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Hop On Pop
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11/12/2013 6:28:34 PM
Are we in a new Golden Age of mainstream pop?
Don't get me wrong, I know that there is always a fair share of crap out there on the charts right now. However, there also seems to be a lot more QUALITY—even great—stuff on the charts these days:
• Daft Punk
• Janelle Monae
• Fun.
• Adele
• Lourde
There are more too that I am forgetting, I am sure.
I'm not saying that it compares to the heyday of Motown and The British Invasion. But... I am surprised at just how much quality stuff has displaced a lot of the crap on the radio.
And I know that there will always be room for the Biebers and Mileys, of course.
Still... am I crazy?
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Stoneman
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11/12/2013 8:56:55 PM
I concur........
Justin Timberlake! and Bruno Mars! 3 of the best Pop albums I have heard in quite some time! The songs are expertly crafted and definitely memorable.
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Old Man Warner
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11/12/2013 10:56:41 PM
I've got to say I disagree. Music ain't the way it used to be. Those bands you mentioned, they're boring if you ask me. McCartney is doing it 1000 times better and he's in his 70s.
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Stoneman
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11/13/2013 9:31:58 AM
I don't believe that music is supposed to be what it use to be. I think it should be what it is for today. Trying to compare McCartney with today's artists is like comparing Apples and Oranges. They are both tasty but two different things. Granted, some folks may not like Apples or Oranges. But millions of fans all over the world that are devouring new music have the final say on its worth. Old farts like us and our opinions about it are irrelevant. I love the music of the past as that was my era. But I am also excited to see young artists coming into their own with their own sounds and styles. People naturally resist change. Instead of critiquing new artists I prefer to encourage and mentor them. History has been written and the old guys like McCartney have had their glory. It can never be taken away from them. If you listen closely to today's artists you will here several elements of the past that are merged with a new innovative sound.
People that don't like it can just stay glued to the music of the past. There is nothing wrong with that. The past is over and it is not coming back. Break out your old records and enjoy yourself. But lambasting new artists because they don't sound like our old heroes is totally unfair. There is a lot of stuff out there that I despise but I accept it as the music that our current youth hunger for. Intermingled in the hogwash on the airwaves are some artists with awesome songwriting and performing abilities. It is wrong to say an entire generation of music is bad. With hundreds of thousands of recordings being released each year. That presumption is statistically impossible. There is good music out there. You just have to look for it.
Much Respect to you on your opinion. You are entitled to it. I respectfully disagree
By the way, a lot of critics have not been very kind to McCartney's latest work. They say he sounds dated. I also think those opinions are totally unfair. I love his new stuff even though it sounds a lot like the old stuff. So what, that's what I expect from him. Right?
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Neil w Young
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11/13/2013 10:43:18 AM
---- Updated 11/15/2013 8:27:46 PM
Interesting and respectful observation and thoughts, Stoneman.
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Chandra Moon
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11/13/2013 11:37:07 AM
I went and saw Paloma Faith live the other day here in Bristol - she is absolutely the real deal - fantastic live, amazing powerful voice, she looks gorgeous and writes all her own material! Pop isn't dead and it isn't all manufactured.
I go to tons of live music and it's alive and kicking believe me!
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Shoe City Sound
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11/16/2013 7:33:13 AM
Yeah, love the new Daft Punk cd and Adele and Justin Timberlake as well. There's always new stuff coming around. When that Cee Lo Green "Forget You" was so popular I was thinking how it sounded as good (well better because of modern production) as any Motown tune. I heard a Miike Snow cd recently that I thought was pretty interesting too.
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Richard Scotti
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11/17/2013 1:09:51 PM
Maybe the Bronze Age? :-)
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Dream Secret
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11/17/2013 11:37:26 PM
There seems to be a 'throwback' 1980's vibe in some of the music these days. Synthesizers are sort of back in vogue minus those horrible 'water tank' reverb drum sounds. I'd love to re-do Tears For For Fears (for example) without all that 80's production crap. There were many really good tunes that got wrecked as a result of 'modern' production. Gated reverbs indeed... I hope the artists who are inspired by the 80's leave out the bad stuff from that weird decade. I do like Alabama Shakes, Jake Bugg & a few others whose names escape me at the moment. Too bad they're music is getting pirated & they ain't seeing much money for their noble efforts.
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Dream Secret
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11/17/2013 11:39:16 PM
More like the 'Pewter Age' Richard! :-)
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Shoe City Sound
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11/18/2013 5:48:55 AM
I meant current day production when I said "modern" - didn't know if you were referring to my comment in your remarks about 80's production. Yeah, agree not a fan of 80's techniques at all.
D
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Richard Scotti
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11/18/2013 7:59:20 AM
---- Updated 11/18/2013 8:07:20 AM
Dream Secret - I also LOVE Alabama Shakes and Jake Bugg. There's a lot of good stuff out there today but it tends get lost amid all the hype of the other bullsh-t. I agree with you that 80's production values were freakishly grotesque! It was the decade of the drum machine and the cheap synth sound, ugly clothes and big hair. John Lennon was killed in 1980. What a bad omen for the coming decade in music! But to be fair, there was good stuff to be had like Michael Jackson, Prince and Bruce Springsteen but they were the exceptions to the rule. That being said I also agree that there were some great songs by other artists during that time that only failed in the production aspect. It's a genius idea to try and remake some of those songs with today's production values.
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Shoe City Sound
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11/18/2013 8:55:31 AM
Actually we did release a cd in 2000 (not under the name Shoe City Sound, though) but it had a cover of "Politics of Dancing" the 80's tune by Reflex, that got really good response. It was sort of dance/electronica in style but with real guitars and analog recorded vocals. Surprisingly, it made some decent money on iTunes and especially iTunes UK.
So valid point about re-doing 80's stuff.
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Dream Secret
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11/19/2013 8:53:45 AM
---- Updated 11/19/2013 8:57:23 AM
Richard - Thanks for commenting! I do like more 80's music than I thought. The Police hit their stride in the early part of the decade. Plus the artists you mentioned certainly were great. Michael Jackson had really excellent sounding recordings. Even the ones with 80's production techniques stand apart from most recordings of that era.
Shoe City Sound - That's great that you had success with an 80's cover tune! This reinforces my feelings regarding those great tunes that were 'truncated' by that 80's gloss most have grown to dislike.
So let us embrace the 1980's! The decade of water tank reverbs, new wave & many songs that will hopefully see new life in the not too distant future! And God Bless John Lennon!
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Richard Scotti
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11/19/2013 4:11:29 PM
The Clash, Blondie and Fleetwood Mac also rocked the 80's. Upon reflection, the era had more talent than I remembered!
Now if only we could get back to recording on 2" tape! There are so many people who think that a crappy mp3 through tiny little ear buds is the ONLY way to listen to music.
Even big speakers have gone the way of the horse and buggy. I wouldn't listen to music through an ipod dock if you paid me. It's little listening to a transistor radio.
So sad.
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