If you had a song in the Billboard Top 10 in the 1970’s, it meant that hundreds of thousands of people spent 69 cents or more on the 45 RPM version, and hundreds of thousands more bought the album for $5.99 (LP) or $6.99 (tape)(if you were an established act).
Now, there is such an established catalog of good music in high quality recordings for 70 years, that many stick with the old (or buy/download more of the old), and the new has to just go with a passing fad of a sound or lyric. Plus, there is hardly any “mainstream” music any more. The sub-genres are so numerous, they have pushed out the old Rock/Pop/Adult Contemporary/Country-Western/Jazz. Record companies like making music cheap. Less talent/more auto-tune, more images (visual appearance is more important than singing talent. True since before the days of Johnny Bravo, moreso today), fewer real instruments and more computers, etc. AI will take this to the next level, and I am sure a contemporary version of “It Was Only a Passing Fancy” will hit the Spotify Charts any time.
Yes, I can see that, but will there be any aging washerwomen left to enjoy it?
I asked ChatGPT to write a poem making fun of one of my buddies.
I sent the poem to our group text
Within minutes another friend on that group text had some AI program turn the ChatGPT poem into song - 2 songs, actually. One was hip hop/rap and one was country.
Yes, musicianship is almost unnecessary now. Preferred, but not required.
I must admit I really like this AI song....
I Glued My Balls To My Butthole Again
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPlOYPGMRws