I would like to see the pendulum swing back... It would be a riot to see a generation with more wholesome music than their parents!
And I am not among the 30-somethings who think there is nothing good being recorded. I think there is lots of good stuff still being done. I particularly like Matchbox 20. I look for singer-songwriters, as opposed to bands playing songs provided to them by studio writers, and there still are some!
I also have a lot of hope for Vanessa Carlton. Her lyrics are a little lame, but her "A Thousand Miles" is an excellent music piece. The piano and orchestra music is beautifully written. I crank it.
Matchbox 20 is good, but I don't care for their recent stuff. If you like real singer-songwriters check out
Cake. They have a unique sound with smart quirky lyrics which are infinitely listenable. (they do have 1 or 2 songs with bad language, out of 4 albums)
I also have a lot of hope for Vanessa Carlton. Her lyrics are a little lame, but her "A Thousand Miles" is an excellent music piece. The piano and orchestra music is beautifully written. I crank it.
I liked that song. Maybe I'll like it again when people stop playing it all the time.
Aimee Mann (the Magnolia soundtrack) has done some nice work too.
Steve Earle is good if you like rockabilly/country rock (but not that over-produced garbage that goes by the same name.)
I really enjoy orchestrated video game music. John Williams turned Legend of Zelda into an awesome score. The Final Fantasy and Chrono Cross soundtracks are good too.