R&P: A few questions about mainstream music?

I think that music history can be divided into two ages. There is before MTV and after MTV. Before and after represent the turn of power from the bands creating the scene, to the media conrolling who gets played (what fits into thier mold of selling records).

Basically, MTV turned music into big business. MTV is the best thing that ever happened to the music business, and the worst thing to ever happen to music.

Before MTV, a band had to tour to present their music to the people. The musicians had to play their instruments, and they had to be good. There was no product other than the performance itself, which led to people buying the bands albums.

Lots of adult things went on at these concerts. It was a place for young people to be young. It was young adults playing to young adults, and the recording companies followed presented what was going on.

When MTV came along. It gave bands many short cuts, and the music suffered. The biggest short cut was getting a video played on MTV to reach the public. Instead of touring and living on the road, bands could reach millions by making a crappy video. The video becomes the commercial for the song.

Along the way, the music business mogals realized how easy it was to promote thier musical products throught the guise of videos. The turn of control went from the bands creating the scene, to MTV deciding what the kids got to choose from. MTV has realized that lots of kiddies are watching and that thier mommies have to by them presents. The music suffers.

Its the same issue with politics and the media. At one time the media reported what was happening in politics, now politicians are buying the media (through lobbying). Therefore, politicans decide what the media will show to the people. Same change as music and its recording companies.

As far as great music being released today and going unrecognized, I don't know of any timeless albums aside from Norah Jone's Feels Like Home and John Mayer (whos not just a pretty boy) Continuum albums.

Even though these albums have sold millions, I doubt that most of the people who bought these albums actually sit down and give them thier full listening attention. More likely they hum along to thier favorite song or two and skip the rest.

The jazz equals to Dark Side of the Moon and Abey Road are John Coltrane's A Love Supreme and Miles Davis' Kind of Blue. In my honest opinion, there have been many progressive jazz in this decade alone that are better, or at least as amazing as the classics. How many people have heard these albums. It really is a shame.

Why is mainstream music only considered what teenagers listen to? I dont know, certainly anything on the radio is mainstream.

Why isn't what's mainstream for adults considered mainstream?

i think it is, that is most adults just listen to music that was mainstream in their youth. i am not sure there is a statue of limitations on mainstreamness.

Do you think it's really just the radio that controls what music is mainstream? essentially. also movies, TV, increasingly video games and the internet, pop culture in general.

Is whatever new music is coming out and being newly released really the music that's considered mainstream, and that's just how it works?

not really, there is still old music that is mainstream. for instance, the beatles have sold the 2nd most albums in this decade, it wouldn't make sense to not call them mainstream.

Say Dark side of the Moon or Abbey Road was released nowadays (and never was earlier), do you think it would sink or swim?

abbey road would deffinately swim. dark side of the moon would probably swim- might not be as immediatly recieved by the radio as abbey road, but would find an audience.

I think that a lot of advertising, and mass produced music is aimed towards younger people. We live in a youth odsessed culture, thats just how it is.. IT is really common to have the majority of people in the charts aged under 25.. or if not, they first got popular when they were aged under 25.

what is the difference between mainstream for adults? I guess I am considered an adult. I am 26. I have freinds my own age, who are not into rock music, and they listen to stuff like Rhianna and Lady Gaga..

I do believe the radio controls what is mainstream, also the amount of publicity music gets. Lady Gaga actually wrote songs for Britney Spears and Pussycat Dolls. I think someone looks at who wrote the song and they try to guess what will be a hit.. it is all mass produced and released with publicity based on that some big wig thinks will sell. and he is usually right, there is a lot of cash to be made from this..

for something to be mainstream it has to have either the publicity, or be heard in the 'right' places to take off..

I think if either Dark Side of the Moon or Abbey road was realeased today, they would sink, because the masses want to listen to Lady Gaga.

There would be an underground group of people who appreciate it, though..

Usually teenagers are the only demographic that cares about what music they listen to. They're also more likely to shell out 30 bucks on an album than an adult, cause an adult actually needs the money to pay for a mortgage or whatever. So most record companies listen to/pander to teenagers a.k.a. their best customers.

I wouldn't say that adults' music isn't mainstream. I mean, just look at opera CDs or Celine Dion. I don't know anyone who is under the age of 30 and is a Celine Dion fan. And she's considered pretty mainstream, right?

I don't believe radio really matters anymore. It's a dying medium. It's not like the 60's or 70's, when if you had at least 2 songs on the radio you "made it". I think what's playing on TV or what's on the front page of iTunes matters now.

No way...Not at all. There's tons of music that's being released and probably won't get any recognition for it till they're at least 10 years old, IMHO.

I think most people would write off those albums as old fashion and/or pretentious.

Why is mainstream music only considered what teenagers listen to?

Because teen-pop is mainstream now.

Why isn't what's mainstream for adults considered mainstream?

Because teen-pop is mainstream now.

Do you think it's really just the radio that controls what music is mainstream? No, the Internet does too.

Is whatever new music is coming out and being newly released really the music that's considered mainstream, and that's just how it works?

No, there is underground music coming out.

Say Dark side of the Moon or Abbey Road was released nowadays (and never was earlier), do you think it would sink or swim?

If they were released by a band with the popularity of the Beatles or Pink Floyd and a penchant for dabbling in odd music (Radiohead/U2/Coldplay), it would be a huge success.

Well it is a good question.

It is difficult to judge all of that now, from what was going on back then.

Right now the Beatles are like an institution.

Back then, they were just a very popular band. They only lasted a few years and then they broke up. But since then the legend of the Beatles has continued to build.

When Abbey Road was being produced the Beatles considered it their "swan song." They gave it one last shot- but they were already finished. Paul was producing Bad Finger. And there were other pop groups coming along. The Beatles were first and foremost a pop group. When they went beyond that, they were headed toward solo careers. John and Paul had plans of continuing as songwriters for other pop groups after the Beatles had fizzled out. But their own mark of writing their own songs had gained so much popularity that all the groups were writing their songs. There was no more market for songwriters.

The Beatles started this wave of band members writing their own songs. In the old days, the pop artists covered professionally written pop hits. Now people like that tone deaf,trailer trash Britney Spears think they are musicians. Eminem's back? I never knew he left. Who is he, Mozart with a crew cut?

Not only teens, it is also spanning to young adults. Oh yeah? Like Jo Bros? I don't know but Jonas Brothers isn't as famous as Kanye West, at least in my country. I think the meaning of mainstream is sometimes limited to just "what's hot". I mean, what's mainstream today may not be mainstream tomorrow. I agree that radio controls the mainstream, what's beyond isn't mainstream anymore.

I myself am confused about "mainstream", but I think people shouldn't look about the mainstreamness of music to judge it whether it's good or bad.

i think or mainstream of popular music but music that is underrated is just something that hasent been discovered yet. nice to see all you guys at yahoo answers again!!!

hmm, good questions. I'm tired right now but will come back and answer in a little bit. =D.