People don’t really know what talent is. They’ve grown accustomed to cookie-cutter mediocrity. They just respond to things that “move” them– a pretty face, lyrics that touch a chord, or a rumbling base line. That’s always been the case, I guess, but it’s the musicianship part that gets under my skin. Or maybe authenticity.
With few exceptions, today’s mainstream “artists” are a dime a dozen to me, less organic. Any dreamer with a decent voice can be made a star. It’s mostly manufactured, formulaic, auto-tuned sameness. Seems tough to argue against Top 40 or whatever the metric is today being full of so-called music that sounds basically bland and contrived—whether pop or country or rap. Hip-hop does sound all the same, with an occasional catchy melodic hook, so that has to be about the words and the anger and rawness.
There was no better time for originality and substance— regarding musicianship, lyrics, and melody—than the 60s and 70s. And of course my argument is just one more subjective rant, another tired, generational complaint. But I bet there are many others who feel the same way. And they’re not all as old as I am.
3 Cents' 