Why is Pop Music is So Bad? An honest look into the decline of the music industry

Contributing a whopping £3.5bn to the UK economy, the music industry can seem to be somewhat booming. However, for anyone who's a die hard, obsessed music lover, you'll find that what's played on the radio, suggests otherwise. 

It's a common notion to comment on how bad modern pop music has became. That's because it has became bad. Really, really really bad. From a musical standpoint, there's absolutely no denying that modern pop music is just plain rubbish.

Let's have a look at the reasons why it's so bad first, before leading onto a solution to this mess of an industry.

It's All About What Sells

As much as people hate to admit it. The music industry is a business and like an other profitable company, a product (the artist) needs to appeal to a wide demographic, in order to increase their number of customers (Their fans) and in turn increase profitability. 

What this leads to is watered down music with simple message, that a wide array of people can relate to. It's why so many hugely popular songs are about love and relationships, because most of the public can relate to those emotions. 

Signing an artist is an investment for a record label and they want to make sure they get a profitable return. Therefore, they need to take the least amount of risk, which leads to watered down, auto tuned tracks that appeal to the most common denominator. 

The songs and the overall artist themselves are the product and the public need to buy into to them. Why take a risk with something new and innovative, when you can just publicize the same repetitive nonsense that you know will make a huge return investment.

People buy into the artist more than they buy into the music

For anyone that watches the X Factor or similar talent shows, you'll be familiar with the iconic 'sob story'. You'll have some troubled singer-songwriter, recollecting about his horrible childhood. 

About how he was bullied at school and how he used music to help him get through the adversity, blah blah blah. We've heard it all before, but still it works. This is because people tend to buy into people. 

We like to see heart warming stories of people who despite everything, became a superstar. More so, than the average person enjoys seeing musical ability.

So when it comes to the mainstream music business, the music itself is not so important. It's all about the artist and how well they sell to the general public. The music itself just needs to be in tune and sound somewhat pleasing. All other efforts can go into the pop star.

Major Labels dominate the market

A major label is any record label that is part of the larger media groups, that monopolize the entertainment sector. 

Companies such as Universal or EMI have million upon millions of financial backing and influence in the world of the music business. In turn this creates a lack of opportunity for the underdog and so whatever the major labels pushes to the public, is what rules. 

In the case of modern pop music, as stated it's all about what they can sell. These labels are out to make a profit, period. And so they invest in low-risk artists that are PR-friendly and don't challenge the status quo too much.

Technology makes mass production easier

With the boom of technology and digital music production tools, pretty much anyone can get involved, you don't even need to learn an instrument. This increase in electronically produced tracks can be scene in modern pop music.

The vast majority of tracks you hear on the radio have no actual musical substance, just computer generated tones that are in key. This allows for mass, repeated production of music on a larger and

more efficient scale.

Again, this turns it more into more of a product than an art form. Hit songs can be replicated in a matter of hours on a standard computer, repeatedly, year in and year out. This leaves less of a need for talented musicians, because people are still buying into this often superficial musical product, due to he relentless marketing and radio-plugging from major record labels. Companies that by their own nature, are more interested in the bottom line than anything else.

The solution?

Now, here we've outlined what's wrong with the current state of music and I'm sure that most would agree with me when I say that something needs to change.

The bottom line is, that it's all about money, which is always a depressing realization in any respect. However, rather than just say how bad it all is, I'd like to actually offer some form of solution.

Back to my previous point about technology and how it makes producing tracks easier. Although this comes with the downside of mass production from major labels, it also comes with a glimmer of hope.

A way in which we can reclaim music from the hands of money driven executives. Technology makes it easier for emerging acts to make a name with themselves. Maybe they can't catch a break, like back in days of the Beatles or Led Zeppelin and get signed with some financial backing, to aid in there mainstream success. That's just not as feasible anymore.

What we can achieve though, is the possibility to do it ourselves. The internet allows us to do just about anything, from starting our own record label, to sharing our music to the whole world. If we use this technological opportunity wisely, we can actually bring back good music to the masses.

Yes, it is becoming extremely over saturated, with 45 million people registered on Soundcloud alone. However, with this new found technology, we could be on the cusp of a musical revolution, in which what is popular is regulated by the people, rather than business. 

This is a call to action to every artist, producer and Indie promoter out there struggling to get recognized. Or any independent music magazine hardly managing to keep their office lights on... You can do this, the power is in you!

What's your opinion on the state of modern music? Leave a comment below with your own solution :)