[VBQ]

This is an issue I feel really strongly about so I'm going to get straight down to the points I want to discuss.

Alright, first off, I would like to ask, how can a group such as One Direction produce music? Of course I use the word in its loosest possible sense, but still, how can a group of teenage boys who have no previous background relations be put together on a show such as the X factor for example and then be expected to produce music which, in essence, is "about something?" This is a question I have been asking myself ever since I first watch the X factor around 2-3 years ago. I have considered that maybe the answer is that they are not expected to produce what most people would term music but rather are chosen based on their looks, their voices being auto-tuned later.

The second point I would like to discuss is people who used terms such as "emo" as an insult when describing bands for example: My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco. Whilst none of these bands are in fact of the "emo" genre, that is beside my point. I cannot understand how the majority of the population favor the likes of Lady Gaga and Nicky Minaj over such bands and even more shocking to me is the level of hostility fans of these "emo" bands receive from even the most unlikely sources. Now, I'm going to come clean here, I am a fan of all three of the a fore mentioned bands, but let me set another thing straight, I do not go around abusing/insulting other people based on their music taste. There are areas in my city and I am sure many other cities across the country where I would face being confronted and even attacked simply for wearing a t-shirt bearing the logo of My Chemical Romance. Getting back to my original point, why do most people prefer to listen to "main stream" artists who often promote drug use and underage sex (sorry, beginning to sound a little conservative there ) than so-called "emo" artists whose songs are often much less offensive and actually have a meaning?

My third and last argument for today sort of ties in with the last, why do parents who seem to be constantly worrying about teenaged pregnancy and the growing number of cases of conditions such as anorexia spend all this time worrying and then, for their child's birthday, go out and buy them the latest Rihanna record? The airbrushed images of what appear to be these "perfect" men and women who are being promoted not only through the mass media but by the children's parents are likely to have a profound affect on young, impressionable minds? If the child sees the world looking up to a size zero model, it's natural for them to want to look the same in order to be liked and to make their parents proud. It seems to be a very confusing topic, your thoughts?

PS: Sorry for the major rant, had some stuff to get off my chest

[Pheylan]

(Original post by VBQ)
why do parents who seem to be constantly worrying about teenaged pregnancy and the growing number of cases of conditions such as anorexia spend all this time worrying and then, for their child's birthday, go out and buy them the latest Rihanna record?

Because most parents are bad parents

"Quit tryin to censor music, this is for your kid's amusement
(The kids!) But don't blame me when lil' Eric jumps off of the terrace
You shoulda been watchin him - apparently you ain't parents"

- Eminem

[VBQ]

There's a lot of truth in that I think!

[metalthrashin'mad]

TBH panic at the disco and fall out boy aren't exactly the epitome of great music with great meaning.

[+ polarity -]

(Original post by VBQ)
Now, I'm going to come clean here, I am a fan of all three of the a fore mentioned bands

lol

[twinlensreflex]

My parents made a heck of a fuss about me listening to MCR when I was younger, it was really 'wtf?' seeing as it was one of the few things I could find that had some meaning to me.

Maybe popular music does have some meaning to whoever listens to it, but it sure doesn't to me. But I often think I belong several decades ago.

[VBQ]

True they're not full of meaning but I think they have more than 90% of the chart, and I don't think its relevant whether or not I like or dislike the bands mentioned? None of my points are based around my personal taste

[Greenlaner]

Pop music is designed to make record labels as much money as possible and thus it generally must follow a strict formula in order to appeal to the masses. It is not supposed to be meaningful, original and certainly not controversial (and im talking about real controversy, not the Daily Mail getting offended by half naked girls in music videos "controversy").

[HeyyImRyan]

(Original post by Nicki Minaj)
You a stupid hoe; You a stupid, stupid hoe.

compared to...

(Original post by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus)
I will never let you fall, I'll stand up for you forever.

(Original post by My Chemical Romance)
I am not afraid to keep on living, I am not afraid to walk this world alone.

(Original post by Panic! At The Disco)
I know the world's a broken bone, but melt your headaches, call it home.

[seanfromtheblock]

(Original post by HeyyImRyan)
compared to...

to be fair, they're all pretty ****e

[willbee]

Lyrics and meaning is just one part of music. When I was growing up my favourite folk song was "The Well Below The Valley" which my gran used to sing to me. The lyrics are very repetitive and the narrative is actually about a priest who meets a girl who has been raped by her brother, uncle and dad, has had children by all three, and has had her children then killed and buried in various places. She says her true love was never born and he says she's lying, calling on his noble nature he reveals that he knows about her dreadful situation and he essentially says "Now you'll spend seven years burning in Hell (as punishment for being raped and having children out of wedlock) but if you really repent then the Lord may save your soul (afterwards), but only if you're lucky."

It's still a lovely piece of music though...

[helpmeoutbro]

(Original post by HeyyImRyan)
compared to...

this is ridiculous... i'm sorry but i am sick of people thinking they are superior. you compare ONE artist (who apparently epitomises all popular music) and your point is proven?

and FYI stupid ho (while not my taste at all) does have a meaning. she is talking about a stupid ho. sorry that meaning isn't good enough for you, i'm sure she cares.


oh and also, different people like different music for different reasons. i like some things in the current charts e.g. flo rida because they are good to dance to and fun to sing along to. i like eminem because i love his lyrics and beat. i love mozart because i find his music inspiring and beautiful. i like the kinks because it's chill out music and relaxing.

[So Instinct]

Standard of music has definitely plummeted. So have the creativity and intelligence that was once associated with it, all it is now is a cash cow.
I've given up an all current mainstream music, I don't support it figurativley or financially. However I did buy a brand new copy of the original "The Chronic by Dr Dre".

Although there are some very good non mainstream artists, personally I would like to mention people such as Mic Righteous, Lowkey, Kendrick Lemar and a few more. I like the depth, intelligence and heartfelt lyrics.

[willbee]

AND ANOTHER THING...

some music isn't supposed to be listened to while you're on a bus contemplating the meaning of life, it's supposed to be danced to. Thus, your argument is inherently flawed. In this sense, music hasn't gotten any worse...





Ramma lamma lamma ka dingity ding da dong
Shoo bop shoo wadda wadda yippity boom da boom
Chang chang changity chang shoo bop
Dip da dip da dip do wop da dooby do
Boogy boogy boogy boogy shooby sho wap sho wap
Sha na na na na na na na yippity dip da do
Ramma lamma lamma ka dingity ding da dong
Shoo bop shoo wadda wadda yippity boom sha boom
Chang chang changity chang shoo bop
Yip da dip da dip shoo bopp sha dooby do
Boogedy boogedy boogedy boogedy shooby do wap sho bop
Sha na na na na na na na yippity dip da do
A womp bop a looma a womp bam boom

[banyaz]

(Original post by So Instinct)
Standard of music has definitely plummeted. So have the creativity and intelligence that was once associated with it, all it is now is a cash cow.
I've given up an all current mainstream music, I don't support it figurativley or financially. However I did buy a brand new copy of the original "The Chronic by Dr Dre".

Although there are some very good non mainstream artists, personally I would like to mention people such as Mic Righteous, Lowkey, Kendrick Lemar and a few more. I like the depth, intelligence and heartfelt lyrics.

Agreed

[frankieboy]

What about music designed for dancing or "dance" music. I refer to either electronic dance music or dance music like Rock and Roll, Swing, Boogie, whatever.

I think it's actually undesirable to have too much meaning in these types of music because then it kind of takes the attention away from the rhythms and harmonies that are there to encourage dancing.

I've always actually had trouble deciphering the lyrics in a lot of music I hear, I just don't seem to be able to figure out what they're saying. Hence, I tend to glean meaning from the "sound" of the music. For example I like instrumental surf music. Or music that hits good resonances or emotive harmonic structure. But then again, this could count as the "meaning" of the music.

In other words, it's not just the lyrics that give the music meaning as I'm sure we all know, but the mistake often made by yer layman is to think that because the lyrics don't mean much, the music doesn't mean much. Best example of that is orchestral classical music. Edit - sorry, what I mean is best example of proof against that.

[frankieboy]

(Original post by So Instinct)
Standard of music has definitely plummeted.

I keep trying to kid myself that it hasn't. But yeah it has. If we're talking about mainstream music anyway.

Underground music or "fetish" or diverse music will always retain it's quality because it's not subject to the same set of priorities as mainstream music, which is of course money.

I saw Jools Holland on the telly once saying "You can either make music or you can make money. Very difficult to do both at the same time".

I mean how did we get from Cher using a vocoder as a novelty and techno acts using it as an effect to producers actually using it to tune the voice because the singer isn't capable of holding the simplest tune?

[helpmeoutbro]

people like to talk about the loss of meaning and the drop in standards of music so they can pat themselves on the back and say "well done, i am not like these drones, i am so different, i am individual and i can think for myself unlike these brainwashed sheep, i listen to real music... i am a real music fan. these other people know nothing about music".

the problem is, people have been doing this for centuries. when people started moving on from romantics to early 1900s music e.g. jazz, people would have complained about the drop in standards, the horrible new music etc.
the well known one is when you look at how people complained about rock and roll.
this has been going on throughout history. you are no different. that is not a bad thing. people in general terms are the same.

it will be a good day when people accept differences in tastes and move on. music is DIFFERENT now, yes. some music is well written, some is catchy, some is clever... some is just dire musically (e.g. if i plonked a few notes out on the piano and called it "Whisper in My Ear" and tried to release it)... but that has ALWAYS been the case. you just weren't around to hear it and it has been forgotten with time.


people also forget that "modern" methods of making music e.g. synth/computer programmes also needs a lot of talent... for example no matter how well aquainted i became with these kinds of things, i probably couldn't make something good out of them. just because they are new and non-traditional instruments does not make them a lesser instrument.

[Id and Ego seek]

Eh, I don't really see what you mean.

Before you came into my life
I missed you so bad
And you should know that
I missed you so, so bad

It's hard to look right,
at you baby,
but here's my number,
so call me, maybe?

Clearly this is top-notch, heartfelt quality music with a lot of soul and meaning.

[t0ffee]

Its as meaningful as it sells lol.