The effects of corporate music


I'm old enough to remember AOR and being able to listen to music that at the time I thought was just bizzare, and that was on the radio. There were so many stations around with a huge variety of music to hear, including things I had not heard before.

In the last thirty years music radio has changed so much, and for the worse that I no longer listen to music radio. I can't help but think that cumulus and others of their ilk have destroyed radio, but I also wonder how big their influence has been on the quality of music.

There used to be more of an edge to music, and I'm not talking about the trash made up of violence and sex that is todays rap music. People had more to say, and better ways of saying it when I was young. The musicians did not try to substitute shock for substance when making their records.

Are there still musicians around that are great artist, but we never get to know them because they don't fit the formula of corporate radio stations? Is there still a place for small stations that are unwilling to play the drivel that passes for pop music, or the oldies that comprised our youth, but are getting old even to those of us that love those songs???
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Showing 1 response by lugnut

There are some exceptions but the rule is exactly as you describe. Public access radio is where it's at but it takes a ton of voluteer effort not to mention fund raising on a continual basis. College radio is very good in many places. Both of these examples have varied genre's. Perhaps the digital age will allow enough licenses at affordable prices to bring the good old days back.

I listened to an incredible young talent this previous weekend. Ned Evett is known for his fretless guitar work. He plays and sings his own material which is exceptional. The few songs he did of other artists work was done in a fashion that was very different but still honored the original intent. He has apparently won some type of international competition of some sort and I could tell why. The fretless guitar is a radically different instrument than what you would expect. Knowing the characteristics of the guitars, if they had frets, and amp this fellow played rocked my boat with each of the voices being replaced by something very new. You might want to check out his website at Nedevett.com.

If there is a producer reading this (I know, I'm just one lugnut) please, do yourself a favor and pick this fellow up. If what I heard live could be reproduced on CD we would be watching this fellow and his two band mates on Letterman and Saturday Night Live very soon. Seriously, this is as refreshing as the first time I heard Dire Straights.