• GHiLA@sh.itjust.works
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    3 months ago

    Pop is just as manufactured and fake as it always was, with the exceptional trend setter or two doing their own thing, but what’s just below the surface is always just as good as it always was.

    As a fan of hardcore, electronica, folk, metal, and all of the genres that fall under them, I still get new bands. I still get new releases. I get cheap as fuck concerts and still get cool merch and awesome vinyls. I have zero to complain about. Hell, Primus, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer just made an album together, in 2024.

    Anyone who says music sucks now doesn’t really listen to that much music to start with. Music is just fine, man. Maybe look a little deeper than the pudding skin.

    • MeatsOfRage@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Exactly. I wish these types of posts would change “music these days” to “pop these days” because that’s what they’re talking about.

      It’s debatable when pop actually began but pop as we know it really codified in the 80s with dawn of MTV and acts like Madonna and Michael Jackson. The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Queen, etc were popular but I wouldn’t classify any of this as Pop. Pop has always been pretty people because it was by its nature tied to a visual medium.

      People need to stop using Pop as a stand in for all music. We have more access to music than ever before and a lot of the music I listen to regularly, I have no idea what they look like.

    • Bone@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      I hear you and agree with much of that. I am a fan of multiple genres as well. But, as far as it goes for jazz, jazz is dead. Anyone still attempting to play it is often a sad version of what was once great in the 50s/60s/70s. So while there’s plenty of music in other genres I like, always more to find from those time periods, as well as still enjoying the classics, it’s a little upsetting good jazz is dead, modern jazz is trash, and people who think they know jazz these days actually refer to some other genre, like rock. Somewhat sad.

        • Bone@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          I have not. Thank you.

          I definitely don’t know where to look these days. I believe I was previously recommended SmallsLIVE, also on YT, but admittedly haven’t spent much time there. https://youtube.com/@smallslive?si=b4mxAHP1xqxv7QNm

          I’ve also been listening to Avishai Cohen, a bassist, for the past many years, who has modern things and may still be active. Jazz is just not mainstream in any way anymore. And most people don’t know what it is.

      • GHiLA@sh.itjust.works
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        3 months ago

        Jazz, to me, a layman to the genre comes off as anything from Miles Davis and Duke Ellington to soundtracks composed for animes, to progressive epics that span twenty minutes and spin into a free form improv that’s somewhere between art and math.

        But aside from it being a flavor other things come in, like a jazzy rock band, Mars Volta or a jazzy metal band, like Opeth, or a jazzy singer, like Michael Buble, I don’t know jazz.

        I don’t think as a normal person that I’m exposed to pure “jazz”, whatever it dilutes into, but I’m fascinated by the chance that there might be something I’m missing that you might mention.

        • Bone@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          I suppose I don’t know a ton. My earliest entry was that of Buddy Rich, the drummer. As a drummer, I wanted to relate. Play fast and all. Haha. Though my playing has all but ceased (the stomach drum and desk drum will always live on!), my love for his often high tempo pieces lives on. He played songs I believe others played as well. His versions were just more upbeat!

          I’ll give you an example of a group I didn’t like all that much and that was the Glen Miller Orchestra. Even as a jazz fan I can hear the style of jazz people refer to when they talk about “music to put you to sleep.”

          But BR was just the beginning. It sounds like you know more than most believe it or not. Miles is great and I think I have more to discover there even.

          The latest artist I found, new to me, also from the 50s/60s I believe, is Bill Evans, a pianist. It was a YouTube comment I came across that mentioned Evans to now be their “piano daddy” and from what I’m hearing, I’d have to agree. 😁 But, again, I only know so much. (Talk as if I know it all though…)

          • TopRamenBinLaden@sh.itjust.works
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            3 months ago

            Buddy Rich was good for his time and influential and all that, but the instrument has evolved so far since then.

            Check out Matt Gartska and a band called Animals as Leaders for a great modern jazz drummer.

            • Bone@lemmy.world
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              3 months ago

              The first song that came up for me on YT by him was Physical Education. There’s a lot of rock in there. He reminds me somewhat of a Dave Weckl or Carter Beauford even. Some of the instrument’s evolution I’m not interested in.

              Google classifies Animals as Leaders as a progressive metal band…

              • TopRamenBinLaden@sh.itjust.works
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                3 months ago

                Gartska’s main band is a progressive metal band but the drummer is a jazz drummer through and through. Just look up some of his workshops and playthroughs if you just want to see simply good drumming. Most progressive metal is basically heavy jazz.

                I understand its different strokes for different folks and all, and appreciate you giving them a chance and responding.

      • A Phlaming Phoenix@lemm.ee
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        3 months ago

        Awful take. Last weekend I saw Mike Dillon with Phunkadelick playing with Brian Haas on the Rhodes organ. They played a wild punk-jazz show that is one of the best shows I’ve ever attended. There was a mosh pit at a jazz concert where a primary instrument was a vibraphone.

        In recent years, I’ve greatly enjoyed things like AKU!'s album Blind Fury (drum/trumpet/baritone sax trio) and Ambrose Akinmusire’s Origami Harvest. A lot of modern jazz is blending in electronic influences, like Sungazer. Maybe you don’t like these things, but I can’t imagine calling jazz dead.

        • Bone@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          I’m not sure that’s jazz anymore, but maybe I have more to learn. I wouldn’t go to a jazz concert with a mosh pit. The two don’t go together.

          • A Phlaming Phoenix@lemm.ee
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            3 months ago

            Isn’t the core of jazz improvisation and breaking the “rules” of music? If that’s what they’re doing, why would we disqualify it as jazz? A lot of folks had this opinion of Miles Davis doing jazz fusion in the 70s on Bitches Brew and Live/Evil with his squeaky, borderline abusive trumpeting, or of Herbie Hancock doing weird space synth stuff on Sextant and funk fusion on Headhunters. I don’t see how what you’re saying isn’t just gatekeeping that’s not really in the spirit of jazz.

  • Graphy@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Ugly people make music all the time.

    You really gonna tell me Ed Sheeran is good looking? Post Malone?

    • swim@slrpnk.net
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      3 months ago

      But the contention is about music being better, and that’s some bad music.

      • Graphy@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Did we read the same post?

        Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it

        I guess your comment makes sense if you find those two attractive.

        Like I get the boomer joke of music these days sucks but my comment was leaning into joke.

        • swim@slrpnk.net
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          3 months ago

          Your comment makes sense in the frame of “ugly people are allowed to make music,” my comment refers to the “music was better” part of the post.

          The ugly people you mentioned don’t support your comment’s argument against the original assertion because their music is terrible, not “better.”

          Some music sucked in the boomer’s days, made by ugly and pretty people alike.

  • synae[he/him]@lemmy.sdf.org
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    3 months ago

    Yea that’s why metal fuckin rules. We got the ugliest guys ever altogether in one room and said “what you got?” and they became legends

    And for anyone that might say that doesn’t happen anymore, I ask: how many open mic nights or $20 shows have you been to lately? The scene is doing great in my area, but it doesn’t happen by magic. Ya gotta support it, spread the word, bring your friends.

    • arefx@lemmy.ml
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      3 months ago

      More of a hardcore guy myself but we’re equally as ugly so I stand in solidarity

    • Mbourgon everywhere@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Yeah, no kidding. I just bought tickets for a $15 show that has multiple bands and included a overseas band. I mentioned to them that they should’ve upped the prices to $20.

      Also: Sturgeon‘s law still applies: “90% of everything is crap“. Music is so amazingly easy to make these days you can do it on your phone (and I believe a Grammy nominated/winning album did so). Which means that there are literally thousands of albums every year, And so there will be a lot of crap. But between Bandcamp and Spotify and SoundCloud (and so on, even self-hosting), this is the freaking plutonium age if you like new music. There is literally so much that you can’t possibly keep up with it, even in sub genres. And there are some amazing gems coming out daily

  • Mac@mander.xyz
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    3 months ago

    “Ugly” people still make music but apparently you don’t listen to it. Shameful, tbh.

    • Bone@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Nah, generally yes, but this particular follow up is hilarious. When ugly people made it haha

    • macrocarpa@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      tbh we are all just snapshots of ourselves at different stage of the same cycle. The Simpsons did a whole thing about lolapalooza which starts with homer looking for his favourite artists in a record store, and the record store dude, and being directed to the oldies section.

      The bands that feature in that episode are the smashing pumpkins, soundgarden , cypress Hill and Peter Frampton, all of whom appear in Spotify old school lists

      • inb4_FoundTheVegan@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Oh sure, everything new becomes old eventually, that’s just how time works. I’m more poking fun at those who let their nostalgia determine what is worthwhile.

    • reddig33@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      Why is it that most manufactured pop from before you were born still sounds good, but most manufactured pop after your 40s sounds irritating as fuck? Like, I could dig some “Charleston” from the 1920s but Ashley Simpson is barf-o-rama.

  • Yerbouti@sh.itjust.works
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    3 months ago

    Lol, do you think only pop star music exist? It’s actually the contrary that happend. Now, more than ever, anyone can make music. This is a really bad take.

    • Goodie@lemmy.world
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      3 months ago

      I think the actual take is probably closer to “I wish we went back to a time when record companies would take a bet on anyone, regardless of the overall package, looks etc”

      Which tbh, is probably more of a fairy tale view of years olden days than anything else.

      • Pilgrim@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Exactly. I don’t think it’s hard to see what OP meant here.

        And I think it’s still the case that they prefer certain types of people to push in the music industry

      • WoahWoah@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        Yeah, by recycling a phrase so popular you can buy it on bumper stickers and tshirts and literally reposted from reddit r/showerthoughts six years ago.

        slow clap

      • Yerbouti@sh.itjust.works
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        3 months ago

        Some kid on tiktok probably got 20k+ upvotes in the last 20 minutes for pissing in a MacDonald’s fryer or something. Does that make it quality content?

          • Yerbouti@sh.itjust.works
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            3 months ago

            Not only do you have insanely idiotic takes on music, but you also have some of cringiest flex out there. Lol, I hope you’re not more then 12 because that’s really embarrassing. im14andthisisdeep level shit.

            • Dr. Wesker@lemmy.sdf.orgOP
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              3 months ago

              Imagine being an adult and repeatedly trying to argue on the internet with a 12 year old.

              • Yerbouti@sh.itjust.works
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                3 months ago

                So you are 12 I knew it! I’m actually 13. Wanna hang out and listen to music? I have the new "Wheelchair Sports Camp " album, we can check it out!! (seriously look it up - the track Yes I’m a mess and Denim, love this shit).

  • taiyang@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    Yeah no, that’s just a cranky old guy thought. Just today I was watching fairly average looking people promoting music on late shows. You’re probably getting a very thin slice of pop music and ignoring everything else (and hell, even pop breaks that rule sometimes).

    Plus, physical beauty and music are both subjective. I try to not get all “old man yells at cloud” about how music “used to be better”.

    • mister_flibble@lemm.ee
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      3 months ago

      Tbf, I think radio absolutely used to be better before iheart and their ilk bought fucking everything and turned every goddamn station into a hypersanitized prepackaged mix of the same 10 bloody songs over and over. Therefore, by extension, I could 100% see how someone basing their opinion on what actually gets radio play could easily arrive at the conclusion that music is worse now.

      • OneCardboardBox@lemmy.sdf.org
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        3 months ago

        I’m very lucky to have an independent radio station in my area. It’s run by a nearby college, but they let anyone take training to become a host.

        They don’t always play music I like (hell, they don’t always even play music) but I’ll deal with 30 minutes of buddhist chanting because the variety can’t be beaten. Also, they have no ad breaks.

        • taiyang@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          Oh man, my independent station is wild sometimes. It swaps between a lot of genres, from punk to classical. They played an Earthbound video game cover once, even. My npr station is relatively fine too.

          Corpos 100% ruin radio, though, and that’s been true for a long time. Stations often get incentives to pay the same songs and that’s only gotten worse with time. True across all popular genres, too.