For me : Trippie Redd’s “!” Is actually a great album
When people complain about new music not living up to old, it just means they’ve quit exploring and form their prejudices on the pop genre they hear, which has always been the lowest hanging song on the tree.
As an unpopular opinion on the other end, it’s ok to stop participating in pop culture. Pop music, Blockbuster movies, and TV are all meant to sell consumerism to young people with disposable incomes. Not to people who are bogged down by kids and mortgages.
New media isn’t made for your tastes, so unless you make an effort to change your tastes to those of the current generation of young people, new media will never be seen as good enough by you
Doesn’t this usually refer to music on the radio? I think most people understand that there’s lots of good music if you look for it, but the problem is the “popular” music is getting more and more formulaic
The thing is, I don’t want to have to look for it. Growing up I could turn on the radio and hear amazing music on pretty much any popular channel. Depeche Mode, Billy Idol, David Bowie, REM, XTC, Goo Goo Dolls, En Vogue, Green Day, Alanis Morrissette, Boyz II Men, Sarah MacLachlan, and so many others. It was a preponderance of great music with some shitty stuff interspersed.
Growing up, everything you heard was new to you. An experience. People older than you was saying the same shit about the music you were enjoying at the time. That’s how it goes.
Separating the artist from the art is fine.
You can like music by someone who doesn’t share your social, political, or religious beliefs with.Upvoted because this is the one I most strongly disagree with.
Hitlers art but ignore the holocaust?
Lost Prophets but ignore the lead singers horrifying SA of children?
Kanye West and his anti semitism insanity?
Chris Brown and beating the shit out of women?
R. Kelly and SA a child?
Rowling and her hatred of trans children?
Michael Jackson and his … weird child obsession?
Gary Glitter and his SA?
the examples you gave
Yes, that’s what separating the art from the artist means.
Well aware. I am listing examples of why I cant separate. Hence my “disagree” comment
🤨
Then apparently for a person who can separate them, there are zero examples. Or null
The Pianist is one of the best war movies I’ve ever seen… even though Polanski.
My mind is telling me nooooo
But my body
My bodyyyyy is telling me yesss
This is actually really popular among my music students. I completely disagree on most case. X raped 300 kids but hey, he makes pretty good beats so let’s pay 200$ for a concert.
IDK if it’s unpopular, but I’m worried that TikTok, Instagram, and Youtube Shorts have completely screwed with what kind of music gets popular nowadays. It seems like every popular song has some kind of intense drop because content creators love the “quick build up to some kind of visual punchline” video format and it has ruined what I think could otherwise influence and encourage originality
Ditto
Most rap sucks and it’s effects on mainstream media have had detrimental effects on society as a whole.
It literally just glorifies the ghetto lifestyle of being a piece of shit and acting like it’s the only way you can live life.
its* effects.
Yup. Unpopular opinion indeed. Upvoted.
Yes unpopular, but your final sentence indicates a deep lack of understanding regarding the origins, purpose, and breadth of the genre.
You are welcome to your opinion, and I’m 100% sure that no one coming in like that is going to look any deeper. I’m just sharing my opinion that yours is uninformed and superficial.
Hey that’s fair. I’m not privy to a lot of the socioeconomic shit that took/takes place that led to the rise of rap and what I call ghetto culture.
I just think it’s been glorified to the point people who have no experience with ghetto culture outside of rap music start acting like they thugs n shit. Like “gangster” shit started happening everywhere with a shitload of people fully embracing not only the visual look but the “hustler” “gangster” lifestyle.
Also don’t mistake my ignorance for inability to learn. I’m willing to listen and learn about it all I just don’t think it’ll change my outlook on how it’s effected everyone everywhere negatively.
And you know maybe I’m wrong and I’m just upset things aren’t changing the way I want them to. In that case oh well I’ll live.
Well thank you for the response, which I admit I expected to not exist or to be rude. 🙂
I’m willing to listen and learn about it all I just don’t think it’ll change my outlook on how it’s effected everyone everywhere negatively.
I wasn’t going to push this on you, but this 4-part documentary literally takes the exact opposite stance and is a documentary regarding the formation and evolution of hip-hop. You don’t owe me anything, but if you are legit interested…
I believe it’s available on at least a couple different streaming services, as well as on the high seas.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21872984/
Having watched it myself, please resist the temptation to skip around if you do give it a shot. There’s a through-line that will be less apparent if you watch it all chopped up, or skip past certain sections.
I just think it’s been glorified to the point people who have no experience with ghetto culture outside of rap music start acting like they thugs n shit. Like “gangster” shit started happening everywhere with a shitload of people fully embracing not only the visual look but the “hustler” “gangster” lifestyle.
This very thing is discussed at one point, FWIW. 🙂
And you know maybe I’m wrong and I’m just upset things aren’t changing the way I want them to.
I’m about the whitest looking person you could imagine, and I’m in my mid-late 50s. I grew up with a good dose of privilege, but (fortunately?) was thrust into situations through early to mid adulthood that forced me to step outside my comfort zone quite a bit. I look like I should be walking around with a maga hat and intimidating voters with my open-carry firearms, not pseudo-anonymously trying to convince a stranger to give hip hop another chance.
A lot of things haven’t progressed the way I expected them to, either, and I am very familiar with how easy it is to misjudge things that are not within your lived experience.
Hip-Hop is a mirror of what is, not the progenitor of the nation’s problems. It sometimes looks like the progenitor to folks who haven’t previously experienced some of what it reflects in their own daily lives though, I think.
Personally, the only place I’m hearing voices raised about the issues I care about in modern music (and this could be my own narrow view) is within the subgenre of “conscious hip hop.”
You should watch Hip Hop Evolution on Netflix—or the first three/four seasons. Because it will tell you a lot. Like, your opinion generalizes so much that it’s really dancing on the line just this side of problematic.
Look into underground hip hop, there’s all sorts of awesome music of much higher caliber than mainstream rap/hip hop.
Mf Doom, Busdriver, Kool Keith (and his many many aliases), Aesop Rock (not ASAP Rocky or whatever), and I’m sure lots of newer stuff I’m not even familiar with. Digable Planets are pretty big and they’re good (and old, like me)
.
I’ve dabbled into some underground stuff. I like hopsin for one. I’ve heard of Mf Doom but couldn’t pick out a song.
For me it’s less the rapper themselves it’s what they’re rapping about.
I don’t like music I can’t relate to and I can’t relate to most rap songs. I’m not out here thuggin or poppin caps, doing drugs and fuckin bitches. I don’t even really want to do those things. So that erases almost half the damn genre out the gate.
I like certain rap songs like tech9’s Dysfunctional or Am I a Psycho or Eminem or NF’s stuff but for the most part I can’t stand most of it.
And the glorification of “thugging” is what I mean by raps negative impacts.
I don’t like music I can’t relate to and I can’t relate to most rap songs. I’m not out here thuggin or poppin caps, doing drugs and fuckin removed. I don’t even really want to do those things. So that erases almost half the damn genre out the gate.
I promise I’m not trying to spam you with stuff!
With that specific criticism in mind, I listen to what I listen to because of the lyrics for the most part, and I’m not into those things either. Here are some examples I’d recommend.
Some folks don’t like Atmosphere’s style much, but I’m recommending these to you because of their lyrics, specifically. (Personally I think these are both bangers though.)
(If you have them, put on some nice headphones. Esp for Brother Ali.)
A couple from Atmosphere:
Brother Ali has a couple that really speak to me too:
I am not trying to make you “like” Rap, FYI. Folks like what they like.
I’m just trying to open a path to show you that how you described it in your prior comment does not describe most hip hop - even if it describes most hip hop you have heard. 🙂
I’ve had a hard time getting into Aesop Rock, but he comes up so often I should try again.
I have enjoyed most Busdriver that I’ve heard, but I admit I often have to look up his lyrics to understand them, and it’s probably discouraged me from exploring his catalog more than I have. My fave that I’ve heard of his is Much, partially because he slows it down a bit.
Digable Planets - I only knew them for The Rebirth of Slick for decades. Took a deeper look a couple years ago and was blown away. They are high on my list now. Love their sound. Good recommendation there!
I’ve got to also recommend Brother Ali.
I hear you on Busdriver, I tend to not listen to the words and just hear it as a sort of instrument so it doesn’t matter what he’s saying. But for those that do, I could see it being too much, same with Kool Keith.
I’ll check out Brother Ali, I’ve heard of him but not his music.
IMO you are in for a treat. His voice is something else IMO and I love his style.
Here’s one of my favorites (fairly, ah, opinionated): Uncle Sam Goddamn
Also -
Can’t Take That Away (Just nice.)
(Also pretty opinionated:) Mourning in America
Listened to some yesterday and today, I dig it, thanks!
So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Rap was important and had a clear goal; to inspire afroamerican people, kids to learn, to live their life and fight for their rights. to get up from the ghetto, to keep on going, make them see they aren’t alone, they have their backs by the community. (In the US)
this all was rather successfull.
but then, I don’t know what rap’s function is today. if there is any… so what you are saying, I can aggree with it, but I tend not to forget what was the original goal of this genre, and this is why I can’t completely dismiss rap.
You should look into conscious hip hop. Plenty of that kind of music still being made.
Some music is made by and for lowlifes, where I live is Vallenato, Campesina, Rancheras, Bachata, and 90%of reggaeton.
Lyrics about asking for forgiveness after cheating, smoking, domestic violent (being the one that does the domestic violence), admitting to spike drinks and brag about it, simping for drug Lords, and women are nothing but a sex object.
The people who listen to that music is just as you imagine them. Uneducated, sexist, wife beaters, going around in huge SUVs blasting that music outloud with no respect for anyone around then, they are the ones who start blasting the music at 1AM on a Wednesday and doesn’t let anyone sleep in their entire neighborhood.
People give me shit for this and claim is “culture” but I think there is such a thing as music for lowlifes.
While I can see where you’re coming from, about 90% of the music I listen to is some kind of metal. Most of it is just about cool nerdy stuff but there’s definitely some truly horrible shit in there. I have yet to and don’t intend to do any of it.
I think the bias comes from how loud some of these shitty people are. They build the stereotype. For the most part, people just mind their own business, go to work, raise their kids, and bob their heads to the beeps and boops.
I see where you’re coming from, because I kinda also hate the genres you mentioned in specific, but man, it’s not ALL bad. You put on some Juan Luis Guerra and he makes better bachata than anyone else you can think of. It’s actually fucking enjoyable. It took me decades to even begin to appreciate some of the more pop music (or even tolerate it, cause fuck regueton…but everyone listens to it where I live), and he definitely stands out.
That’s it, I just wanted to mention the 440.
Eric Clapton is wildly overrated
YES! He’s a massive idiot too.
Cocaine is his only good song.
I guess my unpopular opinion is that I don’t think that’s a very good song :)
Now this is an unpopular opinion, mostly about Cocaine being good in any capacity.
Cocaine is great! If it’s good cocaine. And as long as the person doing it is not a fiend.
Layla is also pretty good imo.
There are too many damn love songs. 75% of all music does not need to be about love, relationships, and breakups. I stopped listening to radio because all the damn love songs got annoying.
Can we please have more songs about literally anything else. Weed, flowers, rainy days, animal companions, construction work, types of cars, card games, anything. There’s more in life to sing about than just relationships and/or the lack of them!
Sincerely, A person whose sexuality is “No” and has no interest in that kind of relationship.
Well godd news then, you can start to enjoy music about religion, cause I feel like every other popular song is about that, and I am just as annoyed as you, be careful though there are overlap betweem the two. 😄
I feel this so hard.
It’s not even that 90% of love songs are for straight people, it’s that 100% of them are about gals and guys who have no definining features, beyond their predisposition to breaking the singers heart or making them “feel like woah.” Give me an actual story about something beyond just vague descriptions and the musician just saying how they feel without going too deep into why.
I don’t want to fill in the blanks with me and my crush/partner/ex. I want a story that puts me in someone else’s shoes so I can see the world through their eyes. Extra credit if it’s not the same demographics and stories that saturate every other form of media.
For a recommendation of an album that isn’t about love, but about a wizard seeking immortality, check out Hypercube Necrodimensions
As someone on the asexual spectrum, I feel you. I also have intense social anxiety and so those two things combined means it doesn’t make sense for me to attempt a relationship to begin with. Occasionally I get sad when listening to love songs. Because they are so ubiquitous and it makes me feel like I’m not even human sometimes because I lack these basic human feelings and experiences.
Which is why I love concept albums where the artist sings a bunch of songs that tell some story of a fisherman who catches a magic mermaid type creature who can cure cancer, but the mermaid type creature ends up becoming a trapped carnival attraction at a freak show instead. Or about the story of a mad scientist type dude who conducts experiments on his patients, creates an evil demagogue who then becomes a tyrant whose reign ends in a terrible war that causes a lot of death and destruction. Or about a bunch of AI who find themselves in disagreement with their creators and then say bye to the solar system and just fuck off into deep space.
Certain genres have different themes i find.
For example i think most ‘metalcore’ songs i listen to are about emotional or addiction struggles, anger at society/moral injustices, inspirational (yes really, overcoming obstacles and living a happier life), life experiences and oddly a lot of christian bands in the genre.They Might Be Giants
Mountain Goats
There is, in fact, good country music that isn’t just about trucks, beer, flags, and right-wing U.S. propaganda.
People have a lot of hate for the genre due to the mass appeal, common denominator examples. But like with all music, dig a little deeper beyond what gets radio play and you can find some good shit.
Lyrics ruin most music. This is one is weird because I actually love the sound of the human voice, but it most music its just ugly. Also most of the lyrics themselves suck. Usually vague, meaningless, hoping you’ll interpret them as something deep. There’s just so many songs that most lyrics have to be bad.
Also drums ruin most music. They are harsh, dissonant, overly loud, overpower subtler instruments, and reduce complex, varying melodies to a simple beat. Even when I want simple heavy beats, I prefer electronic alternatives (no idea what they’re called) so it’s not so harsh
I never got the hype for Satriani’s music. He’s a virtuoso for sure, but I never really found his music interesting.
This is probably high school nostalgia kicking in, but Limp Bizkit is great. lmao
There is actually some great kpop music out there.
Satch for sure is an extremely talented guitarist and understands that the key to a good song is a melody (or “hook”) that is simple, memorable, and catchy. Almost every song he wrote has this at its core. The problem is simply that this is insanely difficult to do and he struggles with it, especially on his later albums
We’re in the best time to listen to music. There’s amazing stuff out there. It just doesn’t come to you automatically, you’ve got to seek it out.
Now, it’s a pretty bad time to be an artist trying to make a living. But it’s also the easiest time to DIY music.
To pair with this, we’re now bearing the fruits of having unlimited media available to us. You can hear rappers on SoundCloud that directly influence metal from the 2000’s, you can hear artists from small countries reference shows like Community, or US artists reference the UK show The Inbetweeners. Even at the top, Taylor Swift referenced a song called Best Of Me by The Starting Line in one of her songs, and now thousands of fans have swarmed to listen to their music, despite the band being split up and the front man now making new music under Vacationer - also getting a fan bump.
Years ago I listened to a podcast from someone that was in a band called Busted in the UK. The went deep into how they wanted their band to be like Sum 41, but how within about 6 weeks they had released a pop album, were on your, and on covers of magazines as the new face of pop. Many bands saw the rise of pop punk, and feel that the UK (and other countries in Europe) missed the boat because the recording industry was stuck in the past. Look back at pop punk and tell me how many bands of that era weren’t from North America, and look at how many were eventually churned out once the recording industry shifted towards downloads and streaming.
Influence is everywhere now, and those that seek out music are rewarded.
I mean, not to be a shill, but Spotify makes playlists every Monday and Friday showcasing new but older and new new music respectively. So it kinda does just come to you
I guess my other unpopular music opinion is that I still buy music. I guess ANOTHER unpopular music opinion is that I think algorithmic suggestions aren’t great and ultimately limit the kinds of music one is exposed to if that’s their only source of new music.
I disagree with the latter. Buying music is still good though
Well hey, that’s why it’s an unpopular opinion!
Modern music slaps. Just gotta find the right albums.
Care to share some of your favorites?
One of my favorites recently has been Djesse Vol. 4 by Jacob Collier
Depends on how new you want it, but Rime of Memory by Panopticon is great.
This may not be an unpopular in the outside world but somehow I bet it will be here, the vast majority of metal is just straight noise and incomprehensible yelling to me. I do enjoy when metal songs are covered by bluegrass bands though
I don’t agree with “most” or you’re using a too narrow definition of Metal…
But I agree that the stuff you don’t like sounds like noise and incomprehensible yelling to me too, which is what I need to hear sometimes. Feels cathartic to have a wall of sound crash over you as you yell your guts out on the highway. Much better way to handle rage than taking it out on family members or service workers.
I debated adding subgenre to it but since it was an unpopular opinion I decided to go for broke. I know there’s a lot of variance, and don’t really hate on metal fans at all. Though I do stand by my point, at least for me
I prefer hip hop and country myself, and my experience tells me it’s not uncommon for metal heads and punk fans to say similar things about those genres even though the stylistic differences between say dirty southern rap and the west coast game are super obvious to me
It’s all just preference and personality
Edit: also I’m glad it gives you what you need from music! I don’t get it but I don’t need to
Ooh! Another genre mix-up fan!
Bluegrass, lo-fi, and orchestral covers of popular music are 90% of my Spotify history at work.
I dislike modern pop’s mixing of the human voice, mixed so high compared to the rest, to the point where you can’t hear instruments anymore. The music is often there just for accompanyment, elevetor music. I rather have chillwave, where everything is one big reverb trick pony, than having to hear people screaming.
I don’t care for Dylan or the Beatles. At least I understand the ground-breaking work of the Beatles, but Dylan is incomprehensible.
and largely always was
I don’t understand Dylan but I believe he was lauded because of other musicians looking for anything new. Dylan pioneered the 3 minute song as a short story. So if you are a pop artist struggling to write a new song, it opened up lots of new ideas.
Dylan called his technique his crutch in writing “4th Time Around” to Lennon about Norwegian Wood copying Dylan’s style.
