Submitted by xmarcotics t3_11a98aq in Music
You know, the music that had a good uplifting vibe that was all about having fun and being in a good mood? I hate to be a cynical bastard but pop music today is just so bland, boring, and depressing. There’s always that song that went popular that we heard everywhere, on the radio, in public. Now I honestly don’t know what’s the top hit song of this week or month. Maybe it’s because of TikTok, TikTok determines what’s a popular song now.
The same can be said for the uplifting and pop music of the 70’s and 80’s. When I go to bars and clubs nowadays and the pop music of today is on, I’m not sure if I should dance or throw up gang signs or throw money around!
Funny, just a day or two ago I created a post not too dissimilar, specifically regarding male singers. :-D But specifically regarding your observation, I think too many musicians have forgotten how to write happy music nowadays.
I respect your opinion but I like 2010s pop music, basically my childhood, one thing we can both agree on though is that the music is getting shittier.
Yeah exactly, another trend I’m noticing is everything is turning into hip-hop, I have nothing against hip-hop but these days, pop, country music, metal is all turning into hip-hop. Why can’t hip-hop just stay hip-hop?
Hear me out, I've been listening to a lot of indie playlist for the past few years and I noticed a distinct trend.
The music between 2008-2014 has a lot of folk and mellow songs and a fun side to it. Lots of upbeat music.
Now, while trends tend to come in opposites (maybe music getting harder as new bands rebelling against all the folk and millennial whoops) I did notice that everything starts getting edgier around 2015.
It's almost like something happened in 2016 that got people simultaneously mad, upset, depressed and very angry. Like some event there triggered people and put them in a really bad mood. Something that made people very negative.
I also noticed that around 2021, music started getting brighter and less tense. Like everyone was getting in a better mood for some reason.
I just check out your post and I think the answer is because they wear dresses now.
I think you're just confusing nostalgia with things being better. You're getting older and of course music you listened to at a more impressionable age has a bigger effect on your tastes. In general every generation has a time when they start complaining everything is going to hell.
Those are great observations, you’re definitely right!
Cause it sucked ass.
Pop peaked in the mid 2000’s in my opinion.
Yeah I guess you’re kinda right, but I’m not the type to just hate something just because it’s not from my time, it’s just the music is genuinely bad.
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Valid opinion but we can agree that 2010’s is definitely better then 2020’s music.
Oh lol you have got to be shitting me, there was tons of good pop in the 70s and 80s and the 90s were on fire. The 00s had good stuff too, this is like the most subjective thing possible
Cuz it’s 2023 bitchesssss
Ok boomer.
Kidding lol but I never really listened to 60s pop music and I never said 2010s music is better than 60’s music, I’m saying It’s better than current music. I know a couple hit songs from the 60s and yeah, they’re pretty good. I’m mostly familiar with anything from the 80s till now, I know a couple from the 70s and 60s, but anything before that, no.
Lmao we meed the vibe of this comment in these songs, I’m tired of hearing these pop artists just cry or try to rap all the time.
Pop music has always been equally shit imo. That's not to say there aren't many great pop songs but mostly it's forgettable.
Yeah, I mean even the good ones aren’t masterpieces, but they’re catchy and they get you dancing and grooving, they’re fun and get the job done I guess.
I hate the way they sing like they have a speech impediment… slurred
I genuinely think it’s because you’re just not looking in the right places. Now pop music that has mass radio appeal? Yeah that’s going to shift depending on the culture and you’re not always going to like it, but, if you’re looking for music that sounds similar to 2010s sonically you absolutely can still find it out there. Just like you can find Nu Metal or Ska around still.
Pop music has always been bad.
Not only speech impediment, but also a serious case of depression, often times, imho.
Yeah you might have a point actually
It's like you're living in the 80's asking where the disco music went.
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My 60 year old high school teacher loved pop music and it was fun lmao he used to play it for us.
This whole comment section reeks
“Musically illiterate” you’re the equivalent of someone bragging about eating at more restaurants.
Yes, yes it does.
I religiously make playlists for every era, every activity, every mood, and let me tell you my high school nostalgia playlist aka 09-13 sucks ASS dear God were the radio hits atrocious back then. So. Much. Pitbull.
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To say "pop music has always been shitty" is a pretty ignorant statement to make, considering the ever-changing definition of "POP" (meaning popular). Bands like The Beatles, The Cars, The Beach Boys, Chicago, Fleetwood Mac, U2, Duran Duran and Tears for Fears jump immediately to mind. Bands like Blink 182, Metallica, Garbage, Radiohead, and even REM would be considered Pop. Shit, Tupac, Biggie, Jay-Z...Pop
I'm just scratching the surface here, but "pop" isn't just boy bands and Taylor Swift, LFO and LEN, it's artists who are popular in the mainstream.
WHich songs are you talking about? I can only think of "Get Lucky" and "Blurred Lines"
This is funny, I think "pop" peaked in the mid- to late-80's
I can't argue with that. Also what counts as "pop music" is debatable. There have been many great, popular songs.
Lmfao, id still like to see your 09-13 playlist
Because it’s 2023? Time moves on, styles and tastes change.
I see what you did here and I appreciate it, and completely agree. It's like right around 2016 would have been a perfect time for RATM to get back together
Oh really im talking about a whole playlist of songs.
"Happy"?
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Like others have said, we all have a nostalgic soft spot for the music of our youth.
To be honest, disco never disappeared, just evolved
I didn't say all pop music has always been shit. Of course there are great examples of popular music that I love. In fact I specifically said that in my comment. I like many of the bands and artists that you mention actually. That doesn't change my opinion that most pop music is, and has always been, shit. We just remember the good ones. Go back and look up the top ten for any year and it's 90% shit. Often the iconic songs that become classics don't even make to the top in the year of their release.
When you listen to it year by year, it's harder not to notice. Even groups that were more upbeat took a negative turn there for awhile.
I totally stumbled on it though. Had way more time to listen to music during lockdown and was doing it year by year.
2011 - this is so fun, I love this music.
2013 - this is great, I'm having fun.
2017 - This is horrible, why is everyone suddenly so pissy....oooooohhhh. Got it.
The real redeeming artist here is Lady Gaga imo https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4iSBZxaI8M4EM4Am8Txcno?si=uopG6MsSRByXft_yo2FxEQ
We must appease the algorithm overlords
The main point of my post is why don’t we have that type of music anymore, I’m entitled to dislike modern pop music just as much as someone who is entitled to like it. The main point isn’t “new music no good,” the main point is “why no music like old music.”
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Alright, I took the test. I went to 1999, the year I graduated high school and, arguably one of the greatest years for movies. My opinion of "pop" at the time was non-existent as all I listened to was punk and ska from Fat Wreck Chords and RATM. Looking at the Top 10,
1 "Believe" Cher
2 "No Scrubs" TLC
3 "Angel of Mine" Monica
4 "Heartbreak Hotel" Whitney Houston featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price
5 "...Baby One More Time" Britney Spears
6 "Kiss Me" Sixpence None the Richer
7 "Genie in a Bottle" Christina Aguilera
8 "Every Morning" Sugar Ray
9 "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" Deborah Cox
10 "Livin' la Vida Loca" Ricky Martin
So, this is only one year, but I have to disagree with your theory that 90% of this is shit, and that's coming from someone who STILL mainly only listens to The Ataris, The Vandals and Spring Heeled Jack USA.
Yeah you’re right. I realize that era is dead and I must move on.
Lol Trump is to blame for the crappy pop music
I applaud the effort you put into that! I agree that's a pretty good list with really good songs.
Pop music is always bland and boring. That's who it's made for. People who like being told what they like. Boring people.
That's the list you're using to support your argument that pop isn't shit??? You lost.
If you tell me that 9 out of those 10 songs are legitimately shit, I don't think we have anything to talk about.
Oh god please no. That era was even worse than the 80s. Kesha, pitbull, that annoying happy song... please no
Since the 80s* ... if I hear one more synth keyboard my ears are going to bleed
Pop music comes in waves.
There’s a quote out there somewhere saying something along the lines of “When somebody finds something that works, everyone else scrambles to copy it”
The reason would be because someone along the way got a hit off of an uplifting song, so for a number of years, the formula was what that song was.
That statement conflicts with when you said
> there really hasn’t been “good” pop music since the 60’s
So which is it?
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What is it you are missing? 2010s edm party songs? Taio Cruz, Pittbull and so on? That era is probably the worst of all time when it comes to chart pop.
I actually think that today's more emotional pop music is much better than 2010's bubblegum pop. With the exceptions of a couple tropes. I was sick to death of the "good time/party" and "confidence/empowerment" side of pop music by 2014, and I was still practically a child back then
It's not as if there aren't loads of newer songs that have that vibe now, and its not as if there wasn't loads of sad pop songs in the 2010s, but I'm sure glad that the "Roar" and "Tonight's Gonna Be A Good Night" kind of pop isn't as prominent as it was 10 years ago
There actually are songs out right now that are very happy and pop. For example: Made You Look by Meghan Trainor.
Lol, every one of those songs is shit. Manufactured music for boring people who like what they're told to like.
Are you fucking serious 😆 🤣 😂
Like I said, we don't have anything to talk about. I know I'm not going to change your mine, so I won't try to. I can tell you I did not own a single one of the albums or singles on this list, but I am not going to deny the catchiness of No Scrubs, Kiss Me, Livin la Vida Loca, Every Morning or Believe. Straight up hooks. You may not LIKE the music or songs, but to unequivocally say they're trash is just wrong.
listen to charli xcx i guess? if you like that
Or... Maybe you're just searching for music with the depth of a bird bath and are sad that it's no longer in style.
Would you be open to Latin pop? J. Balvin and Maluma both have a lot of uplifting vibes.
Because its the 2020’s and it’s all about the streams now. Barrier of entry is low now because anyone can with a laptop, some recording gear and some talent can crank out tracks in their basement and upload them to Spotify or YouTube and hope that it goes viral and make $1,500 for 5 million plays.
Some of it is bad-good, but most of it is bad-bad.
Rarely listen to terrestrial radio. Listened to the local pop station the other day and three new songs in a row used samples from 80’s songs that have been already heavily used before. There’s very little talent or innovation in that genre anymore.
How many more new pop songs are going to sample “Genius of Love”?
That pretty much sums it up.
Yeah, it’s pretty cool music. I like it.
I think it peaked in the mid-60s.
Honestly, the vocal style is what turns me off about a lot of modern pop music. Sounds like talk-singing in a "valley girl" accent. Add in autotune and trap/EDM beats, and you've got a recipe guaranteed to make me hit the skip button. I'm not against pop music in principle, but a lot of the stuff today doesn't sound good to me even on a superficial level.
But I'm clearly not the target demographic, and people have expressed similar sentiments about basically every pop music trend ever. So I'll just stick to my oldies and alt/indie stuff, and let others enjoy the modern sounds.
That's were you're very wrong, the pop music back in 2010-2015 was THE BEST, the music now really sucks ass cheeks it's because of black people and tiktok for sure
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