The State of the Music Industry
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The State of the Music Industry

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Everyone has their own tastes in music, so this is probably gonna be a bit of a debate, so those that don't like controversy, steer clear. I'm not an expert or purport to be one, I'm just a fan with an opinion.

Okay, now that that's out of the way. What do you think of the current state of the music industry?

It seems like, to me, that while movies, video games, and even comics are thriving as entertainment media; the music industry is suffering. If you don't think something is wrong with the music industry, then just look at the sales charts. Miley Cyrus and The Jonas Brothers are at the top of the charts. Sure, it's expected for them to be popular with the kiddies, but they shouldn't be on top of all the adult stars as well. This is in a large part due to internet pirating of music. A lot less people are buying CDs because they can download it for free. And even those that pay to download can make a CD for less than buying one new. The music industry as a whole needs to think of cheaper ways of getting music out there, and new technology to replace CDs.

I also think the music industry is suffering because of who's running it. A lot of record labels (are they still called record labels?) are being run by suit and tie business types rather than music people. Of course you need business men to run a business, but I think they should be more of middle management or consultants, and the big decisions be made by music people.

Because of the people running the music industry we often get corporate stars rather than actual musicians. People who look pretty, and have no problem saying certain things and acting a certain way the record label wants them to. Yet they have little musical skills. Most of them can sing; but someone else writes everything for them, and they use audio tech to support their voices.

Another problem I see with the music industry is over-saturation. Just like the glut of the hair metal bands by the late 80s, rap is falling into that same trap. Everyone has to look and sound a certain way, and it's getting old. We need someone like The Beatles or Nirvana to just bust the doors down and make way for a new wave of music.

All things considered, Metal is doing quite well, though. I'm a huge metal-head, and while metal is not at the forefront like the 80s (and probably never will be in the near future due to mistakes made in the 80s), as a genre it's doing quite well. You can listen to a VERY wide variety of metal bands. Softer stuff like ballad bands, hardcore, European, Screamo, Thrash, Power Metal, Rap-Metal, mainstream radio bands, and even new bands in the old 70s & 80s styles, you name it. Old bands are making big returns like Iron Maiden, Metallica, AC/DC, and others. At the same time there are tons of new bands coming out, many of them are very good too. And a lot of European and Japanese bands (Cradle of Filth, In Flames, Dimmu Borgir, and others) are getting attention in the U.S. creating a whole new scene of metal. It's almost like an underground renassaince of metal right now.

-Nate-

Posted by BurningDoom
on Sunday, July 19, 2009
User Comments
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Thor the Mighty -
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
I mainly only listen to old music these days the new pop music is far too corporatized imo.
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Top-notch comix -
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
TOWN CALLED HIPPOCRACY!!!!!
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Shinobitron -
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Have to say out of the current stuff Bullet for My Valentine and Lost Prophets top my list.
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flawpunk -
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Don't forget Dimmu Borgir!
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BurningDoom -
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
They all mix metal and rap, that's why I named them. Here's some bands I like so you guys get an idea of why. I'm into old-school metal and the more modern hardcore metal that has sprung from that. I've also really gotten into the European metal scene in the last few years:

Megadeth (#1!!!), Metallica, Iron Maiden, Arch Enemy, In Flames, Amon Amarth, Children of Bodom, Cradle of Filth, Lordi, Iced Earth, Demons & Wizards, Amorphis, Trivium, Misfits, 3 Inches of Blood, All That Remains, Ratt (yes, Ratt), Tool, God Forbid, The Scorpions (that's pronounced Scorpi-Ons), Killswitch Engage, Mudvayne, Queensryche, Scar Symmetry.

Just to name a few.

-Nate-
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flawpunk -
Monday, July 20, 2009
U listed 3 bands that are
completely different. Korn has had limp bizkit in a song yes, but their music is completely different, especially the first album, life is peachy, follow the leader, and issues
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Goldenwolf -
Monday, July 20, 2009
You Just Named 3 Bands I Consider Kick A$$ I Like the New Metal Sound ( Are We Enemys )Just Kidding Bro! Like You Said To Each Their Own - At Some Point Every Band Get's Full Of themselves . We just gotta move foward because someone else is in the line of life.
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BurningDoom -
Monday, July 20, 2009
Ugh. I can't stand Korn, or anything like them like Limp Bizkit or Kid Rock. I just can't stand the rap-metal fusion bands. They don't sound good together, IMO. But to each his own.

-Nate-
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somebody1 -
Monday, July 20, 2009
on the concert last night they covered "Another brick in the wall" by pink floyd.
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flawpunk -
Monday, July 20, 2009
A fairly decent example is KoRn, they always sell. Though I prefer their first four albums, they still
manage to do well because they don't stick to just the same old thing, they experiment but in a good way.
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somebody1 -
Monday, July 20, 2009
I love that newer groups have trouble selling concert tickets yet ones form the 80s and even the 60s are selling out wherever they go. They even pack the local fairs and such when they play. I saw the "Download festival" on vh1 classic last night and it had new and old groups such as Korn and Journey playing. Metal and classic rock seem to be the only ones thriving. Bands just don't have staying power like they used to, if we hear about half the new bands in 30 years it will be a miracle.
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Darththomas -
Monday, July 20, 2009
Yep, current bands are dire in England too, I have to listen to a commercial radio station at work and all the songs sound the same and bands (in the loosest possible sense) only seem to want to sing about love and soppy stuff which is OK but only when it's done well, also lot's of boybands and pussycat dolls, I see myself as quite a music lover and listen to all sorts such as Eminem, White stripes, hard house, Euphoria, Prodigy, Green day and my constant favourite Bob Marley, they just don't make music like they used to!!
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somebody1 -
Monday, July 20, 2009
I agree, that's part of why sales are down. THere are only so many teenagers out there to buy the crap stuff while a lot of the other groups are on independent labels that don't get counted.
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Shinobitron -
Monday, July 20, 2009
Though a modern metal fan I still listen to 80s music. Most of the stuff being put out today is nothing more that pure crap and shouldnt qualify as music. Watch the South Park ep with the Jonas Bros, that pretty much sums up the current music industry.
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BurchCustoms -
Sunday, July 19, 2009
it isn't only metal that is thriving. post punk, anti-folk, and the indie rock movements are growing incredibly fast.

I actually think that popular music has improved in quality in the last few years. I am a middle school teacher, so I am exposed to what is really being listened to, even though I only listen to underground and indie music myself.

one thing I have noticed is that many trendy bands have something that has been missing from commercial music for decades. artistic integrity. the strokes, muse, feist, modest mouse, keene, the white stripes, the killers, etc. are bands that seem to really care about music and not just the paycheck, and they are getting regular airplay. the fact that a large portion of my students have heard of these bands is a good sign I believe.

I am very, very disappointed that emo seems to have killed the pop punk movement though.
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flawpunk -
Sunday, July 19, 2009
That's why I prefer metal and industrial. As far as LP goes, first cd wasn't bad, and I liked some of reanimation, but the rest meh
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necornaut -
Sunday, July 19, 2009
I agree, I don't really listen to mainstream music I think the closest I get is the killers or modest mouse, but mainly its the weird bands out there that don't get the super publicity like ween or les claypool's I don't know what he's doing with primus now current band.. I hate though all of this super pop crap out there and these emo bands that are going and and saying they're the next smashing pumpkins or black sabbath.
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PUNISHMENT5411 -
Sunday, July 19, 2009
The only "mainstream" or "new music" I listen to is Disturbed. I really only listen to classic, japanese, finnish, or any other forgein music. American music is full of boy bands (IMO) like that one really crappy band Linkin Park (3...2...1 let the bitching begin!). Posers. In American music, everything sounds the same! No creativity what so ever!
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