I try to respect peoples musical taste regardless of how mainstream and derivative it may be, but when starved talented musicians go unnoticed  while Soldier Boy becomes a multi-millionaire, (plenty of others are undeserving of this success) I can't help but becoming irritated. 

If you genuinely enjoy pop music, it's all good but you could probably use a little bit of perspective. As someone who literally listens to a good 8 hours of music a day, I have to say the industries talent is in decline. At least the part you hear on the radio. The only reason any of these sell-out emo bands and mainstream rappers are successful is because millions of people buy into it and don't realize how bad it is because they simply lack perspective. If you listen to underground rap you would grow to hate the industry and if you listen to progressive rock, most songs in a 4/4 time signature will bore you. The reason record companies like making record deals with crappy artists (if you can them that) is because bad music is easier to produce. Anytime they need more money they hire a team of writers to shove shallow bullshit down our throats to appeal to our most basic emotions and have Brittany Spears sing it. It makes me sick.

Just out of curiosity:

1. What music are you into?

2. Do you play an instrument

3. Your opinion of the state of the industry 

In general, I think that non-musicians like simple music. A lot of the music that musically trained people prefer tends to be more complex, and may overwhelm the casual listener (and turn them off). I can't stand mainstream (read: anything on the radio) music though.

What music am I into? (copied from my profile): Progressive rock/metal/etc, experimental, classical, jazz, and anything else that took real talent to create.

Do you play an instrument? Yes, alto saxophone and trumpet.

Your opinion of the state of the industry - Today's "mainstream" music is total drivel. That doesn't mean music is dead though. You just have to know where to look. One of my favorite websites to find good newer music: http://www.progarchives.com

edit: sorry though OP, I don't really like the beatles.

Not that they're all bad; they're just not my cup o' tea.

I don't pay much attention to mainstream music. I never listen to the radio.

When I do hear mainstream music it gives me a good laugh though.

I don't play any instruments, although I have a guitar that my friends keep putting off teaching me how to play.

Music I like, well I've said it here a few times before. Various sub-genres of Hardcore(mostly screamo, pageninetynine is my favorite band right now). Indie.

I think I just answered all those questions in reverse order haha.

I think most music is crap, I like 60's, 70's & 80's stuff and as it says on my profile David Hasselhoff, Wierd Al and the ledendry Britney Spears. The 80's was, for me, the last golden age of music. I'm indifferent to the 90's.

Pretty much anything, as long as a certain level of talent is involved.

I despise screamo though. I have no idea why anyone would want to torture their innocent ears with such racket >_>

Do you actually know what screamo really is? Not that crap metalcore that gets called screamo that you hear on the radio.

1. All kinds of metal and a bit of rock. Also I like a bit of indie, not a lot of indie but bands such as the yeah yeah yeahs. Sometimes I will grunge it up too.

2. I play guitar, more specifically a les paul (Zakk Wylde design of course).

Also I play a little on the drums. But seeing as I don't own a drum kit so I play very rarely.

3. Metals day has been and gone. Sometimes metal has a bit of a popular resurgence, but it will never recapture the days of Black sabbath and the like.

Rock will live forever (Metaphorically), expect rock to still be around in 50 years in some form or another.

1. What music are you into?
Everything, literally.

2. Do you play an instrument
Yes the drums and a bit of keyboard

3. Your opinion of the state of the industry
It's fine, mainstream is usually junk. But with any and all of the music genres once you scratch beneath the surface you find gold.

Oh thanks for doing this thread. I must say that this mainstream music is the kind of music that sticks to your head and you get used to it, and i used to listen to it. But i can't stand it anymore.

1. What music are you into?
Basically rap and rock, but i kinda listen to anything. Nothing too heavy like.. uh... Slayer or too slow like... Roberto Carlos best example i can find :P.
As Nas says, hip hop is dead, and nowadays all rap music that is coming is junk. Though i'm waiting for the Carter III to get me back into rap but i'm losing hope on it already... Now that i'm learning french i'm listening to french rap and damn it, it owns american rap.

2. Do you play an instrument
Guitar, and a little bit of keyboard (I'll just stick to chords here), and i recently bought an electric guitar and i'm getting the grip on it.

3. Your opinion of the state of the industry
Very good music is coming out nowadays, but most mainstream music is bad. But not all of them though.


While i'm into music, do someone knows any good french music that i can play on guitar? :P