GjB
...I'd open a dance club where you had to be in your 40's to enter...

sharke
Growing up in the 70's I was exposed to all kinds of great music which instilled in me a taste for sophisticated harmonies, clever songwriting and interesting rhythms. We had jazz, Steely Dan, Frank Zappa, Little Feat and the Mahavishnu Orchestra playing in our home all the time. When you grow up around such music, it's really hard to concentrate on any of the bland chart topping crap that sells millions today. I've tried, I just can't. Even the artists that people keep telling me are "actually really good," like Adele or Ed Sheeran, at best I find to be "so-so." To me it all just sounds very safe and unchallenging, and my mind wanders almost instantly. 
 
Of course there is the argument that modern artists are more about the image than the music, but quite frankly I see no reason why it can't be both. Look at Kate Bush's early work. Tonight I watched the video for "Wow" from 1978, and it's got it all. She's outrageous, mysterious, sensual, artistic and kooky. But in addition to all that, the music is so well written and performed. There's something in the chords, melody and bass line which evoke the kind of colors and emotions that modern pop fails so miserably at conjuring. Yes it's got the big pop chorus, but just listen to those verses. Listen to the musicianship, the brilliance of the bass line and the arrangement of the strings. This mesmerized me when I was a kid, along with other greats such as Wuthering Heights, Babooshka, The Man With The Child In His Eyes, This Woman's Work, Army Dreamers etc. I think it might have something to do with the fact that back in the day, record companies were more likely to give quirky artists like Kate Bush the benefit of the doubt and let them get on with their own thing based on the idea that they knew their art better than anyone in an executive leather chair. But now, the entire image of these "showcase" artists is carefully planned to an exact formula by a corporation, and it's just mind numbingly sterile. 
 

craigb

sharke
Growing up in the 70's I was exposed to all kinds of great music which instilled in me a taste for sophisticated harmonies, clever songwriting and interesting rhythms. We had jazz, Steely Dan, Frank Zappa, Little Feat and the Mahavishnu Orchestra playing in our home all the time. When you grow up around such music, it's really hard to concentrate on any of the bland chart topping crap that sells millions today. I've tried, I just can't. Even the artists that people keep telling me are "actually really good," like Adele or Ed Sheeran, at best I find to be "so-so." To me it all just sounds very safe and unchallenging, and my mind wanders almost instantly. 
 
Of course there is the argument that modern artists are more about the image than the music, but quite frankly I see no reason why it can't be both. Look at Kate Bush's early work. Tonight I watched the video for "Wow" from 1978, and it's got it all. She's outrageous, mysterious, sensual, artistic and kooky. But in addition to all that, the music is so well written and performed. There's something in the chords, melody and bass line which evoke the kind of colors and emotions that modern pop fails so miserably at conjuring. Yes it's got the big pop chorus, but just listen to those verses. Listen to the musicianship, the brilliance of the bass line and the arrangement of the strings. This mesmerized me when I was a kid, along with other greats such as Wuthering Heights, Babooshka, The Man With The Child In His Eyes, This Woman's Work, Army Dreamers etc. I think it might have something to do with the fact that back in the day, record companies were more likely to give quirky artists like Kate Bush the benefit of the doubt and let them get on with their own thing based on the idea that they knew their art better than anyone in an executive leather chair. But now, the entire image of these "showcase" artists is carefully planned to an exact formula by a corporation, and it's just mind numbingly sterile. 
 

That video led directly into this one (which, being my day to relax, I was able to watch and enjoy - very interesting!):
 

DrLumen
 
We, as old fogies :), are looking back at music from the 60's, 70's & 80's as good music. I too prefer a lot of old rock. But, we are pretty much cherry picking over 3 decades of music. There was a lot of crap around then too. 

bapu

bitflipper
"Everyone knows rock attained perfection in 1974. It's a scientific fact."

Really?
 
Check this out.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_Year-End_Hot_100_singles_of_1974
 
Or, if you prefer albums:
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Billboard_200_number-one_albums_of_1974

DrLumen

craigb

DrLumen
What really scares me is 30 or 40 years from now some moron will be referencing Kanye as some type of musical genius.

Heck, some moron is already doing that! 

Too true!. I stand corrected. Although, I actually meant someone other than Kanye.