Since 2005 songs don't seem to have a lot of melodies or forms. I think D4L and Hollaback Girl started this trend.

Melodies are what Music should be.  I mean that's basically the definition of Music.  When I listen to music, I want to hear a great melody that I can really get into and feel.

I hate it when people claim that Lyrics are so important, that is such an "elitist" thing to say, like they're cool for thinking that. If I want to hear such a compelling story in lyrics, i'll read a damn book. I want to hear MUSIC!

This is why a group like Nirvana is so popular because Kurt Cobain actually "got it". He put Melody first before anything (According to his band mates) and it shows if you listen to their albums.

Recently there haven't been very many melodic songs, like for instance that "Sexy Back" by Justin Timberlake.  That had to be the most un-melodic repetitive tripe i've ever heard.  Same goes for other popular songs currently like that really crappy Maroon 5 song and pretty much any Rap song that has been released in the last year.

This is why a group like Nirvana is so popular because Kurt Cobain actually "got it". He put Melody first before anything (According to his band mates) and it shows if you listen to their albums.


Nirvana had melody?  No offense to any Nirvana fans, but to me, that music was nothing but loud noise

I hate it when people claim that Lyrics are so important, that is such an "elitist" thing to say, like they're cool for thinking that. If I want to hear such a compelling story in lyrics, i'll read a damn book. I want to hear MUSIC!


So basically you're just complaining about hip hop in general and how godly rock is. Okie dokie.

Melodies are what Music should be.  I mean that's basically the definition of Music. 

Oh yeah...says who?  Who is the arbiter of what music is and is not?

My favorite composer is John Cage, who said:

"Which is more musical: a truck passing by a factory or a truck passing by a music school?"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4%E2%80%B233%E2%80%B3

My biggest objection to pop music....the music per se....is how staid and conservative it is. 

To me it is like mathematics without the number zero.  Possibilities so limited.

Melody, harmony, rhythm, structure, dynamics, duration....

These are all important.  If a composer decides to use harmony, he should use it well and treat it with respect.  But if a composer writes a piece sans melody--for instance using only rhythm--this does not make it less musical...what is important is how well he uses rhythm.  And that's up to the listener to decide.

  And that's up to the listener to decide.


karma +1

I think I know what the OP means. Of course there's differences, and it depends what you're listening to, but in the mainstream, I agree this probably started around 2002 or maybe early '03. Up until that point, pop songs without any hip hop influence seemed more common as well. Like Vanessa Carlton/Uncle Kracker-type music or Avril Lavigne's debut. Heck, even Phil Collins was still able to chart then! ;)

It probably has returned in a limited extent with The Fray or "Bad Day"-type AC songs, but yeah, it seemed like it was at a low in 2003-2005.


Melodies are what Music should be.  I mean that's basically the definition of Music.  When I listen to music, I want to hear a great melody that I can really get into and feel.

I hate it when people claim that Lyrics are so important, that is such an "elitist" thing to say, like they're cool for thinking that. If I want to hear such a compelling story in lyrics, i'll read a damn book. I want to hear MUSIC!

This is why a group like Nirvana is so popular because Kurt Cobain actually "got it". He put Melody first before anything (According to his band mates) and it shows if you listen to their albums.

Recently there haven't been very many melodic songs, like for instance that "Sexy Back" by Justin Timberlake.  That had to be the most un-melodic repetitive tripe i've ever heard.  Same goes for other popular songs currently like that really crappy Maroon 5 song and pretty much any Rap song that has been released in the last year.

I agree somewhat. Nirvana were aggressive and loud, but they were good musicians and seemed to put alot of effort into their music. I do think songs like "Come As You Are" and "In Bloom" were quite melodic in their own way, though.