+1. I'd also add Wilco, The New Pornographers, Grizzly Bear, Diane Birch and Norah Jones (her new album is excellent) to the above list.

Yes, the stuff on Top 40 radio mostly sucks (but I think that's been the case for at least the last 20 years), as does most of the so-called 'alternative' or 'modern' rock that's come out lately. But if you dig a little bit (check out some stuff on Pitchfork.com, sattelite radio or your local college station), you might find some pleasant surprises.

each decade has good or bad music, depents on what you like.
i pick up what i like, therefore i read in my fave mags the album reviews.

cheers

you have to be careful with the wording. there's some great music being done today, unfortunately its harder to find because its not "popular" or mainstream. most, not all, of the stuff that IS mainstream, i feel is just simplistic, boiled down, uncreative garbage.

i do see that many people have lost appreciation for music for what it is, and as an art. music is just a commodity for alot of people (corporate pigs), so therefore whatever sells is what gets most attention. unfortunately, any simple 4/4 beat that you can have sex to or shake your body to is whats popular now. walk into any party, and you'll see what i mean. listen to the music played and watch the reaction in the room. people can be real puppets, you know? just for fun, throw a song in the mix that has a different time signature, or maybe some complex solo, and the room may clear out a bit. if a song has some kind of intelligence factor, good luck getting a healthy-sized audience. but you know what, i think all media reflects the fact that Americans are getting dumber. besides the primal stimulus they possess to simple 4/4 beats, it seems like even newspaper articles and TV/movies are being dumbed down, so they are better understood. i am so tired of watching TV because so many times, you will find sexual innuendo used for selling a product, or as a joke in sitcom. what's wrong with people? why does sex have to be involved in order to tell a joke and have it be funny? its very sad. good call on that game show Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader?. it should serve as a wake-up call. i've mourned many times for this country whenever i watched Jay Leno's "Jaywalking" skit, (if any of you are fans of that show.) pitiful....

thats just my observation of today's general public, and why its harder to be a musician writing genuine material.

about Miley Cyrus, the only reason she's famous is because of Nepotism. Thank Billy Ray for that.
Taylor Swift comes to mind, and while i don't really consider her a country artist (that could be a whole different chapter which i will avoid), she has written almost all her material, and it's decent stuff. she's one of the few mainstream artists who i dont have a problem with (not just because she's hot...)

sorry dude, but i say hell with Nickleback. just my opinion. there's nothing musically interesting there. even the new Pearl Jam has turned me off. give me the 90's back anyday. heck, i say that for alot of rock artists. i feel many have gone stale, just trying to appease the fickle public. in fact, i blame the public for stale music, not the artists. the 90's was probably the last decade where you heard a lot of meaningful material in the mainstream. many of those who found success then have now gone to the wayside because they either sold out to the mass public and lost their luster, not really knowing how to appease everyone, or they failed in trying and broke up.

the music world today scares me, i have no idea what to expect from it in the next 5 years. its one big cesspool.

Lots of great music out there, more than ever.

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Overall yes I hate the new music out there but if you dig and look there are some talented people out there just not usually on top 40.

How about, "I like some of it, but hate most of it."?

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RAMA LAMA FA FA FA

Funny the way the poll has formed. I would seem that less people on the forum like modern music were in real life you'd think more would like modern stuff. I think it's because this is a guitr forum. Any one who puts the time to learn an instrument and REALLY discover music would suddently realIse that the corporate bull $@!& music sucks. Yes America is getting more stupid but us musicians are the ones who really see what is good. And doesen't that just make sense?

The stuff you mentioned is no worse than the "Pop" music from any other decade. Yes it's homogenized crap designed to appeal across a broad spectrum to the lowest common denominator of musical taste. I've never been a fan of it either.

That being said, there is also quite a bit of good "non mainstream" music out there. Get off the top 40 channels and you will hear some of it.

Go to smaller venues, you will hear it.

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"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"

I'll just say I'm not into the brand of 'candy pop' as I call it--mindless music writing (which unfortunately generates tons of cash). I'm more into alternative, classical, etc. So, need specifics about 'today's music.' I'm not into Lady GaGa but I don't really hate her. Some of her stuff is a little interesting. She's a gimmick right now, but standing the test of time is the ultimate judge. You never really know what takes off.

So I did vote for 'hate it' because when I surf the radio, nothing interests me but that's just me. What's one man's garbage is another man's gold.

Although I do admit it does seem like the more popular music is not the most creative (to me at least)

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"While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

My dad said, "I'm going to miss you."
I said, "Well, now that I broke that sight off your rifle..." (Emo Philips)

This is the worst period in the history of music that I have ever seen hands down. I believe the web has played a big part in the decline of music also. If you ask me I would rather pay for my music than to just be able to rip it off. I feel this is really unfair to any artist who makes an album only to have it put on the web and burned for nothing.

Then we all want to complain about the price of a concert ticket. Well this is really the only way acts can make money today as they are not doing it by album sales. If someone does not fix this whole mess and fix it right this buissness is going to die and what will be left will be the giant corporate Disney,American Idol bubble gum $@!&.

Mostly. all of us grew up on buying our music and that is the way I believe it should be.