Why do old people hate new music?

The Clarksvillian ^ | December 2, 2021 | Frank T. McAndrew

[NEMDF]

Good summary.

[Cold Heart]

“

[Qui is]

Because “new music” sucks.

I recall an interview with Don Henley from over 20 years ago when asked about rap/hip hop music. He said something to the effect of is a performer really a “musician” when they cannot read or write music, cannot play an instrument, don’t sing and “barrow” (or “sample”) music from a real musician’s published song as the basis for their song/music.

So, yeah, “new music” sucks.

[Olog-hai]

And don’t forget about Autotune.

[BudgieRamone]

I actively seek new music. granted its still in genres I listen to, metal, punk, country, folk and bluegrass. but I am not limited, I’ll try different stuff out of classification. If its good its good. Unfortunately, theres a lot out there thats not, even from my era. Some stuff I liked and listened to in high school didnt age well.

[HartleyMBaldwin]

Can’t spell “crap” without “rap”.

[viewfromthefrontier]

On the other hand, there are many interesting studies on how music is steadily devolving.

Cool - I'm interested! Please post links.

[EinNYC]

Maybe I enjoy music that has pleasant rhythmic tones and lyrics instead of discordant notes and absolutely filthy lyrics, often demeaning to women and police. A lot of “modern” songs reduce women to disgusting roles centered solely around their anatomy. Older music often actually told a story instead of simply dehumanizing its subjects.

[Vigilanteman]

Rap rhymes with crap for a reason. So much new music isn’t music at all.

[The Antiyuppie]

I think that I’m much more open minded. But the VAST MAJORITY of 21st Century “popular” music is crap. The audio equivalent of overprocessed soy.

About one piece of modern music every few years is listenable IMO; one every five years will wind up in my playlist.

[GingisK]

Absolutely. She says "can't tell the subtle differences..." between old and new. She would have to deaf to make that claim.

So, let me explain: Older music has a melody, and pleasant sounds. The lyrics were understandable and usually pleasant. Modern music is largely "bitching to bass". It has no melody, and mostly spews hate and anger. It sounds harsh.

Any other questions?

[Flash Bazbeaux]

OK, I HAVE to ask.

1. Are you still needed?

2. Are you still feeded?

[x]

Because there isn’t any.

[Tell It Right]

"I was amazed that the vast majority of songs they played at these parties were contemporary songs from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. I didn’t hear too many new songs."

Agree 100%. As a Gen-Xer with grown "kids" I can tell you my kids asked me to play my 80's songs again or turn them up a lot of times --- way more than I asked my parents to turn up their music. Songs from the late 70's to mid 90's are known by many more generations than any other era of music before or since. That tells you everything you need to know about which era had the best music.

[real saxophonist]

The vast majority of commercial/pop music these days is not even intended as music.

It is a manufactured product.

[Caipirabob]

It's a generalized statement that really doesn't respect any of us as independent thinking individuals.

And I'll leave it at that.

Maluma - Hola Señorita (Spanish and French)

[DouglasKC]

Music is emotionally branded.

Exactly. It's no coincidence that our musical tastes crystallize in our very emotional teen years.

[Sirius Lee]

Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin - these are the Himalayan peaks of Music. but it’s really downhill from there, and after the foothills of Ravel and Gershwin it turns into an vast plain of mediocrity. There have been a few bright spots/plateaus (John Williams), but almost everything after the 1930’s is dreck.

[Luke21]

It’s trash. A lot of ours was too, but we were too drunk or high to notice.

[SamAdams76]

This subject always fascinated me and in my younger days, I vowed to never be one of those out-of-touch old fogies who go around muttering about "kids today" and how their music is so horrible.

Yet here I am. I can't stand most of what passes for pop music today. I find much of it unlistenable.

Growing up, I used to listen to Casey Kasem's Top 40 and I pretty much liked all of it. Whether it was the soul music of Marvin Gaye, the rock and roll of the Rolling Stones, the new wave sounds of The Police and even the easy listening stuff like Carpenters, Jim Croce, Neil Diamond and Al Stewart.

Now I try to listen to Top 40 and it all sounds like the same over-synthesized beats with the amplified auto-tune vocals driving a hammer through your skull. Obviously the young folks like it though.

I wonder if that is how The Beatles sounded to my parents. Back when they became popular, the older folks criticized them for having out-of-tune guitars and poor musicianship (seriously!).