Who are the cultural pioneers of our generation in music?

[Anonymous]

I have been thinking a lot about the 1960s and 1970s and a generation of artists who were not just influential but creative powerhouses: Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, and so on. People who weren’t just mainstream pop but who branched out into poetry, activism, acting, and so on to shape culture itself. Who would that be for our generation?

[WindAtMyBack]

I think the music industry has changed too much for that. It's about over production, getting a quick hit and milking it for everything they can.

With digital platforms like YouTube, it allows large numbers of people access to more musicians. In the past, indie music was far more difficult to come by. A small number of people were into to, but most had never heard of it. So the fan base was more concentrated on a smaller number of musicians.

Then there is radio. Regular broadcast radio plays a FAR smaller role today than it did in the past. In most cities, one or two radio stations playing a particular genre of music was most people's only exposure. The radio stations played a far more limited number of musicians and songs than are available today. Most people in the 60s and into the early 70s only had AM radio, which was even worse. They played the same songs over and over again. There was no variety, there was little to no music outside narrow formula music, and nothing at all over a few minutes in length.

All this over-concentration made super groups who were highly influential.

[Asker]

You make some valid points about how the music industry has changed over time. With the rise of digital platforms and the decline of traditional broadcast radio, there is certainly more access to a wider range of music and artists. This can be both a positive and a negative thing, as it allows for more diversity and creativity, but it can also lead to an oversaturation of the market and a focus on quick hits rather than long-lasting, meaningful music.

In the past, there may have been more of a focus on creating "super groups" who were highly influential and had a concentrated fan base, but today's music scene allows for a wider range of artists and styles to gain popularity and influence. While this can make it more difficult for any one artist to stand out, it also allows for more creativity and innovation in the music industry.

Overall, it's important to remember that music is a constantly evolving art form, and while it may change over time, there will always be new and exciting music to discover and enjoy.

[Jamie05rhs]

@WindAtMyBack Wait- what? Are you saying that radio sucked even MORE back in the day?

[WindAtMyBack]

@Jamie05rhs
I haven't listened to the radio in a long time so I don't know what they are playing now. In the 60s it was pretty bad. Most people did not have FM radio which was a very different format than AM radio. AM had tons of commercials, yacking DJs, and most of the music was crappy.

The stuff you think of as 60s music was NOT what they played. After the commercials and DJs yacking away, I think they only played about 20-25 minutes of music per hour. It was all short songs, mostly 2-3 minutes. If you hear an old song that's 4+ minutes, it was unlikely to be played on AM radio.

It wasn't until more people had FM radios that the music was more like you probably think of as 60s music. That was in the early 70s where I lived, and maybe a bit earlier in the biggest cities.

On AM radio the DJs talked way too much. On FM they didn't do that. One nice thing about having real DJs on FM is that you could call them and talk to them, ask questions about music and bands, and make requests (which they usually played).

[Jamie05rhs]

@WindAtMyBack So are you saying that the greatest songs of the 60s weren't even played on the radio back then?

[Jamie05rhs]

I agree with you about chatty DJs, though. They're really annoying.

[exitseven]

There is nobody in this generation. The boomers had Elvis, The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Sting.

[Jamie05rhs]

Sting? Sting? LMFAO!!

[AviatorTom]

The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Diana Ross, plus many more...

[Jamie05rhs]

In our generation? I'd say Eminem, Kelly Clarkson, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, and Bruno Mars.

[CubaPirate]

Smokey Robinson perhaps