2. music
  3. 1122578980

What is the test of time?

The followint quote is from an interesting post in another thread:
I don't think it will stand the test of time. Most music doesn't.
What exactly is the proverbial test of time though? Critics spout that phrase all the time. But what exactly qualifies something to have stood the test of time? Critics said that rap wouldn't last over twenty years ago. Critics said that pop wouldn't last over forty years ago. Critics said that r&b wouldn't last over fifty years ago. Critics said that swing wouldn’t last over seventy years ago...

Interesting subject. Since the dawn of recording technology and especially now, people everywhere are scrambling to archive recordings of the past into whatever is the latest, greatest medium and format. In light of this, just about everything ever recorded will survive time. But still the question remains, what is the "test" of time. If anyone on earth listens to something long forgotten, does that mean it has stood the test of time?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the topic. What is the “test of time” to you?
creeper

Showing 3 responses by ozfly

ozfly
887 posts
 
Maybe it has to do with whether critics still like it after a hundred years?? Beethoven is still good. Coltrane will likely still be good. Will critics still even care about some of the very good music well received today?

Or,if it's about people liking something (rather than critics), I have a story for you to ponder. I remember taking a music appreciation class in junior high school. During one class, we were asked to vote whether the Beatles or the Monkeys were the better band. As you can imagine, this happened some time ago ;-) The class was split down the middle. If those same people came together again today, I wonder if they would vote the same way? I'd wager that the Beatles did better at standing the test of time.

I don't think that a musical style is so much the issue though. It seems to me that particular songs are what's important. Relatively few people buy or listen to Classical music for instance, but it has stood the test of time.

Oh well, I may be rambling. This is an interesting topic and I look forward to reading the thoughts of others on it.
ozfly
887 posts
 
Going back to my example, I may have made an error since I compared 13 year olds in the past with folks a whole lot older than that today. If a bunch of 13 year olds were put in a room today and they listened to the Monkeys and the Beatles, I bet two things would happen:
1) A lot of the kids would prefer the Monkeys
2) A lot of the kids wouldn't like either band

Hmmmm.
ozfly
887 posts
 
Kthomas, I agree with Creeper. That's a fine test. I would add that "N" needs to span generations. For example, "Do other generations still actively listen to it"
More to discover