[atlantaprog] Re: Elton John says the Internet is destroying the quality of music

He's right about one thing-- there is a dearth of good albums these days, at 
least in rock, compared to the 70's.  And 'too much technology' is part of it, 
but he's grasping at straws past that.  The Internet is not really the problem 
at all.

In the 70's we had:  low penetration of VCRs, cable/satellite TV, even remote 
controls; no DVDs or Netflix; much smaller, more primitive video game market 
(this market is already bigger than Hollywood).

Think of all the time and money that people spend on these now, some of which 
use to be spent on LPs and concert tickets.  The proliferation of other 
entertainment options is probably cannibalizing music.  E.g.  The Guitar Hero 
console game... back in the day you had to, you know, actually play a guitar.

Musical technologies are partially to blame as well:  pitch correction, 
samplers, drum machines and Pro Tools prop up less talented performers like 
Ashlee Simpson.

MTV and its ilk have made rock, country and R&B music much more based on 
looks/image rather than substance (see cable tv above).  I'm not sure an 
'appearance-challenged'-but-respected musician like Janis Joplin or Geddy Lee 
could even get off the ground today.  ;-)

And there are non-technological factors as well:  more of a freewheeling 
drug/alcohol/tobacco culture back then, maybe linked to more socializing or 
altered states that could be linked to more musical spontaneity or at least a 
more adventurous audience (try to imagine Dark Side of the Moon coming out in 
the just-say-no 80's).  Instead of hitting the bong and listening to records, 
kids are more likely to be ADD on Ritalin, listening to the iPod, tv in the 
background, yakking on the cellphone or IMing, and playing World of Warcraft, 
with little attention span.  The rising drinking ages probably hurt 
nightclub/live music attendance, which serves as a 'farm system' for aspiring 
bands.

There wasn't as much consolidation of radio or record labels back then either-- 
witness the stultifying effects of Clear Channel/Infinity hegemony, or the Big 
Four labels.

I would also suggest that increasing multicultural attitudes in the US have 
caused there to be fewer broadbased cultural phenomena and more fracturing or 
narrow-casting in media.  I.e. it's harder now to have an Elvis, James Brown, 
Bob Dylan or Beatles now, reaching a mass audience.

The only problem I have with the Internet's role is the dominance of lossy 
media formats like mp3, but that's minor.  Of course technology has made the 
playing field much 'flatter', both in terms of the ability to record a 
good-sounding album and to promote it online-- a huge upside.  And good 
riddance to the 8-track.

BK


Wheat Williams <wheat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: Everybody's talking about this 
article.


http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007350453,00.html


Discuss.


Wheat Williams


       
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