Let me just start this off with a well-known fact: The modern music industry has been tanking as of late. I don't care if you like pop, rap, metal, or some underground experimental band that you are self-assured that no one else has heard about, everyone can agree to this. This is why I write my thesis: The modern music industry is tanking because of lack of emotion, dishonesty, and profit motive.
Firstly, let me just get down to the lack of emotion in modern music. Back in the seventies, music was driven by the artist's emotions at the time that he/she was writing it. For exhibit A, let me introduce Queen's "Under Pressure". I still get chills every time I hear the crescendo. In modern music, I'm just not getting any "vibes" (I will make an exception for "M4 Part 2" by Faunts). There's no emotion in it, it's just DANCE DANCE ALL NIGHT LONG or I LOVE YOU, BABY. It's like the "artist", and I used that word in a very loose sense, sat down at their desk, took out a piece of paper, and wrote a crappy love poem to no one. There's no societal message, no deeper meaning, and no feeling. It's like a First Person Shooter with no replay value.
Segwaying into my next argument, most "artists" are dishonest. When I say this, I am speaking of bands like Slayer and Nickleback (Not that I in any way, shape, or form put them in the same category). Slayer, for those of you who don't know, is a seminal thrash metal band, famous for songs like "Raining Blood" and "Seasons in the Abyss". They are also famous for their very frightening and satanic themed album covers. In spite of all this, the band members of Slayer are devout Christians. Now, I do not hate Christianity, nor do I hate Slayer (I could listen to Seasons in the Abyss all damn day), but if you're going to talk the talk, then at least walk the walk (Upon looking up Norwegian Black Metal, I take that back). Now for a much better argument, why does Nickleback suck? Nickleback was and still is part of the post-grunge movement of Nirvana/Pearl Jam spin-offs. Despite claiming to be the torch bearers of grunge, Nickleback, along with its sister band, Creed, are nothing more than losers who are riding the gold mine that was the Grunge movement. Back in the late 80s/early 90s, Nirvana wrote songs that were inspired by Kurt Cobain's teenage angst. The songs that he wrote came from his heart, and he put every ounce of emotion and feeling into it. In other words, he was legit. Nowadays, I feel more respect for Lady Gaga than Nickleback. You are probably thinking WTF? right now, but as one of my all-time favorite lead singers, Geddy Lee, once sang, "All this machinery making modern music can still be open-hearted. Not so coldly charted, it's really just a question of your honesty, yeah, your honesty. One likes to believe in the freedom of music, but glittering prizes and endless compromises shatter the illusion of integrity. " (Rush, Spirit of Radio)
Using that last quote as a transition, another problem with music industry is that most bands/artists nowadays are motivated by profit rather than message. Just look at every pop/rap/hip-hop artist to come out in the last decade: No talent, yet they somehow make millions. How? The answer is simple: The music industry looks for puppets, people who they can use to milk money out of a target demographic. Look at Justin Bieber: He cranks out cheap and corny love songs and prepubescent girls eat it up. Who WOULDN'T take advantage of that cash cow? Rebecca Black is another example: I am not sure whether it was all her idea to get into the music industry, but what I do know is that she definitely didn't write "Friday". In short, my message to them: Don't stop making music, just make your own, without autotune (I have yet to regret this statement).
In conclusion, the music industry needs a slap to the face to cure this chronic lack of emotion, dishonesty, and profit motivation. Going against my thesis, however, I will say that there are some new bands that refresh my faith in humanity. Amongst them, the most famous is Adele, which I would hope requires no explanation. There are also multiple small bands, which is where most of money lies. My message to you all: Support your local artists. Remember that Queen, Pink Floyd, and Iron Maiden didn't start by playing to sold out audiences.
Garry's Mod
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