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The Battle of Music Genres

djbad

djbad

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We all hear "the music industry is dead", "music isn't what it use to be", etc. But, when asked to give examples of what kind of style is ruining the music industry, rap and RnB is usually brought up as the style of music that is lacking from what the singers of those genres use to entertain us with.

Is country, rock, heavy metal, classical, gospel music and other genres of music share the blame in the decline of music? Or are these genres of music still thriving? Or are they not what they use to be either?

Could it be that those of us that don't like the music of today are just getting older and we miss those performers that we grew up listening to and just don't understand this new music that the kids are in to?

You as a fan, what do you think musicians should do to get back on the right track to appeal to your ears again?

Discuss!
 
I know what you mean. Since the late-90s, the music industry has been steadily declining, and I'm sure it has to do with what was happening around that time (boy and girl bands were becoming more widely popular, and artists had to rely less on their talent and more on marketing appeal to make it in the music industry.) Another problem that current musicians face is the single factor (they're pressured to pump out four or five hit singles, and are forced to fill the rest of the album with filler.) Now and then, there comes an artist who can fill a whole album with great songs (like Robin Thicke, Mariah Carey, John Legend, etc), but most of the time, they have to work so fast at getting the music out there that they don't have time to pick out the best tracks.

There's bad music in every genre, though, it's not only limited to one artist or style.
 
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In the past most acts did gigs for years in bars and clubs before getting "discovered" by a label, so developed their own sound and perfected it. Now acts are put together on a TV show. They don't know each other and don't have the same interests. Old bands and groups usually were friends already and were into the same things. Also labels in the past were started by music fans or former musicians, now it's just some people who went to college that run the labels. They have no interest in what they're selling as long as it sells and makes money for the stockholders.
 
I constantly think about this. It really makes me sad. Music has been with human beings for thousands and thousands of years. The industry can't be dead--I'm still young. :cry:

Maybe the 'death' of the industry for a bit will bring on the resurrection of a brand new one. I certainly hope and pray so, God. That's my shining ray of hope I'm hanging onto right now. :pray:
 
I think in the past people started to make music because they were into art, expressing themselves through music. Now these young acts start to make music because they want to be stars and celebrities. Their motivation is wrong and that has a negative effect on the music and overall on the whole industry.

Also it became over-controlled by the business and marketing side at the cost of the artistic side. Now it's managers and labels those tell acts what to do, what to wear, how to behave. Of course, it's nothing new, after all that's what Motown did to the J5 also, but at least as adults they could break out of that and play their own music and do their own image.
 
Right. Maybe certain artists will get tired of "being a slave" for this dog-eat-dog industry... grow some fucking balls, and break free to express themselves with their music the way they want to. Many, many artists have done just that in the past and have succeeded... SSssooooo... where the HELL are these 'individuals'???

:ph34r:​
 
TheOriginalPYT said:
Right. Maybe certain artists will get tired of "being a slave" in this dog-eat-dog industry... grow some fucking balls, and break free to express themselves with their music the way they want to. Many, many artists have done just that in the past... SSssooooo... where the HELL are these 'individuals'???

:ph34r:
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They're most likely acts who release their music independently. An act on a major label doesn't have much choice as to what to put out. Very few acts on majors have artistic freedom and they're mostly older acts. That's why Prince left the majors. But independents don't have the financial backing and distribution networks that a major has.
 
DuranDuran said:
They're most likely acts who release their music independently. An act on a major label doesn't have much choice as to what to put out. Very few acts on majors have artistic freedom and they're mostly older acts. That's why Prince left the majors. But independents don't have the financial backing and distribution networks that a major has.
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Right. It's called pioneering... and these 'robots' are scared to break free and make a change. Where there's a will, there's a way. :angel:
 
TheOriginalPYT said:
Right. It's called pioneering... and these 'robots' are scared to break free and make a change. Where there's a will, there's a way. :angel:
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It doesn't work like that. Performers are the employees of the record company. It's like any other job. If you're working someplace and don't like how it's run, you can't tell the boss or CEO to do something else, unless you want to be fired. A doctor working at a hospital can't say, "These drugs are garbage, let's use herbs and natural remedies." All they can do is leave and start their own business. But the medical establishment still has the most power, money, and influence. The majority of people are not going to the herbal doctor, so it doesn't really matter if a few people rebel and do their own thing. If your job has a conservative dress code and you decide one day you want to wear a pink mohawk and some platforms, what's going to happen? You're not going to be pioneering a new dress code, you'll just be out of a job. It's the same with the record business.
 
TheOriginalPYT said:
Barriers can be broken. Period. We should all know that. :smilerolleyes:
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Not if you're under a contract. The company can always sue the act and they have enough money to drag out a case in court, but the act doesn't. Look at what happened with George Michael when he tried to fight Sony or Prince walking around with "Slave" written on his face and using the symbol as his name for 8 years until his contract with Warners ran out. It didn't hurt Sony or Warners, but it did hurt Prince & George whose popularity dwindled. Record contracts are always in the labels' favor, that's why they own the master recordings. A few acts own their masters like U2, Motley Crue, & Genesis (except the 1st Genesis album), but most don't.
 
^^^ Dude, I can't read your post 'cause I just put you on ignore, sorry. You don't have anything better to do than lurk around in MMTWGR and correct every single person's opinion on here. You're just a naysayer who obviously doesn't 'get it'... and I have no interest in debating with you. -_-
 
The last credible rock movement was grunge in the early 90s. There have been no great rock bands to emerge in the last ten years, especially when you think of the great rock bands of the 80s (Guns N Roses, Metallica) and 90s (RHCP, Stone Temple Pilots, Nirvana, Foos).

Who do we have now? King of Leon? Sorry, that doesn't quite cut the mustard.
 
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