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+--- Thread: Interesting article in Scientific American about pop music (/showthread.php?tid=17814)
Interesting article in Scientific American about pop music - bob_32_116 - 22-02-2017
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/is-pop-music-evolving-or-is-it-just-getting-louder/
The research and findings are described in more technical detail in the Scientific Report, from which the article draws - "Measuring the Evolution of Contemporary Western Popular Music":
http://www.nature.com/articles/srep00521
This paragraph summarises the findings, and is worth quoting in full:
Quote:After peaking in the 1960s, timbral variety has been in steady decline to the present day, the researchers found. That implies a homogenization of the overall timbral palette, which could point to less diversity in instrumentation and recording techniques. Similarly, the pitch content of music has shriveled somewhat. The basic pitch vocabulary has remained unchangedâthe same notes and chords that were popular in decades past are popular todayâbut the syntax has become more restricted. Musicians today seem to be less adventurous in moving from one chord or note to another, instead following the paths well-trod by their predecessors and contemporaries.
In other words, it seems to say what I and lots of other people have been saying for years - that the 1960's were a period of musical creativity that has never been surpassed, and by and large, popular music has been becoming less imaginative and less interesting ever since.
He acknowledges the possible existence of the "test of time" bias, i.e. the fact that an old song that had "quality" (whatever that may be, is more likely to be remembered and to be included inthe "Million Song Database" than an old song that was no good. Even so, he says the trends he identifies are evident even over relatively short time periods, suggesting that the test of time effect is small.
Discuss.
Interesting article in Scientific American about pop music - Music Head - 22-02-2017
totally with you on this bob
the 60's rule
Interesting article in Scientific American about pop music - bob_32_116 - 22-02-2017
Out of curiosity I did a search to find what was on the Australian music charts 50 years ago. The only national chart back then was published by Go-Set magazine, and there were no album charts then,only singles charts.
Here's the Australian top 40 for the week ending 22 Feb 1967:
[URL="http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1967/19670222.html"]http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1967/19670222.html
[/URL]
Just consider the astonishing variety on this list. You get the novelty pop of The Royal Guardsmen and Clinton Ford, the baroque pop of Herman's Hermits and Wayne Fontana, the rootsy rock of the Rolling Stones, Easybeats and The Loved Ones, the folky pop sound of The Seekers and the Mamas and Papas, the funk/soul sound of The Id and Jimmy Ruffin, and the mighty proto-prog piece Good Vibrations. I certainly don't love every song on this list, but in terms of diversity, what a contrast with what's on offer today.
Interesting article in Scientific American about pop music - SteveO - 23-02-2017
I have developed a general disdain for most of today's music! Seriously folks what rock bands will be remembered 100 years from now? The Beatles and Bob Dylan...after that it's a stretch ! Has rock and pop music run its' course ? After all rock is over 60 years old! A lot of repetition out there in my most humble opinion !
Interesting article in Scientific American about pop music - Lovely Linda - 23-02-2017
SteveO Wrote:I have developed a general disdain for most of today's music! Seriously folks what rock bands will be remembered 100 years from now? The Beatles and Bob Dylan...after that it's a stretch ! Has rock and pop music run its' course ? After all rock is over 60 years old! A lot of repetition out there in my most humble opinion !Same with country. They commited murder!
There is alot of Rock from the past that will live on as other genres but today's music is crap.
Even gospel is not what it used to be. Very few artists are worth listening .
RE: Interesting article in Scientific American about pop music - Jerome - 29-12-2017
Just discovered this thread this morning and I have to say that the 60's were the foundation of modern music but I disagree that it was the most creative. In the 70's bands REALLY started experimenting with different musical cultures in a big way. Progressive rock and electronic music came to fruition in the 70's. It started in the 60's - no doubt about that but the really complex and imaginative works were created in the 70's. I suppose we have to take into account the fact that the results were based on charts. The stuff that was going on away from the charts was far more interesting anyway.