Reasons I am Glad to be a Child of the 80's and Teen of the 90's Part 1: MUSIC
Man oh man I was lucky. I look around everyday and think of the rich history I have because I grew up in the 1980's and 90's. Why? Because today doesn't offer half as much in terms of music, television, fashion, movies or anything like it did back then. I feel sorry for the kids of today and those after them. They are growing up in a superficial, sexually driven, untalented and explicit world. At least I can say I actually heard good music and caught a couple of good movies in my lifetime. Can they?
If you look at how music was alone, you can see how much better things were back then.
Music used to be good. Besides the artists who have been around for at least five years, what have you got? Anyone can make an album these days it seems. Hence, " American Idol ". Record companies no longer work to find talent but relies on a Fox television show. Sure, some of the contestants may be talented but do we want to trust a music industry that relies on a reality show. Man when I was growing up we had good music! In the eighties everyone was a New Edition fan. You couldn't go anywhere without hearing about Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky and Mike! And let's not forget Ralph and Johnny too! See, good music? We had Michael Jackson, Paula Abdul, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Pebbles, Babyface, Whitney Houston, Guy, Heavy D., Stacy Lattisaw, Cyndi Lauper, Sting, Billy Idol, Bruce Springsteen, Pat Benetar, Phil Collins, The Gap Band, Prince & The Revolution, Morris Day & The Time, Luther Vandross, Queen Latifah, Moni Love, Vanity 6, Roger Troutman, Curtis Blow, Run DMC, Tone Loc, Young MC, Al B. Sure! (Night & Day was the jam!) Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Digital Underground, Gloria Estefan, Kid N Play, Salt N Pepa, Sheila E., LL. Cool J. and more great talent. See, good music!
In the nineties we had Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Brandy, Monica, Mya, Aaliyah, Jennifer Lopez, TLC, SWV, Monifah, Counting Crows, Sheryl Crow, Mariah Carey, R. Kelly, Dionne Farris, Des'ree, The Cardigans, Immature, Kris Kross, Wrecks N Effect, Blackstreet, Backstreet Boys, EnVogue, Hi-Five, Tevin Campbell, Usher, Jade, Toni Braxton, Silk, Shai, Boys II Men, Another Bad Creation (ABC), Shabba Ranks, Shaggy, Montell Jordan, Maxi Priest (what happened to him?), Maxwell, D'Angelo, Faith Evans, Kelly Price, Mary J. Blige, Diddy/Puff Daddy, Tupac, De La Soul, The Fugees, Marky Mark, R.E.M., etc. I'll be here all day!
The sad thing is, is that most of the artists coming out today won't be around. I am just glad I had a chance to grow up during real music. Even rappers took the time to make good music back then. Artists wanted to please their audience. Today all they care about is money. You watch, only about a handful of today's new music makers will be around in five years. Shoot five…let's try two. Some have already fallen after only their second album. It's pitiful when you can't tell one group or singer from the other. It's downright pathetic when people don't remember you after two years.
Thank goodness real music is captured on CD's or else we'd all be lost.
posted by Stacy-Deanne @ 11:33 AM
4 Comments:
Stacy,
I agree with you. Music and artists were much better in the 80's and 90's. Nowadays the groups or the female singers all look alike, sound the same. I was watching MTV today and came across a video of a cute black singer. I didn't know who she was but she had the typical manufactured look. The long weave, belly button showing, tight pants, flawless makeup. But who is she? Why does everyone look the same, sound the same? I really miss acts like Boys II Men or Jagged Edge. But thank god for Brian McKnight, Brandy, Monica, folks like that. They are talented and stand out in a crowd of performers that seem replicas of one another.
Hey Stacy, if you think you were luck to be part of the 80's 90's generation of good music, then we of the 60's and 70's must have died and gone to heaven. With the likes of Patti LaBell, Stevie Wonder, Luther, The Four Tops, the Temptations, Lil Richie, James Brown, Aretha, Tina Tuner, Diana Ross and the Supremes and I didn't even hit the white groups, The Beatles, Elvis, Elton John, Frank Sinatra, or Nat kole and those other black fellas. What about the legend of legends Bob Marley and the wailers, Jimmy Cliff, the list is endless.
But I'm feling you on the music of today. All the young so called artist are just plastic molds with carbon copy songs. I don't even bother to listen to them anymore.
Interesting post. I must agree though, everything is a little watered down in the new millenium from music, to books and movies. Everything seems to be a remake or a recycled product of a former idea/plot/premise, where's the originality? And whatever happened to Maxi Priest?
Cydney,
I don't even bother trying to get into new singers anymore because they are all trying to copy someone else. And yes what is with the long weaves? Why can't someone come out with a cute short hairstyle like Toni Braxton when she came out? Like you said, everyone wants to look like everyone else. They need to stop letting record companies tell them how to act and dress. Even veterans like Mariah Carey and Janet have started falling into that trap. It's not like they have to, they are already famous so they can make up their own minds. I think people should rely on their voices and not their looks.
Campfyah,
I'm with you on that. I am old school too. I could have even gone back to the good music of the fifties. I don't think music will ever be as good as it has been in the last five decades. And you are right, going back to true soul is like dying and going to heaven.
Princess,
Once again we both hit the nail on the head. Until someone steps in and makes some big changes about how the music industry is handling things we won't see a big improvement in the near future. I wouldn't be surprised if the record companies stopped going after singers and just focus on rappers. Well, whoever hasn't heard real music/singing, doesn't know the true joy of living. Rap used to be enjoyable in the 80's and 90's but hip-hop is pathetic today. Also, who wants to support a group of thugs and criminals?
Thank you all for posting!
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