Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Sad State of Popular Music

Oh where oh where have all the great musical artists gone. Oh where oh where could they be. Let me first start off by saying I was a child of the nineties. Like all generations we had our share of crappy songs that were popular cough Rump Shaker cough. But it was off set by the grittiness of New York hip-hop and the "real life tales" of gangsta rap in California. For every Sponge there was a Pearl Jam. For every Mariah Carey there was a Sarah McLachlan. There was a balance that kept shitty artists in check. I don't see the balance anymore. It has shifted to one side and there is nothing that will put it back in its place.

In the late nineties all the bands that changed the musical landscape where trashed and replaced with the Mickey Mouse Club alums. It was these people in my age range that destroyed a good thing. Instead of singing about the tortures of life these happy attractive faces sang about their cute girlfriends/boyfriends. We've been in this shit cycle for the past nine years. The people perpetuating this shittiness are Timbaland, Pharrell, and Scott Storch just to name a few. These men are the brains behind the madness. If it weren't for these people you wouldn't have Nelly Furtado, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani or any other talent less scum topping the charts. Don't even get me started on the downward spiral of Gwen Stefani. Talk about selling your soul for the filthy dollar. Anyway, these "artists" would be lost little sheep without these fucking assholes that make millions playing with Pro Tools. Ten years from now no one will remember the songs they produced or who sang on those tracks. Tin Pan Alley reigns supreme once again. At least the people on Tin Pan Alley played an instrument unlike these guys that use computer programs to make their "club bangers".

As part of my research I went to the Billboard website to check out the top singles chart. Man if that's what people deem popular then I must be the geeky kid sitting in the corner alone. According to Billboard, Rihanna has the number single with her song Umbrella. At first I was taken aback by the title. Is she now the spokesperson for umbrellas? So I headed over to Youtube to check out the song. I must admit it's catchy. But Ms. Rihanna or her writing team use the most elementary rhyming schemes imaginable and the lyrics are atrocious. Come on girl, together forever heart apart cars stars friend end. Couldn't she at least made the storytelling a little more interesting and left out the Ella Ella eh eh. She sounds like a skipping vinyl record. And this is the number one single in the good ole USA. Are people even listening to the lyrics or are they enamored by the beats. What about Ms. Fergie Ferg not only does she steal the white girl that is down but still can sing a soft ballad from Gwen Stefani, she still manages to top the singles chart. I won't go into her musical talents because it's late and I'm tired, but she's just another female artist that hit it big because of her producer. Thank you Canada for Avril we really needed another talent less female artist that steals music from other artists. Her new song "Girlfriend" is an exact copy of "Hey Mickey" from Toni Basil. I thought it couldn't get any worse than "Umbrella" "Girlfriend" "Big Girls Don't Cry" then comes "Lipgloss". I know Lil Mama is just starting, but she should quit her career as a "rapper" and go back to school. She'll do society a favor by doing so.

The women aren't the only ones stinking up the charts the men are close behind. The number two spot on the singles chart belongs to the Shop Boyz with "Party Like A Rock Star". Disposable crap oops rap song with a guitar riff. Wow the south has destroyed the integrity of Hip Hop. Southern rappers are the equivalent to eighties hair bands. They all sound the same and use the same gimmicks. At number four is T-Pain with "Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin). Can someone please give this man a grammar lesson? Mr. T – Pain is another R&B crooner, swooning about his bank account. Nothing special will come from this fellow. He will be lucky if he is still has a record deal next year. Coming in at number five is "Hey Delilah" from the Plain White T's. The song is simple and effective. It captures the yearning for that special someone. Unfortunately this band has one hit wonder written all over it. The last two artists on the chart have been mainstays for quite awhile. Maroon 5 are the new Matchbox 20. People like them because they're safe. They don't rock the boat. It seems like they never evolve. And Justin Timberlake is a better actor than "musician". His song "Summer Love" is your typical Timbaland production. The song is heavy on the bass, drums, claps, gibberish on rides and chicks. Wake me up when Justin Timberlake makes a polka album. Till then I'm not interested in listening to any of his songs.




I'm Not An Elitist I Like My Chemical Romance


L

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