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 ogsarg

I agree that music radio sucks and has for quite some time. The reason, I believe, is that the value of a radio station is so high that only large corporations can buy them.

Large corporations don't like to take chances, so they hire program consultants to put together playlists and they are very leery about playing any artist that is not a proven commodity. So, we just get the same old artists over and over.

As far as new music is concerned, I think there is more than ever and this site is a good place to start finding it. Look at the thread "What Music Do You Want to turn people onto" Look at some of the answers and go check them out on Amazon.com or some other site that has sound clips. When you hear something you like buy it.

Although I haven't tried it, my Daughter likes Launch.com. You provide feedback on songs you hear and then it starts to learn your tastes and suggests other stuff.