"All the good music has already been written" - Agree or disagree?

Agree.

The only two songs I have really liked in last 15-20 years and have on my iPhone are Blink 182 "All the Small Things" and Coldplay's "Viva la Vida".

I've enjoyed a few recent songs very much: "Lover Come Back" by City and Colour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Yb46QUpvuI

and "Ex's and Oh's" by sass pot Elle King:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uLI6BnVh6w

But the last time I heard something new that really knocked me sideways was about 10 years ago [wince] "Hold On, Hold On" by the awesome Neko Case.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0vk5SGmw3w

I thought of something recent that had knocked my socks off, but on further research, I found it was a cover of a song first recorded in 1978.

Strongly disagree.

I think there is a lot of good music out there.

However, being someone in my 50s, it's harder for me to get excited about something as I've seen too much before. Part of what made a lot of my favourite music so special was that it was part of growing up. I've done grown up (as far as it seems that I will) and hence, that's not going to happen.

I enjoyed the songs posted by NMB above.

An album that made an impression on me recently is The 1975's second album. It's catchy, and has some interesting unusual lyrics. It's not similar to Eagles in any way. E.g. this song:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSnAllHtG70[/ame]

Another good recent song is Fader by The Temper Trap. But, when I listened to their other music, I wasn't so impressed. Ended up downloading this one.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xQF0gerTtM[/ame]

I really like Wang Chung's recent song Space Junk. IMHO it's better than any of their songs that they released when they were big stars in the 80s. EDIT: This was released in 1997? I didn't find out about it until it was used in a scene in 'The Walking Dead' in 2010. I'll leave it here as I like it.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH-juksSMxM[/ame]

I look forward to hearing other good recent music.

EDIT: An older artist, admittedly, but Paul Simon's latest album is IMHO really good. As is David Bowie's last album. Really good songs on both.

If we're looking for songs in the styles of the 1970s, 80s, 60s, etc. then most of the best artists are likely to be doing more modern things. But, IMHO Bruno Mars' song 'Treasure' would be one of the classic disco tracks had it been released in the 1970s.

The Monkees song 'You Bring The Summer' written by Andy Partridge would again be a classic 60s song if it had been released in the 60s instead of in 2016.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7vDvVLvTd8[/ame]

Strongly Strongly disagree.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwjCvu4dYWY


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxa0JQrtBvQ

:rockguitar:

I strongly disagree too. I know a lot in the younger generations really haven't made that much that will be lasting but it is out there. Unlike in the past you really have to search hard to find it. There are so many talented younger musicians but radio and the mainstream won't play them. That's why I listen to a lot of alternative rock and indie bands as they for sure still are making great songs. I do listen to today's country too but it's really more of what used to be adult contemporary as there are so many country artists mixing genres now. I also have hope for the future and kids today when they become adults and those not born yet, and eventually this pop/dance craze will end and go back to more rock music being popular.

I strongly disagree & suggest this be moved to the Singing For The Sake Of The Song Forum.

As well as the most recent albums by the last lineup of the Eagles I continue to buy albums by my favourite artists Paul Simon, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Neil Diamond, Robert Plant, Joe Bonamassa, Kate Bush, Noel Gallagher etc and if Peter Gabriel releases a new album I will be first in line. Those are not 'new' artists, true, but the music they make is still relevant to me.

ETA: I left out the most important of all, Mark Knopfler. :rockguitar:And Randy Newman.

The world has also changed. There's more and more pop/rock music around and people are also harder on the new stuff. Great songs are composed all the time. Also, the "I was doing something special in a special place at a special point in my life with a special person when this song played on the radio, so it's better than any new song" factor is undeniable. Just my opinion. New albums by old artists are usually treated unfairly. And mediocre songs on their old albums are considered better than great songs on their recent albums. This is very bizarre. For example, I'm a huge Bowie fan, but there are songs on Hunky Dory that I'm pretty sure no one would have been interested in if Bowie had released them in the 90's.

Also, there will always be great new music that is not "hit music".

I agree about moving the thread - so it is done.

As far as my opinion about the topic - I'm gonna have to give some thought to what I want to say about it.

I don't hear enough new music to be able to judege. I feel like I'm still catching up on old music.

One newer artist who caught my attention is a throwback to blues-rock of the late 60s/70s and that's Joe Bonamassa (also mentioned by FP). I heard "Sloe Gin" on a Classic Rock guitar playlist and immediately started to research. That song is a cover of a 70s song and I'm not sure how much of his material is new but that's not the kind of research I'm interested in. If it sounds good, I don't care when it was written.

I really like JD SOuther's latest album, Tenderness, and I prefer it to his 70s material.

I hear the occasional good song on the tv but I rarely put the effort in to find who it is. For example, I liked "Peeling Off the Layers" by Wildbirds and Peacedrums that was used for the tv series, "Fortitude".

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Originally Posted by UndertheWire

I hear the occasional good song on the tv but I rarely put the effort in to find who it is. For example, I liked "Peeling Off the Layers" by Wildbirds and Peacedrums that was used for the tv series, "Fortitude".

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My television remote control has a button whereby if it is pressed, it looks up the currently playing music in a music database. It doesn't always find tracks, but this has been useful over the years.

Good call on the move, sorry about posting wrong forum.

Dreamer is teasing us! Looking forward to her take on this.

-jl

Dreamer is a lady and a scholar.

I quite enjoyed (am still enjoying) Justin Hayward's most recent solo album, Spirits of the Western Sky. He and Jon Anderson of Yes are rather rare birds: songwriters who continue to be prolific and keep the quality high well into their golden years.

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Originally Posted by NightMistBlue

Dreamer is a lady and a scholar.

I quite enjoyed (am still enjoying) Justin Hayward's most recent solo album, Spirits of the Western Sky. He and Jon Anderson of Yes are rather rare birds: songwriters who continue to be prolific and keep the quality high well into their golden years.

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I think there are a number of older artists who are still writing very good material, and releasing it, but it's not being noticed by too many people. Neil Finn's most recent album is IMHO very good, and he's recording another one now.

While music generally sucks these days at least what makes it to radio...the premise of this post is so so wrong in many ways.

Back in 1963 one could have asked thensame question...or in 1945....and then the beatles happen...or the eagles...or the doors...etc...

Besides that, theres great songs in other countries you never heard that are great, but were never imagined in English. I have a connection with Brazil and there is a huge history of great pop music since the 60s over there that you guys never heard. Im so grateful f knowing another culture as i have basically two sets of pop culture music knowledge....what we all know here...Eagles, Beatles, Stones, pink floyd, disco, heavy metal etc.... But also just as iconic music from brazil from all these last decades. So to look at the limited english language music world and assume its all been done...it so so so wrong.

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Originally Posted by OutlawManNJ

Besides that, theres great songs in other countries you never heard that are great, but were never imagined in English. I have a connection with Brazil and there is a huge history of great pop music since the 60s over there that you guys never heard. Im so grateful f knowing another culture as i have basically two sets of pop culture music knowledge....what we all know here...Eagles, Beatles, Stones, pink floyd, disco, heavy metal etc.... But also just as iconic music from brazil from all these last decades. So to look at the limited english language music world and assume its all been done...it so so so wrong.

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Could you post some excellent Brazillian music?

Here's a song I really like from Japan.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W93B9-epb4[/ame]

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Originally Posted by Annoying Twit

Could you post some excellent Brazillian music?

Here's a song I really like from Japan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W93B9-epb4

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I could select from hundreds of soldiers and artists....i could post rock, soft rock, bossa nova etc....

But to keep things simple....this is the go to song when you want to show somebody what they havent been aware of all their lives....that music is not just what they though they knew it was. Its beyond whats in the rock and roll hall of fame or some rolling stone list of greatest songs ever that leaves out songs like this.

This is a duet between Elis Regina and Antonio Carlos (Tom) Jobim. She was a famous singer in Brazil in her prime while he was already a legendary artist that had even done a record with Frank Sinatra. As a 10th year recording aniversary present for her the Record company setup a duet album between these two. This song and video is the gem. must watch

Http://youtu.be/E1tOV7y94DY

I mostly agree with the OP. Most music today doesn't hold up compared to yesteryear. Certainly pop music has taken a nosedive and most rock music today is just that, they forget the roll, so to speak.

There are a few exceptions for me but by and large I believe it to be true for rock n' roll.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by UndertheWire

I don't hear enough new music to be able to judege. I feel like I'm still catching up on old music.

One newer artist who caught my attention is a throwback to blues-rock of the late 60s/70s and that's Joe Bonamassa (also mentioned by FP). I heard "Sloe Gin" on a Classic Rock guitar playlist and immediately started to research. That song is a cover of a 70s song and I'm not sure how much of his material is new but that's not the kind of research I'm interested in. If it sounds good, I don't care when it was written.

I really like JD SOuther's latest album, Tenderness, and I prefer it to his 70s material.

I hear the occasional good song on the tv but I rarely put the effort in to find who it is. For example, I liked "Peeling Off the Layers" by Wildbirds and Peacedrums that was used for the tv series, "Fortitude".

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Most of his material is original. We will be seeing him for the second time in September. Great singer, great guitarist. Sloe Gin is awesome.

The op question isnt if there is good music today,..... The question is has ALL GOOD MUSIC BEEN WRITTEN.

VERY DIFFERENT QUESTIONS.

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Originally Posted by OutlawManNJ

The op question isnt if there is good music today,..... The question is has ALL GOOD MUSIC BEEN WRITTEN.

VERY DIFFERENT QUESTIONS.

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The way that we could demonstrate that it's likely that good music will be written in the future is to show that good music is still being written today. Things don't change fast enough so that the 29th June 2016 will be the last day that good music is written.

Said another way, "What songs of the last 10 years will still be played 40 years from now?" Like the Eagles, AC/DC, Journey... all our classic rock or even country (Brooks&Dunn, George Straight, Garth Brooks, etc.)

I try to listen to current pop songs (I have to, I have a 15 and 12 yo daughter). All the songs sound the same, there's no "catch", there's nothing that makes me want to play it over and over, it doesn't create a personal reaction in me like "Already Gone", "Take It Easy", "Lyin Eyes" do.

Is it an age thing? A resistance to change, try new things? I have no idea.

-jl

I don't think that's it entirely - I've heard many young people say that contemporary music, whether pop, rock or "urban," is rubbish. Perhaps it's not fair to play works by geniuses like Marvin Gaye or Brian Wilson and compare it to what's going on now, but it has seemed for some time that the quality of music across all popular genres has taken a steep dive.

It's a complex subject, as you know, with the cause attributed to many factors: technology making people lazy; visual appeal/style being more important than learning the craft of music; digital music becoming free; the lack of powerful gatekeepers/tastemakers such as Ahmet Ertegun, Mo Ostin, Jac Holzman, etc.

Music I don't like, per se, but appreciate the talent/uniqueness of what they did; Eminem and Justin Timberlake.
-jl

Have to disagree. Good music is always being written that we don't hear. Just go out to an area Open Mic Night and listen to all the new talents trying to gain a foothold in the musical sphere.

Now, of course, the commercial songwriting quality of yesteryear WAS better, but that doesn't mean there aren't still some out there today making some worthwhile noises. After all, not all of us can possess the songwriting prowess of the Eagles, the Beatles, the Moody Blues, or a Harry Nilsson or a Tom Petty.

Some of my favourites over the past 2 decades include "Superman" by Five for Fighting, "Drops of Jupiter" by Train, "Unwell" by Matchbox 20, and several songs by Sarah McLachlan. Occasionally, I'll listen to the catchy "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley, but not too often.

I've listened to a ton of "new" music and it's awful.. It's not even real for one, using computers, drum machines, auto-tune, and it's still garbage.

The last good song I heard was by someone who started in the 60s.

Again it depends on which genre you're talking about. There is good new music out there but you have to find it since most record labels won't put it out or radio won't play it. I listen mostly to country and alternative/indie rock and there is good music in those genres still. Even some pop I do like but it's usually something that is different like Adele or Mumford & Sons. I too am tired of the dance/computer driven pop/hip hop music out there and seems like a lot are as well, so hopefully these younger generations and kids when they grow up will change it. Plus a lot of rock groups from the 90s and early 2000s (my teen years) are back and actually making good music again. Seems like since the 50s there seems to be these trends of when dance music gets popular it's followed by rock music taking back over so hopefully that's the case again soon.

I wonder if there is a finite number - combination of notes, if you will - that the human ear finds pleasing. I'm speaking strictly of melody. If so, then perhaps it is inevitable to exhaust the possibilities? I don't know.

Paul Simon was quoted many years ago as predicting there would be "no more melodies" in the future. Clearly - as popular music across many genres will attest - he was right.

I haven't been able to find that original Paul Simon quote, but I'd love to know what the context was. He probably meant -- though it's dangerous to assume -- that melody would become unfashionable, because of the overemphasis on rhythm in rap and dance music. Or the decline in musicianship and the craft of songwriting as technology took over. He *may* have even been speaking on the theme of "there are only so many pleasing combinations of notes/all of the possible great songs have been written."

It takes a very small change for a piece of music to sound different. There are a limited number of notes, but that's like saying that there are a limited number of letters in the alphabet. There are, but there is still a practically unlimited number of ways in which letters can be combined to make different paragraphs, pages, novels.

Letters are in some way simpler than notes. E.g. there is no 'timing' for letters, only an order in a word or sentence. Notes can also be played at once to make harmony. Chord progressions can make the same melody sound different. There are huge numbers of ways in which melodies can be varied and made different. I don't think that there is a practical limited number of melodies any more than there is a limited number of sentences that can be written. In theory there is a limited number, but we're not going to run into it.

The number of possible melodies and variations is mathematically infinite BUT "that the human ear finds pleasing" is the caveat.

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Originally Posted by NightMistBlue

The number of possible melodies and variations is mathematically infinite BUT "that the human ear finds pleasing" is the caveat.

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But surely the same applies to the number of sentences that make sense. If we generated random melodies by choosing random notes at random times (which I have actually done), then the huge majority would sound awful. If we generate random sentences by choosing letters and punctuation at random, similarly the huge majority would make no sense at all.

I still think the two situations are similar.

I was reading a Tood Rundgren interview today and this bit reminded me of our thread discussion:

As a musician, nobody but you really knows how much you draw on your influences. Especially when you start out, you’ve got a few principal influences and you tend to sound like them. But as you broaden your musical horizons, you have others, and ideally they blur into something that people assume is you. But only you know how much you’ve stolen directly from your influences. And the art of music is somehow obscuring that. Music is the most plagiaristic artform there is, because you have such a small range of resources available to you. You’ve got the western 12-tone scale. That’s essentially 11 notes. So you’re eventually going to run out of melodies, just by the pure mathematics of it. So the whole art of making music is trying to obscure the fact that this is a melody from another song and has just been changed in subtle enough ways that you don’t recognize it. It’s when somebody like George Harrison just completely lifts “He’s So Fine” and calls it “My Sweet Lord” that you get in trouble.
https://www.yahoo.com/music/collabor...150024609.html

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NightMistBlue

I was reading a Tood Rundgren interview today and this bit reminded me of our thread discussion:

As a musician, nobody but you really knows how much you draw on your influences. Especially when you start out, you’ve got a few principal influences and you tend to sound like them. But as you broaden your musical horizons, you have others, and ideally they blur into something that people assume is you. But only you know how much you’ve stolen directly from your influences. And the art of music is somehow obscuring that. Music is the most plagiaristic artform there is, because you have such a small range of resources available to you. You’ve got the western 12-tone scale. That’s essentially 11 notes. So you’re eventually going to run out of melodies, just by the pure mathematics of it. So the whole art of making music is trying to obscure the fact that this is a melody from another song and has just been changed in subtle enough ways that you don’t recognize it. It’s when somebody like George Harrison just completely lifts “He’s So Fine” and calls it “My Sweet Lord” that you get in trouble.
https://www.yahoo.com/music/collabor...150024609.html

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Such a very good quote, NMB! I like it when a very creative person can also take an intellectual approach to their craft.
As an aside, I'll tell you that I love Rundgren. :nod: I guess you've read that he was among those receiving honorary doctorate degrees this year from Berklee. Lucinda Williams was also honored- another favorite of mine.

I did not know that - thank you, Luvy.

I shall now listen to some Todd in your honor. How about "Can We Still Be Friends?" I love that song :)

You like the hard-livin' gals, don't you? :wink: The babes who've been around the block. Carlene Carter is one of my faves, but I wouldn't wish what she went though on anyone. Luckily, she's a survivor.

P.S. Joe Walsh is on a track called "Sleep" on Todd's new album.

there are going to be exceptions here and there like music my brother introducted me to (Tame Impala, Real Estate) but neither of those groups are really the type to hit the top 40.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NightMistBlue

I did not know that - thank you, Luvy.

I shall now listen to some Todd in your honor. How about "Can We Still Be Friends?" I love that song :)

You like the hard-livin' gals, don't you? :wink: The babes who've been around the block. Carlene Carter is one of my faves, but I wouldn't wish what she went though on anyone. Luckily, she's a survivor.

P.S. Joe Walsh is on a track called "Sleep" on Todd's new album.

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Thanks so much for the info on Joe! :-)
Now I'm going to listen to some Carlene Carter, in your honor. :-)

I don't like any new bands in the last 30 years.. I wish I did -- it'd give me something to look forward to, a new album, concert, etc..

I really, really miss being enthralled about a new song/album/artist.

Though I will say... a couple of times recently I was working for several hours in an environment where I was forced to listen to recent alt-pop (is that a term?) music and it didn't suck. I actually enjoyed some of it :)