
The State of the Music Industry
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Off TopicEveryone 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-

Please wait...
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-
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
-Nate-
manage to do well because they don't stick to just the same old thing, they experiment but in a good way.
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.