Quote:
Originally Posted by Daradon
I could write many pages on just how oversimplified and basically untrue this sentiment is. While I too do not care for the over commercialization of music, the fact is trends like this have existed ever since there was a commerical music industry and maybe even before. It's just that yesteryear looks so much better when viewed through sepia toned sunglasses. Unfortunately like a lot of waxing about the good ol' days, it's not really true.
The Beatles were a boy band too, at least they started out as one. Look at the simplicity of their early songs, look at how girls reacted to them and who drove their early success. And they weren't even the first one. Just the most popular one.
Crappy music has existed for as long as there have been young people buying it. Shoot, there's plenty enough crappy music for adults and old people too. Over produced, simplistic pop has existed in all forms, in all ages, for a while now. That's just what some people like. And as long as there is money involved, there will be people to pump it up and exploit it, as well as a bunch of people promoting a pile of poop in their search for the next big thing.
Ch-ch-chow mein? How bout, she loves you, ya, ya ya?
Now I'm not dissing The Beatles, nor am I saying this tart is going to go to superstardom, there's obviously a lot of factors in play. I'm just saying, commercialization has existed for a long time, and music in the 60's wasn't all about rainbows and revolution.
I'm also not saying there wasn't great music in the 60's. There was, lots of it. But there was in the 90's too, and there is now. Just saying music has been a force for good, and evil haha, in all ages. Money has been involved for a very long time, and so has overproduced nonsense. Kinda false superiority to claim it's ever been so different any other time.
|
The fact that you actually chose the Beatles as an example for your rebuttal made the whole thing worthwhile.
You completely missed the point, but yes you are right, there has always been commercialism in popular music.
Carry on.
No wait, I can't just leave it at that...
Your example is just incredibly ironic. Yes, early Beatles music was bubble-gum-ish for lack of a better word, but that was simply because it was a product of, and working within, the constraints of the environment at the time. Society did not allow much outside the lines. Also, they were only beginning as musicians.
The evolution of the Beatles' music poetically coincided with the evolution - and revolution - of music and society at the time. That exact point is one of the many reasons why they are so iconic, important , and influential. Though they started with sugary songs like
she loves you ya, ya ya, they progressively got more potent, more political, and more relevant as they also got more popular and powerful - as did music in general.
This chow mein video is irrelevant in and of itself. But I look at popular music today and I don't see a hell of a lot that is much more significant that this. There is no purpose, there is no message, and so there is little relevance.
