There’s cool, there’s uncool, and then there are millennials.
How many times have you heard someone say that music today sounds alike? I’m not just talking about that mashup that made the rounds last year showing, factually, that a handful of country songs were literally ripping each other off (though if you missed it, it’s worth a look and listen), but complaints that there’s a startling lack of creativity in popular music.
In a post over on POWERevolution, the author recounts a common scene, in which a group of 20-somethings comes into a bar, hits up the jukebox and begins singing a variety of hits from Taylor Swift, Adam Levine (with or without Maroon Five) and other Top 40 staples.
“Where’s the dignity!? How can these people, people who moved to a neighborhood because of its supposed ‘cool’ factor, not know that singing along to whatever is saturating the airwaves is one of the uncoolest things they could do?,” the author laments.
This is *not* what he’s talking about.
But maybe, just maybe, it’s not their fault, this generation that grew up watching shows like American Idol in an era of reality TV in which they’ve been told for just about ever that everyone has—nay, deserves!—at least a few minutes of fame on TV.
“They just don’t know any better,” the author continues. “Their lack of knowledge of anything other than that which is spoon fed them is the byproduct of a global media oligopoly….Media has been completely overtaken by major corporations and unless people choose to think for themselves, they’re going to believe that what’s put in front of them is the only thing that exists. And the talent show hosting, product endorsing ‘musicians;’ along with the latest string of tame bands major labels tell us are ‘rock,’ are unfortunately the spokespeople for getting us to think the music we’re having shoved down our throats is all there is, and that it is somehow relevant.”
It’s a really interesting argument, comparing the likes of Patti Smith and Kurt Cobain against Levine and critical darlings Mumford & Sons and Grizzly Bear. It’s worth a read.
“‘They just don’t know any better,” the author continues. ‘Their lack of knowledge of anything other than that which is spoon fed them is the byproduct of a global media oligopoly…'”
Said the old people about MTV. Said the old people about CHUM. Said the old people about…
Yes, radio and the charts are more risk averse than ever, due to consolidation and an existentially terrified record industry. But there’s an absolutely terrific selection of music available today. My 17 year old daughter certainly has a better, and wider, taste in music than I did in high school.
So, I’m getting real sick of this argument.