections; Opera, Jazz, Classical, Blues, New Age, Instrumental, Alternative, Electronica, Folk, Motown, International/World.
Extra: https://www.npr.org/series/tiny-desk-concerts/
It's just that I am quiet about it, I listen. And occasionally I comment.
I wish there was more time to explore all new music and share it, like 24/24.
It's just that I have many other passions too.
Buy yes, I do take a lot of time to check what members post about new music selections; Opera, Jazz, Classical, Blues, New Age, Instrumental, Alternative, Electronica, Folk, Motown, International/World.
Extra: https://www.npr.org/series/tiny-desk-concerts/
The gift of love is the gift of music; it is eternal, it has no timeline, no age, no attach...it's free (you just buy what you love), from the heart, spirit and soul. It asks nothing in return...to love is to receive that gift and be in contentment. To love is to explore new venues, new music that speaks deep in the heart.
The US market seems especially stuck in the past. With the exception of club sounds and hip hop there is very little originality, nothing of note since the New York scene of the early eighties and a glut of tedious heavy metal, all massively inferior to the stuff that came out of the UK in the 70's.
Whenever i watch US tv satire the bands they have on are derivative, unoriginal, middle of the road and all have that same jangly guitar a la 'friends' theme tune. Basically the white US music consumer still thinks electric guitars are edgy, and the middle aged or elderly hifi enthusiasts are stuck in the same old rut of easy listening jazz and classical
From Europe the US music scene looks much akin to the political one; conservative, backward looking, needing new blood and ideas
Whenever i watch US tv satire the bands they have on are derivative, unoriginal, middle of the road and all have that same jangly guitar a la 'friends' theme tune. Basically the white US music consumer still thinks electric guitars are edgy, and the middle aged or elderly hifi enthusiasts are stuck in the same old rut of easy listening jazz and classical
From Europe the US music scene looks much akin to the political one; conservative, backward looking, needing new blood and ideas
I started to listen to classical avantgarde (beyond Schnittke who is still a favorite) at age 36 (which brought a huge change in my listening habits for me), to electronica more broadly around age 40, to jazz avantgarde around age 50, and more seriously to classical jazz around that time too. And I am always open to new stuff. I'm almost 56 if that makes me old.
I love the classic rock of my youth too, but don't understand people in general and audiophiles in particular who are almost exclusively stuck on it.
+1 Al,
Growing up with Jazz and Classical influences, loved pub bands, live concerts, soul and electronica, did dance clubs (post disco) and rave culture, found contemporary classical and contemporary jazz a bit down the track in my late 30’s and 40’s, still discovering much current RnB and the odd bit of hip hop (more the artists with substance and something to say about culture though) and loving the adventure still.
Music that makes you move either physically, emotionally and or intellectually can all be good if it engages you one way or another though not just being trapped in any one mode of being of experience or mood or culture or time.
Music can transcend any or all of the above... that is the music that can be returned to any time. No one type or genre or age has a monopoly on meaning. Music and art were the very first languages and still are the great shared and universal languages.
Al, last week me and Ra were at a concert last week where Schnittke was on the program, and we loved it. In fact, over the course of our annual classical music festival of 14 gigs, we were exposed to a lot of stuff we didn't know, but really liked.
So I'm in the process of finding all the material on lp or cd, and seeing where searches beyond take me.
I'm going to use classical concerts weekly now to introduce me to music I wouldn't necessarily find otherwise, and take punts on related stuff.
All the while re-spinning my favourite prog rock and electric jazz/fusion that are my staples.
So I'm in the process of finding all the material on lp or cd, and seeing where searches beyond take me.
I'm going to use classical concerts weekly now to introduce me to music I wouldn't necessarily find otherwise, and take punts on related stuff.
All the while re-spinning my favourite prog rock and electric jazz/fusion that are my staples.
Graham,
yes, as I wrote at the end of my essay on Stockhausen's Mikrophonie I , which is very scratchy, noisy, clangy music for tam-tam, 2 microphones, and 2 filters with potentiometers (6 players):
"MIKROPHONIE I is a thoroughly amazing work and one of my Stockhausen favorites, "noisy" as it is. And yes, on the other end of the musical spectrum I also love the brooding romanticism of Schubert’s late piano sonata in B major, D 960, with its marvelous melodic and harmonic magic (such kinds of magic are heard in many Stockhausen works as well). Great music comes in many forms."
http://home.earthlink.net/~almoritz/mikrophonie1.htm
Great to hear, Marc, that you both loved it and that this composer is still performed!
I find the annual Mercury Album Prize shortlist to be a consistent gateway to new sounds, plus the tv programme Later with Jools Holland has an enormous range of musical styles
I heard a similar study about 15 years ago. Although they stated 35 was the age. And it wasn't just music, but visual art, movies and food tastes also tended to become stagnant at 35 (or 30).
This does not describe me, though. I can't relate.
If anything can be said to be 'paralyzed' with my musical tastes, are the only music I listen to must have the following parameters: very high level of musicianship, complexity, broad range of emotion, (usually) long form pieces.
I am completely open to any music that has those parameters.
I got into prog in my 20's, fusion in my late 20's, post bop in my 30's, avant-prog in my late 30's, avant-garde jazz in my 40's, late 20th century and contemporary classical in my 50's.
I am in a constant search for new music in all of these genres. Lucky for me, the supply of new bands and artists in these genres, seems almost endless.
If anything can be said to be a problem, is keeping up with all the new music.
Keeping up with new music is a huge issue for me as well. I also think Pitchfork, NME, NPR, etc. are far better places to find good music vs. the older style Billboard rankings as music landscape is so much larger and more diversified. You really can't compare the music market now vs 30-40 years ago.
Unfortunately, people associate all music today with Katie Perry, Justin Biever, or Jay-Z types and that's just not the case.
Unfortunately, people associate all music today with Katie Perry, Justin Biever, or Jay-Z types and that's just not the case.
You make it sound so... nonchalant about how PItchfork & other sources are better than the Top40... It's like comparing your stereo to a boombox. Every once in awhile something legit creeps onto the Top40, but in general it's the worst. I honestly don't even really know who listens to all of it...
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