Why Is Old Music Superior To Modern Music?

[Jack8991]

I’m 23 years old but I think that old music from the 80s/90s is just superior to modern music. I listen to 90s west coast rap and it just sounds way better than modern rap, in terms of the way they rap and especially the instrumentals. Also, 80s pop music sounds euphoric to me, whereas pop music from 2010 onwards is just horrible to me. Why do you think this is the case?

[Mamyalynne]

I'm almost three times your age and I can appreciate some (not all) music from every decade - you are just particular in what you like.

[pastafreak]

Music is always evolving and changing. What you might consider old, I think of as pretty recent.
To me, old is from the 40s-50s...and much, much earlier.
It's ok to appreciate...or dislike...music from any era. It's all about what sounds good to you.

[douglas9401]

Better drugs, Jack, quality control was a top priority back in the day.

[fender62]

i like music from the 70's and backward like late 20's jazz, to 50's do wop to 70 heavy rock, i found 80's music had to much synthesizer and drum machine er the stuff on the radio i heard, i still have my vinyl collection as well, it was a day out going to buy a new vinyl album, sat in pub gently opening it examing it, and reading any inserts, marvelling at the art work of the cover, the whole feel of it...

[roopower]

My daughter works in a high school, at the Y7 disco the youngsters were all sitting playing with their phones while the chart stuff was on. Switch of direction, nearly everyone on the dance floor to Rick Astley 'Never Going to Give you up' followed by a rousing rendition of 'Sweet Caroline', sung at football matches I gather. The kids much preferred the older stuff.

[roopower]

I like some music from every decade though I do like something I can hear the words so rap, house, garage etc not really my taste. I like classical music also but there aren't many contemporary composers I can get on with and then there's film scores too.

[Bobbisox1]

Like most decades from 40s onward,to me a song is determined by its lyrics which is why Rap does nothing for me , anyone can talk with bass pumping out , I also enjoy classical music , my two favourite decades would be the 60s and the 80s and early 90s with groups like Culture Club and Erasure etc

[andy-hughes]

Music appreciation is notoriously subjective, but there is no doubt that the recent evolution of pop nusic is not necessarily a positive one.

Part of the problem lies in the way music is consumed now - a lot of pop is designed to sound very toppy and heavily produced because that sounds better on phones and ear buds.

Add to that the seriously limited attention span of the modern pop fan, and a song has to be into its hook almost instantly, so the 'verse, verse, chorus' format is being eroded in favour of instant repeated hook lines.

Personally, I mourn the absence of input in a lot of pop from the performer - they appear interchangeable as formulaic computerised sounds make up so much of the charts today.

I am delighted to be the age I am, and to have enjoyed music as a soundtrack to my life, not background noise, as it is now.

[andy-hughes]

Bobbisox - // Rap does nothing for me , anyone can talk with bass pumping out ... //

I cannot agree.

I think as a non-fan, you are seeing the apparent simplicity of the genre.

I think this is inaccurate.

Rap is actually far more complex to write and deliver than it appears, and like a lot of things done well, a lot of rappers can make something appear very easy, when it is acdtually nothing of the kind.

[naomi24]

Rap does nothing for me either, bobbi. Although some makes use of surprisingly good poetry, I find the finished product generally harsh and unpleasant.

[Jack8991]

Thanks guys for all your ideas! To me rap from the 90s just has amazing instrumentals and the way they rap is amazing compared to how modern day rappers rap. Even rap from the very early 00s is good, like d12, the way they rap as a group is so much better than any rapper now

[MattA777]

Andy Hughes, on Rappers, although I’m a fairly old guy now and I don’t listen to the genre on a regular basis-more like ‘once in a blue moon’ I still have great admiration/respec for Eminem. He was the only rapper that could bring out emotion and amazing clarity in his style. Forgive the cliche, he was the King for me.
Currently and totally changing genres here- I am ‘blown away’ by the young genius of harmony: Jacob Collier. https://youtu.be/pvKUttYs5ow

[naomi24]

I much prefer Stevie Wonder’s version.

[emmie]

rap does nothing for me and never has - even the likes of Eminem makes me stone cold.

[naomi24]

I like some current music but generally I think the old has an easier rhythm - and more easily remembered/singable lyrics - which makes it altogether more memorable.

[tiggerblue10]

Like with any music genre, there are certain songs that I like. Stuff I used to hear on the radio and not knowing who the artist was until years later like 2pac, Biggie, Snoop Dog and Dr Dre. Then I found Eminem whose voice is instantly recognisable. I don't like all rap though, just as there are other genre songs that I don't like i.e. Whitney Houston, I wanna dance with somebody. That song grates my teeth!

[1ozzy]

Spot on Doug!

Some people credit Deborah Harry and the group Blondie being the first rappers way back in 1980.

[dannyk13]

One man's meat-----

[naomi24]

That’s the word, tigger! ‘Grates’! That’s what rap does to me. Not good for the spirit.

[emmie]

yes grates is a good word for rap. Not my cup of cha at all.