Why does old music equal superiority?

[Hollock]

because there is a group of people who don't get that music is subjective and whatever you like isn't better than what anyone else listens to. It happens with classic rock, metal, rap, screamo, pop, ect. It's nothing really.
I like folk, acid rock, funk, and alternative hip hop.

 

[Jamboxdotcom]

Theory I've heard as to why "old" music has is regarded as better than current. It has survived, in the 70's or whenever, a lot of complete crap was made, just like now, but only the worthwhile stuff has survived in popularity and is well known today.

almost exactly what i said above. glad someone else realizes this.

to expand a bit more on that, my own musical tastes are a bit different. f'rexample, i typically state that "i hate music from the 80s", by which i mean crap like Bon Jovi, Tears for Fears, etc. but, technically, most of my favorite bands were at their peak in the 80s. Einstuerzende Neubauten, Skinny Puppy, Ministry, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Dead Kennedys, Bauhaus, etc. (i.e. lots of old "goth", industrial and punk.) but those bands i love from the 80s are not what most people think of when they talk about "music of the 80s", and therefore when "music of the 80s" comes up in discussion, my position is that i hate it.

 

[PeePantz]

Older music tends to inspire or be a base for newer music. I really enjoy whiskey and I prefer it not to be tainted with flavors like maple syrup (i.e. Amber). Sometimes changing something or adding to it, doesn't make it necessarily better.
Also, due to the internet, any asshole can get his/her music "out there". The market is so saturated with talentless hacks that I can say music is worse than it was. In much better words, music is much more accessible, thus creating a very low standard. Before, one had to be considered the best in order to be heard. Although there was terrible music still being played, the standard was much higher. One can also attribute this to the death of radio.
There is also way too much technology in music today. It seems that everything has been synthesized, has a computer created beat, and is autotuned. Music has lost a lot of it's "soul" and people with computer skills instead of actual musical talents are creating a new generation of shitty music.

TL;DR: Technology destroyed music.

 

[Stalk3rchief]

I'm a fan of many forms of music, but my top 3 are Metal (And all of its many sub-genres), Techno and Classical.
I think Classical music should be void from this though, sense there is no new classical music.
In my opinion there isn't even much 'old' metal. Hair metal isn't real metal in my eyes, and I wouldn't be caught dead at something resembling a poison concert, so I think that's also kind of void. But with Technology getting better newer bands are going to have less and less limits as time goes on, so I think it'll just keep better.
Same goes for Techno. Look at older techno, then look at newer techno. The beats and style are completely different. As an example, listen to some old Benny Benassi or something and then listen to DeadMou5. The world will keep changing, as will its music. People can fight the change all they want, but they'll just be swept aside time and again. Better to just try and enjoy everything and go with the flow.

 

[skips]

To answer the question:

1) Because they don't know where to look (ie, they're talking about top 40).
2) It's fun to be condescending.

Although the people listening to rock music are the last ones who should be judging others for their taste.

 

[Trivun]

Because most 'Music' Today is manufactured, auto-tuned crap

That's exactly what I expected the first poster to say. And it's a load of bullcrap. Thing is, back in the 60's, 70's and 80's, and even the 90's, the same thing was happening with music, though the technology used to produce the crap wasn't as advanced as it is now. Fine, you didn't have stuff like Autotune and that kind of stuff, but nevertheless the vast majority of the music produced was still rubbish. People haven't simply become less talented over the years, the talent is exactly the same despite genres and styles changing. In all that time, the stuff we know and recognise today is the good stuff purely because it was good enough to be remembered, while the crap was forgotten. I've heard loads of crap from back then, and loads of good stuff (though in general I prefer modern music, but that's only because of newer styles that I happen to be more into). The fact we have Autotune and the like nowadays doesn't even play into it. And there is a hell of a lot of gold among the crap nowadays too, you just need to get off your arse and search for it...

 

[C4N4DUCK18]

... Welcome to North America! lol But to be serious my preferred area in music is old rock, and to answer your question you really need to look into everyones background. I'm thinking most people on the Escapist are from North America and Europe (correct me if I'm wrong!) and these places have seen a dominance of rock over 3 decades long (and arguably more). Your background is unique (and in my opinion interesting, as I've never met someone from that part of the world before). You grew up in a part of the world where culture and history is (correct me if I'm wrong) more important than "going mainstream" or "anti-conformist". Where I live, conformism is a joke that we all laugh at. We don't have time to "hate the man".

I wish I lived in an area where the dominating music was cultural and didn't sound the same constantly (seriously. An old album of Metallica sounds like one whole song. And I like Metallica!). Wait, I'm Acadian! We've got plenty of music!

Anyway, most people try to shove things down other people's throats because they not only feel superior, but also to try to convert other people so they don'y feel alone (think about it). Maybe they get a kick from talking people down, but one thing is certain: Who doesn't stand up for something they really believe in?

 

[DesiPrinceX09]

In my opinion, "music" today isn't music. It's manufactured more than played.
This is just my opinion though.

Yes, I'm one of those people who listens to old rock and criticizes those who don't enjoy it. I have a good reason though, because those people who mind their own business and simply don't prefer my tastes are doing nothing wrong. It's the people who speak out and talk about how new music is much better.
Basically, if you're criticizing me for my tastes, I'll criticize you for yours. You're perfectly fine if you just don't enjoy certain music. In fact, you're better off with your own opinions than trying to "conform" with certain groups of people. The music you like shouldn't be a status symbol. True, most of my friends like the same music as I do, but I'd rather have someone truthfully say they don't quite enjoy rock rather than have someone pretend to like it just to be cool...

Also, OP if you're trying to get into some good rock, have you tried Iron Maiden? They just came to mind as I was typing up this post, and I just enjoy the sound of their music.
Otherwise, stick with your likes and quit being self conscious of them.

I have listened to Iron maiden before, rock it seems is just not not for me. And I am sorry about saying that I can't stand it, it's not that bad for me; it's just not my cup of tea.

The only reason I ever tried to "conform" was back in the days when I was new here in the USA and was just trying to find ways to be less alienated and fit in, it was hard for me back then so I thought that maybe music would be a good ice breaker. This was back before I knew how truly awesome gaming was for making friends, but I'm okay now since I have been here a while and found people I can be friends with.

And I do agree with everyone saying that a lot music today is manufactured, it does kind of lack passion. Whenever I did try to get into old music, I always found Jazz and blues to be fairly appealing.

 

[CManator]

Many people like to feel superior by putting other people down. Thats really all there is to it. There has always been generic music made solely to line some corporate pockets so thats not really an excuse, but I agree it's more common than ever these days.

Anyway, whenever I'm asked what bands or genres I like, I tell them I don't like any of them. I like SONGS. Even my favorite bands have varying amounts of crap imo. But to answer the question, the majority of songs I like fall under the rock and video game music categories. But there are plenty of good songs in every genre, even the ones I don't typically care for.

 

[ElTigreSantiago]

The answer is quite simple: music back then was made for music, music today is made for money and popularity, which leads to more money.

If I were a cheesy kind of guy, I would say that todays music lacks any soul, because it does and in the past it used to have it. I will say, however, that today's mainstream is a bunch of talentless, emotionless trash that has somehow has got girls loving songs that are completely degrading towards them.

 

[technoted]

Because it lasts a lifetime and still sells well today unlike the majority of the modern music which dies down when the fads change.

 

[Jaxtor]

I have listened to Iron maiden before, rock it seems is just not not for me. And I am sorry about saying that I can't stand it, it's not that bad for me; it's just not my cup of tea.

The only reason I ever tried to "conform" was back in the days when I was new here in the USA and was just trying to find ways to be less alienated and fit it in, it was hard for me back then so I thought that maybe music would be a good ice breaker. This was back before I knew how truly awesome gaming was for making friends, but I'm okay now since I have been here a while found people I can be friends with.

And I do agree with everyone saying that a lot music today is manufactured, it does kind of lack passion. Whenever I did try to get into old music, I always found Jazz and blues to be fairly appealing.

Rock doesn't have to be "bland noise"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txlXcJDtDwM

Edit: Someone tell me how to embed 8(

Oh, and if you like blues and jazz then you're on a train heading straight for classic rock.
Those genres really aren't as far apart as you might think.

 

[Azaraxzealot]

Because most 'Music' Today is manufactured, auto-tuned crap

^this
if you think modern music is superior, simply put: fuck you. anyone who makes that claim "you just dont appreciate other genres of music" or "everyone has different tastes" is just using a wishy-washy cop-out to make the other person look like a jackass while making themselves look like the "intelligent" one.

you wouldn't say Transformers 2 is better than Citizen Kane or The Matrix would you? it's the same thing with music. don't try to act all high and mighty by putting us down for hating those who buy into that auto-tuned electronic bullshit that tries to pass for music.

nobody rips on movie critics for tearing most modern films a new one, why do WE get chastised for ripping on "music" (in the loosest definition of the word) that has no value to society and will probably be forgotten in the next year or so? (tell me with a straight face that you remember Soulja Boy as a work of art, or NSYNC as a landmark act?)

EDIT:

Because it lasts a lifetime and still sells well today unlike the majority of the modern music which dies down when the fads change.

this too, you preach the truth sir

 

[Snake Plissken]

*sigh*

Justin Timberlake > John Lennon
Disprove. GO.

Hint: You can't. Subjective. Get over it.

 

[Anton P. Nym]

Partly nostalgia; folks forget the bland extruded-music-product from aulden tymes, remembering only the really good (and a few of the uber-dreadful) tunes that played back then. Partly because the crap from aulden tymes didn't last, whereas the good stuff is preserved and replayed.

I will confess that there is a lot of current music that I find uninteresting or actively noxious... but that's a third reason, that music does change while many (most?) folks' taste in music doesn't.

-- Steve

 

[Kirch Libre]

It's just plain old nostalgia for me since I grew up in the early eighties. But I don't go around shoving my tastes down peoples throats. Music is music, as long as it moves you it's cool.


As for what are my favorite genres they vary a lot. But I like rock, acid jazz, 80's, and J-pop the most.

 

[Azaraxzealot]

*sigh*

Justin Timberlake > John Lennon
Disprove. GO.

Hint: You can't. Subjective. Get over it.

i can, everyone remembers John Lennon and everyone remembers the Beatles.

how many people will remember Justin Timberlake's "music" 10 or 20 years from now? does he even still make music? i dont remember, id even forgotten about him until you mentioned his name. this is why old-school music is far superior to any of the processed shit of the 90s until now.

see? i proved you wrong.

 

[PeePantz]

Standard hasnt fallen its the same, just maybe not in your genre, and not to your tastes.

I definitely think it has. Certain genres, I can agree that it hasn't. However, I feel that music as a whole, has. With mass production of anything, standards will get lowered.

Most of my favorite music has been put out within the last ten years and I believe it to be superior than most music of the past. This does not sway my opinion that music has declined though.

 

[Dango]

It doesn't, because J-pop only really developed in the '90s...

 

[Ham_authority95]

Because people are stupid and believe that because they like something better, it's completely superior.


Now excuse me while I laugh at the "BAWW MUSIC ISN'T THE SAME" comments....