sharke

Kalle Rantaaho
I wonder how big a proportion of todays top 20 hits are made as  teamwork-projects? Like when they invited a big bunch of worlds top songmakers to Hawaiji for two weeks or so just to make songs  for Rihanna.
And of course, this is partly an explanation to why the chart music sounds so generic, though technically brilliant.
I wonder how they quarrel about who get the credits for any particular song!

They also use team writing to churn out sitcoms in the US. 

Yes, I'm aware of that. It has been the rule for ages wherever they have enough money for it. But somehow I feel
it's easier, more obvious,  to have a group suggesting oneliners and plot options than trying to build a song. Then again, I have no idea of the work methods used by these composer/producer teams. 

?

I think there's still some good music coming out.  It's just not publicized as well as the commercial trash, and is getting lost in the mud as everyone with a bedroom studio and  a SoundCloud page is flooding the market (myself included).
A young guy I played with a few months ago blew my mind.  He's an old-school blues guitarist/singer/songwriter, and his debut album reminded me of Iggy Pop's Lust For Life album.  Raw, abrasive, and honest.  Part of what I appreciate about him is that he showed that modern music isn't dead, it's just deep in the mire.  It'll come back, these cycles always rotate.

Slugbaby
I think there's still some good music coming out.  It's just not publicized as well as the commercial trash, and is getting lost in the mud as everyone with a bedroom studio and  a SoundCloud page is flooding the market (myself included).

No doubt of that! IMO the conversation about poor pop music should concentrate only on the chart hits/TOP 20-40 or so. That's where you hear the ones made with a calculator in the other hand, simply aiming to sell (+refreshing exceptions, of course).
Otherwise, there  are masses of good, innovative, strange..you name it...music around. Maybe it's because there's something like a hundred genres separately listed and followed today you need to rake a wider area to find what's to your liking.

I thought this was a really well written and produced pop song. I don't think it troubled 'the charts' though.
 

 

I usually don't respond to these types of threads because opinions are so vastly different about the topic and PASSIONATE.  But, what the heck...here goes.
 
First, I'm a big fan of the late 60's - 70's rock music.  I love YES, Kansas, Floyd, The Eagles, Queen and so on.  I don't really care for much pop that happened after Van Halen (not that big a fan of VH either).
 
Second, whether a group is terrible or not is in the "ears" of the beholder...I suppose.
 
Third, I'm actually encouraged by some of today's pop...singer-song-writer stuff coming out.  It's not really my cup of tea but I hear more going on in their music than some would give credit to.  Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's "terrible."  Although, I agree, I probably wouldn't listen to much of it.
 
Here are a few names that I actually do like.  You'll notice there is no "real" rock in the list because there just isn't any real well done rock IMHO:
 
So, strictly pop -
Ed Sheeran (I just find his writing interesting)
Adele (killer voice, great lyrics)
Maroon 5 (I like some of the hip interplay between parts)
Pink (got a killer guitar player I like to listen to)

Big fan of Pink here. But for all her punk aesthetic, she's still a throwback to 70's and 80's rock. Some of her best material consists of covers of classic rock tunes - check out her cover of Led Zeppelin's Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, for a good example. And, of course, her killer note-for-note copy of Bohemian Rhapsody.
 
Neither of which you're ever going to hear on the radio, nor as the soundtrack to a car commercial.

bitflipper
Big fan of Pink here. But for all her punk aesthetic, she's still a throwback to 70's and 80's rock. Some of her best material consists of covers of classic rock tunes - check out her cover of Led Zeppelin's Babe I'm Gonna Leave You, for a good example. And, of course, her killer note-for-note copy of Bohemian Rhapsody.
 
Neither of which you're ever going to hear on the radio, nor as the soundtrack to a car commercial.

 
Hehehe, agreed on all points totally!

michaelhanson

craigb
Things are almost dismal enough that someone, who is daring enough to be different, will stand out and, eventually, be recognized for their effort.
 
(I hope!)

I agree, I think we are ripe for it.

I'm certainly ripe!

eph221

michaelhanson

craigb
Things are almost dismal enough that someone, who is daring enough to be different, will stand out and, eventually, be recognized for their effort.

(I hope!)

I agree, I think we are ripe for it.

I'm certainly ripe!

Don't give up Dave!  Someday your Prince will come.  
 
Er, wait... That didn't sound right...