When did mainstream music start to go downhill?
- Thread starter MJfan63
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Yeah 90’s. But there are a few exceptions, all this subjective I guess.
Shouldn’t we be asking why?
Is it that culture/society can no longer produce as many weirdos with depth as it once did?
I think it's because record companies were just playing it too safe with artists back then. Prior to the 90s there were plenty of weirdos but they didn't give a shit and made amazing music.
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Anonymous
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Are you a Michael Jackson fan? I love Michael Jackson.
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and now.
So you think there are still plenty of weirdos today ? That are of the same depth and originality as say Dylan, Bowie, Morrissey?
Nah, is dead. There hasn't been an iconic star since the 80s. Everything is too fragmented
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This is interesting.
But why is that?
Regardless of the record industry,
why can’t society produce artists like that anymore?
Also, what do you mean by fragmented?
Fragmented so music isn't the main cultural force it once was between the 50s-80s, is just a part of it. It isn't the main thing now and it hasn't been for like 30 years. Is gonna take a lot more to create intentional stars.
Why can't society produce artist like back in the day? The rise of the internet killed it and because record companies don't allow artists to have creative freedom.
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Yes I can see that and agree.
Don’t know about that, entirely.
I can see how the internet can shape a child/teenagers attention, it’s much easier to be entertained by the internet rather than be bored and angry so one would have to create their own ‘entertainment’.
So without the internet, there’s more of a chance that an individual in their formative years would look inside themselves rather than outside themselves for an authentic form of happiness.
Yes, but even if there were no record companies there would still be artists. I’m more interested in why
there seems to be no artists of the same caliber of a Kate Bush, Leonard Cohen, etc posting on YouTube or Bandcamp.
Is there something in the water supply that’s missing these days?
Is it just too clean ?
Surface
Chilling in Cheshire.
From my perspective it’s just time moving on as we get older. My Mum was into Johnny Mathis, Charles Aznavour and Jean Michell Jarre, imagine the shock on her face when I played her Sheena is a punk rocker. I also think by theres a lot of great music around nowadays, pre pandemic and due to the Mancheter Arena attack, I went along to gigs with my youngest daughter and bands like the 1975 generated just a much excitement for my 17 year old and the other 20k people there as The Smiths did for me in my youth.
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nicky wire's legs
Christ is king!
whenever 'train' came around
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Trans
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Streaming changed the game for mainstream music and major labels. Many folded and many merged meaning they compete less for artists meaning they have to promise artists less. On the other hand people have more and more options to listen to all kinds of stuff from all over the world. All I f this means major labels more now than ever have pressure and opportunity to make the artists and art they put more ha doors of a product which takes the fun out of the whole ordeal
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Anonymous
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As soon as it went over the top.
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Trans
Guest
It could have plateaued for a bit
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What is "mainstream music" and are you sure that whatever it is has gone downhill? As others said it's harder to get into music the same way you did as a teen, though it can happen. As far as "no iconic artists since the 80's that's not true. I got pretty sick of him but it would be hard to deny Kurt Cobain was iconic.
Staying iconic is more of a problem now. I think the career cycles move faster. One thing about the 80's is that all of these artsists started using multiple producers and attempting to do different genres so that they could have hit singles in different markets. Michael Jackson was the template but lots of people copied it. And a record might be out more than a year and still have new singles being released from it.
Now when someone releases a new record physical singles hardly exist and they might push a new song every week so that there are multiple singles competing at once. The record has to sell as much as it's going to sell almost immediately because the promotional push will be over soon.
There are also so many markets now that instead of watching MTV and waiting for something you like, you can just go online and find it and other songs like it. Instead of everyone hearing the most popular artists there are artists who are huge that are only know to those who listen to their genre. That K-Pop group that had fans buying wrappers from their specially branded McDonald's meals is kind of iconic to people that listen to that music but I don't even know their name. I think it's three letters?
Staying iconic is more of a problem now. I think the career cycles move faster. One thing about the 80's is that all of these artsists started using multiple producers and attempting to do different genres so that they could have hit singles in different markets. Michael Jackson was the template but lots of people copied it. And a record might be out more than a year and still have new singles being released from it.
Now when someone releases a new record physical singles hardly exist and they might push a new song every week so that there are multiple singles competing at once. The record has to sell as much as it's going to sell almost immediately because the promotional push will be over soon.
There are also so many markets now that instead of watching MTV and waiting for something you like, you can just go online and find it and other songs like it. Instead of everyone hearing the most popular artists there are artists who are huge that are only know to those who listen to their genre. That K-Pop group that had fans buying wrappers from their specially branded McDonald's meals is kind of iconic to people that listen to that music but I don't even know their name. I think it's three letters?
Breton La Villain
Well-Known Member
I don’t know I would not say the 90’s well maybe the late 90’s maybe.But I think it was more towards 2007 all the best music was going away my young days were coming to a end,music changed I think as you get older your music taste changes sad part of life but I don’t let get me down.Whatever young people think is music the mainstream pick up on most of it very manufactured & tinkered around with like the circus.MTV still played music and was popular in the 90’s not just Nirvana and Madonna but look at the good dance music before it became watered down.Now people can just choice a list of the best music artists they like on You Tube Without going to radio or MTV young mum tv.
Catholic
English Blood, Irish Heart
Interesting thread!
I can hardly comment on post 90s music, as I know visually none of it.
But from the little I see of popular culture, at least the Anglo-American popular culture that saturates the Anglosphere, a lot of it seems bland, formulaic, identikit . . .
A result of the Thatcher-Reagan revolution in part, I imagine, and the capitalist pressures it liberated.
I wonder what others think, not just about music, but all popular culture?
I can hardly comment on post 90s music, as I know visually none of it.
But from the little I see of popular culture, at least the Anglo-American popular culture that saturates the Anglosphere, a lot of it seems bland, formulaic, identikit . . .
A result of the Thatcher-Reagan revolution in part, I imagine, and the capitalist pressures it liberated.
I wonder what others think, not just about music, but all popular culture?
Stephen Hofmann
Well-Known Member
Were you excited by the 1975? I've heard one of their songs..........sounded like bland modern pop to me.
Stephen Hofmann
Well-Known Member
Mainstream music is chart music. Whatever's most popular.
