Does music really suck today or am I just getting old?

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infinity ag
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3:45p, 1/5/26
Back in the 90s when I was at A&M, I'd just turn on MIX 104.7 and listen to the "Greatest Hits of the 70s, 80s and 90s" and most of the songs were beautiful compositions. I still listen to them to take me back to those days. The 00s were good too, and the early part of the 10s were okay.

Now I feel that the music is not listenable. But then I've gotten older as well.

Does the music today really suck compared to the 60s to 00s? These days I'd rather not turn on the radio to listen to pop music other than at Christmas time when they play Christmas songs (yes, from the 50s).
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maroon barchetta
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3:58p, 1/5/26
Music sucks today

Also, most 90's music sucked. Sorry you had to experience that.

Also, rap is not music.
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MouthBQ98
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4:02p, 1/5/26
AG
What gets played now is mostly carefully market engineered and fine tuned for target demographics by teams of producers and sound engineers after a gaggle of writers manufactures a generally overdone and yet also purposefully generic sounding tune with a fairly stereotypical format and mostly played by a vast array of millions of sound samples laid into dozens of hundreds of tracks and methodically rendered sterile by a rigid perfect computer beat and pitch correction.

It is incredibly unhuman, soulless, and boring. There aren't sophisticated compositions and structures. There aren't key changes, variable dynamics, changes in time signature or beat outside of fringe genres where musicality still prevails.

There aren't sophisticated complex artistic compositions. These are targeted to be the background noise at various social activities, or clipped into the background of viral social media. They're not something you take the time to listen to with a purpose. They are the background noise for something else.

There are exceptions but this is increasingly the rule, and as AI steps in, it will only get buried further in a vast desert of generic slop. Fortunately, many people still recognize talent and artistry of both the past and present and might keep music alive for the future.
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infinity ag
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In reply to maroon barchetta • 4:09p, 1/5/26
maroon barchetta said:
Music sucks today

Also, most 90's music sucked. Sorry you had to experience that.

Also, rap is not music.


Well I grew up in the 80s and my dad used to play 70s music when I was very young and even 60s Beatles. I thought the 90s were pretty good and many people have the same opinion. I just cannot relate to 2025 music. Ugh. My wife says I might change my mind if I listened to it more.

(i hate rap)
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boy09
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In reply to infinity ag • 4:31p, 1/5/26
AG
infinity ag said:
Back in the 90s when I was at A&M, I'd just turn on MIX 104.7 and listen to the "Greatest Hits of the 70s, 80s and 90s" and most of the songs were beautiful compositions. I still listen to them to take me back to those days. The 00s were good too, and the early part of the 10s were okay.

Now I feel that the music is not listenable. But then I've gotten older as well.

Does the music today really suck compared to the 60s to 00s? These days I'd rather not turn on the radio to listen to pop music other than at Christmas time when they play Christmas songs (yes, from the 50s).

There it is.

There is still tons of good music being put out there. You've got to look for it in different places though. You're DEFINITELY not going to find it on terrestrial radio.
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toucan82
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4:37p, 1/5/26
Could be both
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infinity ag
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In reply to boy09 • 5:45p, 1/5/26
boy09 said:
infinity ag said:
Back in the 90s when I was at A&M, I'd just turn on MIX 104.7 and listen to the "Greatest Hits of the 70s, 80s and 90s" and most of the songs were beautiful compositions. I still listen to them to take me back to those days. The 00s were good too, and the early part of the 10s were okay.

Now I feel that the music is not listenable. But then I've gotten older as well.

Does the music today really suck compared to the 60s to 00s? These days I'd rather not turn on the radio to listen to pop music other than at Christmas time when they play Christmas songs (yes, from the 50s).

There it is.

There is still tons of good music being put out there. You've got to look for it in different places though. You're DEFINITELY not going to find it on terrestrial radio.


Maybe you are right.

I was also thinking of the possibility that there is no such thing as good or bad music. It is just music that is available.

So my theory is in our teens and 20s, we are energetic and positive. So when the mind is wired that way, we imprint the music of that period as "good". When we get into 40s and 50s, we are jaded and tired and less positive. That is when the music also seems like it is bad. Since 20 years would have passed and music changed, we also yearn for the time when music was good (and we were young).

Thoughts?
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rocky the dog
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5:53p, 1/5/26
AG
Elections are when people find out what politicians stand for, and politicians find out what people will fall for.
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An L of an Ag
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In reply to maroon barchetta • 6:22p, 1/5/26
AG
maroon barchetta said:
Music sucks today

Also, most 90's music sucked. Sorry you had to experience that.

Also, rap is not music.


Most LATE 90s music sucked. 90-95 was ****ing awesome.
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Krazykat
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6:56p, 1/5/26
AG
Most of what is on the radio is noise... Just noise.
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mncag
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7:31p, 1/5/26
Most of it boring. There is so many decent musicians but get little play
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MooreTrucker
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7:36p, 1/5/26
AG
The answer to the thread title is "yes".

It's been shown that people gravitate to the music that they grew up with. Hence I prefer the 60's, 70's, and 80's, especially rock, but not really metal.

Some of the 90's is OK, but I'm not a fan of grunge. Some hip-hop is OK, but, in general, rap sucks.

And yeah, like boy09 said, you can't hear the new stuff that you might like if you stay on the same stations all the time, but I don't have a problem with that. I like what I like. And they call it classic rock for a reason.
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et98
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8:01p, 1/5/26
AG
Somebody posted this video of a music producer on TexAgs a few months ago where he explains the music business. I have spent way too much time watching his videos ever since. This is the first one of his videos that I ever saw, and it does a great job of breaking things down and applies directly to this thread.

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maroon barchetta
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In reply to et98 • 8:30p, 1/5/26
He's got lots of good ones.
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IIIHorn
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In reply to maroon barchetta • 8:47p, 1/5/26
maroon barchetta said:
Music sucks today

Also, most 90's music sucked. Sorry you had to experience that.

Also, rap is not music.


Dr. Seuss in Ebonics.
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BBRex
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11:01p, 1/5/26
AG
I'm finding that I'm enjoying going back and listening to genres in the '60s through '90s that I didn't appreciate as much then. For example, I've always loved "Don't You (Forget About Me)" from The Breakfast Club, but I hadn't really gotten into Simple Minds. I'm far enough removed from the '80s that their politics don't bother me much, and the music is really good. And there's a bunch of music still out there to explore.
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BartInLA
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11:54p, 1/5/26
For the most part it sucks.
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YokelRidesAgain
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7:02a, 1/6/26
AG
Music has sucked since I turned 25. /everyone

But no, seriously, music sucks now.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
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Tree Hugger
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7:26a, 1/6/26
AG
There are a few rock/pop songs every once in a while that aren't to bad.

Just about everything coming out of Nashville these days is pure garbage though.
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Teslag
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7:36a, 1/6/26
AG
Rap ruined everything and infected everything. It's a low IQ form of idiot "music".
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Frag
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In reply to et98 • 8:05a, 1/6/26
AG
et98 said:
Rick Beato is who I thought of when I saw this thread. He's a great follow.

Somebody posted this video of a music producer on TexAgs a few months ago where he explains the music business. I have spent way too much time watching his videos ever since. This is the first one of his videos that I ever saw, and it does a great job of breaking things down and applies directly to this thread.


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agnerd
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11:01a, 1/6/26
AG
Today's music will ALWAYS be worse that older music, but it's only because of a form of natural selection.
There were plenty of terrible songs in the 70s, 80, 90s, etc. However, the terrible sings die off and only the good ones survive. What you hear on the radio are the BEST songs from the 70s, 80s , and 90s.

Today, some good songs are being made with a bunch of crap. Over time, the good songs will remain while the bad ones will fall into obscurity.
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infinity ag
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In reply to agnerd • 12:37p, 1/6/26
agnerd said:
Today's music will ALWAYS be worse that older music, but it's only because of a form of natural selection.
There were plenty of terrible songs in the 70s, 80, 90s, etc. However, the terrible sings die off and only the good ones survive. What you hear on the radio are the BEST songs from the 70s, 80s , and 90s.

Today, some good songs are being made with a bunch of crap. Over time, the good songs will remain while the bad ones will fall into obscurity.


You make a good point!
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CDub06
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In reply to maroon barchetta • 12:41p, 1/6/26
AG
maroon barchetta said:
Also, rap is not music.

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King of the Dairy Queen
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1:00p, 1/6/26
music, movies, tv, literature

everything you would call pop culture has completely stagnated in the last 15-20 years. There's something going on that we wont recognize until after the fact. I think its related to attention spans only being 10-15 second video clips.
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Slicer97
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In reply to infinity ag • 1:30p, 1/6/26
AG
infinity ag said:
Back in the 90s when I was at A&M, I'd just turn on MIX 104.7 and listen to the "Greatest Hits of the 70s, 80s and 90s" and most of the songs were beautiful compositions. I still listen to them to take me back to those days. The 00s were good too, and the early part of the 10s were okay.

Now I feel that the music is not listenable. But then I've gotten older as well.

Does the music today really suck compared to the 60s to 00s? These days I'd rather not turn on the radio to listen to pop music other than at Christmas time when they play Christmas songs (yes, from the 50s).

MIX 104.7 never played good music.
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histag10
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2:01p, 1/6/26
AG
Can both be true?
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rednecked
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2:45p, 1/6/26
AG
I know there are folks here who can point to all kinds of great and unique music being made today (he's right above, you won't find it on terrestrial radio). I found this guy on youtube a few weeks ago. phenomenal!

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Biz Ag
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2:56p, 1/6/26
AG
I used to joke with a friend of mine that I could tune into the Eagle in Houston (oldies Rock) and be guaranteed of hearing a Rolling Stones song within the first 15 minutes of listening.

Another good friend of mine who was CFO for a group that owned a string of radio stations explained it's because listener surveys repeatedly showed that's what they wanted to hear. Now you know why Sunny 99.1 plays forty year old+ songs like "Jack & Diane" and "Africa" every freaking day.

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Fuzzy Dunlop
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In reply to rednecked • 3:14p, 1/6/26
AG
Stephen Wilson Jr has some great songs. He was recommended to me about six months ago.

I agree with the overall sentiment of the thread. Good, new music is hard to find.

I listen to new music when I can find something good. I'm 51 so I grew up in the midst of some of the best music ever. 70s, 80s and early 90s. There were good songs after that, too.

I have a wide array of musical interests so maybe I'm able find what I like a little easier. I don't really listen to new pop unless my kids have something new on but I move between new rock, metal, "Americana", Texas/Red Dirt country, and still listen to 70s and 80s rock, metal, and country.

Double Talkin' Jive...
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MooreTrucker
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In reply to Fuzzy Dunlop • 3:22p, 1/6/26
AG
If you like Americana/Texas country, take a listen to Jenni Dale Lord. Amazing voice, great songs.



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Texarkanaag69
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3:30p, 1/6/26
AG
The music I loved in the early to mid 60s during high school and when I came to A&M in '65 changed dramatically toward the end the 60s. I was at Bonfire cut in '65 and heard the Statler Brothers singing Countin Flowers on the Wall. Didn't have a clue who they were. No more Beachboys, 4 Tops, 4 Seasons and others who played good "belly rubbing'" music. So on a return from Austin, I think, to CS I tuned in to a Country & Western station and liked what I heard. Didn't know any of the stars back then, didn't have a clue who Willie Nelson was but I never went back to what was left of rock 'n roll or pop. And, yes, I'm old.
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MooreTrucker
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In reply to Texarkanaag69 • 3:37p, 1/6/26
AG
I used to be ALL rock and some pop, and HATED country. AS I've gotten older, my horizons have broadened. I still don't much like what I'd call traditional country (Luke Combs, Keith Urban, Thomas Rhett, etc.), but whatever William Clark Green, REK, Pat Green, and guys like that are called, I kinda like that. And I heard some Turnpike Troubadors on Landman the other day and liked it, too. I guess it's the storytelling element of it, maybe?
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Anchorhold
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In reply to infinity ag • 4:21p, 1/6/26
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AgFrogfan
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5:01p, 1/6/26
There are a ton of great bands still kickin a$$ in the rock genre. Left Lane Cruiser, The Sword, Valley of the Sun. Black Pistol Fire, heck, Fu Manchu still plays great live!

Their live shows typically cost $15-30 and you get an absolute onslaught of great live music with fellow tour bands to explore. The Double Wide in Deep Ellum always has a good rotation for the most part.

Sadly, terrestrial radio is basically made up of 15 minute commercials for AM talk with 5 minutes of Hannity *****ing about nothing important. EIB really took a hit when Rush passed.

FM terrestrial is a crapshoot. I always scan in new cities for my long trips and you'll find some really nice hidden gems. DFW is the absolute worst for rock music. "We can't play Stranglehold by Ted Nugent because it sounds like suffocation is involved."
Station Managers and DJ's used to be rogue and cool. Now they tow the party line that Tipper Gore set out to accomplish with her censorship campaign in the 80's.

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