[FullRangeMan]

The depletion of Pop music has been proven mathematically:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/26/us-science-music-idUSBRE86P0R820120726
What is not news to people over 40 or more, the current music today are suited only to dance(pop) or let you deaf(hardcore, heavy metal) or both.

[Freo-1]

Amen.  Sad, but true.

[Photon46]

Sorry, this sort of article is near meaningless IMO. What music are they analyzing exactly? If they are talking about the music that would accompany the "Teen Choice" awards, then their generalizations are accurate. But to say that all modern popular music demonstrates diminished musical complexity means their survey of modern popular music needs expansion. Check out reviews of new releases in Tonepub, AllMusic.com, Pitchfork, etc. There's plenty of interesting music by contemporary artists that has resisted the dumbing down simplification referenced in the article.

[decal]

Sorry, this sort of article is near meaningless IMO. What music are they analyzing exactly? If they are talking about the music that would accompany the "Teen Choice" awards, then their generalizations are accurate. But to say that all modern popular music demonstrates diminished musical complexity means their survey of modern popular music needs expansion. Check out reviews of new releases in Tonepub, AllMusic.com, Pitchfork, etc. There's plenty of interesting music by contemporary artists that has resisted the dumbing down simplification referenced in the article.

I agree .

[kingdeezie]

Sorry, this sort of article is near meaningless IMO. What music are they analyzing exactly? If they are talking about the music that would accompany the "Teen Choice" awards, then their generalizations are accurate. But to say that all modern popular music demonstrates diminished musical complexity means their survey of modern popular music needs expansion. Check out reviews of new releases in Tonepub, AllMusic.com, Pitchfork, etc. There's plenty of interesting music by contemporary artists that has resisted the dumbing down simplification referenced in the article.

Amen brother.

People can continuously dismiss music today, but honestly, there are some damn fine musicians playing and writing music today; especially within the metal genre.

[simoon]

Sorry, this sort of article is near meaningless IMO. What music are they analyzing exactly? If they are talking about the music that would accompany the "Teen Choice" awards, then their generalizations are accurate. But to say that all modern popular music demonstrates diminished musical complexity means their survey of modern popular music needs expansion. Check out reviews of new releases in Tonepub, AllMusic.com, Pitchfork, etc. There's plenty of interesting music by contemporary artists that has resisted the dumbing down simplification referenced in the article.

Of course there's plenty of interesting contemporary artists. But they are not what is considered pop, nor are they ever played on popular radio.

It is not a meaningless study because they are comparing the top selling hits of today with the top sellers of the past.

"In particular, we obtain numerical indicators that the diversity of transitions between note combinations (roughly speaking, chords and melodies) has consistently diminished in the last 50 years."

Whereas in 1960 you might have heard startling chord transitions, unfamiliar instruments and variation in the volume over the course of a song played on the radio, tunes today restrict themselves to the "fashionable" set of chords and note combinations, and maintain a uniformly high volume from beginning to end."

The majority of the young music listening public listens to the exact sort of homogenous music with diminished differences that the study is taking about. 

Of all these imaginative contemporary bands that are getting all those great reviews, how many are selling out large venues?

People can continuously dismiss music today, but honestly, there are some damn fine musicians playing and writing music today; especially within the metal genre.

That's not the point of the study.

In the 60's and 70's, bands had hits with songs that were 8 minutes long, had sitar, 5 minute long instrumental sections, acoustic intros followed by intense electric sections, interesting chord progressions, non 4/4 time signatures, etc, etc. And there were also hits in more standard formats (verse, bridge, chorus). Now, all hits sound almost the same within a very narrow range of differences.

let you deaf(hardcore, heavy metal) or both.

This is an interesting statement, because some of the most varied, creative and progressive music, played by some of the best musicians, is within the metal realm.

[FullRangeMan]

Personal taste apart, the styles named as punk, hardcore, heavy metal and others are the most agressive to the ear and low emotional level to the mind I can remember, there is even various bands making satanic music in these ''musical'' genres, what I very sorry.

Some of these genders are so restrict/narrow and limited that can be classified as tribal music.
But certainly something worse will appear in a few years, that I sorry again for the kids from the future.

[Wayner]

The biggest downfall of music is theft.

Scumbags have destroyed the music industry.

Occupy that.

Wayner

[simoon]

Personal taste apart, the styles named as punk, hardcore, heavy metal and others are the most agressive to the ear and low emotional level to the mind I can remember, there is even various bands making satanic music in these ''musical'' genres, what I very sorry.

You are painting metal with a broad brush. As if all metal falls in the same category.

There are bands within the technical-metal, progressive metal, jazz-metal, avante-garde metal genres that are making VERY sophisticated, complex, incredibly well played music that is anything but "low emotional level".

Bands like;

Cynic, Aghora, Leprous, Gordian Knot, Dream Theater, Spastic Ink, Panzerrballett, Ephal Duath, Linear Sphere, Diablo Swing Orchestra, Opeth...the list goes on and on.

These bands are loaded with incredible musicians playing some very sophisticated music.

[FullRangeMan]

You may be right as my knowledge in this area is small, I never was a fan.
I started listen music in the 60 years(orchestral and jazz), and the rock critics these days says Status Quo made bad music.
They looks naive today.

[Freo-1]

Some of you guys are reading too much into the article.  As written, the article is valid.  The article is referring to pop music, not lesser known talents that exist in every generation, but do not get to become popular for whatever reason. 
 
Theft is also a big problem (as pointed out by Wayner), but it goes deeper than that.  The record companies, various idol reality shows, etc, all paly into the sad state of modern pop music.

[dB Cooper]

The biggest downfall of music is theft.

Scumbags have destroyed the music industry.

Occupy that.

Wayner

True that, but not all the thieves are on the consumer end. To take an example from the film business, the author of Forrest Gump signed a deal for a percentage of the profits from the film. A year later he went to the studio (Paramount IIRC) to ask "Where's my money", and was told that the film, despite having brought in $600 million dollars at the box office, hadn't made a profit. There are plenty of similar stories from the music business, going back at least as far as Allan Freed stealing songwriting credits from R&B artists.

So in the altered business model of today's music industry, there is even more pressure both to crank that thing out as efficiently as possible, AND to play it safe in terms of content, sticking to things that sound an awful lot like what sold well before. For a good exposition of this read "The Real Frank Zappa Book".

None of this is to justify stealing though.

Today, I would rather pay $25 to go to a club to see an obscure blues band that I can talk to and buy a disc from between sets, than $100+ to watch some "star" through binoculars in an arena, lip-syncing their "hits". But which are the record companies trying to push? As FZ said, "[the record executive], too, has a mortgage to pay."

[Wayner]

db, I totally agree with you, there are villains on both ends of the industry, internally and externally. However, without the industry as a whole, getting new music marketed, manufactured and distributed would be a disaster. I guess it's that old saying: can't live with them, can't live without them.......

As a vinyl fanboy, down loads are obviously not going to work for me, and it takes the big machines of industry to crank out vinyl.

 

[dB Cooper]

I keep hearing about how internet has made truly independent distribution possible, cutting out the fatcat record execs and their cocaine parties etc (WHOA, thought it was the 80s there for a sec) but I don't know if it has really translated into a revenue stream for artists. It is easier to find, and find out about, lesser known (ie, not Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga etc) artists. But people don't think twice about just taking what they want.

BTW Wayner, even though I haven't spun vinyl in ages, I got the bug again a little bit after the Capitol Audiofest and reading about the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon... for a $400 TT seems pretty nice. Dunno if there are still reasonably priced Thorens TTs yet...

[wushuliu]

The 'stealing' on consumer end is bullsh*t excuse for an industry stalling and slow to change and embrace technology and distribution. Radiohead proved that with their online album where people paid whatever they want. Guess how they made out. Louis CK is proving that with his online tour and video sales. Guess how he made out. Ebooks are doing the same for publishing. 50 Shades of $$$$.

The traditional models are over and done but fat cats want to keep poickets lined at expense of the artists like they had through the 20th century. So they back legislation to keep control by crying piracy and theft. Yet independent artists are now carving their own niche out of the long tail and making more of a living than if they had to kiss industry @zz. They're too busy being successful for doing what they love to mention the rampant theft and stealing I guess. I suppose they're a bit... occupied.

[DaveC113]

The 'stealing' on consumer end is bullsh*t excuse for an industry stalling and slow to change and embrace technology and distribution. Radiohead proved that with their online album where people paid whatever they want. Guess how they made out. Louis CK is proving that with his online tour and video sales. Guess how he made out. Ebooks are doing the same for publishing. 50 Shades of $$$$.

The traditional models are over and done but fat cats want to keep poickets lined at expense of the artists like they had through the 20th century. So they back legislation to keep control by crying piracy and theft. Yet independent artists are now carving their own niche out of the long tail and making more of a living than if they had to kiss industry @zz. They're too busy being successful for doing what they love to mention the rampant theft and stealing I guess. I suppose they're a bit... occupied.

Agreed. I don't feel sorry for the record labels...

[HT cOz]

Who cares if music is complex or not?  Listen to Flo Rida or LMFAO and tell me the tunes aren't fun.  Even young children are drawn to this music, thats why they have a "I'm Elmo and I know it" version of the LMFAO song.  It's so catchy its infectious!  Don't tell me music is dead. 

[simoon]

Who cares if music is complex or not?

Hmmm.... don't answer, let me guess... people that care if music is complex, maybe?

Listen to Flo Rida or LMFAO and tell me the tunes aren't fun.  Even young children are drawn to this music, thats why they have a "I'm Elmo and I know it" version of the LMFAO song.  It's so catchy its infectious!  Don't tell me music is dead. 

Sure, catchy, poppy, simple songs are fun. But there's much more to music than fun.

Maybe I'm somewhat unique in the way I listen to music, but when I listen I become very enthralled and emotionally swept up into the music. When a composer has a greater knowledge of the musical language, well beyond what is 'allowed' in pop, they have a much greater ability to convey a broader range of emotions.

[opnly bafld]

Who cares if music is complex or not?  Listen to Flo Rida or LMFAO and tell me the tunes aren't fun.  Even young children are drawn to this music, thats why they have a "I'm Elmo and I know it" version of the LMFAO song.  It's so catchy its infectious!  Don't tell me music is dead. 

CLASSIC!
You answered your own question. 

[Tyson]

There has always been, and will always be, simple music and stupid TV because the fact is that most humans are pretty dumb and unsophisticated.  Doesn't make them bad people, but their tastes are certainly reflected in popular culture.

I expect pop music and pop movies and TV to all massively improve once the human race as a whole gets smarter.  Oh wait, that will never happen.