There are quite a few musical pieces that many consider to be “the greatest of all time” songs created by pure musical talent. After all, when a talented musician spends hours (or even years) perfecting a piece of music, you’d expect a masterpiece to come out of their work. This feat is even more impressive when it comes to albums: artists perfect not just one, but each and every song, telling a story through them. It’s truly awe-inspiring. I’m sure this passionate effort can be applicable to newer artists and it’s easy to tell when a song has a lot of work put into it from the physical effort to perform and compose, and the lyrical brainpower.

Music is not as physical as it once was: before the year 2000, it was more common to buy a cassette tape, a CD, or a vinyl to listen to music. Nowadays, music is jammed into a cellular device. Live performances have been dwindling as the performance aspect of today’s music is undermined by phone use. To many people it seems absurd to pay for a concert ticket when you can just stream the whole thing on your device. This will certainly have an effect on the cultural significance of today’s musical artists. Take Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, or even Beyonce—these artists, who are world renowned for their performances, would not be nearly as celebrated as they are today if they were never seen live, and only known by their digital persona.

What’s been causing this reduction in the quality of music over time are these “Industry Plants” musicians who are vocally talented, yet lack musical depth. They are given some ghost written, one-hit-wonder lyrics and a catchy beat and boom—they’re the next big thing.  This is an unstable and flimsy way to build your career as a musical artist, yet it describes the path of the majority of pop artists today.

Another issue in the music industry that has recently been brought to light is the circumstances under which some kids are becoming pop stars. Many pop artists from the early 2000’s and 2010’s were brought up on Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. Unfortunately, many such careers were driven by corrupted managers or crazy parents trying to make money off of their child’s voice. Some of the music that came out of these circumstances still became very popular, and it isn’t necessarily bad quality music—for example, Britney Spears bodied every single one of her songs. However, in light of recent news on her conservatorship, there’s a dark backstory to many of the classic pop songs we know and love. 

As modern music  deteriorates over time, you have to wonder how these new artists have accumulated such large fan bases. Is it because their music echoes new trends? Is it the catchines of their songs? Is it their branding and relatability to consumers? 

Look at people like SZA, Dua Lipa, and Lizzo. They are winning awards and selling out concerts, so they must be doing something right. Unlike the sad breakup songs that go from famous to cringe in minutes, these artists produce songs that are both upbeat and uplifting. Their music is being endorsed on social media, played on the radio, and featured in movies. 

Overall, while there are most certainly some wonderful artists in the music industry today, they do not compare to the musicians of the past.