Record sales

[Anonymous]

I'm 19, and am happy to say I'm very much a fan of the older stuff like The Smiths, Joy Division etc etc. This modern stuff doesn't get close to being described as 'music'.

Exactly. It's good you appreciate the bands you mention but surely you would prefer there was someone you could go and see live?

yup i would, i envy people who were in their teens or early 20's in the 60's/70's/80's/90's for the fact there was really decent music to follow, like you said in the O.P about oasis being on the scene, I went to see them at heaton park but i bet it wouldn't have been the same as seeing them in 1994-1996.

i look at people touring and see noel or kasabian that I fancy, that's mainly it and i've seen them both before (well noel with oasis).

we need a band to come and grip our generation by its collar and take us on a ride.

 

[TCIB]

It is a victim of it's own success and the inevitable comercialisation, impatience for the next big thing and all record labels being absorbed by conglomorates like emi,virgin,sony.
The huge lobbying for quick pop fixes getting radio time etc.

tl;dr suits having sales wars with their rivals at other companies did it.

 

[Halfpenny]

Exactly. It's good you appreciate the bands you mention but surely you would prefer there was someone you could go and see live?

In terms of modern stuff I love bands like Muse, I did see them live when they played LCCC a year and a bit ago. That said I wish I'd been able to see The Smiths live. But hey, I can't help that.

Wasn't a pop at you mate.

But muse are shit ;)

Nah, Muse are great live. And I know you weren't mate, just expressing how I wish I could've seen them. There were a lot of great bands from the late 70s and 80s and I wish I could've been around when they were in their pomp.

 

[Blue2112]

An unprecedented move by a record company probably never to be repeated in this day and age.

Back in 1976 the EMI managing director of group-repertoire division Bob Mercer gave Kate Bush a retainer for two years at the age of 16 and told her to go away, concentrate on her schoolwork and A levels and write some songs, play a few gigs and come back when she was 18 and ready to record an album having had the chance to grow a little. In this period she wrote over 200 songs.

According to Mercer he felt Bush's material was good enough to be released but felt if the album failed it would be demoralizing and if it was successful Bush was too young to handle it. Kate many years later (2005) gave an intervie where she believed EMI signed her before she was ready to make an album so that no other record company could offer her a contract. After the contract signing, EMI forwarded her a sizeable advance which she used to enroll in interpretive dance classes taught by Lindsay Kemp, a former teacher of David Bowie, and mime training with Adam Darius.

Whatever the truth of the story it gave her a very rare opportunity to gather and grow into herself, learn her mistakes, hone her writing skills and debut with a stunning album which saw her become the first woman to reach number one in the UK charts with a self-penned song Wuthering Heights followed by "The Man with the Child in His Eyes" which went on to win her an Ivor Novello Award in 1979 for Outstanding British Lyric.

 

[stonerblue]

Most people that claim to be music fans have no idea. They only listen to the crap they're force fed via radio playlists, shite magazines or the music they see/hear on telly.

New and original music is still around and easier to find than ever.

 

[peoffrey]

Added to this it seems cool to like someone before they get massive but then when they are massive it cool to dismiss them. Like artic monkeys, coldplay to an extent, Mumford and sons etc

It seems the cool thing nowadays is to like someone not too popular.

I'd dislike Mumford & Sons if they sold 1 record or 1,000,000 records.

It baffles people when I like Girls Aloud as much as I like Radiohead - albeit for differing reasons.

 

[Shands]

Most people that claim to be music fans have no idea. They only listen to the crap they're force fed via radio playlists, shite magazines or the music they see/hear on telly.

New and original music is still around and easier to find than ever.

Correct, there is loads of great music around at the moment being made by very talented people, you just have to be prepared to go and look for it rather than having it come to you.

The charts are no longer a credible reference point, so if you want to find good music why not stick on 6 music; log on to pitchfork, drowned in sound, soundsxp etc; watch NME TV; read some of MCFC BOB's threads or get along to one of the countless festivals on offer each summer. It's still out there if you want it.

 

[Bellyeye]

As some have already said, there is so much quality music out there in many genres. Many musicians don't want fame or to be signed to major labels these days as they know they will more than likely have to conform to the company's demands and be under pressure to alter their music to suit current trends in order to maintain their carreers and sales. It was different in the old days as different genres were just breaking through. So many musicians dont go for major sales or contracts and just have careers releasing material they want to release when they want on smaller or even their own labels and often subsidise their incomes by producing, engineering or playing in other bands or even have other jobs. These bands can be around for donkeys years and have incredibly loyal support.
As for the cool thing, imo its because when bands become famous they often become stereotypes and lose that edge. They can become parodies and rather pretentious. Most people can see through that.

 

[Ancient Citizen]

I'm 19 and listen to a very minute amount of music post the year 2000, maybe kasabian, arctic monkeys and a few others. Obviously there are musicians who were founded in the 90's but carried on through the millennium like oasis, foo fighters for example.

My favorite era is the 60's with the likes off... the beatles, the stones, the doors, elvis, johnny cash, the velvet underground, the beach boys, hendrix, the kinks to name a few.

I also like a lot from other periods like the smiths I am a big fan of and just stuff from the past that's a lot better than the corporate pop out now. I sort of feel like the lads I hang around with are like me and into old bands and rock and roll or they like modern music that's alternative (maybe a band no-ones heard of or dance music that's not in the charts).

It's the females that are the problem, I'd say 90% of females I know are into...olly murs, JLS, Cheryl cole, ed sheeran, bruno mars, katie perry and the likes and it's gash. They give me shit saying "your like my dad or grandad", but fuck them, they all get sucked into the X factor bollocks as well.

So please give some of the young people about today some credit, we're not all thick sheep who just follow what's in the charts.

Music is subjective, so it would be wrong to say certain types are rubbish or not worth listening to, as some obviously like it. Your choices are excellent, in my opinion but some may hate it. The depressing thing nowadays is the amount of 'sampled' music that is inserted in between unintelligible gibbering shite in a forlorn bid to make what would otherwise sound like someone reading out of a dictionary as fast as possible, into something that people may relate to.I know it's not a new innovation but it seems to be rampant at the moment.
Just for the record, Olly Mars, or whatever he's called needs a fucking good slap each time he opens his mouth.
Katie Perry, on the other hand, just needs to open her mouth...

 

[CTID1988]

You'd probably be suprised at the amount of kids who dont download albums. My brother is 16 and still prefers to get the hardcopy, same with his mates. Im 23 and can honestly say ive never downloaded an album in my life. Can remember being 15 waiting for a rare album from america to arrive through the post, the feeling of opening it cant be beat really!