"Artists, especially new ones trying to break through, actually started changing how they composed to play better in the algorithmically driven streaming era. Songs got shorter, albums got longer, and intros went away. The hook got pushed to the front of the song to try to grab listeners’ attention immediately, and things like guitar solos all but disappeared from pop music. "
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IDK; I was an indiehead basically forever, and i mean that in the truest sense of the word: not a specific style but music that is independent of big industry, big algorithm, big platform.
This used to involve reading that one indie magazine, listening to late night radio shows & going to gigs in small venues.
Now it’s still about listening to certain niche (internet) radio stations, going on Bandcamp, or checking out what other fediversists recommend.
Still going to local gigs.
Keeping your ears open.My point? There’s plenty great current music in my life, and the mainstream - that was always going to the dogs 🤷
The mainstream was never where the real action was at.
Here, here! Too often I listen to people complain: “There’s no good music anymore.”/“They don’t make music like they used to.” Yes they do and yes there is. You just have to look for it. It’s quite easy if you’re actually interested. Read comments of posts and music clips. Local gigs and see the support acts. Search like bands and use Wikipedia to search bands/acts in certain genre… Your options are nearly endless.
I also don’t need constant discovery. I have plenty of music that I listen to, and if it’s good music I actually want to listen to it many times over.
it used to be that listening to the radio was our constant discovery. That used to be the easy part.
I still listen to college music stations all of the time. They aren’t selling anything, just playing the stuff they like.
Hmmm. Building on what I said earlier, it was a certain once a week late night programme geared towards people like me.
But internet radio has changed all that of course - made it easier.
Podcasts still exist for this kind of thing, which is a comfort.
I do the opposite of all of that lol, oh well, I make music mostly for fun and to unwind. It’s a shame, intros are to me one of the best parts of a song.
Good for you! I too make music for fun, and ignoring what’s going on in the ‘music industry’ is what got skiffle ** (and punk) off the ground. Trying to do what’s already ‘in’ is a game for the profit-driven … whereas real creativity ‘for fun’ is -always- where the fair’s at. If by chance we come up with something new, those are the people who are remembered!
** I just learned the other day that after skiffle came along, guitar sales in the UK went from 5,000 a year to 250,000. And there was no place to play at that time. And a guitar was the most expensive instrument needed for skiffle.
Thanks you too :) I think it’s pretty much the only way to go now unless you want to give yourself a mental breakdown (not speaking experience or anything /s). There’s simply so much music out there and unless you looooove self promotion (I really don’t), want to pay someone for promotion (no) then your chances are not great.
Huh somehow I’ve never even heard of skiffle before, I’ll have to check some out, that’s a crazy statistic too haha.
I’m not going to subscribe to read the full article, but a lot of the things in the summary happened before streaming. As a songwriter, I do, however, try to grab listeners’ attention immediately since there’s so much good music out there that someone could easily go somewhere else after a few seconds.
ja
Guitar solos ruin the repeatability of a pop song with a good chorus or catchy melody. Good riddance.
Pop songs are glorified nursery rhymes
Oh, now there’s a quote I’m gonna pass on.
A lot of ‘guitar solos’ were more about one-upmanship and less about the music itself. That was a rock problem … never a problem for great bluegrass. (Ever heard a great bluegrass band? They’re amazing.)
Agreed, bluegrass solos are great. Especially live.
I don’t think bluegrass is pop, though.
Nirvana would like a word with you.
Literally every rock band before 2000 would like a word really.
I’m here for the downvotes now: nirvana is extremely mid.
Eh, I can’t in all good conscience downvote an opinion. I love that band, personally.
Nirvana for sure recorded a lot of fine tunes.
i mean
