base talk What are you missing in today's pop music?

[Solaria]

Even though I think this decade and this year especially have been strong for pop, there are still some things I'm missing and I'm sure you guys as well. What is frustrating you about the state of pop music right now? Discuss and keep it cute. 
 

I'll go first: I miss more detailed and quirky production/more intricate and layered use of synthesizers. Luckily Charli kind of offered that with brat this year, but overal songs have been getting too minimalist for my taste.

[The7thStranger]

Dynamism. The pop music scene is very static and controlled. And dull.

[PillowCase]

I miss exciting new acts who know how to set a stage on fire. 

[Just a Gay on ATRL]

I miss pop power ballads. We have too many minimalistic, soft spoken, acoustic-y ballads about vulnerability/relatability now. NO. I want vocalists belting for their life on more ballads like Unbreak My Heart, It's All Coming Back to Me Now, We Belong Together, I Have Nothing, etc.  More maximalism and melodrama pls. Ham it up and give me a chorus high as the heavens.

[Solaria]

2 minutes ago, Just a Gay on ATRL said:

I miss pop power ballads. We have too many minimalistic, soft spoken, acoustic-y ballads about vulnerability/relatability now. NO. I want vocalists belting for their life on more ballads like Unbreak My Heart, It's All Coming Back to Me Now, We Belong Together, I Have Nothing, etc.  More maximalism and melodrama pls. Ham it up and give me a chorus high as the heavens.

Agreed…. no one wants to be a power vocalista anymoreee

[Solaria]

3 minutes ago, PillowCase said:

I miss exciting new acts who know how to set a stage on fire. 

Artist development is dead. Labels just scout on TikTok now to see who already has a good following / hitmaker potential and work from there. 

[king_queen]

You need to listen to Magdalena Bay('s latest album even though their entire discography is immaculate) if you're into synth-pop

 

OT: We need more vocalists in pop music, both male and female. Tired of listening to albums where artists are singing the same 5 notes over and over again bc they lack the range 

[schnetzka]

Just now, Solaria said:

Agreed…. no one wants to be a power vocalista anymoreee

Yeah, like Ariana has the voice for it but she often chooses to not show it off. She doesn't have to do it all the time but she rarely does it. It's one extreme to the other.

[Draper.]

Iconic music videos. 

[Just a Gay on ATRL]

Just now, schnetzka said:

Yeah, like Ariana has the voice for it but she often chooses to not show it off. She doesn't have to do it all the time but she rarely does it. It's one extreme to the other.

Supernatural is what I want her to give more of. That's very much what I'm looking for.

 

I will say that Good Luck Babe & Die With a Smile kinda give me what I need in the huge belty chorus and DRAMA department. So steps in the right direction! 

[jdanton2]

5 minutes ago, Just a Gay on ATRL said:

I miss pop power ballads. We have too many minimalistic, soft spoken, acoustic-y ballads about vulnerability/relatability now. NO. I want vocalists belting for their life on more ballads like Unbreak My Heart, It's All Coming Back to Me Now, We Belong Together, I Have Nothing, etc.  More maximalism and melodrama pls. Ham it up and give me a chorus high as the heavens.

both in Pop and R&B .

[Arrows]

Mystery. I'm so tired of every musician having to be an influencer.

[JennyWayne]

Rihanna

[Solaria]

14 minutes ago, Draper. said:

Iconic music videos. 

I think Sabrina did a pretty good job on the music video front tbh. 

[Illuminati]

Big, branded eras. Brat delivered though

[Truth Teller]

Eventful videos

 

In the digital era, videos had their own separate rollout. Gaga's videos were obviously events, but I remember Britney also releasing 14 teasers for HIAM and other artists too. Now it feels like videos just drop, get talked about for a day and then no one watches them anymore. And, for that reason, they're also not particularly good or high budget.

 

Idk, maybe videos are still big events in ways that I'm 10 years too old to be keeping up with. Like, I'm not staying up on TikTok waiting to see the first 8 seconds of Tate McRae's new video. But I think it doesn't happen there either? Or maybe I'm personally not invested enough in videos to make their premiere a big deal in my own day?

[Devin]

i miss real stardom. like household names known for their talent. an artist who has the skill to be mysterious and use their gift to be authentic thru their music. someone who can make classics and turn heads on the red carpet. 

 

the problem with most these artists is lack of talent, media training, and poor communication skills. which is why so many of them fizzle out after 3-4 years.

 

so many artists wanna be relatable pedestrians and thats not the career they signed up for.

[Apostolis]

this new tired ass set of girls just don't tour around the world like the previous generation.. 

Edited 6 hours ago by Apostolis

[NEX]

Unified pop culture where everyone knew the biggest songs and the biggest artists. The culture is too fragmented right now (for better or for worse). Majority of people are clueless even about the biggest hits and names out there. 

[Wicked]

Corportate pop acts need to stop working with the same 1-3 producers.

 

Nothing interesting happens anymore. Like Moby having a production credit on 'In the Zone'.

[KahnumDash]

a cunty mariah carey album…

[Vixen Eyes]

1 hour ago, Solaria said:

Artist development is dead. Labels just scout on TikTok now to see who already has a good following / hitmaker potential and work from there. 

labels just got lazier in recent decade(s) and its sad.

[Seeyuh]

rihanna's replacement

[Vixen Eyes]

1 hour ago, Illuminati said:

Big, branded eras. Brat delivered though

this, but brat kinda came and went in the matter of a few months. its not an event anymore.

[gab00]

Top notch choreo