Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Music today has definitely stagnated creatively. Most new music could have easily came out in the late 90's and know one would have batted an eyelid over its sound.
How was the 00s better than the 90s in ANY regard? The 90s crush the 00s economically, culturally, far less foreign conflicts, etc.
I'd argue the current decade is better when addressing the original question (QOL). Our cities are certainly better with less crime (no crack era) and cleaner streets, technology has brought us all together and brought a better exchange of ideas, and we're socially further along as far as race relations, gay rights, etc.
Yes, but before then she was only a part of Destiny's Child. I didn't know Beyonce; I knew Destiny's Child. And I don't know too much about those kind of bands, but I bet TLC would give them a run for their money - and at least that singer from TLC got famous as an individual when she burnt her man's mansion down.
Simply put, when she began doing solo work, she took on an individual identity that she never had before.
I made an exception for synthpop / new wave music during the 1980s. As for the house stars, yes, I do admit they were very popular and I kind of overlooked them, but they did not dominate the U.S. charts in the same way that electro-pop does today.
Also, I don't think it's at all suitable to group Katy Perry and Lady Gaga in with Depeche Mode and New Order. Although they all synthesizer-driven music, the nature of the synthesizer is that it can take on all kinds of different sounds.
Yes, it is a seismic shift. Or almost that.
I didn't say that rappers didn't make records with pop stars. I said that today's music with rappers in it sounds a lot like the eurodance diva-and-rapper combination in the 1990s (Real McCoy and La Bouche were two bands of that type of music who became somewhat popular in the US), which was sung / rapped over a fast 4/4 dance beat. Not a male rapper / female R & B combo like Jay-Z & Mya or Old Dirty Bastard and Mariah Carey over a slow rap beat. That's obviously been popular in the U.S. for a long time. I'm talking about stuff like this:
I don't know of any American rap hit before 2009 that used a fast, 4/4 disco beat (>125 BPM). That's enough of a change. It might not be in the "image" the rappers want to convey, but it is in the music itself. Most rap back in the '90s was under 100-110 BPM, usually in the 90-100 BPM range. Most of Dr. Dre's (hit) tracks were between 85 and 95 BPM; Snoop Dogg's tracks were generally between 75 and 105 BPM. The majority of 2Pac's songs were from 75 to 110 BPM. Ice Cube does have a lot of songs that appear fast in the BPM listing for DJ's, although upon listening to them it appears that he used some technique that doubled the BPMs (deceptive 2/4 cadences?) while maintaining the same rhythm. Even in the mid-2000s, most hit rap was slow: Nelly's "Shake Ya Tailfeather" was 87 BPM, 50 Cent's "In Da Club" was 90 BPM. Now for comparison, Flo-Rida - a rapper in the current style - sets most of his tracks at around 125-130 BPM.
A. YOU didn't know who Beyonce was. That didn't mean the entire world didn't. They had 4 #1 singles, 3 Top 5 albums, and sold 700,000 copies in a week. That sounds like superstardom to me. They performed the theme song for "Charlie's Angels". They were the best selling female group of all-time. It's like saying, "Nobody knew who Diana Ross was before she left The Supremes". It's absurd. You may not have known who Beyonce was, but she was already a household name in the late '90s/early '00s.
B. Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Katy Perry, etc. . .aren't the offsprings of Depeche Mode, they're the off springs of early Madonna, when she did electro style music like "Everybody" and Grace Jones, Annie Lennox from the Eurythmics, Debbie Harry from Blondie, and Dale Bozzio from Missing Persons.
C. I say it's not a seismic shift because people are rapping about the SAME THINGS with the same intentions, just using dance beats to rap about girls, money, cars, jewelry, and swagger.
Contrast that with the '80s that went from party rap to gangsta rap and socially conscious rap.
I don't consider certain tempos changing being cultural shifts. Tempo changes don't change the way people dress, talk, and act.
So yes, you may have more rappers rapping over 4/4 beats at 120 minutes, but if they're basically dressed the same, with a few exceptions, talking the same, and acting the same it's not a seismic shift.
I showed you the pictures of Poison & Motley Crue VS. Nirvana and Pearl Jam.
The difference between Jay-Z and Flo-Rida is not that big. I'm sorry. As a Hip-Hop head, I see just a progression of the SAME thing, not something totally new and different.
Last edited by Lake County IN; 03-01-2012 at 10:27 PM..
How was the 00s better than the 90s in ANY regard? The 90s crush the 00s economically, culturally, far less foreign conflicts, etc.
The 90s were just terrible compared to the 80s. The foolish culture that tried to be different (but was terrible) in the 90s ended. The people grew up. 80s were the best. 90s were too close to the best. 00s at that point could look back and compare. After y2k, culture much more clearer/smarter.
The 90s were just terrible compared to the 80s. The foolish culture that tried to be different (but was terrible) in the 90s ended. The people grew up. 80s were the best. 90s were too close to the best. 00s at that point could look back and compare. After y2k, culture much more clearer/smarter.
Yes, I will agree that the 80s were great, especially popular culture. 80s movies were mostly great with awesome sound tracks. 80s TV and music were also good. Computer technology was emerging. I remember enjoying computer games on 5 1/4 inch floppy disks like Digger (Pac Man imitation). Economically the mid to late 80s was pretty good overall, but the suburbs did substantially better than the cities.
Note: This is an offshoot from the "Better Quality of Life - 50's and 60's or Now?" thread.
From what I recall, families for the most part were able to maintain a decent standard of living with responsible spending. There were still a fair amount of one-income families, but a two-income household usually assured at least a middle-class standard of living. There were a few wars and minor recessions here and there, but not to the extent of being life-altering to an entire nation.
The amenities we have today were still around in these days, but just in a more simplified way (but were still entertaining) Instead of Wiis and Playstations, we had Ataris and 8 & 16 bit Nintendos. Instead of HDTV and a trillion satellite channels, we had stereo and basic cable & broadcast channels with quality shows. Instead of T1 and broadband, we had Dial-Up and DSL. Instead of mp3 and iPods, we had cassettes/CDs and walkmans. Despite these things, people still maintained a sense of awareness and communication with the outside world.
Also, people back then seemed a lot more social and outgoing. Parties and get-togethers were more than common during these days (and it wasn't just for birthdays or holidays). The demeanor of many people were more approachable and with less attitude, which made it easier to socialize and meet people in general. The way of making friends and meeting people of the opposite sex involved less manipulation and games, and was just more upfront and genuine. And people - for the most part - used to work out their problems, instead of quitting and pinning blame on everyone else like today.
I could go one and on, but to be honest, it's very hard to argue that today is better than the 1950s for everyone except for perhaps white christian men. But compared to the 1980s and especially the 1990s, the only improvement I've seen in this decade is in technology (a faster and more interactive internet, more video game graphics, utilization of cell phones as computers, etc.). I understand times and trends change, but why does it seem to be for the worst in 9 out of 10 categories.
I know that the (mid-late) 2000s were good and 2010s will be better for me - by a default financial standpoint - because my standard of living increased by attaining a college degree in a decent major, and I'll be able to mobilize myself easier if I don't like a certain city/region. But I'm asking this for the general aspect of the quality of living and the outlook of the 2000s and the upcoming decade.
Depends on what measure.
Pop culture was definitely better in the 80s and 90s. Everything wasn't so bland and cookie cutter. You still had original and creative things happening in the 80s and 90s. People could still sing (before Auto Tune). Cartoons beside Johnny Test and Spongebob aired on television. The fashion was new and unique.
Socially, we're better off. We had to contend with the crack-cocaine epidemic in the 80s and 90s. Furthermore, racism has been squashed even further since then. Minorities are also better represented in corporate america now. Fianlly, homosexuality is far more accepted in mainstream society toady verus back in the 1980s and 1990s.
Economically, we're about the same as we were in the early 1980s (slightly worse) and much worse than we were in the late 80s and throughout the 1990s.
Great question...one that I think about all the time. As others have said that there quality of life is better now because of jobs, family, etc.. well obviously as you progress through life these changes occur (hopefully for the better). The time period in which these occur does not matter because this will be different for everyone and everyone will be happy at different points in time . For instance, I am happier now than ever with my family, job, career, home, etc... but if I could transplant all of that to the 80's/90's I would do it in a heartbeat.
The actual quality of life was much better then, as time progresses, technology has brought our society into a downward spiral which will never recover. Although technology has made life very convienient it has also made us extremely lazy.
As I was saying I remember going outside to play, remembering getting excited when there was a message on the answering machine at home, remember reading the corner cupboard in the newspaper Sunday mornings to see what people were selling. Watching cartoons on Saturday mornings that were actually related to kids. Shopping for music in an actual music shop and being anxious about a new release, or browsing for ever in a video store with my father to pick out a good movie for the family. Hearing a song I like on the radio and using my tape recorder to tape it off the radio with incredibly bad clarity. When McDonalds was actually geared towards kids and it was a treat to go. This is to just name a few of the things that kids miss out on today.
People today are very impatient, they need cell phones so they can keep in contact with the world at all times. Now they have smart phones...look around everyone is a slave to these things, they own society. Computers make our jobs easy but the internet has put local business out of business, allowed people to make friends with people who they have never met and probably never will. Because of this they have no social life, they would rather stay in on the computer talking to people on the internet rather than going out and meeting actual people. Then theres the whole gaming systems...what a waste of a brain. Sure have fun with them on a rainy day or if its too cold outside but thats it. Its really the parents to blame, but it is excepted in todays society. There is no creativity anymore and these are the future leaders of our country.
The music was much better back then as well as much more appropriate. Today a kid cant even listen to the radio, never mind watch a tv show. What once would have never been aired is now the norm. I miss shows like married with children, seinfeld, home improvement..just to name a few. Music actually used to have genres, today its all mixed into one.
Today there are too many rules in place. You cant say this or that because its not politically correct and you may offend this person or that person. You can never make everyone happy. As bad as it sounds, the anti bullying thing in schools. I was bullied, but it made me who I am today. There have always been bullies throughout history, just let it go. In schools around me kids cant invite certain people to their party from class because it may hurt feelings of those not invited.
This doesnt even touch the tip of the iceburg about how I feel.
The economy of the 90s destroys the 80s. Music in the 80s was ruined by overproduced synth sound on everything. Veteran artists did their worst work in the 80s, only redeeming themselves at the very end of the decade.
Movies? Easily the 90s.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
