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[Pop] "Music as an art form is dying. It is being replaced by music which is a disposable product designed to sell but not to inspire." ??

maverickronin

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I also think that, unlike the "old days", the pop "artist" has become a bit more like an instrument: a voice that the writer/producer utilises to create a piece of music, and a face that the label uses to create a brand associated with the music.

Japan's already there...

 

andreasmaaan

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I just had a look at the current Billboard Hot 100, since it'd been a while since I'd delved into this.

Listened to the current top ten which was interesting. It's very hip-hop oriented, I was expecting more EDM and more girl and boy pop singers.

I thought this one produced by Murda Beatz was a decent track musically (lyrical content way more questionable). The rest on there, not so much...

In retrospect, a few of my previous posts on this thread have been overly focused on the Biebers, not taking into account the hip-hop and trap bent of modern pop, where the producers are more visible (think Drake, Kanye, Mark Ronson, etc.) and there is a bit more stylistic diversity.
 
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maverickronin

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I just had a look at the current Billboard Hot 100, since it'd been a while since I'd delved into this.

If I hadn't recently started watching Music Video Sins I would only recognized two names on that whole list...

In retrospect, a few of my previous posts on this thread have been overly focused on the Biebers, not taking into account the hip-hop and trap bent of modern pop, where the producers are more visible and there is perhaps a bit more stylistic diversity.

I've never been able to get into any rap/hip-hop that wasn't parody...
 

Rod

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Gangsta

nZmjnkH.jpg
 

Sir Sanders Zingmore

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Do you create music? Or do you know how to? If so, you can maybe explain why people "don't understand" the latest pop music and why the old stuff was just the same but different. But if not, then maybe it is you who doesn't understand anything about it at all.
I’m sure you don’t mean your post to sound awfully condescending but to me it does
 

DuxServit

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Blumlein 88

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Lukasz Gottwald of the United States and Max Martin from Sweden, who are both responsible for dozens of songs in the top 100 charts.

I've known this for some time. Those folks are on my list of bad people. Not because they write so much pop music, but because what they write is so poor. Of course they are just exploiting the lowest common denominator.

I'd say this is a good time for music as an art to wither a bit. Not that such is a good thing. Only that we will soon have and probably already could have AI's that write excellent music to any level of taste, art, complexity or simplicity that anyone could desire. If the pop world can get by with two guys writing most of the music, we can get by even better without them in pop and all musical genre's.
 

RayDunzl

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Decline is not new.

Here's an opinion.


And some more:

 

Krunok

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Lukasz Gottwald of the United States and Max Martin from Sweden, who are both responsible for dozens of songs in the top 100 charts.

I've known this for some time. Those folks are on my list of bad people. Not because they write so much pop music, but because what they write is so poor.

I see the real problem in the fact that music market is not only accepting this poor quality but actually favorising it. I'm sure both of them are capable of making better music, but with the market such as this why bother..
 

Cosmik

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...we will soon have and probably already could have AI's that write excellent music to any level of taste, art, complexity or simplicity that anyone could desire.
I do have to disagree with that. I think computers would first need to achieve consciousness in order to become 'artists' - and that isn't going to happen!
 

Krunok

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I do have to disagree with that. I think computers would first need to achieve consciousness in order to become 'artists' - and that isn't going to happen!

Claiming that something is not going to happen is never a wise move. Given enough time anything can happen.
 

Wombat

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I do have to disagree with that. I think computers would first need to achieve consciousness in order to become 'artists' - and that isn't going to happen!

It is more likely to happen with the more metronomic music, e.g. classical, first. ;)
 

Cosmik

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Yes. That's what it sounds like...:) I could play you stuff based on random sequences that I did about 35 years ago - it sounds just like that!

For sure, a computer can create music based on maths, or randomness (as, indeed, can a human), but it needs a human to 'curate' it. i.e. an 'artist', even if their role is just one of filtering out the rubbish.
 

Krunok

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Yes. That's what it sounds like...:) I could play you stuff based on random sequences that I did about 35 years ago - it sounds just like that!

For sure, a computer can create music based on maths, or randomness (as, indeed, can a human), but it needs a human to 'curate' it. i.e. an 'artist', even if their role is just one of filtering out the rubbish.

This is early work, just wait until they develop consciousness, they'll be playing totally different tune then.. :p

 

watchnerd

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I like the creative mashups between traditional and new styles that are happening now in the jazz scene.

There is plenty of great new music being made, it just may not be in pop.

 

Blumlein 88

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I see the real problem in the fact that music market is not only accepting this poor quality but actually favorising it. I'm sure both of them are capable of making better music, but with the market such as this why bother..

Well I agree. But then I remember AM Top40 radio from the 60's. As bad as pop music is now, it is not worse than that. There is always the lowest common denominator thing going on. When your radio audience was a circle hundreds of miles in diameter it is no surprise.
 

Blumlein 88

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I do have to disagree with that. I think computers would first need to achieve consciousness in order to become 'artists' - and that isn't going to happen!
Well, I think some of the formulaic pop music doesn't require much intelligence. The term monkey see, monkey do comes to mind. Monkey see, monkey do software can probably do better if the monkey being copied is a real artist vs some of the formula pop music. So while not the pinnacle of human creativity it might do a fairly good job of simulated the better versions of it.
 
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