What do you listen to? I must admit that since I bought a streamer and a subscription, I have only bought a few CD’s. The day something comes out, it’s out there and usually in high res, which I can’t get on a CD.
Music for 2022- Is It Just Me Or?..
Hello All!
December is now here and I realize that I have not purchased as much music this year. Being a Redbook guy I normally buy an average of 150-200 titles a year. So far this year-30 (and it’s not for lack of looking). I’m getting another order ready and have only 25 titles that want to own so far.
So- I wanted to put this question out to the group to see if it’s just me thinking this or if others feel the same-
Have you found 2022 do be a boring year when it comes to new and interesting music?
Not talking about reissued “one more for the road” stuff.
33 responses Add your response
I’m always looking for new music- there’s a catalog that I use which comes out 2-3 times a year, the rest of the time I check new releases on “Album Of The Year” (website that tracks new releases). There’s also Bandcamp- which is also helpful. As for style or genre it’s across the board (excluding country/rap/hip hop or punk). Anything I find compelling. There just didn’t seem to be as much out there this year- wondering if anyone else that felt the same. |
I'd tend to agree. It's always been tough to be a musician, but the last few years have been brutal....less live events, loss of places to play, harder to collaborate, harder to find people to collaborate with, finding new talent. That all adds up to less money and resources to record new music or bring new acts/collaborations up. I believe it'll get much better going into 2023-24 as things "catch-up" and ease back into just the normal challenges musicians have. That said, there is a good amount out there and I have been happy with what I have found, it's also given me a chance to catch up on a few 'old' new bands and recordings (I spent a good deal of time comparing various Beethoven 9th's - Von Karajan is right now my favorite.) Subscriptions to various magazines and websites (Music-Map is one I recommend) has helped me uncover more music. Also, expanding your genre's helps. I never really got into Death/Black/Doom Metal, but found Ghost and have enjoyed them. |
@jafant There are artists that I regularly follow but I’m always seeking out new artists as well. I was never really into jazz but have been paying more attention to these artists over the last couple of years. @deadhead1000 I see truth in your point regarding the difficulties over these last couple of years and must say you’re better than me when it comes to the classics! While I’ve always listened to KUSC (Los Angeles Classical) I rarely purchase classical music. With so many versions/variations I never know where to begin.
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I have not bought any new music this year, none of the new artists hold any interest from me. My wife ordered the “PF Animals” SACD for me for Christmas. Hopefully it lives up to the hype as I already have 2 or 3 other versions already. I still say the best Rock music was produced from the mid 60’s through the 70’s. That was a very magical time for innovative music. |
I believe it is human nature to have a 10 -15 period that was most influential to our musical tastes, unusally the time between age 10 - 25 give or take. We tend to be less accepting of "new" music as we age. Having said that, I was into my 60's when I really started to listen to jazz and classical music. Can't say why it turned me off when I was listening to rock in the late 60's and through the 70's, but having finally found it, I would say jazz and classical now make up about 70% of what I listen to. Is Beethoven new at 250 years? Maybe the good stuff really is timeless. Can't really believe any of the current music will still be listened to in 25 years, let alone 250? Mick Jagger may have asked "Can't You Hear Me Knocking?" but when I open the door it's Christian McBride. 😂 |
I find your comments interesting with regards to the periods of influence and how tastes change over time (which I definitely agree with). For me, having had a love for listening to music since the age of 5 (when I got my first Beatles records) my interest has been long running. In my case I would say I was very influenced between the age of 10 to my early 20’s but something changed when I reached my 30’s. I think that change was driven by access to more available funds and the growth (as well as my exposure) of the internet. I’m in my late 50’s now and have I would say that from age 35 on I have been more interested in music than I was in my teen years. In fact- I’ve bought more music in the last 10 years than at any other point in my life. As for changing tastes I have realized this as well- but mostly in a broader sense. I’ve become more aware of the vast collection of music that is available and with that a greater appreciation of it. This motivates me to continue seeking new artists and music. As for the “unaccepting” aspect of it- that would fall solely into rap/hip hop or any of the “whiny” pop vocal music that seems rampant today. Not only do I not get it- I don’t see that it holds any artistic value (but to each his own). I’m not sure where my preferences will be in another 10 years or more but I do see my interests changing and I think that’s a good thing! But still- I think 2022 was a slow year when it comes to music.
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For me it has nothing to do with the lack of new music. The reason I have knocked down 90% of my vinyl and CD purchases is streaming. Duh. I now feel stupid buying new records when I can get them for free other than a small monthly fee. About a couple times a month I will purchase a physical copy of some album that is just out of this world to my ears, but buying about 10 to 20 a month will never happen again. Plus with over 2k vinyl and 300 CDs, I am running out of storage room. Thank you streaming, life saver, best music invention since stereo. |
Check my house of stereo system. It includes vinyl, CDs and streaming. The three systems have a slightly different presentation but there is no way I can say I prefer one over another. Streaming actually offers a wider soundstage on most recordings. The key is to be able to have a setup that allows you to control the low frequencies, i.e. subwoofers. Streaming in my room requires a little more toned down low frequencies than CDs or specially vinyl. My vinyl rig cost three times the cost of my streaming rig and twice my CD rig. So in my experience streaming is the future and folks on this site eventually talked me into it even so I used to say I would never do it as I liked tangible media too much. So glad I kept an open mind since a totally new world of musical discoveries has opened to me. |
I can’t get into the new stuff. I’m still mining record shops for old cds to rip to my nas and used lps. I’m so downloading much more that I ever have. There’s still lots of old gems just waiting to be explore….I stay excited about that and the hunt. Streaming on the other hand isn’t doing it for me right now. Maybe the next phase. |
So Far this year I've purchased 3 albums (CD) and a 13 CD box set Of Jean Ferrat's work (1961-1979).. I have the Ferrat collection (plus more) on LP, but wanted it on CD for the convenience. The last purchase was "A Meeting by the River" Cooder/Bhatt released in 1993. The Cooder album came from a link/referral I read in these forums and it was puchased and on its way within an hour of reading the post. I listen to new music on YT, but rarely come across anything I wish to own. However, I do find older music that I missed along the way. My time frame (poplar music) ranges from the 1930's through to the mid 1980's, or so. A wider range than what bigtwin mentions, but then I do seem to pretty much stop in the 80's. I was 30 years old in 1985 so I do think that he's onto something.
DeKay
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+1 @dinov That is ME to a Tee... exact same experience. |
Not for me! For the genres I listen to (various subgenres of prog, jazz, modern classical), 2022 was a pretty good year. Not as good as some, but still good. This is probably about 25% of my purchases of new, not reissues or archive material, in 2022. Green Asphalt - S/T / New Swedish band with some definite Gentle Giant influences. Really good stuff, this! October Equus - Noches Blancas, Luces Rojas / Spanish band in the avant-prog subgenre. Somewhat dark, but with moments of playfulness. Mary Halvorson - Amarylis / Near brilliant progressive jazz by this creative guitarist. Mary Halvorson - Belladonna / More in the chamber-jazz vein. Unsuk Chin – Scherben der Stille (Shards of Silence), for violin and orchestra / This woman can do no wrong, in my book. Another great contemporary composition. Magnus Lindberg - 3rd piano concerto This list is far from complete, and I didn’t even list any of the great ECM label releases for 2022.
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boring...hell no.
I've been picking up a lot of releases
most are new releases.
talas megadouche xentrix kreator vinnie moore quartz tysondog candlemass white spirit inhuman condition razor helstar tad morose anvil blind guardian stratovarius satriani melvins paul gilbert satans host pat travers after all grave digger sinner tankard venom Inc protector dark throne darkest era jack starr cloven hoof akira takasaki loudness black swan satan sabbrabells destruction vio-lenceairbourne box set holy moses axe 5cd box ghostrider lillian axe fugitive - wicked 5 song EP X-ray complete cd box now waiting to buy the United complete cd box
many more on the radar, been a fantastic year for music !!!!!!!
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There’s a NYT article today talking about new music. So a ripoff of a ripoff. We’re talking about mind-bending levels of artistic vacancy here. Here’s the laughable apologia offered by the NYT writer for this stupefyingly-low standard of originality in modern pop music: ”No longer burdened by the expectation of innovation, established artists essentially use these well-worn samples to firmly insert themselves into the historical pop slipstream.” Ya can’t make this stuff up. |
Right? After reading your post I did a lookup on these songs. Beyoncé and “Her future husband Jay Z” is how it came up- Yay! So I watched the first 10 seconds and shut it off. Next onto Saucy Santana (whom I had never heard of and hope to not ever again) and I was utterly speechless. I shut it off after 10 seconds as well but unfortunately I will never be able to “unsee” what I was exposed to. |
There is no denying that current mainstream pop music is pure and utter trash. Anyone who says otherwise is lying or has no taste.
There’s certainly no denying that it’s getting increasingly difficult to find current pop music of interest.
I guess I’ll check out the end of year reviews that most magazines love to do and see if there’s anything of any interest there. Dylan’s Rough and Rowdy ways remains the last album I got excited about, and that’s now over two and half years old. Earlier today I was playing I Miss You and was thinking that’s a fairly recent song - until I realised it almost 20 years old. It used to be that only the years went by so fast, now it seems like it’s entire decades...
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I like to look at end of year lists and see the type of music I like in several lists. This year I’ve got several things I like and there might be more. Alvvays: Blue Rev Big Thief: Dragon New Warm Mount Soccer Mommy: Sometimes, Forever Hatchie: Giving the World Away Alex G: God Save the Animals Crumb: Ice Melt Beach House: Once Twice Melody There were a couple I picked up this year that actually came out last year: Pip Blom: Welcome Break Tristen: Aquatic Flowers What is great is that you can look at the reviews and then play the entire album on YouTube or on a streaming service. Even better are the artists who play live on KEXP or NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts shown on YouTube so you get a sense of who they really are. I’m checking out the Spoon release Lucifer on the Sofa. I’ll check out a few more. That’s a pretty good haul for me.
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I just did my last buy for 2022 a couple of weeks ago and (as I wrote when starting this thread) only picked up about 35 titles. So that puts me down to about a third of what I’ve usually bought in the past. Looking over your stuff- I’ve always found Alex G entertaining but could never bring myself to purchase Beach House or Soccer Mommy. Listened to Big Thief but have never purchased. I do the same thing as you’ve described- get a list and roll through via Spotify. When I’m done with the list I go back and listen to it again just to make sure I’m in. You should try AOTM’s website (Album of the Year) for really comprehensive lists. They update as the titles are released and you can sort by genres. Hopefully 2023 brings more offerings (at least for stuff I’m interested in). |
I don’t buy that many as I would never really have an opportunity to get to know the albums. Using the old "back in the day," you used to buy an album with almost no chance to hear it before unless in a record store, radio or a friend’s house. You had to replay the record all the way through many times sometimes before you "got it." Soccer Mommy is someone that I hadn’t really cared for before but I really like her new one. It actually sounds somewhat similar to what Alvvays is doing and I love Alvvays. Alex G is a new one for me. I listened to the new one a few times and enjoyed it. I’ve also listened to his older albums to see if I should go there but they haven’t caught me like this one. Sounds sort of like Sufjan Stevens with more of an edge. Beach House takes a bit of time to actually catch the melodies they put out. It’s a matter if you want to put in the time. Big Thief is something you like or you don't. The singer/songerwriter, Adrianne Lenker, is just really talented and the band adds a lot to the songs. I’ve always thought that music changes the way your brain works and sometimes there is a real learning curve for the brain. Please list your favorites for this year. I’d be interested in what you thought was the best this year. |