Would we encounter another bad decade for albums? - Music

Romanelli
Bone Swah

Gender: Male
Location: Broomfield, Colorado

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baystateoftheart wrote:

We need to stop making generalizations about music when what's being said is actually referring to mainstream popular music. Going by the BEA database, 2014 has the most albums of all time. Those were in large part the albums that users felt exemplified the album as an art form enough to put in their charts. In recent years, there has been democratization in the music industry that allows more people with fewer resources and without the approval of mainstream record labels to release music to wide audiences. I would argue that the album as an art form is healthier in the 2010s than it has been in previous decades. This is because the whole music-making ecosystem is healthier and more vibrant, not because the album has a higher relative status now when compared to other forms of music (to the contrary, if anything). Who knows what will happen centuries from now. But I will repeat that I am confident the album will outlive every single one of us.

Well...there is also the fact that it seems to be a race here to enter pretty much every new album that comes out. Been that way here for years. During my last round of data moderations, pretty much all I saw were albums released on October 5 of this year. That was...2 days ago. More than 10 of them. All chart worthy? People could tell within 2 days of release that more than 10 albums that came out on the same day were...chart worthy?
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Luigii

Gender: Male
Age: 28

Romanelli wrote:

Well...there is also the fact that it seems to be a race here to enter pretty much every new album that comes out. Been that way here for years. During my last round of data moderations, pretty much all I saw were albums released on October 5 of this year. That was...2 days ago. More than 10 of them. All chart worthy? People could tell within 2 days of release that more than 10 albums that came out on the same day were...chart worthy?

I think it's more of getting new albums but not having the option with decade, year or custom charts. Plus the last sentence does have some legit fact. Where sometimes albums I listen to my get a high rating and might go down lower. While other albums can get rated higher. It happens, and will solidified users taste.

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

Luigii wrote:

"Some don't like the 2010s... likely cause they haven't discovered much from it. (For me the 2010s doesn't have an identity I can put in a box, so that's still confusing, but great music, absolutely... from new artists and old geezers who won't stop till they drop)."

Could you say that for the 2000's or the 1990's due to how even though there are big heavy hitters, the style was really varied? Or am I missing something.

Sorry man, totally missed you commented on this.

No this is probably true of any decade, the way I stated it there. I mean you could put things in a nice box easier is all, or at least looking upon history as a 5th grader has allowed us to... not sure which is more true.

I suppose what I mean is with the interwebs anyone and everyone can release music, so there's less of a "let's put this in a box and sell it with this image and feel to it". Which I don't really care for except for there sometimes really is an aesthetic that it produces. 50's rock n' roll all kinda had a similar feel to it and could specifically be linked to a certain aesthetic. Same goes for 90's alternative rock or the "hippie music"... which some of the artists who produced said music wasn't really sure what a hippie was.

Maybe it's cause I'm in my 30s now and have a day job, but I don't see a specific aesthetic from the 2010s or couldn't describe it at least. There's one or perhaps the best way to say it is there are probably 20k, but I can't really sum it up. Which on one hand is fantastic and on another hand gives me some kind of "low flying panic attack"... hehe.

Luigii

Gender: Male
Age: 28

sethmadsen wrote:

Maybe it's cause I'm in my 30s now and have a day job, but I don't see a specific aesthetic from the 2010s or couldn't describe it at least. There's one or perhaps the best way to say it is there are probably 20k, but I can't really sum it up. Which on one hand is fantastic and on another hand gives me some kind of "low flying panic attack"... hehe.

I have to agree with this. Maybe when we get into the 2020's or 2030's there will be a solidified notion of what the decade was, but as of now it still feels like the late 2000's but we just got older.

dihansse

Gender: Male
Age: 60

Romanelli wrote:

Well...there is also the fact that it seems to be a race here to enter pretty much every new album that comes out. Been that way here for years. During my last round of data moderations, pretty much all I saw were albums released on October 5 of this year. That was...2 days ago. More than 10 of them. All chart worthy? People could tell within 2 days of release that more than 10 albums that came out on the same day were...chart worthy?

Just as an aside. I have noticed that many of the newer albums have been marked as having being released on a Friday (like those 10 albums of the 5th of October you mention and the fault is with Allmusic.com. Every Friday they issue a list of new released albums that I also always use as a source to find new good albums and they constantly give as the release date the date of that Friday even if that's not the case. In general the release dates of older albums on Allmusic can be trusted so I also sometimes used that date as the release date in BEA but I have recently learned to check this date with other sources for newer albums. I'll try to check some of those release dates an update them if necessary.
But on your general comment: I try to listen every week to about 3 new albums and in many cases they end up in my 2018 list (or sometimes even 2010 decade list) but I try to relisten to these albums during the year in order to see if the place I gave them originally had staying value.
And for me there has never been a better year in music in general than this year. Of course I know that most of those albums won't become classics but the general average quality of new albums (I like) is very good in my view.

jeffrey-hodgson

I think the 2000s and 2010s are pretty weak, honestly.

craola
crayon master

Location: pdx

jeffrey-hodgson wrote:

I think the 2000s and 2010s are pretty weak, honestly.

i think that's a pretty weak opinion, honestly.
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Luigii

Gender: Male
Age: 28

jeffrey-hodgson wrote:

I think the 2000s and 2010s are pretty weak, honestly.

I got to disagree with this statement.

jeffrey-hodgson

Luigii wrote:

I got to disagree with this statement.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I think it is fair to say pop music is worse from the 2010s than any other decade. Theres a few good underground artists, but nothing compared to the 60s and 70s.

Luigii

Gender: Male
Age: 28

jeffrey-hodgson wrote:

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I think it is fair to say pop music is worse from the 2010s than any other decade. Theres a few good underground artists, but nothing compared to the 60s and 70s.

If we are referring to pop radio this decade, then I would say yes. Since I got a new car recently, I'm able to listen to stuff on youtube as well as other music platforms. Been a blast and won't know what's "hot". But it's better. While in an album basis, I'd argue it's better. And that's mainly you get the best of both worlds. Given the ability to go to other periods in time while digging for stuff that speak to your niches.