[DaveSmith99]

Pop music has steadily become louder and blander over the last 50 years, according to a new scientific study.

A Spanish research team analysed pop songs recorded between 1955 and 2010 by delving into an extensive archive called the Million Song Dataset. After applying algorithms to the music in the archive, they found that pop songs have become "intrinsically louder" and less varied in terms of chords and melodies.

Explaining his team's findings, Joan Serra of the Spanish National Research Council told Reuters: "We found evidence of a progressive homogenisation of the musical discourse. In particular, we obtained numerical indicators that the diversity of transitions between note combinations – roughly speaking chords plus melodies – has consistently diminished in the last 50 years."

Serra's team also wrote in their study – published in the Scientific Reports journal - that pop music's "timbre palette" has become less extensive, meaning that songs are featuring fewer and fewer different sounds.

However, Serra's team found that pop music has advanced in one area over the last 50 years: so-called "intrinsic loudness". This term refers to the intensity at which a song is recorded, so a song played at the same volume as another can seem noisier if its "intrinsic loudness" value is greater.

Source: http://www.nme.com/news/various-artists/65153



I for one am not suprised.

[Id and Ego seek]

We really didn't need scientists to confirm this lol

[ROYP]

what a waste of time

[thetobbit]

"Wow thanks for letting me know Mr. Scientist"
"no problem Timmy now run along"

[Bulbasaur]

Well I guess this is measurable evidence to say that music is actually getting worse. At least, the musicianship side of it. Quite sad really but very unsurprising.

Then again, I'd be quite interested to hear what songs were included. Personally my music taste is going in the opposite direction, and I don't just listen to old bands.


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[glousck]

I'd be more surprised if they' said pop music had 'scientifically' got better.

[rmpr97]

Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out

[Bulbasaur]

(Original post by rmpr97)
Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out

Indeed. That's why they aren't rocket scientists


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[Olie]

(Original post by Id and Ego seek)
We really didn't need scientists to confirm this lol

Exactly, anyone can see that a lot of the stuff in the charts is getting worse. But then again the problem is that there's a demand for manufactured pop at the moment, seems like all you need for a successful pop song these days is a few boring, predictable lyrics about partying or sex with a generic dance beat behind it and radio 1 will play it every 5 seconds

[PoGo HoPz]

Well that's just completely destroyed my love for music.

Scientists are like the keyboard players of the music world. What girl would ever look twice at them when compared to the lead guitarist?

[Denacio]

I wouldn't say it got more bland, but so much as just sh1t

[+ polarity -]

No ****

[A Mysterious Lord]

And the stating the obvious award goes to...

[A Cat]

(Original post by Olie)
Exactly, anyone can see that a lot of the stuff in the charts is getting worse. But then again the problem is that there's a demand for manufactured pop at the moment, seems like all you need for a successful pop song these days is a few boring, predictable lyrics about partying or sex with a generic dance beat behind it and radio 1 will play it every 5 seconds

is there? Or is that what we've all been told?

If you want good music you'll have to look to the past.

[Gob Bluth]

(Original post by Id and Ego seek)
We really didn't need scientists to confirm this lol

This. Which idiot would make a study like this? Pop music used to have Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin. Now it has the likes of One Direction. Very few artists even above average in any sense. It's been going gradually downhill past 35 or so years.

Pop music is aimed at selling to young teenage girls primarily. That's where the market is. I don't particularly care. There's enough amazing artists out there now. You just got to look for it a bit more.

Pop music gets crapper, though music has stayed at a steady line of quality, i think with the 90s being the one decade where it was on a slightly different level of quality. Huge levels of innovation then. But that's a new debate altogether.

[aspirinpharmacist]

At least we still have access to 50's music though.

[Gary Barlow]

Most things in the media have dumed down, music being one of them.

Record companies and the like are probably fed up of pumping money into risky musicians who actually may have some artistic value. Far easier just to find a good looking girl with a nice voice and get her to advertise pepsi and cosmetics while releasing a few catchy songs. And hey if they can be a judge on a couple episodes of X factor even better.

[Politricks]

Who would have guessed?

[RollingDylan]

I think it's also because of the way youth acts today.
I mean, if you look at the 50s up to the 90s, musician were often expressing a form of social awkwardness. There were things happening, teenagers were new in the 50s, with a new music. In the 60s, people were rising up ...

There doesn't seem to be much inspiration today because our youth doesn't seem to rebel against anything. We seem to be accepting a lot of things. And musicians have nothing to say apart from sleeping with each other.

Or, have we fallen in a generation that doesn't care anymore ?
Are we the Hedonistic Generation ? Where we've accepted that politics are never going to change, so what's the point ? Let's just drink and have sex all night long and do the same tomorrow.

But also with new computer generated music, people are lazier than ever before. So music is repetitive, and people like that. To make a number 1 hit, you need a melody that is repetitive and that sounds like an ''anthem'' and that can be danced to.
And if you watch live music of today, it's mostly about the shows. Artists need to impress people with big effects on stage these days.

I personally think that the music of today is a big pile of ****
But there must have been people in the old days that thought the Beatles were **** compared to Sinatra Same story, different generations

[Gob Bluth]

(Original post by RollingDylan)
I think it's also because of the way youth acts today.
I mean, if you look at the 50s up to the 90s, musician were often expressing a form of social awkwardness. There were things happening, teenagers were new in the 50s, with a new music. In the 60s, people were rising up ...

There doesn't seem to be much inspiration today because our youth doesn't seem to rebel against anything. We seem to be accepting a lot of things. And musicians have nothing to say apart from sleeping with each other.

Or, have we fallen in a generation that doesn't care anymore ?
Are we the Hedonistic Generation ? Where we've accepted that politics are never going to change, so what's the point ? Let's just drink and have sex all night long and do the same tomorrow.

But also with new computer generated music, people are lazier than ever before. So music is repetitive, and people like that. To make a number 1 hit, you need a melody that is repetitive and that sounds like an ''anthem'' and that can be danced to.
And if you watch live music of today, it's mostly about the shows. Artists need to impress people with big effects on stage these days.

I personally think that the music of today is a big pile of ****
But there must have been people in the old days that thought the Beatles were **** compared to Sinatra Same story, different generations

That's just a load of rubbish. I don't understand why people group today's music with the mainstream. It doesn't go far to explain a lacking of intelligence. Basically you are just explaining commercial pop music, something which is a tiny fraction over the whole state of music today.

And for the record, music is as good today as it was in the days of Dylan, Zeppelin, Sabbath, Floyd, Velvet Underground etc.

The people who though the likes of The Doors etc. were bad and untalented at the time were clearly as stupid as those who think that now. It's called a failure to embrace quality new trends and new quality music styles.

To conclude i can tell you computer created music is as difficult skill to master as learning the piano. Knowing both skills (piano to high standard) i understand this. The art of djing properly is also a completely amazing skill and takes years to master.