They don't write pop songs like they used to

I'm completely out of touch now, but a lot of the older songs told a story, or were about someone, literary or real ( wuthering heights/Rasputin) . I often listen to them and can't imagine modern musicians producing music like it.
From the few times I listen to current stuff it relies on bad language and sex. The shock music of the past was less explicit and went over kids heads.

Yes my DS sometimes listens to them, he also likes some older stuff from 70s

I must admit I like 60s, 70s and 80s but some good stuff in 90s, 00s and 10s

There was more culture of living with live music though. A piano in a corner was more likely than a TV in their early years. Music would have been heard on the radio or played/ sung in person. Even the familiarity of school hymns was part of a foundation of musical knowedge; the secular community songs sung in primary school assemblies (with backing tracks) lack that classic musical richness that emerged through songs such as Eleanor Rigby.

Their earliest music came from skiffle which was basic, cheap and pretty rudimentary, and a long way from what would be classed as a professional standard of music today. That wouldn't be a foundation to making it as a music artist today.

80s music is interesting as the increased affordability of keyboards spawned a lot of distinctive duo acts such as the Eurythmics, Pet Shop Boys and Tears for Fears, and allowed for more experimental styles. Music was very much tied in with fashion and sub-cultures and that link has fragmented in an individualised digital world.

I recently chatted to a 12yo who didn't know what was meant by "pop music" or "rock music". When I asked if he (or his family) listened to the radio, they didn't. When I asked if he could name any singers/ bands/ artists, he looked blank then suggested doubtfully "Michael Jackson?". In a world of algorithms that tend to focus in on narrower and narrower topics it's surprisingly easy for child to only know music as anonymous background noise at a very superficial level.

Profound!

I’m 50 and I love modern pop music as well as all the stuff I grew up with. Chappell Roan is awesome, I also love Sam Fender - People Watching is an incredible album. Also Taylor Swift (until the new album which is very boring) Harry Styles, Little Mix both done some bangers too.

I think pop music is in a bad state at the moment, even compared to a few years ago. The lyrics are rather banal, but I am not convinced that's the main issue, there has always been pop music where that's not the most important part of the song. As Maurice white say in 197-something, never let the lyrics get in the way of the groove.

But what I have really noticed is a lot of samey production, lack of structure, and especially a real lack of melody and hooks. And especially a really significant lack of musicianship.

There are exceptions of course. But man, a lot of the pop charts just seem full of go nowhere songs.

I make a point of listening to the newer artists who seem to offer something better, but I'm mostly listening outside pop music. I think my biggest current stable is the Tedeschi-Trucks Band. Just all round fabulous musicians, tight arrangements, great songs.

I never thought of it that way before to be perfectly honest with you. I mean of course I heard the lyrics after those, but I don't often see the deeper meaning in songs 😂 so I appreciate you explaining that to me

Not strictly pop but popular in my 1970s junior school assembly,...... Kumbaya. Still hate it.

It perfectly captures that thing.of being desperate to land a job and being so happy to get through the interviews, offer etc only to realise the prize is working for some twat ordering you about for just enough money to survive. We've all been there.

Master lyricist.

Bollocks. Taylor Swift's Love Story is nearly 20 years old and still gets nearly half a million streams daily. Blank Space gets nearly a million daily streams. They're already standing the test of time.

@HappyFace2025 what are you listening to? You don't like any of today's music at all?

it is a gazillion times better than the Monkees.

But then you've equally got "I was looking for a job and then I found a job, and heaven knows I'm miserable now". Which, yes, rings true for a lot of people, but they're not genius lyrics

Was there not some controversy over The Last Dinner Party being industry plants or something? No idea if that's true or not though!

I watched an ancient episode of (the original) Never Mind the Buzzcocks with Bruce as a panellist last night funnily enough, he does look great now but my god he was beautiful back then!

When I saw Motorhead it was so loud it made my nose bleed.

The thing with pop music is that if you're old enough to remember the old stuff new music isn't being written for you.

Survivorship bias.

YABVU @HappyFace2025

Taylor Swift has some great songs. I mean, some of them are a bit slow/melancholy, but some are upbeat and catchy. Have you not heard Opalite? And The Fate Of Ophelia?

What about Demon Hunters. (Super catchy!) Lady GaGa, Ed Sheeran, Sabrina Carpenter, Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo, Bruno Mars, The Weeknd, Chappell Roan, Tyla, so many good songs from these artists....

And the single by Bruno Mars and Lady GaGa (Die With A Smile) is one the best songs of the decade so far. Very infectious and catchy!

You need to listen to some more current chooons, and stay away from Greatest Hits radio 70s and Greatest Hits radio 80s! Some great songs back then of course, but some great ones these days too...

Less creativity in the school curriculum. Less free time to hang out and create. Cost of music lessons and instruments....

How many of the '60s groups had much in the way of formal musical education? Lennon and McCartney didn't.

And people have to remember that a lot of the '60s and '70s stuff, while it might seem simplistic today, was groundbreaking at the time, and was the starting point for everything that followed.

Oh yes the oldies are the best.

Altogether now... a-ga-doo-doo-doo...

Yes they do.
Where is my husband and Man I need are absolute bangers for a start.

Sam Fender too

That Raye song is constantly stuck in my head, it's so catchy. As is The Fate of Ophelia