Why Does All Music Sound the Same; An Explanation


Since the topic of music production, mastering, and the Loudness Wars comes up frequently on the forum, here's a good tour through the process.
(It's a few years old but still very relevant).

https://medium.com/cuepoint/why-do-all-records-sound-the-same-830ba863203



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I just got a used copy of Tedeschi Trucks' "Revelator" CD in the mail today.

The DR database gives it an average DR of 10 on the CD and 11 on the vinyl. You do notice the loudness a little. Other than that it sounds pretty good to me. Certainly not up there with what I consider my reference CDs (12-16 range and flawless production) but I'm perfectly satisfied with it. Clearly and immediately of superior sound quality (all other factors taken into account) compared to recordings in the 5-6 range. Glad they made the effort. Wish they would take it up to the next level.
What sadly passes nowadays as talent . . . much like a cookie-cutter duplicate, very commercial and predictable formulas, which are mundane, boring, lousy lyrics, repetitive monotony -- with voices that use an edgy technique like ice picks or a dentist drilling in one's ear. There are too many so-called stars or artists that have very little to no style of their own, and the products they sell and the performance they produce would have been booed off the stage when people actually paid their dues and earned a place as a recording artist and a professional. 
Quite a range of comments in this discussion.  I would just note that many of those objecting to the sound of modern pop music sound remarkably like their parents did in the 1950s and 60s--many of the complaints are in fact virtually identical ( too simple, too repetitive, no talent, bad lyrics, bad sound, all sounds the same, all about marketing, etc.).  Fortunately, we didn't listen to them then, just as our kids don't listen to them now.

Fortunately, these days there is a world of music available at your fingertips.  So, if you don't like something, just listen to something else.
I don't agree with the statement in this post; I suggest a listen to a recent CD, Dave Alvin And Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Downey To Lubbock.  Nothing about it, songs, singing, playing, depth, clarity, cleanliness, makes it sound anything less than spectacular.  To me.  On my small system (Lyric Ti 140 integrated, Luxman D-05u CD player, Von Schweikert UniField 3 Mk2 speakers) its stunning.  One the big one it is too.  

Seeing them in concert tomorrow evening, am so eager.