What is your opinion on today's generation of music/musicians/singers?

Question

I'm talking about more of the mainstream people like Beyoncé, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, Nick Jonas, and Taylor swift (etc.) I've noticed that they don't perform with instruments or even write most of their songs and they usually buy songs from people. I just feel like they are overrated. Like what happened to musicians who would be on stage with a guitar singing their heart out to a song they worked hard to write. I also feel like it's about fortune, fame and being popular on social media rather than the art of music itself. It's just them dancing and singing the same lines over and over to a "catchy" tune. I'm not trying to talk trash about these singers because I don't really listen to their music unless it pops up on the radio but I was just wondering what was your opinion on today's music and what type/genre of music do you prefer?

Answer 1

I don't understand why people waste time worrying about performers they don't like. Why not just spend that same amount of time listening to stuff you do like. Or better yet, use that time to learn to play or sing yourself before putting down on someone else that has already accomplished this. And I'll let you in on a little secret. Some of the biggest bands in rock history have had songs written for them by other people. And some of the most famous rock singers in history didn't play an instrument.



What bothers me about these questions is that it's obvious folks just go after easy targets, like Bieber, etc., only to get a lot of folks to agree with them and make yourself seem like your musical taste and knowledge is superior to the average person. Just listen to what you like a STFU already.

Answer 2

You do know that during the golden age of record labels, that is exactly how things happened, and it is exactly how it is now. Unless you can write and make your own music, most musical acts who ever released a record or made a living out of music performed the songs of songwriters who were hired by record labels.



Frank Sinatra was definitely one of the best and greatest singers of all time, and guess what, he had songwriters and he didn't play instruments on his big gigs.



Stevie Wonder did covers at the launch of his career.



The Beatles were told by their manager Brian Epstein to clean up their image to maximize their commercial potential. At the height of Beatlemania, they were told to be a boy band to sell out.



Jazz? That's the EDM of its time. Before all the complex stuff developed with Davis, Coltrane, Monk, etc. jazz at the height if its popularity was dance music.



How about the fans who overrate their favorite artists? Remember Michael Jackson? Even now, Thriller is still the number one best selling album of all time. He didn't write all of his songs, definitely not Thriller. His studio band and his producers are all label people. His hit song You Are Not Alone was written by R. Kelly. Yet at the height of his career, people would be crying when he'd perform, and even with a stable of writers and musicians, he's still regarded as a top notch singer and performer.



The music is just different and you just don't like the flavor. But the fandom, the overrating, the big label, the business-centeredness of it all, is still the same damn thing.

Answer 3

Much of it is amazing and incredible. It's juts not fair to say that it's worse than it was in the past. Those who say so are just not the same people who like today's music. The melodies are simply incredible. The melodies, as well as musicians voices, are extremely diverse while each one can sound equally neat. Some of my favorite musicians include DJ Snake, Rufus Du Sol, Lana Del Ray, Disclosure, M83, Lady Gaga, Onerepublic, Demi Lovato, Ariana rande, Selena Gomez, etc.

Answer 4

Are you really looking for honesty? Or is this some sort of trick question that everyone else appears to get but I don't? Music was and always will be about a catchy tune and the masses will buy it "big time". The days or truly great music has died sadly with so many of the greats that are no longer with us today. all these guys can do is regurgitate and remix their songs and actions, but that's just my opinion.

Answer 5

Notice u said Beyonce....then listed Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber next to her. Firstly, modern day entertainers do not experience as much longevity as elites like MJ, Prince, Madonna etc did. Not necessarily because of quality, but changes in the industry occur quick, so more adaptation is required, compared to back in the day where u could build an identity. Legendary artists could control the industry for about 3 good decades.



Today's relatively big/elite entertainers go for 2 decade as a stretch. Based on quality and longevity the top artists would be Beyonce, Usher, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Shakira...leading onto Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars etc. These are all excellent vocalists on stage (britney spears is debatable), and great dancers. The first 4/5 are commercially the biggest impactors in the modern era, and those i followed them with are on the same track. These pop artists are actually talented, musically dynamic and have a good level of co-writing input into their songs. As for pure singers, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Christina Aguliera, Jennifer Hudson, Adele, Sam Smith followed by Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato etc are the post Whitney Houstan, Stevie Wonder equivalents (not in talent but in their role) all can dominate a stage vocally too.



Now i'll list the mediocrity u were actually referring to that would involve Rihanna, Chris Brown, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Jason Derulo, Selena Gomez etc are borderline average, suckling the ignorant modern may music audience with catchy synthetic hits.



All in all, we have talented artists, so i'm fairly satisfied. Nowhere near as good as those who left a big legacy, but they're all still good. I feel like the perception of modern day music is no-talent, lets try and distinguish next time. Putting Beyonce Knowles alongside Selena Gomez in a sentence is unacceptable lol

Answer 6

They are all just mediocre pop singer........and yea, I hate the fact that popularity beats real talent, the annoying fan base makes matter even worse, but there are some underground singer who actually has real talent like Tori Kelly makes all the cover, knows how to read notes, can play dozens of instrument, and puts soul in a song....It doesn't even matter anymore, freaking Meghan trainor got the grammy, what else do I need to say~

Answer 7

I think it would be a stretch to call them "artists". And I thought it was hilarious that Kanye West said Beyonce deserved a Grammy more than Beck, when Beck writes all his own songs and plays a dozen instruments, while Beyonce does none of those things.



The music business is a popularity contest. Sex sells better than artistry. That's the long and short of it.

Answer 8

Well it's a shame that much artists don't actually write their songs, but on the other side, if you enjoy the music, why worry about if it was produced with or without instruments? If you like the tune, nothing else matters.

Answer 9

I agree with you, they are all overrated with exception of few or a handful should I say that knows music and real talents. People who truly has singing voice or musical talent are more ignored as the consumers wants more of the looks of person as I say "the package". Musician nowadays have big shoes or voids to fill unfortunately plus the music being created I find it too much pollution or too much noise that I really have to strain my ears to isolate and find the real deal. After the 80s and 90s, the music standard was elevated so high that it is a hard act to follow.

Answer 10

That ugly freak and horribly rotten singer Steven Tyler and his band of wannabe musicians got the wrecking ball swinging on this generation of rock n roll. They paved the way for other loser groups like Nirvana to come along. Then the whole grunge scene formed. I will always be of the opinion that grunge is a different way of saying garbage.

Answer 11

Well, Corporate Music's singers and musicians continue to be recycled garbage. I tend to steer clear of it most of the time and stick to what I like, yet there always manages to be someone banging that "crapola". I cannot always bark back, though, because people mostly are not aware themselves how annoying the music it to me.

Answer 12

It's all the same garbage year after year. That's why it's pop. It's catchy for bit, and then people move on to the next year's garbage.

Answer 13

There is so much auto tune, so many people just to write lyrics for one song, and trying to fit as much catchy things in a song its hardly music. Also they're all one hit wonders really, they make one catchy *** song an album then the rest of the songs on a album you never even listen to.

Answer 14

I sort of agree. The only one of those singers who can actually sing is Beyonce, and maybe Bieber too. But don't forget, Whitney Houston didn't write any of her own songs!

Answer 15

They're puppets. An artist creates their art, expresses themselves, immerses their energy, thoughts and soul into their art. They're not artists, just entertainers.

Answer 16

Gawd awful. Need another Nat King Cole

Answer 17

Music definately has changed alot over the years...I enjoy all kinds of music~ (except for hard core metal yuck* whoever invented that was in a hard place of their lives im sure)

Answer 18

Lame, non-talents. Watch the voice- they do a barely passable performance, and then get a standing ovation.



Right now the music industry is ruled by 12 year old girls, and their parents credit cards.

Answer 19

compared to the artists of the 60s to 80s, they suck. Look at justin bieber compared to someone like robert plant, uncomparable, right?

Answer 20

They're all garbage.

Answer 21

alarm

Answer 22

sucks

Answer 23

Crap.