Is It Just Me: Who Thinks Music Isn't as Good as in the 90s?

*This post stems from a very late night/early morning conversation between myself and Elder. It may of been born from tiredness, or too much Cider. Just thought I should point that out*

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

As long time readers and friendlies will know, I love music, I live in a music loving household, and music played quite a big part in Elder and I getting together. We're both part of a great Facebook site (although I'm more of a quiet observer) called The Yeah, Yeah Yeah, were the idea is that anything, musically, goes (except Bieber of course).


This sparked a debate between Elder and I as he was choosing tracks via Youtube to post to the site for other's to enjoy, he'd run out of ideas so I made some suggestions of my own.



Now, I like music from any era, but perhaps my favorite era is the 90s. Its when I was old enough to gain a taste in music, it was also a decade of some really amazing artists, songs, albums and genres. At the start you had the Seattle grunge sound, then britpop and indie, moving into angry women rock like Alanis Morisette, and closing on UK Garage blasted out from the Dreamteam on Radio One.

However, with the chimes singing out the year 2000, it's like the whole thing turned to crap. 

That, if you ask me, is the real "Millennium Bug".

I voiced this "no good music since the year 2000" opinion to a, frankly skeptical, Elder, who voiced his opinion that there must be something. So, it became annoying for us self confessed music nerds to try and figure out who has been around in the last 12 years (and not before, we're talking brand spankers bands and singers here) who could compete with the talent that came before.

If anyone asks me who was great in the 60s, 70s, 80s or 90s, it takes me two seconds to reel off a list as long as my right arm and then some.

Try and do the same with the 2000-s (I'm not saying noughties, Elder told me off last night), and I'm hard pressed to find a handful.

Yes, before you shout, we have had Amy Winehouse, who I miss dreadfully, and the amazing sound that was Back to Black. Perhaps, grudgingly, you can count Lily Allen, for her quirky, clever and funny lyrics. I also like Jamie T, but then even he had one good album and I'm yet to hear anything since which has been as great.

That, that list there, was all either of us could come up with in hours of thinking. 

I know many will say Adele deserves an honorable mention, but that's mostly for doing well over the pond, and if that's a way of gaining entry to "best of the last decade" lists, then on that basis we'd have to include "the band I'm legally not allowed to mention that was off that singing show and who sound a bit like Wand Erection", and The Wanted. I find Adele a great singer, granted, but her songs are miserable. 
At least in the 90s, when you had a break up/miserable song act, like REM or Radiohead, you had Blur and Supergrass to cheer you up again. Hurrah!

The problem I find is that too many acts now stem from the fodder that is talent shows. These mass market, 2 year lifespan acts and the shows they are launched from are, in many a music lover's opinion, killing good acts and stopping them being signed.

I for one hope that, with the vast drop in ratings that The X Factor received, and the lack of interest in any of the Voices finalists and their cancelled tour, perhaps these shows are finally going to be relegated to TV history.

Maybe then we can all listen to lots of great acts again.