Music ain't what it used to be

Here's a bold statement for you: we don't appreciate music like we used to.

I believe that most music lovers today, including myself, don't treasure the purchase like we used to, because music is so readily available. Bob Lefsetz on his Lefsetz letter podcast (which I subscribe to via iTunes) described it well. He said that when he went to college in the early 1970's he had more LP's than any other person on campus and that was still only a fraction of the albums on the average iPod today.

Growing up in the 1980's, I had around 15 LPs and then got into CDs - but even then, it was a couple of years before I amassed more than 25. A CD used to cost more than today - if it had kept pace with inflation, a standard single CD would now be £20-25. Each LP or CD I bought was listened to carefully and studiously. I knew every track of every release I owned: the reasons why I liked or disliked a song. I listened out for each nuance, sound, idea, structure and feel within each piece of music and I read and re-read the sleeve notes. I certainly appreciated the music more than I do today.

Having thought about this since listening to Bob's podcast, and considering how I love music, I am perhaps enjoying it less due to the huge choice (I have nearly 5,500 songs on my iPod). I now buy a CD or download an album, listen to it... and move on. I don't have the personal interaction with every song on an album I used to have and I miss that. So my aim is to revisit some of the music I have purchased lately and truly appreciate it... or at least understand why I don't like it.

While on the topic of music, I have recently figured out why I don't like rap music.

Rap doesn't work for me for 2 reasons: (1) Rap lacks humour and (2) they rant about completely false situations. The rap guys who claim to be gangsta doods with their ho's are full of bull. They are acting a part and are unlikely to risk losing their privileged lifestyle by getting involved in crime. They sing about stereotypical scenarios and I don't have an interest in their immature, exaggerated and aggressive stories. This leads impressionable youths to think that crime is cool and anyone who gets in their way has to be dealt with.

So why is rap popular? In my view, partly the rhythms are good and very occasionally a rapper goes off course and produces some original lyrics, but mainly I think it mainly appeals to people who aren't interested in melody and get something from the lyrics. That's no bad thing and I am not saying that rap can't be appreciated in addition to "real" music. I can enjoy the beats (but don't really like the rapping part), but as for the anger, bravado, anti-gay slurs and sexist views - you can keep that (c)rap thanks.