Will there ever be a music revolution again?
Discussion
Watching the old Top of the Pops from 1976 last year and seeing just how crap the charts had become, then seeing the 1977 ones when Punk & Disco had just started to get popular and move out to the towns around Britain got me thinking will it ever happen again?
With the charts so dreadfully filled with utter crap that's fed to people with Cowell boy-bands and forgettable rappers will the youth turn to something new and exciting or are those days long gone?
Back in the day it was records bought from record shops with Punk stuff being released on independant labels as well as majors like Polydor, EMI & Virgin, but these days music of all sorts is so readily available from downloads etc that it virtually goes un-noticed with genres coming and going without making any real impact, Dubstep for example.
So will there be any shift away from the plastic crap from the charts by the youth like what happened in '76/77 again with Punk/Disco, or will it be forever splintered by the digital age?
With the charts so dreadfully filled with utter crap that's fed to people with Cowell boy-bands and forgettable rappers will the youth turn to something new and exciting or are those days long gone?
Back in the day it was records bought from record shops with Punk stuff being released on independant labels as well as majors like Polydor, EMI & Virgin, but these days music of all sorts is so readily available from downloads etc that it virtually goes un-noticed with genres coming and going without making any real impact, Dubstep for example.
So will there be any shift away from the plastic crap from the charts by the youth like what happened in '76/77 again with Punk/Disco, or will it be forever splintered by the digital age?
I think there is a revolution occuring, but it's more in the sense of music delivery than any specific genre. People can now find bands online (legally or otherwise) via things like Last.fm and Myspace, review and create word of mouth through blogs and social networking and deal directly with the bands via their own websites. Mentioned elsewhere, but Ginger Wildheart created a project where his fans pledged money required to record new material. People could (and I think still can) pledge a tenner to get the music digitally, or increasing amounts to get physical formats with a variety of extras, up to something like £100 where the man himself more or less turns up on your doorstep with the recording. Ended up oversubscribed by several hundred percent. I think the future will see more of this direct approach with bands going directly to their fans rather than needing to be promoted via labels. Not sure what, if any new "movements" that'll throw up, but there's certainly evolution taking place due to the availability of home studio kit. Someone with a degree of talent can now get their music recorded and out in the wild very cheaply indeed.
Little need for a revolution, the charts ceased to be of any relevance aeons ago.
If anything I think there's probably more variety, access and "invention" around now than ever before.
Impact of music is lessened in the public eye perhaps, but broader, more democratic and more egalitarian than it has been (not to say that's not increased the amount of s
t that abounds too).
I reckon a bigger issue is access to live music, because of the red tape now it's just not as easy for events to be staged, almost at every level, from pub to festival (though the latter is probably more cost related than authority-driven)
ETA I can kinda see what you mean though, because it's more "spread" there's less of a spirit in the air kind of thing.
If anything I think there's probably more variety, access and "invention" around now than ever before.
Impact of music is lessened in the public eye perhaps, but broader, more democratic and more egalitarian than it has been (not to say that's not increased the amount of s
t that abounds too). I reckon a bigger issue is access to live music, because of the red tape now it's just not as easy for events to be staged, almost at every level, from pub to festival (though the latter is probably more cost related than authority-driven)
ETA I can kinda see what you mean though, because it's more "spread" there's less of a spirit in the air kind of thing.
Edited by DrTre on Tuesday 17th January 19:12
As above, there is a revolution on right now. It's just that with the demise of ToTP it will not be televised. Which is as good a reason as any to post the below. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGaoXAwl9kw&fea...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGaoXAwl9kw&fea...
Indie labels still pretty much lead the way and there is a host of good music out there right now, which mostly doesn't hit the charts at all. We had a mini revolution a few years back when The Libertines opened the doors for a wave new bands like the Killers, Razorlight, Arcade Fire and so on who became the big bands a while later. I think Dry The River will be the next big thing (check out New Ceremony). Others I can see coming are
Kopecky Family Band
Grouplove
Mergence
Of Monsters and Men
The Epstein
Allo Darlin
Radical Face
Mynabirds
There's a whole indie world out there, playing at your small local venue for a tenner.
Kopecky Family Band
Grouplove
Mergence
Of Monsters and Men
The Epstein
Allo Darlin
Radical Face
Mynabirds
There's a whole indie world out there, playing at your small local venue for a tenner.
All good points... I've always been a believer that the good stuff is out there, and having to dig deeper for it's all part of the fun!
The only real problem I see is that traditionally (the last 50 years or so) the underground and overground have fed off each other - that's what starts a movement - be it The Beatles taking some very traditional, manufactured 50s ideas, combining them with the Rock 'n' Roll of the time and giving the 'kids' something new, or early punk rebelling against the Led Zeps and Pink Floyd's of the time... There's little to 'feed off' or really rebel against in the mainstream right now - it's just radio friendly pap!
My other beef is that by decent stuff falling out of popularity, it can dilute the 'live experience' in many ways - be that having decent 'current' stuff to hear a covers band play on a Friday night, or (closer to my heart) having to travel to a major (and I mean London/ Birmingham/ Manchester) city to go to a decent house/ techno night - I've got friends who get to DJ at major events internationally right now who can't get a decent gig in their own city, because there just isn't the scene/ interest to support it!
The only real problem I see is that traditionally (the last 50 years or so) the underground and overground have fed off each other - that's what starts a movement - be it The Beatles taking some very traditional, manufactured 50s ideas, combining them with the Rock 'n' Roll of the time and giving the 'kids' something new, or early punk rebelling against the Led Zeps and Pink Floyd's of the time... There's little to 'feed off' or really rebel against in the mainstream right now - it's just radio friendly pap!
My other beef is that by decent stuff falling out of popularity, it can dilute the 'live experience' in many ways - be that having decent 'current' stuff to hear a covers band play on a Friday night, or (closer to my heart) having to travel to a major (and I mean London/ Birmingham/ Manchester) city to go to a decent house/ techno night - I've got friends who get to DJ at major events internationally right now who can't get a decent gig in their own city, because there just isn't the scene/ interest to support it!
hornet said:
I think there is a revolution occuring, but it's more in the sense of music delivery than any specific genre. People can now find bands online (legally or otherwise) via things like Last.fm and Myspace, review and create word of mouth through blogs and social networking and deal directly with the bands via their own websites. Mentioned elsewhere, but Ginger Wildheart created a project where his fans pledged money required to record new material. People could (and I think still can) pledge a tenner to get the music digitally, or increasing amounts to get physical formats with a variety of extras, up to something like £100 where the man himself more or less turns up on your doorstep with the recording. Ended up oversubscribed by several hundred percent. I think the future will see more of this direct approach with bands going directly to their fans rather than needing to be promoted via labels. Not sure what, if any new "movements" that'll throw up, but there's certainly evolution taking place due to the availability of home studio kit. Someone with a degree of talent can now get their music recorded and out in the wild very cheaply indeed.
Radiohead did similar with a 'pay what you like' album release.I think music used to have more meaning - they seemed to be about something relevant, a social or political commentary at least - but I'm a fogey and have forgotten that Eminem writes social/domestic commentary, PJ Harvey just wrote a whole album of anti-war music, The Streets had things to say about their Ghost Town and U2 always seem to be rubbing our face in the general terribleness of any given situation....
...so maybe there was always music to lift you and there was always music for lifts...
LOL
The thing with revolutions is that they aren't predictable. It's an entirely new idea that turns to be awfully popular. Until the idea pops up, most can't think of anything that's new and possibly gamechanging, so it appears that everything that can be done has been done and there will be no more revolutions.
In other words, it's hard to predict a revolution without actually having or seeing the idea that starts one.
In other words, it's hard to predict a revolution without actually having or seeing the idea that starts one.
When "pop" music started in the early 60s (maybe a bit before with Elvis), there were few influences. Thus, pop/rock was begat from jazz etc. The issue now is that we have a vast amount of pop/rock, which has been mercilessly regurgitated.
The current music industry doesn't particularly relish change, as it is more concerned with repeating exisiting formulae for success.
Will there be a music revolution again. I think not.
The current music industry doesn't particularly relish change, as it is more concerned with repeating exisiting formulae for success.
Will there be a music revolution again. I think not.
Depends on what you define as a revolution. At the moment there is undoubtedly a revolution going on in distribution and musical innovation is happening everywhere except for the mainstream.
Will there ever be another Beatles i.e. the most commercially sucessful band is also one of the most innovative? Well i think the odds are currently very much stacked against that occuring. Firstly demographics have changed. In the 50s and 60s there was a youth boom who wre all looking for there own music, now demographically populations are middle aged and older. This older demographic now dominates music buying and they are more conservative.
Secondly the industry itself has grown conservative. As income from sales of music has fallen they've grown ever more conservative. A similar thing has gone on with films. The majority of the films major studios now produce are either sequels or adaptations of already successful sources.
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