How our generation is killing music
Erich Schrader
Issue date: 11/13/09 Section: Amusement
I'll probably be crucified by many for saying this, but a substantial portion of the music produced these days genuinely sucks, and to be more specific, I'm talking about the same songs that people often seem to enjoy.
The music industry is getting railed by music pirating, vinyl sales ... blah, blah, blah. Ultimately, there are several other reasons why a formerly booming industry is probably going to be the next to ask for a government handout.
Here are just a few things that are ruining music.
1. MTV
Mocking and degrading MTV has become a necessity to my everyday life (I also hate Nickelback), so I'm simply going to shout out from the parapet and hope something sticks. During its inception, MTV had so much promise. A channel that would just show music videos? What a peach. That was, until the media moguls decided marketing to pre-pubescent tweens and telling kids what's cool became commonplace.
I'm too young to be able to really feel a true sense of nostalgia for the aforementioned glory days, but I can imagine it. It's a story we've all seen before. The same thing happened with FUSE, a TV station originally hyped as the anti-MTV. This excited me, and I jumped in with both feet. Only a few short years later, they began MTV-esque "original programming," which comprised of equally mind-numbing shows that had the added flavor of emo.
Remember how cool Pandora was before they added commercials and advertising? Everybody wants to a piece of the proverbial pie, and those with the power will corrupt and degrade the sanctity of music to get it.
2. Music pirating
Before I delve into a seemingly endless purgatory of copyright debate, I have to admit I am as guilty as anyone else when it comes to downloading music. That being said, I assume partial responsibility on behalf of the pirate community.
People download music illegally because it's free and they need something to do between load screens for the porn they downloaded the night before. It's a subconscious action to go onto LimeWire to get a new album for free, but we fail to realize the effect it has on the music industry.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Chris H
posted 11/22/09 @ 2:02 AM EST
Completely agree, especially with your last statement.Our generation is condemned to being remembered for this empty music not worthy of the name given to the influential songs of the past. (Continued…)
Bill H
posted 11/22/09 @ 10:16 PM EST
music downloading can be a problem, but that's a rather narrow way of looking at it.
in some respects music pirating(or sharing) has been good for music. (Continued…)
JA Cooper
posted 11/23/09 @ 12:13 PM EST
Another factor is the increasingly snobby attitudes of those writing about music. Suddenly the only bands that matter are the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and The Who. (Continued…)
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