Music : Over the Years

I agree with some of the above points. Sadly to say, I do think that music has taken a turn for the worse over the past few years. But music certainly has changed a lot over the years. Let's take a brief look down memory lane...

The Antiquity Period - before A.D. 400 - Well, there's not much to say...it's where music began!

The Medieval Period - 400-1450 - the Catholic church brought us the first use of music in everyday life; plainchant, or Gregorian chant, was a monophonic music style sung by monks in Latin. Secular music also became more popular towards the end of the period, particularly among peasants. Simple dances and canons became a common means of entertainment among the lower class in Europe. Wandering minstrels also traveled throughout the continent singing songs of love and life whilst playing lutes, the predecessors of guitars.

The Renaissance Period - 1450-1600 - the invention of the printing press allowed for music to be distributed throughout Europe. As Europe emerged out of the dark ages, more and more people discovered music as a way to entertain themselves. Sacred music developed rapidly, even allowing women to sing with monks. Madrigals, small groups of singers, were the true 'pop' music of the period. The lute was still the most popular instrument, but several instruments from the Medieval period were being improved upon, including an early Trombone.

The Baroque Period - 1600-1750 - as Europe's kingdoms prospered with wealth and all forms of art became highly elaborate, we saw a reflection in the period's music. Musical instruments and music in general became very fancy and decorated works of art. The most popular instrument became the harpsichord, a keyboard instrument with strings that were plucked inside.

The Classical Period - 1750-1820 - with political revolutions in America and France, the middle class emerged as a profitable source of income for musical performers. However, most composers relied on wealthy patrons to support their careers. The music reflected the simple, balanced, and fair ideals of the period. All music seemed to be standardized, and the symphony became a popular form of music. The piano was also developed, which would continue into the Romantic Period as the most important instrument.

The Romantic Period - 1820-1900 - with the industrial revolution and massive advances in the industrial world, Europe became more of one giant city than an open countryside, causing many people in the Romantic Period begin to think that life in the dark ages of the Medieval Period would have been the better one. This was reflected in some composers' sad, dreary music. Music in general became very self-expressive, and was no longer about pleasing wealthy patrons. The middle class became the common music lovers, regularly attending concert halls and operas. Some composers reverted to traditionalism, using Neo-Classicism, while others experimented with Impressionism, using strange sounds and blending noises together to create enchanting, dreamy, yet unusual pieces. A strong influence by French and Russian composers developed late in the period, and nationalism appeared as a way for composers to make their music sound like it came from a particular country. The symphony evolved as well, and waltzes and ballroom dancing became the popular music.

The 20th Century - 1900-2000 - this period saw an extremely rapid growth and change in music with the many technological advances in the world of communication. This period saw the first major distinction between art and pop music. The two forms of music became segregated from each other; art music consisting of Neo-Classicism, nationlism, privitsm, and others - while pop music evolved rapidly from band music, ragtime, the blues, jazz, big band music/swing, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, rock, heavy metal, punk rock, alternative rock, disco, pop rock, rap, and techno, among many others. Many ambitious composers appeared, including numerous 'bands' or 'groups,' performin

 

I hope it won't get all techno and **** like that.

Hey wouldn't it be cool if MTV would play music videos? It'd probably never happen though

 

Yes it would, but I don't see it happening.

 

LMAO! Classic. What the heck happened to MTV anyway? What is all this garbage they have on it now?

 

"What is all this garbage they have on it now?"

I believe you answered your own question there: garbage. MTV is the power plug to the bubble gum factory.

 

My view of music is that it's cyclical. Every movement in music has had a response that was opposite. Classical -> Romantic etc. Each new move in music is in some way opposite of the previous.

 

A far as rock goes the US is a joke. All they have are rap-metal crap and whiney Pop-punk Emo Garbage. And I say my freinds as far as "Heavy" music goes look to Europe.
All your musical questions will be solved by fresh new sounding and more importantly technical music. Some great stuff that is way under the radar of the crap that MTV "makes" you like. If Mtv were a democracy then you would actualy be exposed to many differnet kind of music and not the same 10 clone bands, singing the same crap.

 

As Prof_D_Kirke (hi David!) said, I think there will be a violent reaction to this music that abounds today. In this century, trends in music have become more polarized. There may be a huge jump in the next generation away from the techno and rock that have consumed our generations. Maybe the 'in' dance music will return to the waltz or something.

 

so the US has exhasted all creativity. It is now time for someone new, someone from another hemisphere, to step forward and to take music in a direction it has never gone before.

and that person shall be.... ME!

oh, and to respond to those who are worried about the lack of instruments...

Sex sells. and guitars begin to get cumbersum when you get into bed.

 

There actually is alot of good and new music around but all of you who are complaining are complaining because it isn't in the top 10. BE GLAD IT ISN'T IN THE TOP 10.

Being popular has never been a good thing for an artists music. It's a good thing that MTV keeps all the crap trendies away from the music that I like. I don't know about you but I'd rather not have 100 kids at the shows my favorite bands give just because it's "cool".

They can have their Blink 182s and Stainds.

BTW, the standard of music has not gone down, you should buy one of those "greatest hits of the 60's sets" full of crap I can guarantee you that.

 

As long as there are interesting people, there will always be interesting music being made, but I think most of the current musical genres are on the decline at this stage. How many artists have there been in the last 20 years who can truely be considered important in the development of their given genres? A handfull, at most.

I personally don't see the ultra-conservative, derivative garbage that most of you seem to consider 'real' music to be siginificantly better then the commercial pop you all hate (hell, in some respects it's worse - pop at least tends to change and develop, whereas most rock is just endlessly regurgitating the past). I can't see the situtation getting any better without some revolutionary new style or genre coming along and shaking everything up, and I doubt that'll happen any time soon.

 

Nrf:

How many artists have there been in the last 20 years who can truely be considered important in the development of their given genres?

Dead Kennedys
Black Flag
Dream Theater
Symphony X
Godspeed You Black Emperor!
Sonic Youth
The Roots
Public Enemy
Metallica
Cynic
Watchtower
Spastic Ink

There, that's a start, I'm sure I can find atleast 20 more if I tried.

I personally don't see the ultra-conservative, derivative garbage that most of you seem to consider 'real' music to be siginificantly better then the commercial pop you all hate (hell, in some respects it's worse - pop at least tends to change and develop, whereas most rock is just endlessly regurgitating the past).

Gee, you haven't heard Wachtower, Gordian Knot or Spastic Ink have you now? Or Godspeed You Black Emperor! ?

I find your opinion to be uninformed. really uninformed. Do you even listen to rock?

 

Hopefully MTV will change it's ways.
Fat chance, huh?

DarthNut,
the nuttiest guy around.
Go Nets Go!

 

Perhaps music will evolve towards a more Eastern sound.

 

Me, I'm keeping myself in a time loop by listening to music form the late 70's early 80's. The era where I consider my favrite type of music was the best. Metal. Most of the stuff today is junk and you really have sort through a lot of it to find anything decent. They just seem to sound to much alike and don't seem to try to have a distinctive sound. It seems to me when someone finds success they stop trying be creative and that can really hurt the growth of music.

 

No, most of the stuff today is good but the minority is really crappy, unfortunatly that minority gets the most airplay and popularity.

 

I love looking at the transitions between musical periods and styles. Especially facsinating is the Renaissance period. There was no clearly defined music style then-- it was a transition period between the Middle Ages and the Baroque period. As a transitional time, it was so spectacular that it stand on its own.

Think of some of the early composers who stunned medieval audiences, like Thomas Weelkes, Tallis, and Palestrina. These ompsers experimented more than any others that followed them.

Monteverdi practically invented the opera when he wrote a huge orchestra into Orfeo. Weelkes perfected the madrigal, and wrote counterpoint and harmony that would influence Bach and the other great Baroque composers as they heard it.

This period is not given enough recognition, but it was truly one of the most musically innocative times in all of history.

 

Music really changed in the 20th century. Like, the entire world, the world of music saw unparralled growth.

DarthNut,
the nuttiest guy around.

 

Yes, the 20th centruy is fascinating. I've just never loved most of it.

 

is "pop punk" an oxymoron?
I mean, isn't the whole point of punk to rebel against mainstream audiences and not give into what's popular?

 

ya, your right, it doesn't make sense.

DarthNut,
the nuttiest guy around.

 

Yes, "pop punk" is an oxymoron, that's why I refer to it as "power pop".

 

There are some good band still out there, they just haven't broken through yet

Coiled - A Great Local Band Near Me
Their Home Page

EDIT: When you go to the first link, i reccomend "Seven","Tears", and "Bridge Under Water"

 

is Sugarcult a punk band?

 

My main gripe about modern music is that whole genres have been reclassified, yet maintain their old names. For instance, RnB, used to mean genuine rhythm and blues, nowadays it's a code word for bland, harmony singing.
I'm unashamedly nostalgic about music, I prefer disco to modern dance music, I prefer Thin Lizzy, Iron Maiden and Queen to modern rock, and as far as I'm concerned punk meant bands like Stiff Little Fingers, The Clash, and The Ramones. The same applies to indie music, I'll always prefer The Stone roses, Inspiral carpets,The Smiths etc, over their modern counterparts. Most of the current bands I like have a retro feel about them, like BRMC, The Hives, and so on.
I've a theory, which is really just a guess when I get down to it, that the charts are polluted by undiluted garbage, because it's mainly teenagers who buy singles. I haven't bought a single in years, I just get albums, and the same seems to apply to most of my contemporaries. It's certainly true that in Britain, achieving a number one has never been easier, because far fewer people are buying singles these days, leaving the field clear for lots of hormonally charged teens to push Britney or Enrique to the top.