Modern Pop Life

Am I missing something?

What is with the state of "pop" music these days. Oh god I know I sound like a grumpy old man - and that may be closer to the truth than I'm prepared to accept, but seriously, the division between the musical "enlightened" and the masses seems to be widening. And this at a time when most music-files happily acknowledge themselves as having eclectic tastes.

I'm not sure if I should be happy or sad. Am I missing out on anything worthwhile by excluding myself from the realm of pop? Any precursory glance tells me that I'm not, but surely the current charts hold at least the occasional gem.

Respected and revered names in the music press (not least of all those marvelous chaps at the AV Club) seem to insist that there are more than a FEW gems to be found. Although I tent to disagree, I do note that the AV Club heaps all contemporary releases together in a broader sense. They're quite happy to review, say the new Raconteurs alongside Snoop Dogg.

While both of these artists fit within the Pop lexicon in a broader sense, neither make music specifically for the pop market (maybe Snoop does, but thats a different story altogether). What I'm taking exception to is the swag of "artists" in the Pop/R&B/Hip-Hop genres pumping out samey music year after year. It makes me think of some kinda chinese forced labour factory where producers and ghostwriters are forced to sit in appalling conditions churning out cheap knock-offs of REAL music.

Its not like the whole "ghost writing" technique isn't a valid or successful means to a musical ends. I don't (unlike many others) think that musical talent lies solely in the songwriting. A talented musician may be just that, and to no less credit to themselves. What I'm talking about is the generic rabble that fills the current charts. Synth/Hip Hop beat, R&B vocals and over-sexualised dancing. Everyone from Britney Spears to Chris Brown is caught in this web.

Maybe its the target demographic - without wanting to slam on any particular age group its easy to see how young people are easily sold on image, but that seems like a cop out. Young men will always listen to rebellious music (in my day it was Green Day and The Offspring) and young girls will always be wooed by pop sweet-hearts and crooners, but it wasn't always this bad.

Pop in the 60's can still be entertaining, and fun. The 70's showed their worth with the lingering influences of soul, funk and to an extent, punk rock. The 80's featured (despite being an overall ridiculous decade - but thats the topic of another post) a swag on artists who hold their own to this very day. That seems to be when it all fell down - pun intended.

People seem all to ready to accept that the "poor old" music industry is going through some turmoil. Few seem ready to accept that its the industry itself thats the cause. Why should people go out and buy new music when its just so banal at the moment. Pop SHOULD be enjoyable, not drivel. Try something new instead of pumping pointless fads, or samey junk.

Mostly, burn those Britney CD's.