Modern Music You'd Want to Listen to that Sounds Good

[gene]

The audiophile industry must embrace the diverse and dynamic world of modern music to stay relevant and engaging. But what is the best way to cultivate a new generation of audiophiles who appreciate the beauty of high-quality sound? We'll explore some of the ways that music artists and the audio industry are changing how younger people perceive their music. We will also provide a list of great-sounding albums to check out on your system and plan many more article follow-ups on this topic.

Read: Audiophile Modern Music to Attract Next Generation Listeners

 

[jeffca]

Here’s the thing: I have no interest in any of the bands that you mentioned.

As a musician, one of my favorite things is finding a new band that blows my mind because of their musical virtuosity. To the best of my knowledge, none of the bands that you have listed meet that criterion,

I’m not trying to be snobby, but let’s get down to brass tacks: It’s not a new phenomenon that rock and pop bands really aren’t that good when it comes to musicianship. That’s been going on forever.

The bottom line is this: it doesn’t matter how good it sounds if the music, for lack of a better term, sucks.

 

[Trell]

Here’s the thing: I have no interest in any of the bands that you mentioned.

As a musician, one of my favorite things is finding a new band that blows my mind because of their musical virtuosity. To the best of my knowledge, none of the bands that you have listed meet that criterion,

I’m not trying to be snobby, but let’s get down to brass tacks: It’s not a new phenomenon that rock and pop bands really aren’t that good when it comes to musicianship. That’s been going on forever.

The bottom line is this: it doesn’t matter how good it sounds if the music, for lack of a better term, sucks.

So which bands "blows your mind"?

 

[MrBoat]

I have found a lot more good new music than I thought I would. I just classify it a little differently than the classics and with a different set of expectations and allowances. Now, music is up against much better measuring speakers and other evolving tech and it shows.

Nothing worse than being stuck in perpetual repeat mode with the classics. Especially once radio had it's way with the top 100 or so for decades by now.

It helps having really good speakers and subs, too. So much music across genres sounds good now. Incredible, even.

 

[Bobby Bass]

Thanks for the recommendations. I Find streaming is a great way to try and keep playing new music. online recommendations and my kids help expand my listening beyond classic rock I grew up with. I listen to recommendations and add to my favorites if I like it. Beats the old days of buying an album for one song. Old ears listening to new music Rocks.

 

[gene]

Here’s the thing: I have no interest in any of the bands that you mentioned.

As a musician, one of my favorite things is finding a new band that blows my mind because of their musical virtuosity. To the best of my knowledge, none of the bands that you have listed meet that criterion,

I’m not trying to be snobby, but let’s get down to brass tacks: It’s not a new phenomenon that rock and pop bands really aren’t that good when it comes to musicianship. That’s been going on forever.

The bottom line is this: it doesn’t matter how good it sounds if the music, for lack of a better term, sucks.

IF you want more instrument focused music that sounds good, check out the following:

• Pat Metheny - Trio 99->00
• Peter Gabriel - New Blood
• John Scofield - Grove Elation
• Jean Luc Ponty - No Absolute Time
• Patricia Barber - Modern Cool

just to name a few.

 

[j_garcia]

Thought you might find this interesting, though it is not necessarily just the music. There is a sort of movement happening in SF where there are popup immersive audio presentations by various artists and it looks like the SFMOMA picked up on it and has a music related exhibit going on right now. I just read it the other day and now I am likely to go up there in the next few weeks to check it out.

Listen up: new art exhibit at SFMOMA is all about noise

San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) is holding a free community day this Saturday and it's not just a feast for the eyes, but also the ears.

www.ktvu.com

Experimental Bay Area Sound - Audium

www.audium.org

 

[Trebdp83]

I'd like to try and go see it as well before the SFUSD starts up on August 16th.

 

[Trell]

Thought you might find this interesting, though it is not necessarily just the music.

Yeah, psychedelic is an important keyword.

>>>The sheer volume of album covers, concert posters, rave fliers, psychedelic ballroom and club ephemera is quite striking. <<<

 

[George MacDonald]

To me, it's less about the music and more about the mastering -- specifically, is it in spatial/dolby multichannel format? The difference in sound is incredible -- at least as much a difference as between mono and stereo. But, to fully appreciate it, you need an appropriate sound system. Also, today's music tends to contain far more subwoofer class low frequencies -- so you need something that can reproduce those tones. While a conventional system capable of playing that costs in the thousands, I suspect that powered speakers like Apple's HomePods could provide a more affordable path -- IF Apple would upgrade their products.

 

[MrBoat]

The most I have in common with young people, musically is classic rock/pop, Reggae/dub, jazz and jam band stuff.

My sons (and their friends too, here and there) first got exposed to music via classic (and southern) rock/country and I had no expectations they would even like music. When they got older and started into ipods and such, I was pleasantly surprised to find they had adopted and stored a lot of my play list in with their own. Not all out front top hits, either. Artists like Elton John, Jim Croce, Gerry Rafferty, Gordon Lightfoot etc., including some of the more B side works. More were added that I would dig up and not realize the kids were paying attention from their room, or wherever and hear them replaying it themselves.

They got used to sleeping to jazz/funk because I played it at night. I was listening to Modern Jazz Quartet one evening and my son was curious about the vibraphone and said it sounded so real that he wanted to pay attention to it and that it was like being on a ride. I thought that was pretty observant of him for such a random album.

Reggae, I was kind of surprised they were knowledgeable about because I never heard them playing it. When I started listening to some of the more modern (to me, at least) versions of it that includes a lot of synthetic production and overdubbing, I was kind of surprised that my youngsters and their friends were pretty knowledgeable of that genre, even citing names of albums that a certain random song that came up belongs to. They had come to it by listening to groups like Sublime or the Common Kings and from side roads a lot of those groups ended up on. Some of the more modern production reggae type reggae music would be Soulwise, Stick Figure, Cydeways, just to name a few. Fun to listen to and flexes the subs a little, too.

Jam band/Indie and electronic/synth, they are kind of about where I am in that. I find stuff they don't know about but that they end up liking such as Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Goose, or Twiddle. I got all the kids around here hooked on Yello, and it wasn't from their hit song. They are disappointed that the only song on the juke machine at the club they go to only has the song "Oh Yeah" on it.

Most of the modern stuff I come across with the above mentioned all seems to be recorded pretty well with adequate bass. About a dozen youngsters have heard it on my stereo and it will stop them in their tracks, make them dance or play air instruments to it. My sister remarked on NYs when everyone was visiting here that everyone had their eyes closed and were just letting it all go.

 

[Cask05]

Here’s the thing: I have no interest in any of the bands that you mentioned...As a musician, one of my favorite things is finding a new band that blows my mind because of their musical virtuosity. To the best of my knowledge, none of the bands that you have listed meet that criterion...The bottom line is this: it doesn’t matter how good it sounds if the music, for lack of a better term, sucks.

I've long noticed that these kind of audio forums largely exist with a tacit understanding that the participants do not really share very much of the music that they actually listen to. Any existing age differences between posting individuals in one thread will likely show this revealed behavior most acutely, except in cases of older music genres (classical, acoustic blues, and perhaps bebop jazz). Rock and its hundreds of subgenres (rock and urban "micro-genres") seem to be most susceptible to this rule...in actual practice.

For myself, my own tastes are fairly wide as long as the music has the following two attributes:

1. reasonable dynamic range and implied track fidelity still existing, and
2. as the quoted gentleman has mentioned, "musicianship" (i.e., real skill, and not just "talent").

Those two criteria largely omit the larger share of popular music that's produced nowadays that's been crushed by mastering into oblivion, or relies almost exclusively on talent but not really "virtuosity" (real skill).

As an example of "crushing" of dynamic range, you might go look up the albums the author listed on the DR Database site for their album or individual track crest factors. For me, they don't rate as "hi-fi " by that criterion. Much work is represented for myself to resurrect the tracks to restore some semblance of dynamic range as possible that was discarded during music production processes--particularly mastering.

Also note that the albums listed are typically 20-25 years old--and are not actually "new". I would generally equate to music created within the last ~5 years or so as "new" (certainly a criterion that was obvious in my youth--now decades ago).

IF you want more instrument focused music that sounds good, check out the following:

• Pat Metheny - Trio 99->00
• Peter Gabriel - New Blood
• John Scofield - Grove Elation
• Jean Luc Ponty - No Absolute Time
• Patricia Barber - Modern Cool

just to name a few.

Again, the problem arises that the albums listed are generally not really new (i.e., less than perhaps 5 years old in creation). While I do like and listen to most of the music in the albums listed just above, the point is that they aren't really applicable to the new generation of audiophiles that I think the author of the article is trying to attract to the pastime and these type of websites.

For me, this isn't really a subject that I fret over. What will happen isn't really strongly influenced by what we might want to happen.

JMTC.

Chris

 

[HipSonic]

The audiophile industry must embrace the diverse and dynamic world of modern music to stay relevant and engaging. But what is the best way to cultivate a new generation of audiophiles who appreciate the beauty of high-quality sound? We'll explore some of the ways that music artists and the audio industry are changing how younger people perceive their music. We will also provide a list of great-sounding albums to check out on your system and plan many more article follow-ups on this topic.

View attachment 68609

Read: Audiophile Modern Music to Attract Next Generation Listeners

I really appreciate articles like this, and as a result have to contribute something to the conversation. I would like to add to the list, for those interested, the following titles and artist: A Tribe Called Quest's, The Low End Theory, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rythm, and Midnight Marauders; De la Soul's Three Feet High and Rising, De La Souls is Dead, and Buhloone Mindstate, and the Anonymous Nobody; Outcast's Aquemini; Slum Village's Fan-Tas-Tic and J Dilla's Donuts;
Kanye West's Late Registration, Graduation, 808's & Heartbreak, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Yeezus, and The Life of Pablo; Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly, DAMN, and Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers; and lastly Dr. Dre's The Chronic which coincidentally, was inspired by a Tribe Called Quest's The Low End Theory. All of these albums have production quality as well as being extremely influential across many genres of music. For example, A Tribe Called Quest have worked with artist ranging from jazz bassist Ron Carter to Elton John. While artist such as De La Soul have worked extensively with the Gorillaz, who were featured in the article, while Kanye West's collaborations, and production credits are as varied and far-reaching as his rant's...lol! That said, I hope that you will check these a few of these artist and albums out for yourselves, with the hope that you find them as satisfying from both a music and audiophile perspective as I have. Be safe. Peace.

 

[gene]

‘Art of Noise’ Exhibition Features Audio Design At San Francisco’s MOMA

“Art of Noise” is an exhibition running through August 18th, 2024 at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. It explores how design has shaped our music experiences over the last 100 years.

www.audioholics.com

 

[highfigh]

Here’s the thing: I have no interest in any of the bands that you mentioned.

As a musician, one of my favorite things is finding a new band that blows my mind because of their musical virtuosity. To the best of my knowledge, none of the bands that you have listed meet that criterion,

I’m not trying to be snobby, but let’s get down to brass tacks: It’s not a new phenomenon that rock and pop bands really aren’t that good when it comes to musicianship. That’s been going on forever.

The bottom line is this: it doesn’t matter how good it sounds if the music, for lack of a better term, sucks.

And for a long time, it didn't matter if the rock & pop bands were good musicians because session musicians were used for the recordings, then the bands would learn the parts or hire musicians for their tours. New bands couldn't play on their own recordings unless they were exceptional players, part of the session world or had a way to record/produce it themselves and the product was good enough for the record companies.

 

[highfigh]

I have found a lot more good new music than I thought I would. I just classify it a little differently than the classics and with a different set of expectations and allowances. Now, music is up against much better measuring speakers and other evolving tech and it shows.

Nothing worse than being stuck in perpetual repeat mode with the classics. Especially once radio had it's way with the top 100 or so for decades by now.

It helps having really good speakers and subs, too. So much music across genres sounds good now. Incredible, even.

Commercial radio has been a perpetual repeat mode for a long time- it's one of the reasons college and other independent stations have been popular, even if they're not very professional-sounding, if at all. They have the luxury of playing material that isn't the run of the mill and their revenue isn't from corporate ads and it allows the audience to hear great music that had been shoved aside by some lackey who wouldn't know a great song if it bit them in the butt.

Then, there's the effects from the record companies.....if high AQ home recording had never become possible, we wouldn't be able to hear great music after the Wrecking Crews of the recording world stopped being the main musicians. Some past exceptions exist, but most recording up to the point where record companies stopped paying big advances cost a lot and if the first records from unknowns didn't bring in the cash, they were looking for a new label.

Frank Zappa on record executives at DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.

duckduckgo.com

 

[Joe B]

"The audiophile industry has long been a haven for those who cherish the pristine sound of high-fidelity audio. However, there's a growing need to rejuvenate this space with modern music that resonates with younger audiences. The industry, traditionally dominated by older demographics, can attract the next generation by embracing contemporary artists who push the boundaries of sound and dynamic range."
(1st paragraph of article)

First sentence is fine. Where else would those who cherish pristine sound turn to besides high-fidelity audio.
After that, this article pretty much goes sideways.

I have never known the audiophile industry to support any musical genre or time period in musical history. People in this forum listen to all sorts of music. I don't think any of us needed the audiophile industry to entice us by embracing the music that we love. We sought out the audiophile industry so we could further embrace our music.

In the old days, you auditioned equipment with music you brought to the store with you. Now, most is done by streaming. The point is, the audiophile store was selling equipment, not music. If you happened to share something in common with the salesman it was a bonus. Last time I auditioned a pair of speakers, the music I choose to listen to attracted the attention of those who worked there, and started some cool conversations.

Where and how would the audiophile industry embrace modern listeners. Advertisements? To be honest, many audiophile manufacturers produce "portable" electronics which fit the life style and budget of many young people. I'm sure if their disposable income increases over time and their love of music is strong, you'll be hearing Radio Head and Billie Eilish playing in the local Best Buy 12 years from now with a 30 year old sitting in the listening chair.

I believe the audiophile industry has always been on the correct path. Produce equipment which reproduces the recordings capture of a performance with the best transparency possible at any given price point.

This article is more an endorsement of modern music than it is about the audio industry. I mean, the author mentions dynamic range 3 times in the article, as if it's a criteria. And yet, he chooses to listen on a vinyl set up which is not capable of reproducing 'said' dynamic range.

Sorry, I was just thinking about someone into dance music auditioning a pair of Martin Logan Neolith speakers. "Never have I heard computer generated sounds reproduced with such perfect timbre. And the speakers ability to replicate the synthesized percussion in real time is amazing." Martin Logan, are you listening?

 

[highfigh]

"The audiophile industry has long been a haven for those who cherish the pristine sound of high-fidelity audio. However, there's a growing need to rejuvenate this space with modern music that resonates with younger audiences. The industry, traditionally dominated by older demographics, can attract the next generation by embracing contemporary artists who push the boundaries of sound and dynamic range."
(1st paragraph of article)

First sentence is fine. Where else would those who cherish pristine sound turn to besides high-fidelity audio.
After that, this article pretty much goes sideways.

I have never known the audiophile industry to support any musical genre or time period in musical history. People in this forum listen to all sorts of music. I don't think any of us needed the audiophile industry to entice us by embracing the music that we love. We sought out the audiophile industry so we could further embrace our music.

In the old days, you auditioned equipment with music you brought to the store with you. Now, most is done by streaming. The point is, the audiophile store was selling equipment, not music. If you happened to share something in common with the salesman it was a bonus. Last time I auditioned a pair of speakers, the music I choose to listen to attracted the attention of those who worked there, and started some cool conversations.

Where and how would the audiophile industry embrace modern listeners. Advertisements? To be honest, many audiophile manufacturers produce "portable" electronics which fit the life style and budget of many young people. I'm sure if their disposable income increases over time and their love of music is strong, you'll be hearing Radio Head and Billie Eilish playing in the local Best Buy 12 years from now with a 30 year old sitting in the listening chair.

I believe the audiophile industry has always been on the correct path. Produce equipment which reproduces the recordings capture of a performance with the best transparency possible at any given price point.

This article is more an endorsement of modern music than it is about the audio industry. I mean, the author mentions dynamic range 3 times in the article, as if it's a criteria. And yet, he chooses to listen on a vinyl set up which is not capable of reproducing 'said' dynamic range.

Sorry, I was just thinking about someone into dance music auditioning a pair of Martin Logan Neolith speakers. "Never have I heard computer generated sounds reproduced with such perfect timbre. And the speakers ability to replicate the synthesized percussion in real time is amazing." Martin Logan, are you listening?

Your comment about audiophile stores existing just to sell equipment- of course, that's why they exist! OTOH, they often did, and do, sell music. Not like a real record store, but we did. Also, we played a lot of music the customers had never heard and when they said "This is great, who is it?", we told them whose recordings were being played, they often came back with "Who?".

Try going to a really good audio store now.....

 

[davidscott]

IF you want more instrument focused music that sounds good, check out the following:

• Pat Metheny - Trio 99->00
• Peter Gabriel - New Blood
• John Scofield - Grove Elation
• Jean Luc Ponty - No Absolute Time
• Patricia Barber - Modern Cool

just to name a few.

That is a pretty good list, I have a couple of those myself.