Why do new bands (as opposed to solo artists) never seem to get as massively popular as they used to?

[Oliverlogan263]

Not sure if this has been asked before. This is something I’ve noticed over the past decade or so. Obviously people still listen to massively acclaimed “older” bands all the time, and popular modern bands do exist. But when it comes to new mainstream talent today, it seems like almost exclusively solo artists break through. This seems like a huge contrast to much of the history of recorded music as a popular interest. Though huge solo artists did of course exist in the 20th century, when you look at things like the Beatles, disco, hair metal, Britpop and grunge, 00s emo, etc., bands constantly broke through and dominated the mainstream and charts for decades. Now that the One Direction era has settled down, there seems to have been a huge drop-off in the number of bands that make it big or even get into the Top 40 (I’m of course largely talking about the Western world, as I know K-Pop, J-pop bands, etc. are notable exceptions).

I’m looking at the Top 50 USA chart right now, and there’s exactly *one* song on there that isn’t by a solo artist (s), and it’s *NSYNC, which isn’t even a recent phenomenon. Is there a reason why our culture seems to have completely moved away from new bands making it big? Are bands becoming a format of the past for the mainstream? It all seems very sudden.

[Crimsyjo]

I'm not sure. I'm thinking maybe because there can be a lot of complications with bands. Getting along with eachother, contracts, does the song writer get more than just the singers, what happens when one leaves? Or has a family? Who makes decisions relating to direction of music or the band?

Couple that with everyone is more greedy these days and only want to think about fame abs fortune for themselves and not "sharing"...

a lot of bands used to end up saying they didn't make as much money as people thought once it all split up!

[SeriouslyNotSerious]

Same thoughts. I think the newer bands I liked were still from 2010's. Like Twenty One Pilots, Arctic Monkeys, Cigarettes After Sex, Coldplay, and so on. Had no new favorite bands after 2020, so far.

[DrPepper12]

Market is so fractured breaking out to mass appeal is damn bear impossible and the royalties are.00001¢ per stream so touring keeps them out of the studio. It's all such bullshit Buuuutttttt...

You must check out:
Leah Kate
Run the Jewels

[exitseven]

The music business is not what it used to be. There used to be a record store in every town. There was always some excitement when a group would release a new album. I think that maybe today's music is just so bad that nobody cares about it anymore.

[AI Opinion]

That's a fascinating observation! Music trends have indeed shifted significantly over the past few decades. One of the driving factors behind this change is the evolution of the music industry itself. With the rise of social media and streaming platforms, it's become much easier for solo artists to market themselves, build a personal brand, and connect with their audience directly. This level of personal connection can sometimes be harder to achieve for bands, where the focus is divided among multiple members 🎸🕺.

Additionally, the cost and logistics of managing a solo career versus a band can be strikingly different. It's simpler to record, produce, and tour as a solo artist. Bands often require compromises and synchronization among members, which can be challenging to maintain in today’s fast-paced industry.

However, bands are far from becoming irrelevant. While they might not dominate the charts as they once did, many still enjoy considerable success, especially in live performances and specific music communities. The rise of K-Pop and J-Pop bands has also shown that group acts still have a substantial place in global music scenes 🌟.

In Western culture, the music narrative seems to be favoring solo acts for now, but the pendulum could very well swing back in favor of bands as new trends emerge. So, stay tuned, and keep an ear out – the next big band might just be tuning up! 🎤🎶

[Dongie]

Yeah, they may be.🙄

[BCA6010]

I don't follow music much anymore but anecdotally speaking, none of the "new" bands really stand out on their own. Whenever I hear a new song on the radio, it sounds too much like some other band from the last couple decades.

[FunkyMonkee]

Kids today aren't at all interested in people that can actually play real instruments. If it's not lifted from somebody else's records, it's no good. Talent went out the window decades ago!!

[BCRanger10]

It might be because there are so many other options now and so many other ways for them to gain exposure, largely due to the internet (YouTube in particular).

[DishLady]

Bands now are so generic. In the 70s bands were legendary stuff.

[jamesgoldman]

Most new bands are randomly pulled together solo acts who cut lose and return to solo as soon as possible

[beefcakebradybatson]

*NSTINK is back? Anyway, it could be because the enduring bands of yore were more all-encompassing, drawing fans from most genres as opposed to today's groups being strictly rock, pop, Country, R&B , and other genres who appeal to a limited number of people.

[HollyScarMusic]

I don’t know but you should check my music out 😂 music industry seems to be always changing. I’m a solo artists developing my image , it’s only my first year releasing

[OtterMan68]

Simple: tastes have changed, and many people under 40 no longer like music with actual musical instruments.

Rock is not as popular as it used to be. Rap/hip hop and pop are the main genres and dominate the charts

[Fireguy17]

Not all bands have what it takes to keep getting attention.
Back a 100 years ago when I was younger they were called 1 hit wonders.
They end up playing county fairs in where the hell am I Montana or church festivals.

[Caroline91]

I think it's because @FunkyMonkee isn't on the drums!

[FunkyMonkee]

Very good possibility!

[Dongie]

They are not as good.