Popular music

[derekpara]

Is there any sign that popular music will return to rhythm and melody ?  I think that it is melody that makes a song memorable, but do the buying/listening public want something memorable -or just transient ?Me? I'm a melody and rhythm fan.

[Scarlett]

I believe that this is what everyone wants, and what humans respond to naturally. But the kids of today have not been exposed to any of the fantastic songs of the 60s- where melody and rhythm were key parts! Hence they respond to the simplistic drums beat that is a lot of dance music.

I expect our grandmas said the same thing in the 60s- kids of today are not exposed to classical music so they never get to appreciate it- only this rock and roll tripe!

There are a few pop bands releasing melodic music- such as Girls Aloud and McFly. Notice that Mariah Carey and The Spice Girls had big hits with melodic songs, and their careers went down the pan as soon as they decided to be "R&B" singers-tuneless, synth and drum-driven music.

I do believe that everybody likes a good tune, and the sooner the Dance music craze dies out and we return to melody and rhythm the better!

[robbieh]

"Dance music craze" gee you sound old. The "craze" thats been going on 20 years now? Yeah just a flash in the pan faze i guess! If you're talking about dance music in the charts then the real big time for this was the turning of the millenium. Since then hip hop and rnb has been the "craze" thats hit the charts. Best thing i can think is if you don;t like it don't listen to it. Theres good music of all genres out there if you can be bothered to look for yourself instead of expecting everything on a plate. There are so many good bands out there at the minute and theres no shame in playing old music if thats what you like. The charts are crap and will always be so.

 When the "craze" of expecting everything on a plate dies out, thats when the world will be a happier place!!!

[Chapel]

The thing is, no matter what era you listen to, the charts were full of rubbish. It's the better bands that are remembered. Just think of the disco tripe of the seventies, the SAW stuff of the 80s and so on.

Still, as long as there are bands producing enough great music that i don't need to listen to drivel for something new, then I'm happy.

ps - for great melodies, try Keane's album, or anything by Jellyfish (esp 'bellybutton') or Kula Shaker.

[Hammer]

There have always been a few decent bands among the mountains of rubbish in the charts. Acts at the moment that stand out as musically capable and are having hits include Keane and Coldplay. Only the 'decent' stuff tends to stand the test of time...

[garyyokel]

It depends what you mean by rythmn and melody. If you mean anything that's not dance or rap, then I'd say that KT Tunstall, James Blunt (5-weeks at number one), Jem, Jack Johnson - are all doing well with "songwriting" based music. Personally, although I can't stand dance music, I've found that now it is better than ever for finding stuff I do like due to the internet, plus the new digital radio stations. If this stuff doesn't get "popular" as in the band are on every magazine, then it doesn't really matter. Usually it means the band are doing something right...

[WaldoMcFroog]

I think it depends a lot on where you look for your music. Very little of what I like receives mainstream exposure, therefore it tends not to be hugely successful - though often there's little reason why it wouldn't do well enough if it got some exposure. There's every sort of music being played and played well, you just need to look for it.

[derekpara]

Thank you all for your great and logical answers. Nice to have a sensible discussion. The music industry is a business and its object is to make money, and the groups making money for the agents and promoters are those who are manipulated and engineered to top the charts - even just for a week or two, then sent to oblivion. Talent rarely comes into the equation, I'm afraid. The epitome of rhythm and melody for me is the dance band music of the 20's and 30's.Slightly before my time but as Satchmo said 'If it ain't got that swing - it don't mean a thing '  Thanks again.