Is music getting worse?

[Groov3yDud3]

I think the Bible prophesied times getting worse so its almost like it prophesied music getting worse every decade. Music is far worse now than in the 80s even though the 80s music has more bad music than 50s music. It progressively gets worse with time.

 

[Groov3yDud3]

I think the Bible prophesied times getting worse so its almost like it prophesied music getting worse every decade. Music is far worse now than in the 80s even though the 80s music has more bad music than 50s music. It progressively gets worse with time.

except now it is even worse than in 2012.

 

[weekEd]

Is music in general getting worse, or is it just rose-tinted nostalgia and age that makes it seem that way? Do people lose interest in new music as they get older, or does the fascination that music holds on teens wear off with age? I find it interesting that the music industry seems geared up towards teens and the youth market.

I find that a lot of stuff I listen to is from the 90s, which is funnily enough when I was growing up. I guess if you're older it might be the 80s or 70s; my mother is still pretty much stuck in 1972 as far as musical taste is concerned. I can appreciate this because a lot of good music came out around the late 60s/early 70s. Found the 2000s a bit of a disappointment; had a few gems but overall I thought it was bleh. For example if I had to choose indie / alt rock from the 90s vs the 2000s, it's no contest.

The music you like is corrupted by the dollar...

 

[weekEd]

I think the Bible prophesied times getting worse so its almost like it prophesied music getting worse every decade. Music is far worse now than in the 80s even though the 80s music has more bad music than 50s music. It progressively gets worse with time.

Capitalism shapes our musical interest.
Access to those feelings and emotions I first felt listening to music that interested me is the foundation of the industry..
With so many rules and regulations with the pretense of ensuring a modicum of order has left music inaccessible to many many people..
Corporate interests to sell has left the interior of a building with pre prescribed sound and we as consumers accept the sound as music and our interactions within that environment as normal
Music is about feelings good and bad yet I don't walk into a fuel station and hear sorrow only something that subconsciously conditions me to purchase processed product without consciously understanding the loss of what music is or has been or will be

 

[weekEd]

I find in general, that todays secular music is more annoying than not . I am in my 50's now , a long time Christian, and find most secular music a promotion of disdain toward women, sexual immorality, and filled with a very harsh sound from instruments to the point it is hurtful to listen to ! Repitious galore and without much depth !

I guess i miss the Oldie music of the 60-70's which i can relate to more .
....fun songs with a likable beat and innocent lyrics for the most part.

I think im unreachable when it comes to the Rap music and heavy rock music of today ... and find most Christian Contemporary music the same way with the exception of a few. Im more suitable to reflective Christian songs like : Open the eyes of my heart Lord , or, I Believe from the 1990's . Or Maranatha Music from the 80's .

On the secular front, i think its been quite awhile since theres been Artists like Lennon and McCartney . Guess im stuck in a time warp ! lol....

Thoughts ?????

Imagine all the people having a Coca-Cola singing in harmony...
Can't buy that anymore...

 

[LW97Nils]

I think the Bible prophesied times getting worse so its almost like it prophesied music getting worse every decade. Music is far worse now than in the 80s even though the 80s music has more bad music than 50s music. It progressively gets worse with time.

100 %ly!!!!

 

[Larniavc]

Music stopped being good for me about 11:59 on 31st December 2009.

 

[Citanul]

I find the claim that music is getting worse rather tiresome as there's still plenty of good music being produced today, even if it may take a bit of effort to find. Those who say that there's no good music today just haven't bothered to look and are very short-sightedly restricting the scope of "music" just to what's currently popular.

 

[Groov3yDud3]

I find the claim that music is getting worse rather tiresome as there's still plenty of good music being produced today, even if it may take a bit of effort to find. Those who say that there's no good music today just haven't bothered to look and are very short-sightedly restricting the scope of "music" just to what's currently popular.

Well secular music has gotten worse but there is still some good stuff including some that play on the CHR stations due to TikTok. A lot of the good songs are either from more underrated artists on TikTok, underrated artists in general or certain songs from Gracie Abrams and Taylor Swift. The only reason CHR got slightly better in the early 2020s is due to TikTok because if it wasn't for that it would have gotten slightly worse instead, especially since Rhythmic CHR stations have gotten worse in this decade compared to when it was a more broad-based format (though some songs back then were just as bad). Now CHR plays older music too which might not be good for that format so the format got bad even if the music isn't as bad since it isn't as heavy on the newer stuff than in 2015-2019.

 

[Groov3yDud3]

No. I will never understand people who say "All modern music sucks" because that is such a stupid broad statement..there is a ton of music released every year and I think there is something for everyone. I mean if you really can't find any good modern music maybe you just aren't looking hard enough..

Yeah there was good music in the 70's, 80's, and 90's but there was bad music too. I just think its dumb to generalize and say everything after a certain year sucks.

Yeah, there was good music in the 80s but yes there was bad music (like Prince) then too. 70s music was pretty bad at times since that era was not a good era. 50's is more innocent than 70s & 80s hits as well as 40s hits even though most people nowadays aren't as in to those songs. Not all music from 2012 (was bad) and it was at least better than we have nowadays in 2025. 2025's music is pretty bad if you only count the inappropriate mainstream hip hop (Rhythmic CHR or Urban Contemporary)/mainstream pop (CHR/Top 40) hits.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Is music in general getting worse, or is it just rose-tinted nostalgia and age that makes it seem that way? Do people lose interest in new music as they get older, or does the fascination that music holds on teens wear off with age? I find it interesting that the music industry seems geared up towards teens and the youth market.

I find that a lot of stuff I listen to is from the 90s, which is funnily enough when I was growing up. I guess if you're older it might be the 80s or 70s; my mother is still pretty much stuck in 1972 as far as musical taste is concerned. I can appreciate this because a lot of good music came out around the late 60s/early 70s. Found the 2000s a bit of a disappointment; had a few gems but overall I thought it was bleh. For example if I had to choose indie / alt rock from the 90s vs the 2000s, it's no contest.

Music as with other industries is geared towards young people. Then when people are in their 30s and probably with kids, the family friendly music from their generation is playing in restaurants and shopping malls. Then when people are in their 40s, society no longer cares about catching your interest, so it seems like nothing is interesting anymore, because it is no longer about you.

 

[d taylor]

-
​

There are still people making great music. I have found quite a few really good contemporary musicians. You may not like my musical taste, but it is great music, especially in the Celtic music world.

​

Listen to a few NPR Tiny Desk Concerts

 

[stevevw]

I think it has both got worse in some areas and better in others. Mostly worse in that the digital age has generally made it easier to produce music of all sorts. Being able to artifically enhance music and taking the realness out. The mistakes even out or live audience interaction which takes things to another level of the music.

I watched a doco with Dave Grohl who was saving this mixing board from an old 1970s Sound City Studio. Where the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, the Peppers, Nivarna, Guns and Roses, Pat Benatar, Niel Young ect recorded. Grohl was saving the mixing board because it captured a unique real live sound that has been lost. And you can hear that difference which is more anaologue.

At the same time occassionally you see a brilliant muso like they are a reincarnation of an icon. I think of Amy Whinehouse and how she captured the spirit of Joplin and yet updated it in a brilliant way that captured the current time. But also how the music was fused with other styles like jazz and electronic.

So there are still originals out there like in the past that come along and you know them. They have something about them. Dylan was a spokeman for a generation and it was not just the music. He said something and people listened.

I think thats the human aspect thats missing perhaps. That real connection between the muso and the people. Maybe the digital age like most things has dehumanised music as well.

I would like to see the live scene come back. Maybe in a modern version where there also a bit of electronics. But live so that theres audience interaction. In live performance sometimes the same song is played differently. Or expressed differently. I think thats whats mising with digital music. It can be great music but intuitively it just isn't the same.

 

[bèlla]

I think every generation longs for former times to some degree and music is no different. I grew up in a period where rock, r&b, heavy metal and other genres were given equal play. When I wanted to hear house music there was a station for it. The same applied for pop, jazz, classical and live performances of opera.

I suspect what we’re missing most is variety. As someone noted, you’ll have to dig and that wasn’t necessary before. One of the benefits of services like spotify and apple music is finding the songs I really liked growing up and as a young adult. I didn’t get rid of my cds and found replicas for everything I had on vinyl for that medium.

But every now and then I hear something recent that strikes a chord. Like Bieber’s Daisy track. It was less about artistic genius although his voice is beautiful and I’ve heard him sing a cappella more than once. The song represented a collective sigh. A much needed shift from the over saturation of hip-hop. It was a pleasant return to simplicity.

I also find a lot of songs through Netflix. Many of their shows have pretty good soundtracks and you can look them up and find the songs by season. I’ve paused a show more than once to do so. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention YouTube. One of my favorite dance tracks was featured in a video by Andrew Tate and the other was included in a house tour. And I’ve found a few gens through the subscriptions the majority use.

~bella

 

[Learning always]

Music as with other industries is geared towards young people.

Yes, the Music industry is ridiculously geared towards teenagers, which makes no sense-------they have not the most buying power.

And talking about inclusiveness....where is it?

This targeting on teenagers alone - left a huge big vacuum in the other age groups market (which great violinist Andre Rieu took advantage of and build a big business).

 

[bèlla]

Yes, the Music industry is ridiculously geared towards teenagers, which makes no sense-------they have not the most buying power.

According to google…

The demographic that purchases the most music varies by format, with Gen Z (ages 18-24) leading in physical formats like vinyl and CDs, while Millennials (ages 25-34)and young adults (ages 16-24) have the highest rates for music subscription services. Overall, younger demographics like Gen Z and Millennials are the primary purchasers of music, driving both subscription revenue and the resurgence of physical media.

Older adults (45+): While not leading in subscriptions, this group has high consumption levels and can be major purchasers of physical music, with the 45-54 group showing a significant interest in CDs.

And talking about inclusiveness....where is it?

The most popular music genres are generally pop, rock, and hip-hop/r&b, though rankings can vary by region and platform. Pop is a top genre globally, rock remains highly popular, especially in the US, and hip-hop/R&B has a significant and growing presence worldwide.Other very popular genres include electronic music, country, and Latin music.

This targeting on teenagers alone - left a huge big vacuum in the other age groups market (which great violinist Andre Rieu took advantage of and build a big business).

Pop and Hip-Hop are the most profitable genres globally, with Pop holding the largest revenue share in retail sales and Hip-Hop dominating streaming platforms and social trends. Rock also remains highly profitable, with a significant share of retail sales, while Country has seen recent growth and a strong presence in the U.S. market.

~bella

 

[Learning always]

According to google…

The demographic that purchases the most music varies by format, with Gen Z (ages 18-24) leading in physical formats like vinyl and CDs, while Millennials (ages 25-34)and young adults (ages 16-24) have the highest rates for music subscription services. Overall, younger demographics like Gen Z and Millennials are the primary purchasers of music, driving both subscription revenue and the resurgence of physical media.

Older adults (45+): While not leading in subscriptions, this group has high consumption levels and can be major purchasers of physical music, with the 45-54 group showing a significant interest in CDs.



The most popular music genres are generally pop, rock, and hip-hop/r&b, though rankings can vary by region and platform. Pop is a top genre globally, rock remains highly popular, especially in the US, and hip-hop/R&B has a significant and growing presence worldwide.Other very popular genres include electronic music, country, and Latin music.



Pop and Hip-Hop are the most profitable genres globally, with Pop holding the largest revenue share in retail sales and Hip-Hop dominating streaming platforms and social trends. Rock also remains highly profitable, with a significant share of retail sales, while Country has seen recent growth and a strong presence in the U.S. market.

~bella

So, you think the music industry is very inclusive?
You are the first person who says so.

 

[bèlla]

So, you think the music industry is very inclusive?
You are the first person who says so.

I didn’t say that at all. I shared google’s response on three questions I felt were pertinent to your comment.

*The demographic that purchases the most music.
*The most popular genres of music.
*The most profitable genres of music.

~bella

 

[stevevw]

I think there needs to be another Bob Dylan. A modern Dylan that speaks to the people but in todays terms. Not heavy music but folk music which is the music that comes from the people. Like the gospel and blues roots music. Dylan primarily was a folk singer like Pete Seeger and the Seekers. They were a voice of the generation that led to all the anti war music.

Now we need a modern version and I can't say I hear anyone singing that way. There are lots of folk singers and some are very good. But its mostly on the fringe and not mainstream. Pop music dominates the charts.

Its not just the music but the words. Thats why gospel and blues roots music was always representative of the culture as it come from the people and a real yearning and expression of what was happening. Now we have many people and especially young people looking for that positive message about whats going on at the moment and to give them something to hope for.

 

[Apple Sky]

I think there needs to be another Bob Dylan. A modern Dylan that speaks to the people but in todays terms.

Or another Donovan his music & lyrics were second to none.