Pop Music Now Sucks According to Science

[nilepez]

So pop music today is bad because it's repetitive (just like almost every pop song ever written). OK. Here's to you Mickey, My Sharona, and Why Don't we do it in the Road.

 

[Budzman]

Pop music makes me wanna pop my ear drums.

 

[SmokeRngs]

I agree, modern day pop is absolutely horrible! I would rather listen to the sound of nails screeching down the chalkboard than listen to that over produced/computerized crap they call "pop"!
Also, is it just me, or is the modern day country music just as bad? I'm a classic/old rock lover myself, but I appreciate all types of music. For the past ~10 years, everything popular that's come out of the "country world" sounds like pop with a fakey southern drawl.

This is the very reason I don't listen to mainstream country music anymore. For 10+ years it has been little more than rehashed pop and rap from the 90s. I didn't like the pop and rap in the 90s and I still don't like it now that they call it country.

Also interesting is that several of the local country music radio stations seem to realize the same issue. It's at least an hourly thing on some of the stations to play at least two songs from the 80s, 90s and early 2000s before the transition of country to pop music. There are also more and more oldies and classic country shows on the stations as well as time blocks where they play just about anything but the rehashed pop and rap music.

 

[bman212121]

So pop music today is bad because it's repetitive (just like almost every pop song ever written). OK. Here's to you Mickey, My Sharona, and Why Don't we do it in the Road.

Someone better "STOP! In the name of love"

It's not just pop that has catchy repetitive songs. Pretty sure someone figured out that formula long before computers were around.

 

[bman212121]

This is the very reason I don't listen to mainstream country music anymore. For 10+ years it has been little more than rehashed pop and rap from the 90s. I didn't like the pop and rap in the 90s and I still don't like it now that they call it country.

Also interesting is that several of the local country music radio stations seem to realize the same issue. It's at least an hourly thing on some of the stations to play at least two songs from the 80s, 90s and early 2000s before the transition of country to pop music. There are also more and more oldies and classic country shows on the stations as well as time blocks where they play just about anything but the rehashed pop and rap music.

That's the good and the bad with something going mainstream. Country is definitely mainstream right now, so you're going to get some processed garbage. That doesn't mean that all country music is trash, it just means that there is a larger mixture of music, some trying to have a more broad appeal. I think there have been some great songs in every genre, but there has been some terrible ones as well.

 

[S-F]

I don't need AI to tell me modern pop music sucks. My coworker listens to the radio.


I gave him that radio.




I hate that radio.

 

[MrDeaf]

Pretty sure someone figured out that formula long before computers were around.

One such person is this guy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Martin

 

[Azphira]

I've been listening to this guy lately.



Though I still do like the occasional pop.

 

[Deleted member 204526]

Modern country music is especially bad when it comes to repetitive homogeneity.

 

[nilepez]

Modern country music is especially bad when it comes to repetitive homogeneity.

I can remember Lucinda Williams calling it Nashvegas 20 years ago, so this really isn't a new thing. 80s country had it's fair share of pop. IMO, country has essentially been pop/rock music from 20 or so years earlier for about 25-30 years (maybe longer). And while we can complain about pop today, let's not forget that the 80s had plenty of god awful pop music. But I know people here will disagree, because they love the 80s-- a time when they were in their teens or 20s and most music was amazing

 

[Khahhblaab]

I don't need AI to tell me modern pop music sucks. My coworker listens to the radio.


I gave him that radio.




I hate that radio.

Lol. You gotta be careful who gets your hand-me-downs, bet you will stick to clothes now.

 

[rudy]

I do agree that today's music does suck, its just easy to produce quickly. Hell 95% of industry no longer writes their own music anymore they are just the voice talent and nothing more. That's why it sucks, nothing is from the gut or soul its just trends that writers observe and create from. Some of the best songs are from artists that can sing and write from what they are experiencing and most of which people can relate with. I promise that Katy Perry and Demo Levoto aren't living shit they sing about.

I cant agree with much of what is being said here. If I were to try to produce a nice product, do you think I would be more successful if I gathered the top talents from all over the world and had them collaborate, or if I expected a single person to do it all? Your argument is like saying people are stupid now because the school system has all these different teachers teaching them instead of just mom like in the old home school on the farm days. Music is a form of art, some art can be great if made by a single person, but there is a big space for art that is a collaboration of many great minds and talents. Even if you cannot appreciate it, I can still see the talent, heck I can still appreciate it even when its not something I particularly like. If someone just so happens to be very creative and write a good set of lyrics then I don't see any problem with a person whom has a great voice singing it, and another group whom is good at creating the beat all putting it together to make the highest quality product. This in contrast to expecting that person to learn how to sing, and play instruments and compose which is a life time of work, most of those songs would simply never see the light of day. Its funny to me how all these arm chair quarter backs love to diss the industry but I have to ask when you go to work does your company hire you to do 5 different jobs, IE are you the accountant, the engineer, assembler, the supply chain, and the marketing team? For most people no, you hire other people to help you.

I think the bigger issue is that when you are older you start to see repeating patterns. That's fine there is only so many ways you can string beats together, there are only so many styles of voices, and types of stories to be told. Eventually things have to repeat. Just like in the movie industry there are only so many compelling stories to tell. Someone whom is younger may really like something you find to be garbage because you feel it copies something older. But I think that to some degree the work had to be reimagined with modern technology and methods.

I think people should actually give the modern music industry a little more credit. They are dealing with a world where they have to be creative and come up with new stuff to sell when tons of stuff has already been done. Imagine if you were trying to sell cars in a world where cars never rust or go bad. It would be pretty hard don't you think?

I actually find it fairly impressive that now days we have this very wide music industry, there are groups composing music I can't even put my finger on and say what the genre really is. I think it speaks volumes to what is out there. Then you have the pop industry that just keeps cranking out the hits. While there are some covers I am surprised they can keep coming up with new ideas.

 

[Khahhblaab]

While there are some covers I am surprised they can keep coming up with new ideas.

I forget the artist but stating that when a rap song talks about love, a pop song or an opera, its all just different ways of describing the experience. Ooh, Ooh, aah, aah is fundamentally the same as achy breaky heart, the marriage of Figaro or ballet.

Imagine watching swan lake and seeing the similarities of 'bitches' getting champagne poured on them. A different way of telling the same love[sex] story.

 

[Hitti2]

All music sux nowadays. I always find myself reverting to classic rock/old rap/90's alternative rock.

 

[lostin3d]

I was going to post a link to the southpark episode, everything sounds like . . .but I'm experiencing a moment of denial about current pop. Yeah, it really does sound like crap. Overly produced, mass manufactured, formulated, recycled, reusable crap(small dedication to PF "Not now John").

 

[rezerekted]

Pop music has always sucked. Go back to the 60s Bubblegum pop era, horrible.

 

[Nobu]

I think we can all appreciate this little piece of musical satire.

 

[JackNSally]

This comment reads like someone who is too young to know what they're talking about. Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Bush, Stone Temple Pilots...bands no one's ever heard off and in no way popular...come on dude...

Alice in Chains or bust!

 

[SomeoneElse]

I cant agree with much of what is being said here. If I were to try to produce a nice product, do you think I would be more successful if I gathered the top talents from all over the world and had them collaborate, or if I expected a single person to do it all? Your argument is like saying people are stupid now because the school system has all these different teachers teaching them instead of just mom like in the old home school on the farm days. Music is a form of art, some art can be great if made by a single person, but there is a big space for art that is a collaboration of many great minds and talents. Even if you cannot appreciate it, I can still see the talent, heck I can still appreciate it even when its not something I particularly like. If someone just so happens to be very creative and write a good set of lyrics then I don't see any problem with a person whom has a great voice singing it, and another group whom is good at creating the beat all putting it together to make the highest quality product. This in contrast to expecting that person to learn how to sing, and play instruments and compose which is a life time of work, most of those songs would simply never see the light of day. Its funny to me how all these arm chair quarter backs love to diss the industry but I have to ask when you go to work does your company hire you to do 5 different jobs, IE are you the accountant, the engineer, assembler, the supply chain, and the marketing team? For most people no, you hire other people to help you.

I think the bigger issue is that when you are older you start to see repeating patterns. That's fine there is only so many ways you can string beats together, there are only so many styles of voices, and types of stories to be told. Eventually things have to repeat. Just like in the movie industry there are only so many compelling stories to tell. Someone whom is younger may really like something you find to be garbage because you feel it copies something older. But I think that to some degree the work had to be reimagined with modern technology and methods.

I think people should actually give the modern music industry a little more credit. They are dealing with a world where they have to be creative and come up with new stuff to sell when tons of stuff has already been done. Imagine if you were trying to sell cars in a world where cars never rust or go bad. It would be pretty hard don't you think?

I actually find it fairly impressive that now days we have this very wide music industry, there are groups composing music I can't even put my finger on and say what the genre really is. I think it speaks volumes to what is out there. Then you have the pop industry that just keeps cranking out the hits. While there are some covers I am surprised they can keep coming up with new ideas.

Not sure where your argument starts here. I didn't say music across the board sucks, but i am saying the industry just dumps BS out and has little depth. Can you agree with that? If not i guess that's where the argument ends. We will have to agree to disagree.

Pop music is literally all genres, its the "popular" music of the time the "Top 40" songs people are listening to.

noun
noun: pop music

1. commercial popular music, in particular accessible, tuneful music of a kind popular since the 1950s and sometimes contrasted with rock, soul, or other forms of popular music.
   • dated
     a pop record or song.

 

[joseardzm]

There is good music, one has just dig a bit to find it. Everything that is pop and mainstream is shit now.

 

[hlfbkd420]

I find myself listening to the music my parents had on in the early 80's.... That I absolutely hated back then....

But then again.... I do like my share of metal...
Tool / Nine Inch Nails / 3teeth / Primer 55

 

[naib]

 

[Tsumi]

Well I guess I am far away from that. Vocaloid techno and trance (mostly trance) with the occassional dubstep, hard rock, and ballads.

 

[Dr. Righteous]

I think grunge rock was the last good popular genre... if you could ever call grunge popular...

If I was going to date "the day the music died" it would be the end of the last century. What is call pop produced since 2000 I've tried to listen to with an open mind, and sorry. It's garbage. What is considered music by "the kids" now I find it painful to listen to. And I'm just and old fart that was big prog rock and metal fan in the 70s and 80s.

 

[MrBonk]

As is old pop music wasn't homogenous and repetitive.

The entire music industry, with it's "Only hits are good music" nonsense it drives is the entire reason this happens. They go forward find the new trend, that becomes the target, next one. So on. It's been that way since there has been a commercial music industry.
Sounding different is only good when it's the right moment for the next trend to start.


Any thought otherwise is just anyone blinded by "Well back in my day the music wasn't like this because I say so!"

 

[MrBonk]

This doesn't really mean anything, because collaboration between writers and composers doesn't mean something is going to be designed by committee.

Just another example of "In my time music was better because of [insert random reason here]".

 

[bman212121]

I'd just end up quoting almost everyone in this thread if I tried to, but this thread just keeps pulling the hits. People need to step back and look at things holistically. Every generation had stuff that was garbage. Anyone saying that the 90's had great songs needs to remember that the 90's also produced "The macarena". I can basically bet that someone on here could point out similar references to almost any period in time.

I wouldn't go as far to say as all popular songs are bad either, but history has a way to completely weed out the fads and the trash, until it's time for someone to recycle it as something new.

 

[nilepez]

All music sux nowadays. I always find myself reverting to classic rock/old rap/90's alternative rock.

"Rock is not music," said most people your age 50 years ago.

 

[nilepez]

This doesn't really mean anything, because collaboration between writers and composers doesn't mean something is going to be designed by committee.

Just another example of "In my time music was better because of [insert random reason here]".

The thing we don't know is who the primary writers were. I have little doubt that if the Beatles were to write the same songs today and George Martin did exactly what he did in the 60s, Martin would get a writing credit on some songs.

I don't know if producers get money on each unit sold, but if so, then that may be the reason for the change. Most aren't buying music anymore, but it does get streamed and played on the radio and there are mechanical royalties for song writers. I'll ad that I suspect that not everyone on those songs gets an even split. Generally the lyricist gets 50% and those that write the music get 50%

I'd just end up quoting almost everyone in this thread if I tried to, but this thread just keeps pulling the hits. People need to step back and look at things holistically. Every generation had stuff that was garbage. Anyone saying that the 90's had great songs needs to remember that the 90's also produced "The macarena". I can basically bet that someone on here could point out similar references to almost any period in time.

I wouldn't go as far to say as all popular songs are bad either, but history has a way to completely weed out the fads and the trash, until it's time for someone to recycle it as something new.

and don't forget "i'm too sexy" Honestly I'm sure there were tons of shit songs in the 90s, I just don't remember them anymore....same with most in other decades, because we don't listen to shit songs for 20+ years...or even 10+ years.

That said, it's ridiculous to think a bunch of old farts on [H] have any clue what's going to last. Nobody thought Bohemian Rhapsody was going to have the legs it's had in the mid 70s. Hell, I knew people thought the last part of the song ruined the song.

 

[seanreisk]

Taste in music is a malleable thing.

Pop music has always existed. It used to be bubble-gummy stuff that sounded like a kids show, now it's electronic dance stuff with a softcore video. Kids are the major money market for recorded music, and big music offers them something sexy and easy to stomach - pop music survives because it represents the sex symbols of each emerging generation. Big music corporations aren't offering your kids ugly pop stars, and once a pop star reaches a certain age then big music dumps them. But this article is right, current pop music is really getting homogenized, it all sounds similar.

Most people grow out of pop, which is good, but on the flip side it's also true that after age 26 most people wall themselves off and refuse to try new music. Your taste in music should always be expanding.

Not all pop is bad. Here's a few newer groups that are on the edge of pop that I appreciate - I have only included samples where the group played live (and there are no rickrolls):

1. CHVRCHES live on NPRs Tiny Desk.
2. London Grammar live on KEXP.
3. Alvvays at the CBC Music Festival.

But, if you like something harder, I give you ....

4. BUCKETHEAD! (A man! An action figure! A cult! A starving artist!)

P.S. I have played so much Fallout 3 / Fallout New Vegas / Fallout 4 that I actually LIKE the fucking music, and that's something that surprised me. I've got the soundtrack. I've been on a Nat King Cole binge lately. If I'm in Fallout 4 and I hear a radio playing "Anything Goes," then I turn on my PipBoy.

 

[naib]

This doesn't really mean anything, because collaboration between writers and composers doesn't mean something is going to be designed by committee.

Just another example of "In my time music was better because of [insert random reason here]".

it does. How many words are in biebers baby?

 

[ChadD]

To many how to write a pop song classes.... really you can attend those. lmao

There is some interesting new music out there, its just not what is promoted by the greedy record industry who are to scared to have a down quarter to not put the "pop" de-polish on any actual new talent they find. Most are to scared to even go that far and prefer to just hire song writing teams and the same 4 or 5 producers to create crap for the same handful of no talent faces.

The pop artists of the 70s 80s and most of the 90s would never play anything bigger then a bar today, the record companies are to scared to let their numbers slip to take a chance on individual artists they can't brand and own.

 

[Comixbooks]

MTV created all popular music from the 80s and up until MTV was no longer considered the soul source of all popular music. The problem with music today the artists don't take risks and just sing what maybe the Radio might play. Also genetics people are no longer born with Deep voices due toe DNA manipulation so Heavy Metal bands no longer have aggressive vocals.

 

[Whach]

Autotune. Fucking evil.

 

[c3k]

So, if the songs can be written by AI, that means that the singers/performers can be replaced by AI. Does that mean that Beyoncé, et al., have failed a singing Turing test?

I always thought it was more about them shaking their boobs and flashing their ass, than it was about whatever words and sounds surrounded them. Or did I miss the point?

 

[Hitti2]

MTV created all popular music from the 80s and up until MTV was no longer considered the soul source of all popular music. The problem with music today the artists don't take risks and just sing what maybe the Radio might play. Also genetics people are no longer born with Deep voices due toe DNA manipulation so Heavy Metal bands no longer have aggressive vocals.

MTV turned to teen bs shows.
11pm every night in the 90's MTV had alternative nation, MTV died long time ago.
I mis alternative nation with great bands playing.
I just cannot understand how ppl are liking the new shit whether it be so called "rock, country, new rap is garbage, w/e else", because of this they get ratings and think its good music.

Tupac, three 6 mafia, deftones, old metallica "especially song "One"", supertramp, old weezer, old korn, puddle of mud, STP, warren g, johnny cash, creedence, eagles, nirvana, pearl jam, smashing pumpkins, NIN, alice in chains, sound garden, rage against the machine, pantera, collective soul, silver chair etc are all great.

I have to say it again, all new shit SUX.

 

[bman212121]

I have to say it again, all new shit SUX.

Nope. You just need to explore music. Given the bands you listed, I think you'd be all about Saint Asonia self titled album that was released in 2015. The lead singer is former Three Days Grace lead singer Adam Gontier, oh and the band's guitarist came from Staind. If you don't have this album I suggest you go out and purchase it immediately.

 

[FrgMstr]

I am a born and bread metal head. But for some reason, I love Britney Spears' music. My wife laughs at me all the time, just as she did a few minutes ago when she walked into the office and I had that video playing. What is wrong with me? I need to wash my brain out.

 

[nilepez]

Autotune. Fucking evil.

I'm not a fan (mostly because it's overused, but before Autotune, they fixed vocals by varying the speed of the tape as needed and a lot of Autotune is used an effect, not entirely unlike the a flange effect used by the Beatles and many other artists over the years..

And I'm sure that most 40 and 50 somethings hated those effects in the 60s and beyond

 

[dethklokworkorange]

I agree, modern day pop is absolutely horrible! I would rather listen to the sound of nails screeching down the chalkboard than listen to that over produced/computerized crap they call "pop"!
Also, is it just me, or is the modern day country music just as bad? I'm a classic/old rock lover myself, but I appreciate all types of music. For the past ~10 years, everything popular that's come out of the "country world" sounds like pop with a fakey southern drawl.

It's not just you. The "Bro-Country" invasion and movement towards mainstream pop makes it difficult to determine which genre of radio station you're listening to anymore, much less tell any of the "artists" apart. I went about a decade thinking I didn't like country music any longer, and it turned out they just quit making it in Nashville, as that's all that gets on the radio. But they've been at it the whole time in Oklahoma and (as much as it pains me to admit) especially Texas, where the regional "Red Dirt" scene is alive and well. Sure, Nashville is trying to play catchup, after seeing Chris Stapleton with the guy from Nsync, and remembered what country music was supposed to be. Check out the Turnpike Troubadours, Jason Boland, Wade Bowen... There's plenty of good new music out there, you just have to know to look for it.