Some music questions

Hello everyone. I just wanted to get some peoples' takes on this.

- What do you think is lacking in today's music industry? I'm mostly speaking about mainstream American or western. This is just very general, so answer with anything you think.

- What would you like to see more of (in mainstream)?

- What really makes you like a certain artist?

Thanks!

[primavera♥]

More diversity. Less annoying Pitbull and Flo-rida (or however he spells his dumb name). My homecoming dance last night sucked cuz it was all the mainstream pop/electronica blah blah music that they play on the popular music stations. I prefer to here rap in order to dance, not that lol. That's a different story though.

I'm always happy to see the random alternative band to randomly get popular, but often times it's one I don't care for.

Natrually "mainstream" really isn't a bad thing. I just happen to not like most of the current mainstream artists even though there's always some random songs that I like.

But more diversity would be great. More diversity in theme and content too, but that's just a reflection of the culture here so oh well.

Mainstream is just mainstream and it becomes very predictable. But that's just how it is I think

As long as other music exists, I'm okay lol

[PoetGirl]

I can only speak from my perspective.

my tastes hasnt been changed that much, I realized I love the same ol' artists I loved the most back then (when I was a teen) and anything outside of that box rarely excites me. My taste leans towards rnb music and I dont care 'what is popular', I only love to see my fave got popular or when my fave gets some hits, but thats rare nowadays.

You asked whats lacking. Well, rnb music lol. Im not really diggin' this 'new wave' of rnb in the form of 'Frank Ocean' or 'Drake'. That's too mellow for my taste but as long as some urban music gets some mention Im okay cause from my point of view (european) dance pop pretty much is dominant on charts or on the radio.

Pop music has its trends, so there's not much too worry. There are always certain themes and melodies that work in pop music and that hasnt been changed at all. For example, Taylor Swift's 'We are never ever something back together something' could have been released 10 years ago and it would still work.

What makes me like a certain artist?

1. Releasing good music (according to my taste) all the time. One bad single would mean that artist no longer appeals for me. I'm not a person who waits or hopes. There's plenty of fish in the sea.

2. Image that suits my morals. I'd never support someone who promotes something Im against.

3. Singer has to convince me that she/he feels what she/he sings. If singer ain't connected to its music how could I be connected?

4. Lyrics that suits my age and state in life.

and this is just a bonus:

5. Creative covers and videos. but thats not really important to me since I dont watch videos, but when album is pretty and I enjoy the booklet Im lovin' it

[Delicious n Bold]

What do you think is lacking in today's music industry?

A: It's all the same stuff, just configured differently. Where's the substance? The music is comparable to fast food. Just look at Rihanna. She's just... A McFenty. $1.29 a pop.

What would you like to see more of (in mainstream)?

A: I'd say ballads. But American ballads are so boring and bland. The arrangements are so uninspired. Once you go Voyage-Ayu you CAN'T go back.

What really makes you like a certain artist?

A: If their music makes me nostalgic or not. Ayu's makes me full to the brim with the stuff.

[ll moments ll]

1. What do you think is lacking in today's music industry?
hmmmm...probably substance in songs...but idk, mainstream songs aren't usually very "deep"...i think songs sung by females are a bit more diverse and creative, but male singers always sing the same thing (girls, sex, drinking, clubs, etc. ) come on guys!!! there are other topics!!

2. What would you like to see more of (in mainstream)?
i'm not really sure, lol. i actually think there's a lot in mainstream music right now. you got boy bands, solo artists (more so females, but there are male ones too), electronica/dance music, established bands, etc. pop music always changes and there's new trends so i'm not really worried about the state of mainstream music. but maybe more girl groups? i haven't seen a good girl group in a while...(i loved Destiny's Child, TLC, & Spice Girls growing up)

3. What really makes you like a certain artist?
i especially love lyrics, a musician's persona/message/style, and whether they can be consistent over time. usually if i like a handful of songs from an artist, i tend to pay attention to their discography. if i like 2 or more albums, i get more "serious" about the artist (ala go to concerts, pay attention to upcoming news, enter fandom, etc.)

[relmy]

It's really hard to apply this to the British music industry, even though Radio One is pretty bad you'll still hear a pretty broad range of stuff throughout their different timeslots and shows. On TV you'll get a really broad range of artists, adverts use songs from a huge spectrum of artists and genres. Girl and boy groups, bands - "indie" and mainstream, solo artists across a broad age range. I think the British mainstream is pretty diverse, to be honest.

Of course, bands like One Direction seem to be way more popular than some of the less pop-orientated mainstream, but it's just a teenage fad, it's our alternative pop and bands that have stood the test of time, and most of them have been commercially successful too. I bet every single person on this site can name at least one British act that ISN'T pop music and is popular now. So what would I like too see in the mainstream? I don't really know, maybe something like Top of the Pops coming back haha

What make me like a certain artist is their music, at the end of the day. This is pretty broad, I like a lot of stuff. There are lots of artists I dislike as people, but still listen to their music. If I'm going to really love someone and pay out to buy their stuff, go to concerts etc... I'm probably going to like their personality too, however. Likewise, there are a lot of people I like the personality of, but dislike their music.

[happiholic★]

What do you think is lacking in today's music industry?

I think that there is a lack of real heart and emotion in music. I get the feeling that a lot of singers want the job because they want fame. There are so many similar sounding girlfriend/boyfriend songs that have a similar beat. The singer themselves wears whatever trendy fashion their stylist hands them and they go on stage and perform a dance that was choreographed for them and sing a song that was written for them. Music videos are getting drunk in a club. Its so uncreative.

What would you like to see more of (in mainstream)?

I guess a wider range of artists that are mainstream would be one. Singers like Emilie Autumn or whatever her name is are still more "indie" than anything. Not that I like her music, per se, but I would like to see more singers who are as "different" as she is in the mainstream. You would never hear neo classical on mainstream radio and that makes me sad. Pop doesn't have to be the only mainstream genre.

What really makes you like a certain artist?

Well, I guess I can talk about why I love my favorite singers.

Koda Kumi: She's mainstream to the max, but she's still so lovable. Sure, she has her songs and videos that are horribly sexual, but she also can do piano ballads and sing her heart out to the point of tears. Both cheesy piano ballads, and serious ones. Don't get me started on how she can change up her genre and pull it off, from rock, to pop, to hip hop to an Arabic beat. And not to mention the woman writes the vast majority of her own lyrics and produces her own albums now. And to top it all off, she's sweet and lovable as hell. She's a perfect blend of mainstream and emotions, plus she's got something different about her, imo.

Ayu: Again, mainstream, but I think she became mainstream because of her unique approach to music. Her lyrics are just so amazing that it was hard for the public not to be drawn in by such... epicness. Plus, her pop isn't so typical pop to my ears. I don't think that Ayu chooses compositions based solely on what's trendy. If she did she would have gone the electro-R&B thing that's so in right now route. Her style of Pop sounds very unique to my ears. Like nothing that I hear on my local radio.

Britney Spears: She's pretty much the pinnacle of soulless pop music, but she has a spark about her that makes her so much more. She's the sweetest little thing on the planet, and she actually did help out in the past with making her music. But, what I love about her is the fact that people rag on her like no one else, especially after her breakdown and she still makes music. Also, she's never claimed to be some sort of unique edgy singer. She's just Britney. You take her at face value.

I guess what's important to me is being a sweet person overall, and having something that is quite unique about them. To be both mainstream yet kinda "indie" at the same time. I like mainstream, but I want soul to my music sometimes, too.

[SURREAL__RAINBOW]

- What do you think is lacking in today's music industry?

Living in Australia and watching how the music industry is evolving in here and in the US, I feel that both countries are on parallel roads.

Both countries are full of talented people, but in the US the companies seem to push hits way too much, hits that last a couple of weeks and die off rather quickly. In Australia it feels like people embrace folk and alternative artists a lot more than popular artists. Yeah Pop artists do get into the top 10 in here, but there are many other artists who would be underdogs in the US and wouldn't be famous in there at all.

I guess one of those artists who got to break through was Gotye, but it was just one song that got the attention in the US even that he has many more songs and much better than Somebody that I used to know.

But yeah, Australian music is very laid back, easy to listen to, and it feels like most people aren't too worried about their image but worried about producing good stuff, and the artists who worry about their image don't go all bimbo and dumb like Nicki Minaj for example.

So, going back to the question (lol), in Australia we love our music, but we don't get that many hardcore fans like in the US, or that's how I see it anyway. You like a band, singer or group, good, but you don't go all crazy over them, unless we are talking about teenagers going crazy when Lady Gaga or Justin Bieber come here

I guess we are lacking of hardcore fans, so it's hard for artists to become huge, especially in such a small country in comparison to the US.

Australia is also a multicultural country but rather new, and we don't have much of an African American or Latin influences, so I guess that's why there is more diversity in genres in the US.


- What would you like to see more of (in mainstream)?

I like my Pop music a lot, and lately I'm not liking how the new "artists" are nowadays.
It feels so empty imo. Yeah many people are paying songwriters and composers to come up with catchy tunes, but who are these people and what do they really mean to pop culture? I mean come on, how can Chris Brown still be allowed to show his face in public, he's ridiculous and even he get to sing catchy tunes that are played on the radio. What kind of example are we giving to the new generations? At least when I was younger the fantasy of pop was kept a bit more intact, as a dream.

But now all people care about is to see these famous people get into fights, or in short words, tumble down. Honestly, I don't care about their personal lives, if I like them it's because of their music and talent if there is any. Genuine people go far, just like genuine artists. And imo many people out there singing shouldn't be.


- What really makes you like a certain artist?

Their music, their talent, what they sing about (which doesn't apply to all the trashy music that I listen to lol), how they manage their image, if they keep their feet on the ground, what kind of roll models they are.

[NintendoHTF1242]

- What do you think is lacking in today's music industry?

On American radios, I'm sick of Flo Rida and Pitbull LOL! They are ALWAYS played and it's so annoying. But like, I can't pinpoint what is lacking...because I secretly enjoy American radio a lot no matter how much bash it gets.

- What would you like to see more of (in mainstream)?

It wouldn't hurt to hear more "beautiful" music (like stuff off of Ellie Goulding's new album)

- What really makes you like a certain artist?

The production and compositions they use; the tone of voice and the way they use their voice. For instance, I LOVE Nicki Minaj and Adele/Florence + the Machine, along with Koda Kumi/Ayumi Hamasaki.

[harufi]

Originally Posted by relmy

It's really hard to apply this to the British music industry, even though Radio One is pretty bad you'll still hear a pretty broad range of stuff throughout their different timeslots and shows. On TV you'll get a really broad range of artists, adverts use songs from a huge spectrum of artists and genres. Girl and boy groups, bands - "indie" and mainstream, solo artists across a broad age range. I think the British mainstream is pretty diverse, to be honest.

Of course, bands like One Direction seem to be way more popular than some of the less pop-orientated mainstream, but it's just a teenage fad, it's our alternative pop and bands that have stood the test of time, and most of them have been commercially successful too. I bet every single person on this site can name at least one British act that ISN'T pop music and is popular now. So what would I like too see in the mainstream? I don't really know, maybe something like Top of the Pops coming back haha

What make me like a certain artist is their music, at the end of the day. This is pretty broad, I like a lot of stuff. There are lots of artists I dislike as people, but still listen to their music. If I'm going to really love someone and pay out to buy their stuff, go to concerts etc... I'm probably going to like their personality too, however. Likewise, there are a lot of people I like the personality of, but dislike their music.

Think you summed it up well I think what I'd like to see is...a change in how the X Factor works with the music industry. I enjoy the show, but it seems like anyone who gets onto the live shows (same with BGT) will spew out an album just under a year later...by which time most people have forgotten about them or just don't really care anymore. The ones that were actually good and had some individuality seem to just put out the same, generic music as everyone else in the end. It'll be interesting to see what music James Arthur puts out on his album.

I guess I'd like to see artists have more longetivity. I think our music industry is a lot more diverse than most other countries have, but a fair amount is a "one-off" thing. A new artist will put out 1 or 2 singles that is different and everybody loves, and then we'll never hear anything new from them after a year or so.

Edit: this is more a personal thing that I know won't happen LOL but I really miss seeing physical copies of singles in HMV! A couple of years ago there used to be a fair amount in a special display at the front of the shop and I could buy Selens Gomez & The Scene's new single each time But now the only time they stock singles is at Christmas, and then its just the X Factor and another charity song. If something is only available for download then I won't buy it, sorry.