They don't write pop songs like they used to

I’m with you. Listening to the Smiths would put me to sleep. Give me guitar shredding and some fire any day 🤣

Reminds me of Duffy

There were a few songs from the 50s where they sang about making love... by which they meant nothing more than a little (fully clothed) cuddle and a kiss!

I’m old and I think there’s some great music now, including the lyrics. I agree there’s a great deal of dross , though.

There is good music out there, you just need to look for it as has always been the case.

It's no better or worse than it was in the past, but history acts as a filter for art so all the dirge which you hear now has been filtered away, for the most part.

I like the innocence and sweetness of some older songs -
im a believer
i wanna hold your hand
oh boy
the young ones

you don’t really get that in music nowadays

This one is a banger… just released on YouTube because the record labels won’t release it: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PDjz6YhsnZQ&fbclid=IwVERDUAPIl8ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEejiIX62LDC4TnRB5RzXUa34QwZtLGM4InDQezIK9x9IqZBXPe-NyvyjkrMk4_aem_n7EMlAwpVP21C6z7KG33nw

YANBU, melody would seem to be a thing of the past. Or at least very rare.
Now it seems to me that one or two short musical phrases are repeated over and over.

I'm in my 60's and there are certain songs I love from every decade - from the 1960s to now. I don't think any one decade has the monopoly on good music, I think our tastes are sometimes a bit 'stuck' at the decade in which we were happiest or listened to most music.

I had an argument once with a man who said there had been no good music since 1977. I mean, of COURSE there has! But he was adamant. Nothing good had come since he was nineteen. I tried to point out that maybe his tastes had got set in that type of music and that was why he struggled to like anything else, but he wouldn't have it.

Love a bit of Chappell Roan, Vampire Weekend, The Stranglers, Killers, nothing too out-there, but it's all very singable and fun.

I think this is true, and I also think thetre is a very strong history bias in these discussions. We know which songs stood the test of time from the 70s etc. so it's easy to look back and say it was a decade of incredible songs that beat anything more contemporary. But all that's happening is people are forgetting the enormous amount of dross that was also released then but which has since faded into obscurity.

It's hugely short sighted to say nothing being written today will last in the same way that something like I'm a Believer did, just because enough time hasn't yet passed for us to see what continues to be recognised as an absolute pop anthem.

No doubt when I'm 60 I'll be harping on about how nobody writes songs like Umbrella, Single Ladies, Opalite, Espresso or Brat anymore and complaining that nothing new will stand the test of time like they did 😂

I am ancient but the only one of those by name at least I know is Uptown Funk. I read something recently that said the songs we love are those embedded in our teenage years for girls, for boys a little older. I don't think it's entirely true but the idea is interesting.

Max Martin writes for everyone and is VERY good at what he does.

Honestly, listening to old music front my youth and even thirties gives me the creeps. Give me what's current any day.

It’s all down to your personal preferences isn’t it. I’d agree with OPs comment as my listening base remains firmly in the 60/70 early 80s,, radio wise I’m a radio 2, smooth/ gold listener. With a few exceptions I don’t like or make any attempt to listen to modern stuff and seriously dislike rap. My BIL, who is older than me , listens to radio 1and says modern music is every bit as good as the old stuff.

Fine, but just because you personally aren't one of the 2 million people still streaming Espresso daily doesn't mean it's not an incredible pop song.

'Whatever your age' is an odd claim surely - I wasn't alive in the 70s or most of the 80s so it's safe to say I could look at the majority of song titles from that period and have no idea what they sound like but that doesn't mean they're not good pop songs. If you're not listening to today's music in a regular and engaged way of course you won't know the songs, but what does that have to do with how good they are?

This is why I only listen to smooth fm

Distracted people from the presenters some of whom were a problem (or known to be)

It was written by Neil Diamond who was a songwriter in the Brill Building in NY and the Monkees were a made up group. A lot of country songs are written by song writers for artists. Music scene has changed a bit since the Monkees. But Someone Like You by Adele was co written by Dan Wilson who has written for Taylor Swift. Rollercoaster by Ronan Keating was written by Greg Alexander. Prob lots out there esp for boy bands/girl groups

It’s almost as if every generation says this isn’t it….

Yes, I look on Spotify and will try some of the suggestions. It's that you never had to look very far last century to find music you liked.
I really miss rock bands with good tunes and smart lyrics.

At least they weren't singing WAP, I suppose...

They were there for me! Stopped my DDad from switching “that racket” off every Thursday.

Thursday was the day there was something for all the family in our house. Dad and brother watched Tomorrow's World, then sister and I watched TOTP, then Mum and I watched Star Trek.

They were there for me! Stopped my DDad from switching “that racket” off every Thursday.

In the pub NYE, young and old singing Die With A Smile. Bruno can make a pop record.

I can’t deny Morrissey’s lyrics, but I think you we’re definitely either a fan or really, really not.

Even dh refused to believe there was a song with the words "boldly going forward, we can't find reverse" in.

Well that was a spoof, wasn't it. 'It's worse than that, he's dead Jim, dead Jim, dead Jim...'

Anyone who only remembers Legs & Co isn't old enough 😁 It was Pan's People. They did wear some very skimpy costumes to distract viewers from the fact that they weren't all that good as dancers but that was what they were there for. They weren't singers who were having to dance and look sexy because it wasn't considered enough just to have a good voice and sing good songs. (Even a not so good singer could get by if the song was good.)