Frank Zappa explains the decline of the music business

Frank Zappa explains the decline and fall of the music business and comes to a surprising conclusion that the older generation was better for pushing new wave music that they didn't understand than the supposedly younger/hipper music executives.

• Category

  Music

[Carlos Fernandez]

I like the 80s, personally. But what Frank Zappa rings true. He must be referring to the executives at MTV, who seem to force their biases in, instead of being like the cigar-chompers who were the real "open-minded" people. Thus, the 90s saw narrowing down to certain forms that I personally find terrible, and then lots of sexually driving content. Not music anymore.

[schavira]

The 90s was a whole lot more artist-friendly than the 80s. It was actually possible to chart meaningful or subversive content and even have it played on MTV. Then Jive Records introduced their roster of pop stars halfway through the decade and we have been stuck with that model ever since.

[schavira]

The early 1990s gave alternative music the opportunity to chart in the mainstream. Then things started to become derivative and Jive Records launched their pop assault. We have been stuck there ever since. There is nothing wrong with 'sex' in music. If anything, the best music available is driven by sexual energy. The latter 1990s gave way to some repulsive genres, particularly nu-metal, emo-infused pop punk, and the teen idol revival. But the first half of the decade produced amazing music.

[NYFanatic2004]

What makes you think the 80s had worse charting music than what we do now??

[schavira]

Listening to it.

[stevegetti]

The title of the book is the Elusive Genius Project and it's available on Amazon.

[stevegetti]

I have just written my first novel, and it's now available on Amazon. If you agree roughly with what Frank says here, you might enjoy my book. The book is basically about a Porject undertaken to try and rejuvenate the music industry in the modern era. But more importantly, it's a good fun old fashioned adventure.

[bhall9927]

The safest form of sex is ma*********n.

[TheCozybear65]

theres just nothing innovative out there anymore. If there was, the masses would know it. Don't underestimate the power in music.

[regulus0099]

not really....I know what your saying but things have changed that much that the companies still program profits...but the net is changing that, you are correct in that way...

[regulus0099]

so true...

[maxcohen13]

None of what he's saying applies today. It's a whole new game.

[maxcohen13]

It was popular for a reason. 

[vsqzstv]

zappa was a smart dude knew what he was saying i never knew how wise he was till i watched a video of zappa befor that the only time i ever heard of zappa was when i read his name on a record he wrote a song for a african group called the peguins the name of the song was memeories of el monte

[Timi T.]

Well, I can mostly agree with that, although I find Madonna's music (up to the 00's) rather amazing in general.