We’ve spent a lot of time charting the crisis besetting the modern music industry. And one of the best professionals who’s undertaken the project of plumbing the problem is Rick Beato.
Now, the veteran producer and studio musician does a deep dive into why music has gotten worse since Cultural Ground Zero. Hint: One reason is that the record industry can’t stop the rock faucet.
It’s been said that quantity can have a quality all its own.
Sturgeon’s Law dictates that 90 percent of everything is crap.
So we have to consider that the decline in quality of the average song could be due to the fact that listeners are inundated with far more music than ever before in human history.
It is hard to argue against Rick’s point that by and large, most people don’t consume music the same way they used to in the 90s. It’s not as if you have to wait for your favorite act’s new album to come out, drive to the record store, buy their new CD, throw it on your home sound system, and spend a solid hour drinking it in.
Instead, today’s listeners are almost constantly awash in endless YouTube, Spotify, and mp3 playlists.
Related: Who Killed Rock and Roll?
Another aspect of the issue that’s not to be overlooked is the drop in quality.
Listening to a song recorded before quantizing and autotune on vinyl with a high-end custom audio setup is a whole other experience than listening with your phone’s Bluetooth ear buds.
A while back, a buddy of mine had the pleasure of experiencing a Jimi Hendrix record on a genuine audiophile’s 5-figure system. He’d listened to it countless times before on lesser equipment, but this time he made out all kinds of nuances that were hidden before.
He could even hear Jimi’s guitar pick scratching the strings.
Consider this: Just over a century ago, if you wanted to hear your favorite song, you had to find a way to hear it performed live. That made listening to music a premium experience.
Sure, you could hear a piano player in a tavern hammer out a folk tune. But enjoying classic works by top talent was an upper-class affair.
Then the phonograph brought music to the masses. But there were still technological and professional limitations.
The point is, scarcity is still a prime determining factor when it comes to value.
People tend not to esteem highly what they can get cheap.
Look at the prestigious Michelin restaurant guide. At first they gave it away, and people were using this august book to prop up table legs.
Then they started charging for it, and just like that, it became a coveted status symbol.
It’s likely that the sheer volume of music being pumped into the mainstream is degrading the popular music experience.
One thing’s for sure: There is no stopping the rock faucet.
But you can make a resolution to get your head above the water from time to time.
Try Rick’s advice: Carve out half an hour to sit down in front of a decent sound system, and really listen to some of your favorite music. No streaming, no distractions, just drink it in.
Not only will you have an enjoyable time, you just might gain a fresh perspective.
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