Will there be a modern artist who can come out with back to back classic albums and songs like Stevie Wonder did during his classic period in the 70s?

[Oliverlogan263]

Stevie Wonder was churning out all those classics super young, like in his early to mid-20s too which makes it even crazier when you think about it.

Most artists now don't really peak until they're way older. But Stevie was out here in his prime just killing it song after song, album after album pretty much non-stop from like 1972 to 1976. And he was writing, producing, and performing everything too at that age!

It would be insane to see someone in their early 20s come out the gate with the musical talent, vision, and ability to create that many legendary tracks. The songwriting alone on those albums is unbelievable. I just don't know if the music industry these days would even allow a young artist the freedom and time to develop that level of artistry before demanding new hits constantly.

Major labels want everything so manufactured and focus grouped now. But maybe an insanely gifted young artist could pull a "Stevie" and break the mold. Just hard to see happening when even most successful singers or even rappers now don't peak until their late 20s. But you never know, lightning could possibly strike twice!

I feel the 1970s for those who grew up in it were gifted with a musical genius like Stevie for those albums came out with and wouldn’t see anyone like him in this generation.

What would you say?

[Anonymous]

Probably not. A lot of the artist now just make art for money everyone can understand making art so you can get paid and be famous.

But making art that's you can just see or hear the passion in it like Stevie Wonder is very rare. You look at Michael Jackson even Michael Jackson no one can really dance like him because he would practice to the point of near injury. He was just so passionate about it.

If you read some of Langston Hughes writing you can see how passionate he was about the Blues music. His writing would describe the music so well. And he did that because there was no computers or technology. So there was no guarantee any of the Blues music would be remembered.

And you can tell Langston Hughes wasn't get paid any money to document the Blues music he was just talent writer just doing it because he loves writing and the Blues music. It takes a certain type of person to make art like that, but the vast majority of people are only going to make art for money. If building gets burnt down with all his writing in it, the writing would be lost forever.

Plus you have to be ballys too. a lot of people didn't view those arts as garbage at first like van gogh. But over really appreciated his work. So maybe we won't ever see music or art like we had in the past. Everyone only wants to make art only if they are getting paid.

[FunkyMonkee]

In THIS day & age, when almost all music is manufactured garbage? I SERIOUSLY doubt it!!

[Oliverlogan263]

I agree, Stevie was one of those once in a lifetime artists who was just a pure genius. I don’t know whether it can be done again because of changes in music technology; no one goes into a studio and cuts a whole album in a day any more. I believe that era is GONE!. The artists of the 70’s ( Wonder, Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Elton John, etc) knew the VALUE of everlasting, sempiternal and timeless music. The artists these days don’t have that vision. They only see Dollar signs and are beholden to the labels who also have no eternal forethought. It’s over.

[FunkyMonkee]

There ARE SOME artists that have the right idea but, most often, the labels don't want that! They want plastic shit so, they turn actual music into over-produced garbage!! There's an episode of "Roswell" that's all about that. Maria writes this acoustic love song and a label hears her sing at a gig and signs her but, after she records the song the way SHE wants it, the label turns it into pop princess garbage that Maria hates! They come to loggerheads over it and Maria walks!!

[DizzyDesii]

Beyonce, Drake and Taylor Swift in their early days did in my opinion. Drake had Thank Me Later 2010, Take Care 2011, Nothing was the Same 2013 and then skip an album. But then back to What a Time to Be Alive 2015, Views 2016, and More Life 2017. If that one album inbetween 2013 and 2015 wasn't sucky (to me personally), then I’d say he did it. And then Taylor, Taylor Swift 2006, Fearless 2008, Speak Now 2010, Red 2012, and 1989 2014, those were some good back to backs. I wasn't crazy about Reputation nor the albums to follow. Beyonce had Dangerously in Love 2003, Bday 2006, I Am Sasha Fierce 2008, 4 2011, Beyonce 2013, Lemonade 2016, Everything is Love 2018, and Homecoming right after. Im not too crazy about her last whatever its name was. But she's always back to back. I won't name all the rest but Usher, Chris Brown, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, and Bruno Mars had pretty amazing Back to Backs as well

[Anonymous]

I would want to hope so but sometimes I think that these legendary stars are products of their generations and that the timing and the difference in society and culture had an influence that we will never be able to recreate… but I hope I’m wrong

[Oliverlogan263]

Yeah man that's a good point. Stevie Wonder really was the perfect storm of talent meeting the right time and place. Like the whole vibe of the 70s really let guys like him flourish and push boundaries.

The generation before probably wouldn't have been as accepting of all the sounds he was bringing. And I'm not sure the generations after would give a young dude all the creative freedom to experiment the way he could. Everything's so much more calculated now I feel like.

It does kinda make those legendary artists seem like a product of their time and surroundings more than just sheer individual talent alone. Like they were in the right setting to become who they were. I don't know if today's corporate culture and streaming stuff would breed another Stevie Wonder.

It's sad to think we may never see something like that again cause the stars just won't align the same way. But I hopefully could be wrong tho. At the end of the day I guess all that really matters is the music, and Stevie's still holds up today no matter what era it came from!

[Opinion Owner]

Couldn’t agree more

[WindAtMyBack]

I don't really keep up with modern musicians, but I think there probably are modern musicians who create a lot of good songs.

Keep in mind that singling out someone like Stevie Wonder is basically cherry picking. He is one of the best out of thousands of musicians. When you hear music from his era, you are hearing the best, or at least the most popular.

A LOT of music from his era was total garbage. Even a lot of the hits were total garbage, including number one hits. Thirty years from now you will mostly be hearing the best songs from today. You''ll largely forget about all the garbage songs.

Stevie Wonder is still active. He's doing like a lot of other old timers by introducing or promoting young modern artists. I think that he and many others are doing that.

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

Take a look at "Rockwell" he sang the song "Somebody's Watching Me" This song rocked when I was in High School in the middle 80s.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/7YvAYIJSSZY

[strateguy632]

no, unfortunately

[Oliverlogan263]

I feel the same too