All you need to do to prove the ridiculously dramatic decline of music is look at rock and roll.
Which is why if it's anything, it's music. The classic rock style from the 60s and 70s hasn't been continued as a tradition, nor has it been improved upon. It's more or less down the tube.
That said, there are more genres in music than just classic rock.
people on OTC complaining about how bad music is nowadays is getting real old. 'specially since they're invariably the sort of close-minded types who can't accept that music genres constantly change and evolve.
It's no secret both the music and movie industries have been sharply on the decline for a good while now. I'm not talking about just one genre of music or one genre of movies, it's all pretty much turned into garbage compared to years past. Sure, you'll find a couple diamonds in the rough, but they're scattered so few and far between it's almost not even worth watching or listening just to discover new "classic" material.
So, not that we can all agree Hollywood and the recording studios are suffering badly these days, which is suffering the worst?
Music. (ikoiko will come in and say otherwise, book it! )
Back in the day record labels controlled what hit the shelves. Of course that means a lot of idiot stuff got released purely to make sales. But it also adds a level of personal flavor. Say what you want about record companies, but some of the people who work there genuinely care about music, and because they listen to music all day they also know a thing or two. If you are an artist and really love music, and you really work at it, eventually you would be able to get a deal because some record company person will love your style and they will make sure you can record your stuff with professionals in a real studio. Go to a second hand record store and you won't believe some of the stuff lying around.
Record companies are dying now though. It's the internet era. Everyone gets to play "record company guy" right now. People who haven't thought this through will now argue that since everyone can upload their own music on the internet, more good stuff will be available. This is not true, because you still have to find the stuff. And on the internet majority rules. And to be quite Frank, the taste of the majority sucks gigantic nuts. Sure there are still good musicians, but most of them will never have more than 20 listeners, because their stuff doesn't get out the way it should.
Music. (ikoiko will come in and say otherwise, book it! )
Back in the day record labels controlled what hit the shelves. Of course that means a lot of idiot stuff got released purely to make sales. But it also adds a level of personal flavor. Say what you want about record companies, but some of the people who work there genuinely care about music, and because they listen to music all day they also know a thing or two. If you are an artist and really love music, and you really work at it, eventually you would be able to get a deal because some record company person will love your style and they will make sure you can record your stuff with professionals in a real studio. Go to a second hand record store and you won't believe some of the stuff lying around.
Record companies are dying now though. It's the internet era. Everyone gets to play "record company guy" right now. People who haven't thought this through will now argue that since everyone can upload their own music on the internet, more good stuff will be available. This is not true, because you still have to find the stuff. And on the internet majority rules. And to be quite Frank, the taste of the majority sucks gigantic nuts. Sure there are still good musicians, but most of them will never have more than 20 listeners, because their stuff doesn't get out the way it should.
*comes in on cue*
I don't think that's a valid critique of the internet age. all you really have to do is to find one blogger or website that shares your taste, and let them be a sort of gatekeeper for what you'll be exposed to. Sure, some good bands will get lost in the overbearing amounts of music available, but they definitely have a better chance to be heard today than ever before.
Interestingly enough they were just talking about the rise in qualities of movies on Howard Stern recently with director Ron Howard. Their theory was that during times of hardships, one of the few industries thriving is the movie industry and because of it there is more incentive to put out of aquality product. Netflix is making good profits and people are still willing to spend money on going to the movies or staying in to watch them, since it's still a relatively affordable form of entertainment.
Meanwhile, band and record labels alike, I'm sure are making less money thanks to the digital revolution and probably have been for some time perhaps leading to less quality.
It seems like a good majority of movies coming out these days are remakes that can't even really be called remakes, because a lot of times the remake bears little resemblance to the original. I haven't seen the new Friday The 13th, but I fail to see how that can be a remake of the original if Jason is in it with his mask. Dawn Of The Dead remake was obviously lacking in the social commentary that George Romero incorporated into his work, and the zombies were the fast moving type. The characters also bore little resemblance to their previous counterparts. Rob Zombie's Halloween, while not a bad movie either, was definitely a different film than the original. A lot of remakes forget what made the original good, and just focus on updating special effects and budgets and star power.
And music, well, it has declined somewhat in my opinion, but for the most part, I think it's just too diluted. Whereas back in the day, the local garage band was in their garage for a reason and nobody cared. Now, they're all over the internet. Everyone is a rapper or a musician. That doesn't mean everyone is talented. So music becomes like finding the needle in the haystack. Good music is there, you just gotta find alotta bull**** first. And there's also a problem with record companies promoting image more than music. What's your gimmick, what's gonna make you sell, and therefore make us money? That's all they're concerned about it seems.
It seems like a good majority of movies coming out these days are remakes that can't even really be called remakes, because a lot of times the remake bears little resemblance to the original. I haven't seen the new Friday The 13th, but I fail to see how that can be a remake of the original if Jason is in it with his mask. Dawn Of The Dead remake was obviously lacking in the social commentary that George Romero incorporated into his work, and the zombies were the fast moving type. The characters also bore little resemblance to their previous counterparts. Rob Zombie's Halloween, while not a bad movie either, was definitely a different film than the original. A lot of remakes forget what made the original good, and just focus on updating special effects and budgets and star power.
And music, well, it has declined somewhat in my opinion, but for the most part, I think it's just too diluted. Whereas back in the day, the local garage band was in their garage for a reason and nobody cared. Now, they're all over the internet. Everyone is a rapper or a musician. That doesn't mean everyone is talented. So music becomes like finding the needle in the haystack. Good music is there, you just gotta find alotta bull**** first. And there's also a problem with record companies promoting image more than music. What's your gimmick, what's gonna make you sell, and therefore make us money? That's all they're concerned about it seems.
Good post, but if you look at just these past two years:
The Diving Bell and Butterfly
In Bruges
Dark Knight
There Will Be Blood
No Country For Old Men
Iron
Wrestler
Frost Nixon
Slumdog Millionaire
Ratatouille
Wall-E
the general dominant flicks of the year are not dwindling in quality, IMO. However the imdb Box Office says otherwise.
For the record, I'm with ikoiko and Ridonks reasoning on this one, altho I am young, stupid, naive bumbaclod so I may be mistaken en mi opinion.
All you need to do is drive past a local movie theater... parking lot is a ghost town. Oh, and don't even try and play the people are too poor these days to go to the movies, 'cause that's bullsh*t.
movies haven't been that bad. maybe there's a lot of junk out there (and i tend to skip those altogether), but there have been interesting films last year.
Re: More on the decline - music or movies?
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