Has music become stagnant (stopped moving/evolving)?

VEGANGELICA · 12-17-2012, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black Francis

no not really, my point is that most ppl think Jimmy hendrix is a big deal but i don't..

So while they see him as an innovator i don't

im obligated to give Jimmy his props of course i do recognise his mark in music history but my true point, what is innovation if you don't recognise it as so?

I find more innovation in other artist than in Jimmy hendrix yet those artist will be never recognised as great Jimmy but they are the ones who influenced my music taste.
And to me.. They ARE Innovators and have pushed music to evolve and if @PC Doesn't see it that way, it doesn't make him right

@Pursuingchange

Do not mess with the formula, cause it works!

Heh heh. ^ That was a funny video of a song that shows how "innovative" pop music is, given that so many songs use the same 4 chords over and over.

I agree with you that innovation is subjective. Your post points out that people don't necessarily like the sound of "innovative" music. Innovation will not guarantee popularity with everyone. For example, I had vaguely known of Jimmy Hendrix years ago, but I never particularly liked his songs that I happened to hear, so whether he was innovative or not was lost on me.

However, when I heard the following song, thanks to MusicBanter's introducing me to Dubstep, I remember being excited because this style of crunchy music definitely sounded "innovative" and new to me, and I liked it:

Eskamon - "Fine Objects"
@ Pursuingchange: would you consider this music to be innovative?

Eskamon - Fine Objects - YouTube

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Pursuingchange

If something is truly ground breaking, you shouldn't have to go looking for it to no avail. It would more than likely be well-known.

It was easy to innovate in the earlier days because there was still tons of undiscovered styles and sounds. But I kind of feel like we've discovered it all. How else can you explain how stagnant popular music has become? If there were any more groundbreaking new sounds or styles to be unveiled, you know the large corporations would be force-feeding it to everyone. [...] I think people are getting tired of the whole 'rock band' concept with guitars as the main sound. It's been done for half a century now. The entire scope of what a band is and how the music is made and approached will have to completely change for there to be any true originality and renewment to progressing creatively and musically (like it did when rock and roll was being created). The people who stick to using guitars and other old instruments will never be innovative. I think it really is that simple.

However, contrary to popular belief, I AM interested in your opinions.

I do agree with you that it probably was easier to be innovative in the distant past because there were still many undiscovered avenues. This is true in science, too, and not just in music. Finding an open niche for exploration to make great discoveries or innovative ideas is increasingly difficult when so many niches have already been filled so full.

I know you've been asked before in the thread, but what is the reason you feel truly innovative, groundbreaking music is likely to be well-known so that you don't have to look for it?

I think there are quite a few music innovations that have not become extremely popular (such as the theremin instrument) because not many people have heard them (little promotion), or people didn't like the innovations, or perhaps the innovations are still so new that they haven't had a chance to propagate through music (but may become well-recognized years from now).

An example of a non-popular innovation I can think of is the vocal growl or death growl. Since its origin in the '70s or '80s (or maybe earlier), I don't think songs with death growls were played much on the radio, because I'd never heard a death growl in a song until 3 years ago. Some people absolutely hate growled vocals, yet the first thing I thought when I heard them was, "Wow! This is new to me!" and I was intrigued. Still, most popular music songs use boring, non-innovative clean vocals and rarely involve death growling...although I think it would be great fun to hear Taylor Swift do one!