Why does most new music suck?

I think every generation prefers the music they listened to when they came of age and generally thinks that most of the music that followed that period was a step in the wrong directions. There are some current artists that I like and have actually bought their CD's or even LP's but the quality of the recordings are generally so poor that I find them hard to listen too. Cold Play comes immediately to mind, I like a lot of their music but only listen in the car.

"people who think new music sucks are not exploring music enough, there is plenty out there."

Most popular music is more of a fusion of styles these days. You hear it more and more even in perhaps the most mindless forms like dance music. Its a good thing I think. Music evolves. Elements of older, purer forms like rock, soul, blues, and others get infused into newer concoctions that are more varied. That's the artistic process. No music stands still. It evolves over time, for better or for worse. But the same basic ingredients go into it.

Variety is abundant these days everywhere you look. Music is no different. Its just that there is a lot of new stuff mixing older and newer ingredients.

And overall it all sounds better to me as a whole than ever before because recording and playback technology has (surprise surprise) actually IMPROVED, like it usually does. Seldom resembles the music I grew up with 30-40 years ago though.

You always have to be willing to cut through the crap to find the good stuff. Most all music that has EVER been availble in any forms is still available one way or another today, often remastered to sound better than ever. ANd that all besides all the new and varied stuff that comes out.

Its easy to get lost and drown in inforamtion or even just music these days, and just give up. Big mistake! Unless you are content just living in the past. NOthing wrong with that, but it does not support the argument that most new music sucks. MY 12 year old daughter, who actually has excellent musical tastes for her age, would disagree.

MTV happened!
Now music is more a matter of form over function. Ugly folks like Dylan, Joplin, The Stones, etc. would never get in the door of today's music biz executives.

I think the talent is still there, it's the production that sucks. One thing I notice about the classic bands (what we all agree to be "good" rock) is that it is SIMPLE! Stones, Zep, Floyd (with some exceptions into effects), Beatles...it's all simple. Too many of today's young bands are at the mercy of producers who want to interject all kinds of crap into what might otherwise be great music. For example, I like MGMT's talent because they have melody and a groove. But too many of their songs are sabotaged by needless effects and stupid bells and whistles. John Mayer (I think he has a very long career yet to come) gets it. Great songs, superb musicianship backing him up, and awesome production values. There are just too few who get it.