Why is modern music so awful

[TechHaus]

There was more money outside of chart toppers, previously, though.

When people bought plastic disks, bands could get thousands, tens of thousands, maybe a hundred thousand TO RECORD A DEMO.

Now that money goes to Jack Antonoff or Benny Blanco.

I guess you could argue that budgets weren't needed once laptops got powerful enough to do it all yourself in fruity loops. No demos anymore though - that concept is gone. Just post post post post.

[TechHaus]

Also - on the subject of "charts"- there were the CMJ charts, and many of the artists you liked in the 80's and 90's were most likely on those!

The CMJ charts mattered (College Media Journal) and were not "dross", sorry.

[TechHaus]

Found this archived somewhere.

The entire list of CMJ's Top 250 Singles 1979-1989, the biggest songs on college/alternative radio in that period:

1. General Public, “Tenderness”
2. R.E.M., “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)”
3. Love and Rockets, “No New Tale to Tell”
4. Talking Heads, “Burning Down the House”
5. The Smiths, “How Soon is Now?”
6. The Clash, “Rock the Casbah”
7. Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Peek-A-Boo”
8. Thomas Dolby, “She Blinded Me with Science”
9. R.E.M., “Driver 8”
10. Midnight Oil, “Beds are Burning”
11. Tears for Fears, “Shout”
12. Talking Heads, “And She Was”
13. The Replacements, “Alex Chilton”
14. Simple Minds, “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”
15. U2, “Pride (In the Name of Love)”
16. The Sugarcubes, “Birthday”
17. R.E.M., “Can’t Get There From Here”
18. R.E.M., “Superman”
19. Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll”
20. The Police, “Roxanne”
21. Public Image Ltd., “Seattle”
22. The Church, “Under the Milky Way”
23. The Cure, “In Between Days”
24. The The, “Infected”
25. Soft Cell, “Tainted Love”
26. Lou Reed, “I Love You, Suzanne”
27. Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians, “Balloon Man”
28. Big Country, “In a Big Country”
29. The Psychedelic Furs, “Pretty in Pink”
30. The Cure, “Why Can’t I Be You?”
31. Adam and the Ants, “Antmusic”
32. The Screaming Blue Messiahs, “I Wanna Be a Flintstone”
33. The Godfathers, “Birth, School, Work, Death”
34. Sinéad O’Connor, “Mandinka”
35. Howard Jones, “Things Can Only Get Better”
36. R.E.M., “The One I Love”
37. U2, “I Will Follow”
38. U2, “Sunday Bloody Sunday”
39. Go-Go’s, “Our Lips are Sealed”
40. The English Beat, “Save It for Later”
41. The Alarm, “Strength”
42. U2, “New Year’s Day”
43. R.E.M., “Fall on Me”
44. The Smithereens, “Blood and Roses”
45. The Smiths, “Bigmouth Strikes Again”
46. Romeo Void, “Never Say Never”
47. Men Without Hats, “The Safety Dance”
48. That Petrol Emotion, “Big Decision”
49. Tears for Fears, “Everybody Want to Rule the World”
50. Peter Gabriel, “Shock the Monkey”
51. Wire, “Ahead”
52. Primitives, “Crash”
53. Eurythmics, “Here Comes the Rain Again”
54. Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians, “If You Were a Priest”
55. Tracy Chapman, “Fast Car”
56. Echo & the Bunnymen, “Bring on the Dancing Horses”
57. Suzanne Vega, “Luka”
58. XTC, “Dear God”
59. U2, “Desire”
60. The Alarm, “Rain in the Summertime”
61. Morrissey, “Suedehead”
62. The Cult, “Love Removal Machine”
63. The Cure, “Just Like Heaven”
64. Hoodoo Gurus, “I Want You Back”
65. Echo & the Bunnymen, “Lips Like Sugar”
66. The Cult, “She Sells Sanctuary”
67. Psychedelic Furs, “Heartbreak Beat”
68. Bangles, “Hero Takes a Fall”
69. Timbuk 3, “The Future’s So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades”
70. Public Image Ltd., “Rise”
71. Shriekback, “Nemesis”
72. Elvis Costello & the Attractions, “Everyday I Write the Book”
73. Frankie Goes to Hollywood, “Two Tribes”
74. The Pretenders, “Middle of the Road”
75. Violent Femmes, “Children of the Revolution”
76. Fine Young Cannibals, “Johnny Come Home”
77. The Clash, “Police on My Back”
78. J.Geils Band, “Freeze Frame”
79. Joe Jackson, “Steppin’ Out”
80. The J. Geils Band, “Centerfold”
81. Peter Gabriel, “Sledgehammer”
82. R.E.M., “So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)”
83. The Police, “King of Pain”
84. Romeo Void, “A Girl in Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)”
85. The Sisters of Mercy, “This Corrosion”
86. Thomas Dolby, “Hyperactive!”
87. Julian Cope, “World Shut Your Mouth”
88. Eurythmics, “Would I Lie to You?”
89. Talking Heads, “Wild Wild Life”
90. Camper Van Beethoven, “Eye of Fatima (Part 1)”
91. The Replacements, “I Will Dare”
92. David Bowie, “Let’s Dance”
93. Kate Bush, “Running Up that Hill”
94. Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, “Tomorrow People”
95. U2, “Wire”
96. The Jesus and Mary Chain, “Sidewalking”
97. Howard Jones, “New Song”
98. Dead Milkmen, “Bitchin’ Camaro”
99. Greg Kihn Band, “Jeopardy”
100. New Order, “The Perfect Kiss”
101. The Bolshoi, “Away”
102. Hoodoo Gurus, “Bittersweet”
103. The Mighty Lemon Drops, “Inside Out”
104. Let’s Active, “Every Dog Has His Day”
105. The Housemartins, “Happy Hour”
106. New Order, “Bizarre Love Triangle”
107. The Smithereens, “Only a Memory”
108. The Psychedelic Furs, “Love My Way”
109. Heaven 17, “Let Me Go”
110. Love and Rockets, “Kundalini Express”
111. Gene Loves Jezebel, “Heartache”
112. The Jam, “Start!”
113. The Police, “Spirits in the Material World”
114. The Psychedelic Furs, “The Ghost in You”
115. Peter Gabriel, “Red Rain”
116. Prince and the Revolution, “Let’s Go Crazy”
117. JoBoxers, “Just Got Lucky”
118. The Jesus and Mary Chain, “Just Like Honey”
119. Pretenders, “Back on the Chain Gang”
120. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, “Refugee”
121. Tracy Chapman, “Talkin’ Bout a Revolution”
122. Culture Club, “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?”
123. Cactus World News, “Years Later”
124. Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Cities in Dust”
125. Talking Heads, “Life During Wartime”
126. Elvis Costello and the Attractions, “Accidents Will Happen”
127. Bronski Beat, “Smalltown Boy”
128. New Order, “True Faith”
129. Big Audio Dynamite, “Just Play Music!”
130. Cocteau Twins, “Carolyn’s Fingers”
131. Talking Heads, “(Nothing But) Flowers”
132. Hüsker Dü, “Makes No Sense At All”
133. They Might Be Giants, “Ana Ng”
134. Joe Jackson, “Is She Really Going Out with Him?”
135. Eurythmics, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”
136. Swans, “Love Will Tear Us Apart”
137. Simple Minds, “Alive and Kicking”
138. The Fixx, “One Thing Leads to Another”
139. Genesis, “Abacab”
140. Yes, “Owner of a Lonely Heart”
141. Men At Work, “Down Under”
142. Bangles, “Walk Like an Egyptian”
143. Dexys Midnight Runners, “Come On Eileen”
144. Blondie, “Rapture”
145. Dire Straits, “Money for Nothing”
146. Thomas Dolby, “Airhead”
147. The Human League, “Don’t You Want Me”
148. Eurythmics, “Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four)”
149. U2, “With or Without You”
150. Hüsker Dü, “Don’t Want to Know If You Are Lonely”
151. The Dead Milkmen, “Instant Club Hit (You’ll Dance to Anything)”
152. INXS, “This Time”
153. Thompson Twins, “Hold Me Now”
154. Stray Cats, “Rock This Town”
155. Hüsker Dü, “Could You Be the One?”
156. The Blow Monkeys, “Digging Your Scene”
157. XTC, “Earn Enough for Us”
158. Wire, “Kidney Bingos”
159. Elvis Costello and the Attractions, “The Only Flame in Town”
160. Patti Smith, “People Have the Power”
161. Adam Ant, “Goody Two Shoes”
162. Hoodoo Gurus, “Good Times”
163. The House of Love, “Christine”
164. Madness, “Our House”
165. Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, “Perfect Skin”
166. The Nails, “Things You Left Behind”
167. The Police, “Every Breath You Take”
168. Dire Straits, “Sultans of Swing”
169. M+M, “Black Stations/White Stations”
170. The Rolling Stones, “She’s So Cold”
171. The Clash, “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”
172. The Police, “Message in a Bottle”
173. Let’s Active, “Every Word Means No”
174. Let’s Active, “Blue Line”
175. Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper, “Elvis Is Everywhere”
176. Iggy Pop, “Cry for Love”
177. The Feelies, “Away”
178. The Style Council, “My Ever Changing Moods”
179. INXS, “Devil Inside”
180. The Rolling Stones, “Start Me Up”
181. The Smiths, “Girlfriend in a Coma”
182. Modern English, “Ink and Paper”
183. Soul Asylum, “Sometime to Return”
184. Los Lobos, “Shakin’, Shakin’, Shakes”
185. XTC, “Generals and Majors”
186. The Tubes, “Talk to Ya Later”
187. X, “4th of July”
188. The Bongos, “Barbarella”
189. Let’s Active, “In Little Ways”
190. X, “Burning House of Love”
191. Ultravox, “Reap the Wild Wind”
192. Scruffy the Cat, “Mybabyshe’sallright”
193. Blue Öyster Cult, “Burnin’ for You”
194. Modern English, “Hands Across the Sea”
195. R.E.M., “Radio Free Europe”
196. The Psychedelic Furs, “All That Money Wants”
197. Talking Heads, "Once In A Lifetime"
198. The Knack, “Good Girls Don’t”
199. Joan Jett, “Bad Reputation”
200. The Police, “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic”
201. INXS, “Need You Tonight”
202. The Who, “You Better You Bet”
203. Icicle Works, “Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly)”
204. INXS, “What You Need”
205. Los Lobos, “Will the Wolf Survive”
206. The Teardrop Explodes, “When I Dream”
207. Echo & the Bunnymen, “The Killing Moon”
208. King Crimson, “Elephant Talk”
209. The Nails, “88 Lines About 44 Women”
210. Pink Floyd, “Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)”
211. The Boomtown Rats, “I Don’t Like Mondays”
212. Bongos, “Numbers with Wings”
213. Katrina and the Waves, “Walking On Sunshine”
214. Modern English, “I Melt with You”
215. Duran Duran, “Hungry Like the Wolf”
216. David Bowie, “Modern Love”
217. New Order, “Love Vigilantes”
218. Simple Minds, “Waterfront”
219. Go-Go’s, “We Got the Beat”
220. fIREHOSE, “Brave Captain”
221. Wire, “Silk Skin Paws”
222. Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, “What I Am”
223. Lou Reed, “No Money Down”
224. Ministry, “Stigmata”
225. Squeeze, “Hourglass”
226. 10,000 Maniacs, “Peace Train”
227. Jason & the Scorchers, “White Lies”
228. Thompson Twins, “Lies”
229. Van Halen, “Jump”
230. Translator, “Everywhere That I’m Not”
231. Duran Duran, “Girls on Film”
232. Gary Numan, “Cars”
233. Love and Rockets, “Mirror People”
234. Ian Hunter, “Central Park N’ West”
235. U2, “Gloria”
236. Love and Rockets, “All In My Mind”
237. R.E.M., “Ages of You”
238. The Jam, “Absolute Beginners”
239. Echo & the Bunnymen, “Never Stop”
240. Fabulous Poodles, “Mirror Star”
241. The Jesus and Mary Chain, “April Skies”
242. David Bowie, “China Girl”
243. Garland Jeffreys, “96 Tears”
244. The Suburbs, “Love is the Law”
245. Eurythmics, “Missionary Man”
246. Echo & the Bunnymen, “New Direction”
247. Pretenders, “Message of Love”
248. R.E.M., “Orange Crush”
249. Foreigner, “Urgent”
250. The Knack, “My Sharona”

[Bunny_boy]

Also - on the subject of "charts"- there were the CMJ charts, and many of the artists you liked in the 80's and 90's were most likely on those!

The CMJ charts mattered (College Media Journal) and were not "dross", sorry.

No idea - you don't get that in the UK. The BBC has a commitment to diversity, so would play music whether it got into the charts or not, so you would hear loads of different styles of varying popularity during the day and especially in the evening.

[TechHaus]

Gotcha, well even MTV was diverse here back in the 90's. "Alternative Nation" and "Headbangers Ball" and "Yo MTV Raps!", etc.

When i was at the age where I cared about UK media, I would look at 2 months old copies of Q and NME and read about Pulp and Menswear and them, but also "underground" electronic music would get some shine.

[Seafire Mk2]

Also - on the subject of "charts"- there were the CMJ charts, and many of the artists you liked in the 80's and 90's were most likely on those!

The CMJ charts mattered (College Media Journal) and were not "dross", sorry.

No idea - you don't get that in the UK. The BBC has a commitment to diversity, so would play music whether it got into the charts or not, so you would hear loads of different styles of varying popularity during the day and especially in the evening.

Not really. Daytime BBC radio in the 80s/90s was very much chart oriented, and even then you wouldn't hear all the songs in the top 40

Evenings/weekends were diff.

The charts were totally rigged in those days, but luckily a lot of bands did still get some exposure

The list from the other poster is a very strange collection. American presumably.

[Bunny_boy]

Also - on the subject of "charts"- there were the CMJ charts, and many of the artists you liked in the 80's and 90's were most likely on those!

The CMJ charts mattered (College Media Journal) and were not "dross", sorry.

No idea - you don't get that in the UK. The BBC has a commitment to diversity, so would play music whether it got into the charts or not, so you would hear loads of different styles of varying popularity during the day and especially in the evening.

Not really. Daytime BBC radio in the 80s/90s was very much chart oriented, and even then you wouldn't hear all the songs in the top 40

Evenings/weekends were diff.

The charts were totally rigged in those days, but luckily a lot of bands did still get some exposure

The list from the other poster is a very strange collection. American presumably.

I think I may have accidentally put on my rose-tinted glasses when thinking of daytime BBC radio. There was certainly some good stuff on there though. Don't ask me what! But yeah, in the evening, Peel, The Evening Session (Mark Goodier FTW), Annie Nightingale, Andy Kershaw, even Tommy Vance and Fluff.

[Bunny_boy]

Gotcha, well even MTV was diverse here back in the 90's. "Alternative Nation" and "Headbangers Ball" and "Yo MTV Raps!", etc.

When i was at the age where I cared about UK media, I would look at 2 months old copies of Q and NME and read about Pulp and Menswear and them, but also "underground" electronic music would get some shine.

We couldn't afford satellite TV (the equivalent of cable, I think?), but I did occasionally see it round at a friend's or cousin's place. Even today it's strange seeing all these videos on YouTube for songs I love.

I used to get Q every month (as I like old man music) and the inkies every week. Select was great as well - used to get that every month. I'm not old enough for Record Mirror or Sounds, but apparently they were both excellent.

Both Q and the NME were very confused by electronic music. I remember a Jungle primer in the NME being unintentionally amusing. I guess Q would've ignored jungle as Bob Dylan and U2 were not involved in the scene (although it always had really insightful reviews of Ice Cube albums, and I believe it gave full marks to Atomizer back in the day)

[stoopicus]

Very interesting discussion in the last few posts but TBH it's also repeating discussions that happened a few times in the first 40 pages. Not complaining but just pointing out that yeah there's a lot of nuance that's been covered in this thread.

[bermudagold]

Also - on the subject of "charts"- there were the CMJ charts, and many of the artists you liked in the 80's and 90's were most likely on those!

The CMJ charts mattered (College Media Journal) and were not "dross", sorry.

as someone who worked college radio this was very true...label A&Rs were in my ear constantly...CMJ was an industry bible for artist development...college radio was indispensable for measuring grass roots groundswell and buzz in the era before big data...I always assumed pirate radio was used similarly in the UK no?

[bermudagold]

Also - on the subject of "charts"- there were the CMJ charts, and many of the artists you liked in the 80's and 90's were most likely on those!

The CMJ charts mattered (College Media Journal) and were not "dross", sorry.

No idea - you don't get that in the UK. The BBC has a commitment to diversity, so would play music whether it got into the charts or not, so you would hear loads of different styles of varying popularity during the day and especially in the evening.

Not really. Daytime BBC radio in the 80s/90s was very much chart oriented, and even then you wouldn't hear all the songs in the top 40

Evenings/weekends were diff.

The charts were totally rigged in those days, but luckily a lot of bands did still get some exposure

The list from the other poster is a very strange collection. American presumably.

american = strange?...you realize america has dominated the music industry in transactional volume for decades...UK bands didnt get famous or rich off the UK...they did off of american audiences

[bermudagold]

Found this archived somewhere.

The entire list of CMJ's Top 250 Singles 1979-1989, the biggest songs on college/alternative radio in that period:
55. Tracy Chapman, “Fast Car”
94. Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, “Tomorrow People”
116. Prince and the Revolution, “Let’s Go Crazy”

what's also interesting is that in 250 records, there were only 3 black artists...and zero urban music

those were 3 great songs though...as evidenced by the fact I cans still sing them from memory

[TechHaus]

Found this archived somewhere.

The entire list of CMJ's Top 250 Singles 1979-1989, the biggest songs on college/alternative radio in that period:
55. Tracy Chapman, “Fast Car”
94. Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, “Tomorrow People”
116. Prince and the Revolution, “Let’s Go Crazy”

what's also interesting is that in 250 records, there were only 3 black artists...and zero urban music

Good observation!

Reminds me of when David Bowie had to tell MTV to play black artists.

[stoopicus]

american = strange?...you realize america has dominated the music industry in transactional volume for decades...UK bands didnt get famous or rich off the UK...they did off of american audiences

Historically yes. Today... a lot of money behind Oricon and other Asian charts too.

[Seafire Mk2]

Also - on the subject of "charts"- there were the CMJ charts, and many of the artists you liked in the 80's and 90's were most likely on those!

The CMJ charts mattered (College Media Journal) and were not "dross", sorry.

No idea - you don't get that in the UK. The BBC has a commitment to diversity, so would play music whether it got into the charts or not, so you would hear loads of different styles of varying popularity during the day and especially in the evening.

Not really. Daytime BBC radio in the 80s/90s was very much chart oriented, and even then you wouldn't hear all the songs in the top 40

Evenings/weekends were diff.

The charts were totally rigged in those days, but luckily a lot of bands did still get some exposure

The list from the other poster is a very strange collection. American presumably.

american = strange?...you realize america has dominated the music industry in transactional volume for decades...UK bands didnt get famous or rich off the UK...they did off of american audiences

Famous/rich doesn't = quality