Is Old Music Killing New Music?

The Atlantic ^ | January 23, 2022 | Ted Gioia

[Yardstick]

Old songs now represent 70 percent of the U.S. music market, according to the latest numbers from MRC Data, a music-analytics firm. Those who make a living from new music—especially that endangered species known as the working musician—should look at these figures with fear and trembling. But the news gets worse: The new-music market is actually shrinking. All the growth in the market is coming from old songs.

The 200 most popular new tracks now regularly account for less than 5 percent of total streams. That rate was twice as high just three years ago. The mix of songs actually purchased by consumers is even more tilted toward older music. The current list of most-downloaded tracks on iTunes is filled with the names of bands from the previous century, such as Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Police.

[rdcbn1]

There are really great musicians out there. The biggest problem is that the music industry's business model has broken down and tech has progressed to the point where talented groups can produce really awesome work product out of the traditional studio network but they have a difficult time marketing and monetizing in todays digital anarchy media. It's really hard to hit big time commercial sucess in todays world.

[stanne]

“ 1. Almost all generations think the music from their teen and pre-teen years is the best music. ”

Again, the article is about how the kids are listening to old stuff

May parents said we had way better music than they did. We did

On any day in 1975 on AM or FM you had about five good songs going on at the same time

[Paul R.]

There are some really good movie orchestral soundtracks. And my daughter’s orchestra class has played a few interesting newer numbers when they do end of semester shows. I think a couple at least might come off quite well if played by a full orchestra. But... those latter get very little exposure, from what I can tell.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Woke music sucks.

I have given up on woke TV shows and movies, too.

Lots of decent older movies I haven’t seen yet.

And you can find most of them for free.

[Fledermaus]

Bull, it’s easy to hear anything. Radio, Spotify, etc.

70% are older folks, the largest, richer market. Screw 18-49. Oldies sell more. All the teens at my restaurant know them all.

[redcatcherb412]

Old music/songs are being copied by new artists at a great rate. Seems the takeover by cRAP and techno computer generated stuff along with singers using autotune and other enhancers. The music industry is whistling past the graveyard. Just like photos and video can be manipulated for a desired result, the music industry is dying the same death as far as originality.

[Lean-Right]

True. Music is by and large, generational.
Baby boomers, in my opinion, were exposed
to a greater range of music genre, and as
a teenager, all we had were radios and
record players to listen to.
A drivers’ license and your very own car
only added to the times. Not many kids
today cruise main, and stop a the local
Dairy Queen for a malt.
Almost all the newer stuff I listen to
has been remakes like Disturbed and their
rendition of “The Sound of Silence.

[grey_whiskers]

I’ll check them out in a couple of months when I have time...😉
Seriously busy.

[minnesota_bound]

Google: why is music today so bad
Many links with a lot of opinions.
The sameness, lack of musicianship.
Strippers dancing in the background and the “singer” lipsyncing.

[gnarledmaw]

There is great new music but its far and few between and generally not supported by the big American labels.

[gnarledmaw]

Thats some kind of novelty act?

[minnesota_bound]

I watch a few youtube videos about sailing and the music they play in between talking about the trip is new music and it is awful. I bet they lose subscribers because of it.
I hit the mute button as quick as I can. They should play music with no singing as today’s singers sound nasally and whiny.

[Maris Crane]

One of the saddest things to come out of the new music is the shift from Frank Sinatra to Rap.

Will we ever recover?

[AmericanMermaid]

With you on that. I have no use for any woke trash that they try to pass off as entertainment. It’s like there is no soul behind the forgettable garbage they produce.

And, yes, a lot of modern Christian music is not anointed, just centers on the self rather than worship.

[MayflowerMadam]

I think there is no new “music”. A lot of noise for sure, but it’s not music.

Last night when I was sewing I put in my flash drive of ‘70s music — including some disco — that took me to my happy place of fun times. Lots of Motown, BeeGees, ABBA.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

There can be only one Led Zeppelin.

[GingisK]

So, I suppose we have to find street bums with a banjo downtown somewhere?

[GingisK]

You have hit one of my nerves. They don’t even to traditional Christmas Carols anymore. The new stuff is joyless.

[GingisK]

I have recently been listening to music from the 20s and 30s. Some of that is pretty good.

[discostu]

There is great new music. But it’s not the stuff the major labels are pushing. The bigs have all gotten addicted to the formula. Which is worn out and boring, and now make nothing but disposable music. They no longer take risks, they no longer groom and grow and artist. It’s now “you’re marketable, get in the studio, let our producer do his thing, cash the check and shutup”.