Pop Slop or Musical Messages?

[ABSTRUSE]

I was recently reading a blog about music. Basically saying how today's Pop music is mindless droning and nonsensical lyrics.
Music to me has messages, but I must admit if the beat is good, the lyrics mean nothing to me.
I don't condone violent lyrics, not my thing.

What do you think of today's music? Pretentious crap or just popular fodder for the masses?
What do you look for in your musical selections?
Is it the music? the artist? the lyrics?

Just curious.

 

[rgraham666]

That's something for history to decide whether today's music is crap or not. Most music won't be remembered in twenty years so you can't say it's important.

If I had to order my preferences it would be music, lyrics and artist.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I'm a metalhead, so it's all about the violent rythms and such to me. Not necessarily the lyrics, but the music itself had to make me want to jump up and about and flail my arms spastically. Or bob my head to the rythm and shout out along with the vocalist (I hardly call any of them singers, most metal doesn't have singing anymore).

And I never really cared for "pop" music. It just doesn't interest me at all. I need something with an edge to it.

 

[MagicaPractica]

Well, I don't think we can lump it all together. Some of it is pop slop and a lot is written my writer's just like ourselves who write for a variety of reasons and have something to say.

One song pops to mind, though it's probably a couple years old and I can't think of the title, that says, "Fathers be good to your daughters, daughters will love like you do." He does include mothers too, the point being that people learn to love from their parents and parents need to keep that in mind when raising children. It was a very poignant song for me.

As long as there are writers, there will be songs that say something. There will also be songs that are more about the music and songs that are complete drivel.

I do have to take issue with Rob's statement that "Most music won't be remembered in twenty years so you can't say it's important."

Perhaps it won't be remembered but perhaps music is more about teaching us to be in the here and now, something a lot of people really miss out on by living in the past and dreaming about the future. If a peice of music brings me joy in the here and now, motivates me, and helps me do more than just make it through another day, I think that's pretty important.

 

[3113]

I was recently reading a blog about music. Basically saying how today's Pop music is mindless droning and nonsensical lyrics.

Heh. Isn't that what's said about every generation's pop music? Sinatra's pop songs were mocked, so were the Beatles. And frankly, a lot of them were mindless droning with nonsensical lyrics. I suspect that this complaint, like the one about "kids today" being rude and horrible, has been around from the dawn of humanity. The elders of some caveman tribe probably said it about the way their kids drummed and sung around the fire.

Okay. Pop music is mindless and nonsensical. So what? Does that make it any less enjoyable? There's always a place for music that just makes us feel good rather in the way a chocolate bar does. And there's usually something else out there that has incredible lyrics and a very mindful tunes. Bob Dylan was playing his mindful songs at the same time most rock bands were playing empty pop songs. One (the mindless music) doesn't erase the other (the mindful music).

 

[jomar]

Probably music, lyrics, artist.

I like a lot of today's music and my kids like a lot of the music I grew up with.

 

[christabelll]

I recognise the lyrics and for the life of me I cant remember either who wrote it! (Pink? Dixie Chicks?)
I listen to such a variety of music! From Classical to New Age to Metal to Pop...
There is a TON of POP slop out there. Most of it barely merits a listen let alone a search on lyrics etc... But there are a few artists out there still that make a statement, teach us something, remind us of higher ideals, etc...
Pinks - Nobody Knows - saw me through one of the worst excruxiatingly painful times in my life... Nickleback, Los Lonely Boys, Evanescence all have intense powerful things to say...

"Umbrella..." the current one hit wonder is just awful...there are no redeeming qualities to it.

While Sex drugs and rock and roll are intrinisic to the current music scene, any more its slop, commercial crap that sells and thats about it...

Nellie Furtado surprised me with a couple of songs I adore, Amy Winehouse as well...

But when I am pissed? Needing to do major house overhauling? Give me Panterra and NIN - Downward Spiral in particular...

Blue October, Lincoln Park (surprisingly good lyrics there!) yep
its not all pop slop... THANK Freaking God...

On Another day - its Will Ackerman and Michael Hedges or some rendering of celtic music....

So I think its really on the individual listening to discern if its slop or worth hearing and listening to more than once. Music is the language of the soul afterall, The ones that will be remembered 20 years down the road as having touched us, shaped us, awakened us, angered us to action...

Have no fear, just select your playlists more carefully.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Random thoughts;

O Tempora, O mores... Every generation goes to the dogs.

Abs, did that blog offer any comparisons? What did they think was the golden age of Pop?

I think that although music is a communicator, it is not about information. I think music communicates emotionally. It's really good for that. The lyrics might contain info, but they ride in on that shot to the solar plexus.

Out of every year's crop of hits, 95% are crap-- unless you were coming of age in that year, and then all of it is bathed in a hormonal glow...

 

[English Lady]

I have such an eclectic taste and love stuff from the cheesy to the classic.

Music moves me. I did a blog about songs that mean things to me just recently. Some songs, even just one sung line, can bring me instantly to tears. Musical messages, definitely.

 

[DesertPirate]

Aaaaooooo, play somethin country! Most country still has messages and is based on real life. Older rock is good although I can't name any done in the last 15 years that I cared about. Still listen to classical and jazz on a regular basis. Hard not to care about jazz in Coltranes home town!

 

[Weird Harold]

Random thoughts;

O Tempora, O mores... Every generation goes to the dogs.

Abs, did that blog offer any comparisons? What did they think was the golden age of Pop?

I think that although music is a communicator, it is not about information. I think music communicates emotionally. It's really good for that. The lyrics might contain info, but they ride in on that shot to the solar plexus.

Out of every year's crop of hits, 95% are crap-- unless you were coming of age in that year, and then all of it is bathed in a hormonal glow...

The "Golden Age of Pop" was quite obviously 1955 to 1965 (+/- a couple of years either way) -- the era that I developed my own taste in music separate and distinct from the musical taste of those older than I who controlled the musical choices in the house.

(If your milage doesn't vary, you never developed your own taste in music and are just a bandwagon jumper. )

Fifties and Sixties Pop music was heavily dependent on Lyrics for the most part although there were the standout instrumental hits like Telstar, Tequila, and Wipeout. I therefore tend to like music that has all three elements in roughly equal measure; music lyrics and technically proficient performance. I have a great deal of trouble remembering the Artists because I've never found an artist/group/genre that I like everthing produced and conversely have found that even artists/groups/genres I don't like produce the occasional gem that overcomes my prejudices.

 

[R. Richard]

The "Golden Age of Pop" was quite obviously 1955 to 1965 (+/- a couple of years either way) -- the era that I developed my own taste in music separate and distinct from the musical taste of those older than I who controlled the musical choices in the house.

(If your milage doesn't vary, you never developed your own taste in music and are just a bandwagon jumper. )

Fifties and Sixties Pop music was heavily dependent on Lyrics for the most part although there were the standout instrumental hits like Telstar, Tequila, and Wipeout. I therefore tend to like music that has all three elements in roughly equal measure; music lyrics and technically proficient performance. I have a great deal of trouble remembering the Artists because I've never found an artist/group/genre that I like everthing produced and conversely have found that even artists/groups/genres I don't like produce the occasional gem that overcomes my prejudices.

I collect 50s/60s pop. The music is interesting because it mostly came from groups that wrote and performed the music [there were numerous covers.]

Elvis was 'the King.' Buddy Holly was 'the Music.' Chuck Berry was a legend. Johnny Cash was the country legend. The Platters were the makeout group. Johnny Mathis was, well, Johnny Mathis. As to instumentals, you have to include "Walk, Don't Run" by the Ventures.

 

[DesertPirate]

I collect 50s/60s pop. The music is interesting because it mostly came from groups that wrote and performed the music [there were numerous covers.]

Elvis was 'the King.' Buddy Holly was 'the Music.' Chuck Berry was a legend. Johnny Cash was the country legend. The Platters were the makeout group. Johnny Mathis was, well, Johnny Mathis. As to instumentals, you have to include "Walk, Don't Run" by the Ventures.

You can include just about anything by the Ventures

 

[gauchecritic]

Gotta be the lyrics for me then the music, don't give a monkeys about the band (irony and pun in one word)

Lyrics with stories. Can't beat em, even though my first fannish taste was about as pop as you could possibly get (T.Rex but Tyrannosaurus before that) the next adoration was The Jam, after that anything with words, lots of them: Melanie, Bernie Taupin, Streetwalkers, Shortlist, Faces, Beautiful South, Streets, eminem.

Although there were some that the music mattered as much as the lyrics: Robin Trower, Paul Robeson, Jethro Tull, Abba, Meatloaf, Sweet.

 

[CharleyH]

I was recently reading a blog about music. Basically saying how today's Pop music is mindless droning and nonsensical lyrics.
Music to me has messages, but I must admit if the beat is good, the lyrics mean nothing to me.
I don't condone violent lyrics, not my thing.

What do you think of today's music? Pretentious crap or just popular fodder for the masses?
What do you look for in your musical selections?
Is it the music? the artist? the lyrics?

Just curious.

Hm. If you compare some lyrics today to say early 70's like "One Tin Soldier" I think you have a problem. If I was in a better mood, I might tell you why today's lyrics actually reflect contemporary society ... even the violent ones. I do not think todays music is pretentious. I think todays lyrics say as much as the Beatles, Elvis, Goodman, Puccini or folk songs of old did at one time.

 

[CharleyH]

I was recently reading a blog about music. Basically saying how today's Pop music is mindless droning and nonsensical lyrics.
Music to me has messages, but I must admit if the beat is good, the lyrics mean nothing to me.
I don't condone violent lyrics, not my thing.

What do you think of today's music? Pretentious crap or just popular fodder for the masses?
What do you look for in your musical selections?
Is it the music? the artist? the lyrics?

Just curious.

Hm. If you compare some lyrics today to say early 70's like "One Tin Soldier" I think you have a problem. If I was in a better mood, I might tell you why today's lyrics actually reflect contemporary society ... even the violent ones. I do not think todays music is pretentious. I think todays music says as much as the Beatles, Elvis, Goodman, Puccini or folk songs of old did at one time.

 

[R. Richard]

Well, of course, today's lyrics cant begin to match the 2 minutes and 54 seconds of angst so well presented in "Cover of the 'Rolling Stone'" by Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show. [1973 #6]

 

[SeaCat]

Oh wow, and no one has yet to mention my all time favorite artist. (Carlos Santana)

His music spans decades and styles and still inspires.

Have you heard his latest duet with Chad Kroeger? (Into the Night)

To me it is a combination of both the music and the lysrics.

Cat

 

[SeaCat]

Hm. If you compare some lyrics today to say early 70's like "One Tin Soldier" I think you have a problem. If I was in a better mood, I might tell you why today's lyrics actually reflect contemporary society ... even the violent ones. I do not think todays music is pretentious. I think todays music says as much as the Beatles, Elvis, Goodman, Puccini or folk songs of old did at one time.

Damn I used to have that song, and I loved it. Now I'll have to see if I can find another copy of it. "One Tin Soldier" that is.

My sister and I used to sing that together.

Cat

 

[TE999]

To quote Bob Seger: "Gimme that old time Rock 'N' Roll..."

DooWop, Harmony, hard rock and Elvis!

It defined my adolescence and my generation. I like the 60's, 70's and 80's music too.

Actually anything with a beat!

 

[glynndah]

Damn I used to have that song, and I loved it. Now I'll have to see if I can find another copy of it. "One Tin Soldier" that is.

My sister and I used to sing that together.

Cat

My very first date was "Billy Jack". I have a special place in my heart for that song.

 

[buxxxom]

Music that *requires* me to sing along is what I flock to, whether hymns or rock.

 

[cloudy]

Hm. If you compare some lyrics today to say early 70's like "One Tin Soldier" I think you have a problem. If I was in a better mood, I might tell you why today's lyrics actually reflect contemporary society ... even the violent ones. I do not think todays music is pretentious. I think todays music says as much as the Beatles, Elvis, Goodman, Puccini or folk songs of old did at one time.

I agree...much like "One Tin Soldier" and "Ohio" were reflections of their time. Kids now wouldn't have a clue to those songs, and so on.

 

[glynndah]

I agree...much like "One Tin Soldier" and "Ohio" were reflections of their time. Kids now wouldn't have a clue to those songs, and so on.

Abraham, Martin and John