I recall when I was listening to music, my parents said they missed the days when it wasn't just noise, instead it was real art. Well, I now find myself at a much younger age than they were truly missing when music meant something. Music as an art is long past, only following 09.11 was their a resurgence of music that meant something, the years before and the few since have, in my opinion, been a wash. The only song that comes to mind when I think of music with meaning, music as an art, that I have heard in the last 12 months has been Johnny Cash's rendition of Hurt. Cash made great music, and he sang with a passion that has rarely been equalled, and never surpassed. Toby Keith is an artist now that has the ability to bring passion and art to music.
Alan Jackson, Alabama, these are others even though Alabama has stopped making new music. There are dozens of new artists a month, and few have the ability to write good music, and fewer even who can put passion in the music they sing. There is a song on the radio, Streets of Heaven by Sherrie Austin, and that is one song that is sung with passion, and heart, and is one that is enough to bring a tear to the eye of the listener, one that invokes emotion in the listener. I miss these days, when one could realistically see themselves in the place of the singer in the tale, when one would actually feel the song. These times do exist, but they are far fewer than I can ever recall. The problem is evident, and the source and chief cause is clear, though a solution is not.
The problem is an industry that has grown lazy, weak and far too comfortable making bad music. The days of a CD full of good songs are gone past, and artists who once aimed to make every song the absolute best have slowly been convinced to increase the so called B-side material to the point it seems to have taken over the albums that are created and currently it is considered a good album if there are two or three decent tracks. There was a time when Joe Satriani and Steve Vai were the kings of guitar, now we are lucky to get the once had talent but now are only fit for a lounge act players. We once had great voices that could carry a tune all the way from LA to New York, now the tun couldn't be carried in an armoured truck by the so called stars.
Talent and artistry once meant something, but somewhere around the Beatles the consumer lost control, and the labels took over. The created copies of that which was great, new, fresh and style changing, and it has only become worse. It is the same in rap, country, and whatever they call rock these days. I grew up listening to The Gambler, The Guess Who's greatest hits, and Johnny Horton. Now I listen to a dozen copies of Billy Ray Cyrus, and he himself who's ability has not changed since Achy Breaky Heart. I see Dozens of copies for every age of the New Kids on The Block, which weren't that good themselves. I see Britney, Shania, and others who sell a 'style' and an 'attitude' that really means they sell their Tits and their Ass.
I hope to one day see real artists making music again, but I fear it will not happen until it takes real effort to get into music, not just the ability to be a copy of an original. Amanda Stott has a lot of talent, but all the videos I see by her it is clear of one thing. They are trying to make her sensual and attractive, or at least however much they can for her age. Don't get me wrong, she is attractive, but I want to hear music, not see her strutting down a country road in tight pants and a halter top. I honestly think that the music video killed the music. Before people could be seen on millions of TV's worldwide and the visual was as or more important than the talent, the talent was king. I once heard it said that Roosevelt would never have had a chance at the White House if he ran today.
I think the reverse should be applied. I do not care if a person is black or white, full figured or totally disfigured. I don't give a damn if the person is Christian, Islamic, or Jew. It does not matter to me if a person has the perfect body, or is fatter than the Goodyear blimp. Perhaps I am alone in this, but Rita McNeil was an awesome vocalist, but ridicule for her weight caused the younger generation of Canadian to shy away from her music, and make rude and cruel jokes. Britney Spears has no vocal talent, but has a body that most men would love to have in their beds, and girls feel the stupid need to imitate, and she is rich off this and this alone. There is something wrong when the talented are shunned for the young and attractive, just as there is something fundamentally wrong with a CD for $20 that has one to three good songs.
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