schnepf13 that is exactly what I was thinking. it just didn't come out quite that clear when I attempted to say it . I aint so great wit dem sentences

Lots of reasons for the perception that music in general is going down the tubes:


4) The destruction of the album. I don't know too many people these days who buy entire albums, or even sit down and listen to a complete album from beginning to end. We simply cherrypick the songs we like and download them onto our iPods. Music has become background noise, something we have on while we're working out or washing the dishes. In such an environment, it is increasingly difficult to find artists who even bother putting together a collection of good songs for a solid album.

5) The rise of electronic music and Protools. Don't get me wrong: I love a lot of electronic music. When it's done well, it can be pretty awesome. But because it's relatively easy to loop a drumbeat and a baseline onto a computer and then slap some samples over it, there are a lot of people who fancy themselves as 'eletronic musicians' simpy because they own a computer and a Yamaha keyboard. I think there's something to be said for all the discipline and hard work that is required to learn an actual instrument like a guitar or a piano.

If you think cruddy music is a recent (after the mid-eighties) trend, consider these earth-shattering works of art:

"Yummy, yummy yummy, I've got love in my tummy..." I won't look up who did that song because I don't want such drivel in my browser history.
Anything by WASP...
Lawrence Welk
Pat Boone
Fabian
The Captain and Tenille, "Muskrat Love"
Elvis' song, "Teddy Bear"
Anything by Stryper...
Donnie & Marie (and/or any Osmonds)
Wayne Newton
Rick Springfield
The Village People
The entire Skiffle movement.
Bobby Goldsboro (the jackwagon who sang "Honey")
David Cassidy
Sean Cassidy
Leif Garrett
Andy Gibb
Boston (yes, that Boston...yes, I know they can play...yes, I know he made an amp the size of a sandwich...but they have recorded the same bloody album three or four times [or however many albums they recorded], and it just doesn't move me)
Hair Metal
Culture Club (they came out--literally and figuratively--before 1985)
Menudo
The Turtles
John Denver
Peter, Paul and Mary
Melanie ("Rollerskate Key") played Woodstock, for cryin' out loud!
...and a million others

Current pop stars that actually have something:
Adele. Gorgeous voice, plays several instruments, writes or co-writes most of her own material
Katy Perry. Good voice. Plays several instruments, and writes or co-writes a good deal of  her own music. Plus, if you don't like the song, you can turn down the sound and just look at her.
Colbie Caillet. Ditto to everything above.
I personally don't like 97% of Laddy Gagger's (do you see what I did there?) music or performances...BUT, she actually writes, plays and sings her own material. Plus, she really seems to connect with her fans.
Beyonce can sing.
Gwen Stefani ditto.
The chick who sings "Jar of Hearts"
Amy Winehouse (RIP)

There are good/talented artists and good songs...yes, most of the crap you hear today will not be remembered tomorrow, but here's a question for everybody under 35:
Do you know who Spandau Ballet are? Flock of Seagulls? Simple Minds?
Those idiots permeated the radio when I was in high school, and they sucked, too...but there was good stuff, too--the Georgia Satellites, Joan Jett, Tom Petty, Prince, SRV, ZZ Top, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Dwight Yoakum...
Sometimes you find an entire field of diamonds, and sometimes you  gotta scrape through a lot of mud to find a single gem
Music is good and bad. Trends come and go, and right now it's not that great...but everytime the "scene" stinks, there's a new revolution...just like the 50's explosion of rock & roll, the 60's British Invasion (some of which was terrible), the birth of psychedelic and heavy metal in the 60's, Punk in the 70's. the blues renaissance of the 80's, New Wave in the 80's, grunge in the 90's...we're due for a new movement any minute now.

Totally agree w you- BUT I have to give some credit to those guys who really spend their time doing this.... and get some usable results

Doesn't every older generation complain about new music?

Yeah, but while I still love to listen to Beethoven, I wonder what will remain of today's music. Not much, I suppose. Or does anybody really think we'll want to listen to Gaga again?

Cheers

David

I'm pretty sure I will in the future, sure it might not be the most sophisticated music on the planet but she makes some very good catchy pop music, which has its place in certain moments. Hell I'm quite happy to throw her on when I'm out for a run or on a big clean up mission in my house and just get on a feel good mission. I'm not ashamed.

Music is good and bad. Trends come and go, and right now it's not that great...but everytime the "scene" stinks, there's a new revolution...just like the 50's explosion of rock & roll, the 60's British Invasion (some of which was terrible), the birth of psychedelic and heavy metal in the 60's, Punk in the 70's. the blues renaissance of the 80's, New Wave in the 80's, grunge in the 90's...we're due for a new movement any minute now.

I dont think there will ever be a new music movement. The music industry is near death. Rock radio is a thing of the past and record labels arent willing to risk money on unproven talent. So, what they do now is simply look for pop acts that will appeal to tweens and teens and they market the hell out of one song and just hope that that one song will lead to 2, 3 and then hopefully a new pop star is born.

The internet has killed the music scene and you know what...? Maybe Metallica was right! Napster was the beginning of the end for the music industry. Record companies arent looking to sell full albums anymore. They one one hit song after another that they can sell on iTunes for .99

I feel bad for the rock/metal bands of today. Although its much easier to get your music out to the masses via the internet, its still near impossible to gain any mainstream traction.