Mutant
I hate that supercow !
Metal has so many very different subgenres and so many good musicians that there is no good excuse/reason to stop listening to it.
Not listening to metal anymore
- Thread starter LeSedna
- Start date
ShipwreckSoundWorks
Member
I tend to listen to the same few bands over and over, because I can't find anything new I REALLY like. Gideon has been on that list for a while... (Apparently the new thing with the kids today is Of Mice & Men, whom I dislike very much.)
Nuno Filipe
You talkin' to me?
The major problem in my point of view it´s that back in those days 80/90 not everyone was allowed to make music, only people with skills and some originality and money of course. So the bands worked very hard to have their space in the scene. But nowadays, everyone can buy an instrument and record shitty songs because it is much more acessible that was back then. So you have countless albuns coming with average music.
The last great metal bands that I found might be Evergrey and Scar Symmetry and not much many more. And I found them in 2005/6!lol
The last great metal bands that I found might be Evergrey and Scar Symmetry and not much many more. And I found them in 2005/6!lol
Jind
Grrrr!!! (I'm a bear)
- Mar 7, 2009
- 2,542
- 0
- 36
I've had this debate with a friend recently with the simple questions being - how many bands that have sprung up in say the past 5-10 years will truly be remembered the way we idolize say 80's metal/rock or even some 70's music? Will there be a version of classic rock radio that plays even a small percentage of whats been released in the last decade in these media outlets (be they either over air or on the internet or satellite radio) as much as we hear the staples of the classic rock period or metal period of the 60's,70's, and 80's or will those classics still make up the majority of that format? Will the artists that make somewhat of a name for themselves 20 years from now still be using the old tried and true "who were your influences" answer of Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Priest, Zeppelin, Purple, ...
Overall it's really summed up with the question:
"Have we reached the point of over saturation where anyone can release music easily so the bright light that tends shines on true greatness has a hard time separating the wheat from the chaff as the saying goes?"
There was a time when people in the industry acted as a filter all the way up the line from individual artists to the executives at labels and all positions in-between (mixers, producers, A&R guys, ...) - you had to have something somewhat original or a level of talent to hopefully succeed with a mass audience. You had to build a fan base that would attend your shows not just like you on Facebook (given that record sales keep decreasing and touring and merchandising plays such a critical role in a bands success financially these days - asses in seats might even have more meaning now). It's getting tougher to tell if your music and live show will actually result in profits for those willing to make an investment in your future even if the music seems critically well received by your fans. How many bands, as a ratio to actual number of current releases, actually build up a base large enough to support them for even a small amount of time.
I could argue both sides of this argument, siding with the more is better approach - let the music listening audience sort out the winners and losers; that the easy ability to get your music out there has been a boon to new and original music; that the little guy has a chance, if even small, to be the next big thing (my only question is for how long as in our reality TV world these days fame seems less talent driven than ever). I may even fall into this camp of thought on a general level but I'm still stuck with the feeling that the era of true classics that are generational may be coming to an end as far as lasting appeal. Trust me, as a glass is half full guy, I hate thinking this - I love discovering new music, I love supporting artists I enjoy - the problem being lately I seem to support mostly previously found favorites.
I have a streaming audio account with MOG that I use to "screen" potential purchases with - I can only assume the majority of music lovers here actually don't buy most music without some sort of preview these days either online (YouTube in many cases being one of the easiest to get an early feel for a new artist or release). While I try to listen to almost every new release I have a passing interest in, the actual money I plunk down on buying a CD these days tend to be artists I've already established a relationship with whereas in the past I would buy albums site unseen (or un-listened as the case may be) and take the risk because it looked interesting, or I knew the quality of previous releases, the glut of sound same, trend of the day, music has made me wary of un-previewed artists. I still buy say 4-7 CDs a month and attend shows from bands I like that come to my region so I do support the bands I've grown to like, but truth be told I've probably become more selective because of this quantity over quality ease of releasing music.
Another side question related to the overall subject - how many bands that you make a financial investment in say through CD sales, MP3 purchases, attending shows, do you really think have a shot at lasting popularity (especially given that metal already has a much smaller base than many popular forms of music)? Does this impact whether you actually make the investment you might have made in the past?
My last thought - while a band can have a cult following these days, without the record sales of the past, many with an inability to break out touring outside their region or small venue gigs, what is the likely hood of lasting popularity on a larger format these days. There are things that were good and bad to the old filter that existed to music releases and successful bands if even on a genre specific format - please feel free to share your thoughts.
I know as usual it's my long responses to what seemed like a simple question - I've not stopped listening to new metal/rock, but I readily admit that I'm of the mindset that it's harder and harder to find something I consider original and what I consider of lasting appeal. Even taking the musical creative side out of it, the artistic portion - the production side has perhaps become harder to find originality in the sound of music these days as many of the albums listed as ground breaking productions seem to be of the past. We have a collection of great engineers and producers frequently referenced and sought out here for information from/on, and perhaps many will still be mentioned years and years from now, hopefully some of our members will work their way into that level of play and demand that level of desire to work with - only time will tell.
I know - never a short answer from me and as always individual mileage may vary - these are just my random musings on the subject at hand with a few other thoughts thrown in for conversation.
Overall it's really summed up with the question:
"Have we reached the point of over saturation where anyone can release music easily so the bright light that tends shines on true greatness has a hard time separating the wheat from the chaff as the saying goes?"
There was a time when people in the industry acted as a filter all the way up the line from individual artists to the executives at labels and all positions in-between (mixers, producers, A&R guys, ...) - you had to have something somewhat original or a level of talent to hopefully succeed with a mass audience. You had to build a fan base that would attend your shows not just like you on Facebook (given that record sales keep decreasing and touring and merchandising plays such a critical role in a bands success financially these days - asses in seats might even have more meaning now). It's getting tougher to tell if your music and live show will actually result in profits for those willing to make an investment in your future even if the music seems critically well received by your fans. How many bands, as a ratio to actual number of current releases, actually build up a base large enough to support them for even a small amount of time.
I could argue both sides of this argument, siding with the more is better approach - let the music listening audience sort out the winners and losers; that the easy ability to get your music out there has been a boon to new and original music; that the little guy has a chance, if even small, to be the next big thing (my only question is for how long as in our reality TV world these days fame seems less talent driven than ever). I may even fall into this camp of thought on a general level but I'm still stuck with the feeling that the era of true classics that are generational may be coming to an end as far as lasting appeal. Trust me, as a glass is half full guy, I hate thinking this - I love discovering new music, I love supporting artists I enjoy - the problem being lately I seem to support mostly previously found favorites.
I have a streaming audio account with MOG that I use to "screen" potential purchases with - I can only assume the majority of music lovers here actually don't buy most music without some sort of preview these days either online (YouTube in many cases being one of the easiest to get an early feel for a new artist or release). While I try to listen to almost every new release I have a passing interest in, the actual money I plunk down on buying a CD these days tend to be artists I've already established a relationship with whereas in the past I would buy albums site unseen (or un-listened as the case may be) and take the risk because it looked interesting, or I knew the quality of previous releases, the glut of sound same, trend of the day, music has made me wary of un-previewed artists. I still buy say 4-7 CDs a month and attend shows from bands I like that come to my region so I do support the bands I've grown to like, but truth be told I've probably become more selective because of this quantity over quality ease of releasing music.
Another side question related to the overall subject - how many bands that you make a financial investment in say through CD sales, MP3 purchases, attending shows, do you really think have a shot at lasting popularity (especially given that metal already has a much smaller base than many popular forms of music)? Does this impact whether you actually make the investment you might have made in the past?
My last thought - while a band can have a cult following these days, without the record sales of the past, many with an inability to break out touring outside their region or small venue gigs, what is the likely hood of lasting popularity on a larger format these days. There are things that were good and bad to the old filter that existed to music releases and successful bands if even on a genre specific format - please feel free to share your thoughts.
I know as usual it's my long responses to what seemed like a simple question - I've not stopped listening to new metal/rock, but I readily admit that I'm of the mindset that it's harder and harder to find something I consider original and what I consider of lasting appeal. Even taking the musical creative side out of it, the artistic portion - the production side has perhaps become harder to find originality in the sound of music these days as many of the albums listed as ground breaking productions seem to be of the past. We have a collection of great engineers and producers frequently referenced and sought out here for information from/on, and perhaps many will still be mentioned years and years from now, hopefully some of our members will work their way into that level of play and demand that level of desire to work with - only time will tell.
I know - never a short answer from me and as always individual mileage may vary - these are just my random musings on the subject at hand with a few other thoughts thrown in for conversation.
GeertSamuel
Member
I still listen to plenty of metal, but mostly only from older bands. Everything that's coming out now feels (and sounds) to me like crap. If I listen to "new" music it's mostly older albums that I've never touched before and suddenly listen to now.
ArnaudM
Metalstasis
- Apr 7, 2011
- 381
- 0
- 16
I think there are still bands with a strong identity and an original artistic view, but they're kind of hidden among the jungle of crappy and useless musicians. As you says, there's no filter anymore, which is not a bad or good thing, but a fact we have to cope with.
SocialNumb
Damn Christians!
Only listen to old stuff if ever. Sometimes I'll give katatonia a spin but that's about it. I used to listen to music all day and night, maybe it's because I'm getting older but I rather have silence most of the time. Strange is this life.
EffigyForgotten
New Metal Member
This.
If guys can't find anything enjoyable past all of the bands that are very much shitty, your not looking hard enough.
MarcusGHedwig
Member
In the past couple of years I've been listening to a lot of 70s and 80s hard/progressive rock and hair metal, because I find the comparatively simpler, slower grooves to be really infectious, and they give the seriously solid musicians (before the days of excessive performance correction) the opportunity to play with so much attitude and expressiveness - I still love relentless, pummeling modern metal too, I guess I've just become a lot more picky about it
EDIT: Now that I think of it, I'd say an aggressive "attitude" is one of the most important elements a song can have for me these days; the difference with modern metal is that said attitude has to come from clever note and rhythm choice in the composition as much as the performance (because the music is so intricate), and I'm finding many bands unable to deliver
EDIT: Now that I think of it, I'd say an aggressive "attitude" is one of the most important elements a song can have for me these days; the difference with modern metal is that said attitude has to come from clever note and rhythm choice in the composition as much as the performance (because the music is so intricate), and I'm finding many bands unable to deliver
ratsapprentice
God can gtfo
I personally find that I have enough breadth in my music collection (which is at least 95% metal) that If I don't feel like listening to metal, then I don't want to listen to any music.
That and the fact that I, and probably most Westerners, ingest enough music of various styles through everyday life (Tv, films...etc).
That and the fact that I, and probably most Westerners, ingest enough music of various styles through everyday life (Tv, films...etc).
MarcusGHedwig
Member
stilllifer
Member
- Dec 11, 2008
- 250
- 0
- 16
This AND take a break from listening to music and listen to talk radio - that'll send you back quickly, trust me!!!
Seriously though, def go back and listen to some older stuff - UFO, Sabbath, early Zeppelin, Maiden, Priest, Van Halen and anything else non-metal too - the old-skool metal and hard rock bands are timeless and you will never get sick of them. My kids listen to all the teeny-bopper stuff (Katy Perry, Bridget Mendler, Selena Gomez, Justin Beiber etc) and some of the stuff is catchy and actually not that bad. I also went back and re-listened to The Police. I listened to them a little in the 80's as a teenager but after going back the past couple of months, I have a total new appreciation for their talent and fucking epic songs!!! Taking a break from music in general is a good idea as well, so when you get back to it, it gives you a new appreciation for it all over again.
ratsapprentice
God can gtfo
Calls growling a "trend", states that he avoids trends.
Proceeds to post a modern "post-core" rip off of cynic as an example of metal he likes.
ratsapprentice
God can gtfo
I think that the generic semi-talented emerging bands we cannot stand anymore were always there. Even when you used to listen to metal all the time.
It's we who lose the tolerance towards such bands as the years go by.
Some of the bands we like from old times would probably sound generic and mediocre to us if we were introduced to this music nowadays, without knowing what this band is. I can't point towards any specific bands, because it's probably subjective.
I find myself excited from releases of bands I already love, probably because I'm biased. I imagine it would be much harder to be excited over anything unknown to me.
From the latest releases I've been listening to DTP quite a lot, and lately the new Daylight Dies may be what I've been longing for in the doom side of things since the last STS.
It's we who lose the tolerance towards such bands as the years go by.
Some of the bands we like from old times would probably sound generic and mediocre to us if we were introduced to this music nowadays, without knowing what this band is. I can't point towards any specific bands, because it's probably subjective.
I find myself excited from releases of bands I already love, probably because I'm biased. I imagine it would be much harder to be excited over anything unknown to me.
From the latest releases I've been listening to DTP quite a lot, and lately the new Daylight Dies may be what I've been longing for in the doom side of things since the last STS.
Nuno Filipe
You talkin' to me?
What really annoys today it´s everyone in metal doing chuga chuga all the time without much more than that. Man there are songs with only this. ARE YOU SERIOUS? What it´s too much, quickly becomes boring.
HCL
Holy Crap! Lions!
Nimvi
Member
I haven't been actively listening to a lot of music for quite a long time, but I play more guitar than ever nowadays. I guess I just prefer making music myself/with friends than to listen to what others come up with.
That isn't to say that I don't listen to certain bands and songs, but I don't look for new ones. I have a couple of friends that listen to tons of stuff, with similar tastes to mine, so I let them filter what's worth hearing and profit from that hehe.
That isn't to say that I don't listen to certain bands and songs, but I don't look for new ones. I have a couple of friends that listen to tons of stuff, with similar tastes to mine, so I let them filter what's worth hearing and profit from that hehe.
Genius Gone Insane
http://www.¯\(°_o)/¯.com
This year's metal has been a bit slow but I would say overall metal is as great as it has ever been. I listen to it pretty much every day. There are many cookie-cutter metal bands that have nothing new to offer, but I'll take that any day over Nu-metal or hairspray metal.
You young guys don't understand. 15 years ago it was literally inconceivable that you would hear double bass drums and heavy guitar on television. I cannot emphasize this enough. It still shocks me when I hear a clip of something heavy on TV. A band like Arch Enemy would probably draw about 60 people in SF in 1998. Metal has come a long way back, and it's stayed.
It's unfortunate that a lot of you have started to forget about it. But I'm like 68 years old and I love metal more and more each year. All kinds, too. Finally I'm really getting into death metal. I love blazing metal guitar solos. I like metal bands with chick singers. I even enjoy slipknot. Metallica has done everything they can to make me hate them yet I still listen to their gay new shit, and I enjoy it (a little). I fucking love metal. Good luck to those of you that don't.
You young guys don't understand. 15 years ago it was literally inconceivable that you would hear double bass drums and heavy guitar on television. I cannot emphasize this enough. It still shocks me when I hear a clip of something heavy on TV. A band like Arch Enemy would probably draw about 60 people in SF in 1998. Metal has come a long way back, and it's stayed.
It's unfortunate that a lot of you have started to forget about it. But I'm like 68 years old and I love metal more and more each year. All kinds, too. Finally I'm really getting into death metal. I love blazing metal guitar solos. I like metal bands with chick singers. I even enjoy slipknot. Metallica has done everything they can to make me hate them yet I still listen to their gay new shit, and I enjoy it (a little). I fucking love metal. Good luck to those of you that don't.
