Too much new music?

It feels to me like there is too much new music nowadays. Albums come out and are completely forgotten within six weeks because there is such a continuing onslaught of new releases. Good albums from six or eight months ago should still be front of mind, and yet for most of us fans I think they slip right off the radar screen. It’s doubly worse for us older fans who still want to listen to the classic albums too. It takes a truly mindblowing release to have any staying power for me. I think that’s sad.

I rarely find anything that I am into. I think the quality of older bands was far better, in general.

I can't even remember the last "new band" I thought was truly great.

Very few of my old faves are still putting out worthy music.

I think the ability for bands/musicians to release music independently has gotten much easier in the last few decades and it has been a blessing and a curse.

Back in the 60's-80's bands had to tour, and perform until they were tight enough (and had the right material) to get a record deal.  So it seems like a lot of bands putting out their debut material had been honed by years of performing live.  That doesn't happen anymore (not even with the older band), they just work together over the internet.  Now there is a ton of new music to pick from.  A lot of it decent to mediocre (if you are lucky) and much of it not at all good.
Back in the day you had to catch a live act you didn't know or stumble across their music on the radio/MTV.  Now you can sample hundreds of different bands on the internet in just a few minutes.

To me it seems like I can find quite a bit in the "alright" category, but very little that stands out as amazing enough to keep me hooked on it for weeks or months.

Staybrite wrote:To me it seems like I can find quite a bit in the "alright" category, but very little that stands out as amazing enough to keep me hooked on it for weeks or months.

This is exactly what I was doing for the umpteenth time today that led to this thread. Very, very few bands/albums stick out anymore. A couple of bands I’ve discovered the last two years that stuck were H.E.A.T and Striker. Otherwise, an occasional song or two might stand out but whole albums or discographies are exceedingly rare. 

I think your theory of bands in the old days having to hone their talents and songs before ever making a debut is absolutely true.

There's a few new thrash bands I really like, Havok and Evile are a couple, but overall most music feels rushed and without much thought.

I feel the same and have felt this way for years. The way I describe it to friends, there is way too much music being released each week now and most of it sounds very similar and/or there's nothing all that memorable or unique about it even though it might be played exceedingly well.   

Back in the 70's when music was dominated by a handful of major bands, they all sounded different from one another.   Jethro Tull did not sound like Led Zeppelin who did not sound like Queen who did not sound like the Allman Brothers who did not sound like The Cars who did not sound like Boston, etc.  You had your favorite bands and it was considered an event when they released a new album.  There would be a tour, radio singles, promotional events, etc.   Songs were usually well-crafted and well-produced.   It was a very different time and I greatly prefer it to now.

Generally, record labels had more quality control and like others have said, bands were more seasoned before they got signed.

When the 80's hit and I discovered underground metal, it was an exciting time because it was new and fresh.  It was raw and visceral.  But as more and more bands entered the scene (most of which were Priest/Maiden clones, then Metallica or Slayer clones, then Poison and G'NR clones, then Pantera or Dream Theater clones, etc), the whole scene got oversaturated, overwhelming, and tedious.   

In the internet age, it is so easy to craft an album with computer or amp software and without being in the same room as the other band members.   As a result, every Tom, Dick, and Harry can release an album without a record label.  Even established bands (like Iron Maiden or Slayer) basically release the same album over and over and flood the market with a lot of filler material.  It is like they have run out of anything interesting to say, musically or lyrically.  

Couple all this with everyone's reduced attention spans these days and I have noticed that very, very few songs or albums really stick with people for more than a few listens these days.  It is very noticeable on sites like this or MeWe, when topics churn and change constantly and quickly.

As others have said, today's voluminous music output is both a blessing and a curse, although for me it leans more toward curse to be honest.  There is some good material to be sure, but much of it has been heard before in different packaging.  And some bands are only good for one or two songs anyway, to be honest.   I would rather go back to the days when music had more uniqueness, substance, staying power and relevance and wasn't just considered a disposable commodity.

Constantine wrote:As others have said, today's voluminous music output is both a blessing and a curse, although for me it leans more toward curse...

I agree with this but maybe for a slightly different reason. I tend toward "fear of missing out" and thus I stockpile all these ridiculously large playlists and links and such of bands / records to check out. Of course, add to that the instant-access-to-everything-internet and, admittedly my own fault, it's quite overwhelming. Because of this I end up not listening to records I already have / know are excellent.

As stated before, most of what you check out is from not that good to good but few are stellar.

Back in the day, it was much more managable and there was so much more anticipation...

Today, it kinda drives me nuts frankly...

I'm thinking the title is referring to both mainstream and Christian music? 90% of my collection of 350 CDs and over 80 records are Christian oriented except for Dream Theater, MARS Project Driver, MASS, Sunbomb and Impellitteri (depending on the era). There isn't alot of bands that I got into over the past 15 years or so except for Rob Rock, Joshua, Theocracy, Impellitteri, MARS, MASS and maybe a couple of others I'm forgetting. I mostly like the old bands I've enjoyed for the past 35-20 years. 

Years ago before the internet up to around 1995, when it was announced that a band was releasing an album I was anticipating for it to be released. When I got the album I listened to it with the lyrics. Then I took it where ever I went to a friends house or while driving my car. 

Since the grunge and altenrative period which fortunately lasted only around 4-6 years, when a classic band released an album it made it more special. Since the intenret, youtube, marriage, mortgage, job, etc, other priorities happen. I still like the same music, the early 70s to early 90s style hard rock amd metal, but if an old band like Daniel Band puts out an album, that's great and if they don't, that's great too. There is still the old albums to enjoy. 

With the file sharing and getting music for free albums aren't appreciated as much. Now with vinyl and continued CD formats and enhanced reissues that is coming back but not as much as it was 30 years ago. I buy an album, have a quick preview and file it with my music collection and eventually when I get around to it I will have a good listen. Other priorities are more important.

Soldier777 wrote:I'm thinking the title is referring to both mainstream and Christian music? 90% of my collection of 350 CDs and over 80 records are Christian oriented except for Dream Theater, MARS Project Driver, MASS, Sunbomb and Impellitteri (depending on the era). There isn't alot of bands that I got into over the past 15 years or so except for Rob Rock, Joshua, Theocracy, Impellitteri, MARS, MASS and maybe a couple of others I'm forgetting. I mostly like the old bands I've enjoyed for the past 35-20 years. 

Years ago before the internet up to around 1995, when it was announced that a band was releasing an album I was anticipating for it to be released. When I got the album I listened to it with the lyrics. Then I took it where ever I went to a friends house or while driving my car. 

Since the grunge and altenrative period which fornunaately lasted only around 4-6 years, when a classic band released an album it made it more special. Since the intenret, youtube, marriage, mortgage, job, etc, other priorities happen. I still like the same music, the early 70s to early 90s style hard rock amd metal, but if an old band like Daniel Band puts out an album, that's great and if they don't, that's great too. There is still the old albums to enjoy. 

With the file sharing and getting music for free albums aren't appreciated as much. Now with vinyl and continued CD formats and enhanced reissues that is coming back but not as much as it was 30 years ago. I buy an album, have a quick preview and file it with my music collection and eventually when I get around to it I will have a good listen. Other priorities are more important.

Your last paragraph sums up why I do 99% digital purchases. Im always on the move or busy with other things and cant put a CD in let alone a record. I listen to 10X more music after going digital.

Too much quantity, not quality.

There isn't one particular area that you can pinpoint for this.

Home studios have become affordable and everyone uses the same plug-ins making everyone sound similar.

Mastering has changed so that we get maximum loudness instead of hearing nuances that gave artists uniqueness.

Nothing is really groundbreaking anymore.  It almost seems like every band have virtuosos on every instrument.  If not, you can buy samples to get you there.  There aren't really innovators on guitar, bass, or drums.

People don't have to hone their sound as a band as they can multi-track everything themselves.

File-sharing and streaming made music have no value for a lot of listeners.

Bands don't have to have a producer anymore if they are in charge of their studio.  Great producers are expensive and know how to get an artist to give their best or to experiment with sound.

We listen to music now for enjoyment.  When we were teens, the music was the soundtrack to really intense feelings, memories, times with our friends, first sexual encounters, first loves, maybe even our weddings and first children.  That music is attached to a lot of great memories.  Most of us don't have a huge body of metal friends we hang out with, so we are listening to music going through our daily grind so that none of it really sticks.  The stronger the emotions we experience with music is what makes the music last.  If there isn't a big emotion or memorable moment going on when you hear a new album, it probably isn't going to seem as good as that in our younger years.  Maybe it isn't that the music isn't as good--maybe it is just the fact that we have gotten old.

I read somewhere that people in general tend to stick to the style of music they grew up on since their teens that were up and coming during that time. Then they discover and seek out bands, both older and newer, along the way into their adulthood that play the same style. 

With the above said, there are styles or time frames of music that are studied, talked about, examined that was written years ago. Classical/orcestration/big band music written over the past 400 years and even today is still talked about, discussed and enjoyed today and are being discovered by a younger audience. The guitar players that have changed contemporary music since the 50s are talked about like Hendrix, Van Halen, Lynch, Malmsteen, Petrucci, Vai, Satriani, etc and masters of other instruments and their respective bands. People will be talking about these players for years to come. 

In addition, children and grandchildren that are exposed to the music of their parents or inhereted the music collection of their relatives tend to appreciate music written 20+ years ago. 

These 3 trends I mentioned above seems to be what's happening today and social media and the internet seems to help. No matter ho much music I have or how busy I get, I still oook forward to the next album coming out by a favorite band.

I think the core fan base still like the latest releases of their favorite band but I think it's how it perceived. At least I do. There is nothing like getting an album in the mail or picking it up at a local store and taking it home and opening it, reading the liner notes, looking at the inserts, CD, vinyl, etc. When all the chores are done for the day sitting back and listening to it.

It took some time to come to grips with this reality. Whenever I hear something new I try to digest it for a while, you know, listen to it a few times. And then I'm trying to ask myself whether I can imagine myself listening to it in say, 10 or 20 years from now.

I'm happy to say that I can still find "enough" music that does it for me, and I'm fortunate enough to only need a few minutes to recognize an album that will not interest me at all, which are the vast majority of albums.

So yeah, I understand the frustration but the way I see it, there are only two options to get out of this mess. The first one would be to get out of the "grind" completely and focus on other things in life. If that's not to your liking, try to develop a system for yourself like the one I described above.

A small addition: we get to be picky nowadays, so you can apply high standards to new music. All songs on an album should meet high standards, and if only one song doesn't meet that standard the only way an album can be redeemed is if the rest of the songs are ridiculously good.

A simple method to save yourself a lot of time: don't like the lead single enough? Then you're not likely to enjoy the rest of the album.

I love getting a new CD in the mail.  But, pray tell, where does one buy them at a store?  Unless I went to the Ernest Tubb Record Store in Nashville, I don't know of an existing music store anymore.  Even the big chain stores like Walmart and Target only have vinyl now and those displays are shrinking, too.  Christian bookstores?  I know of one discount Christian bookstore that only carries a very few copies of whatever is on CCM radio but have no rock/metal.  I know only a couple of guys who like the same music I like offline. Without the internet, this music fan would be in a desolate wasteland.

Andreas89 wrote:A simple method to save yourself a lot of time: don't like the lead single enough? Then you're not likely to enjoy the rest of the album.

I actually don't go by the single because the single can be one of the least interesting songs.  
Instead, I go by the 1st two songs on an album.  If those are dull then next, I move on.  
Not a fool-proof method because sometimes the better songs are in the middle or towards the end, but I figure if I don't like the sound or style or riffs in the 1st two songs, there's little point in continuing.

I was thinking yesterday how music was such a social thing when I was in middle school, high school, and college.   In middle school we would bring albums into class and sometimes the teacher would let us listen to them.   And we used to hang out at each other's apartments or houses and listen to albums and learn about new music and form relationships that way.  We would also lend albums to each other and go to concerts together.   

In high school we would hang out in the front yard or park nearby and there would be boomboxes playing music and people strumming guitars and singing.  Those who played an instrument could enter talent shows or jam together.  We drew band logos on our notebooks or wore concert t-shirts and conversations started that way.  

In college there were always kids playing (more like blasting) music in the dorms.   We went to concerts on campus or in frat parties.  Had impromptu dances or jam sessions in the dorms. We taped albums for each other and there were always local or campus radio stations where we discovered new music.

I'm not saying that all of this was always great or healthy behavior, but everything was a lot more social.  Now we interact with people on the internet who we will probably never meet.  Yes the internet makes it easy to find those who share our musical tastes, but we had that ability anyway during the height of tape trading / CD trading.  I met two of my best friends through the whole fanzine / tape trading thing in the late 80's.  Before there ever was an internet.

I really think we have lost something in the internet age.  We might have access to more music than ever before but big deal, we are basically listening to it in isolation now.  You don't get that face to face interaction, you don't get to see someone's reaction to an album you introduced them to.  And if you post something on a social media site you never know if someone will read it or not while you wait for a response that might never come.  It is what it is, but I really feel like we have lost a lot in terms of human interaction.

Just to clarify…I still think there’s music out there that is really good and does stick. Some examples in recent years (for me) would include Luke Easter’s solo EP, everything by Theocracy, and Bloodgood’s comeback album in 2013. They’re just getting harder and harder to find.

Constantine, I totally agree, we are meant to be social. Look at the affects of these lockdowns, spikes in depression, suicides and overdoses. Crap, 5 year olds are calling the suicide prevention line. But I guess that's another subject.

Black Rider wrote:Constantine, I totally agree, we are meant to be social. 

I didn't mention this because I wanted to focus on the school years, but I have very fond memories of going to record shows, music conventions, CD stores, Christian bookstores, etc. with friends.   Even made friends at these places.  
One of my friends who I had met at work unfortunately just passed away suddenly at age 65.  He and I used to go to record stores and concerts together.  He was adopted and had just gotten a chance to meet with his extended birth family.   
I miss him terribly.

And yes, this is a bad time right now for loneliness and depression and lack of socialization for school kids - that seems to be getting very overlooked and will cost us dearly in the years to come.

This is one way that streaming can help. I usually "like" the tracks on an album I'm listening to (at least the songs I like), and then the service will usually recommend other tracks by the same artist, as well as similar bands.

I realize a lot of time, effort and money is put into making a new album. But my collection has grown so big, so fast that I almost feel guilty by only listening once or twice. It takes quite an album for me to listen more than that. So much good music, so little time.

As one of the youngest members of this forum, I don't remember the days before the Internet. My earliest childhood memories include our very slow dial-up connection that we had.

By the time I got into music around 2010-2011, social media, YouTube, and iTunes were very established. I still discovered a lot of great music (at that time and since then), some relatively popular within metal and some not, albums that I cherish and thoroughly enjoy up to this day. Certainly most of the things in my collection are unremarkable, but I would say about 15-20% of the music I own is really stellar and I will probably like it for the rest of my life.

There's still a lot of good music out there; it can just take a lot of digging to find sometimes. I have enjoyed more recently going back to some of the Christian metal classics from the 90s that I never really paid attention to before, like Deliverance and Sacrament. Great stuff for sure, but I can also go and listen to Freakings and it sounds about the same quality to me. I sometimes wonder how much our enjoyment of music can be impacted by our past experience with it.