Forums → Popular Media → Are new music genres good? (Trap/Reggaeton/Pop)

Are you aiming at new music genres in general, or trap/reggaeton/pop specifically?

Generally, I think whether a musical genre is new or old has no influence on how good it is. It's just the normal evolution of music. Plenty of newer rock/metal genres that are great.

I don't really know anything about trap or reggaeton. Pop, is pop really that new anymore after more than half a century of existence? I assume you mean the contemporary pop artists and not, say, the Beatles. I don't think contemporary pop is bad per se, but most artists are kind of bland. In that I tend to agree with you.

I was thinking of the music teens and young people tend to listen to, and where I live (Spain), that music is trap or reggaeton.
Believe me, you are lucky of not having to deal with trap and reggaeton. Just search "Maluma" on Google.

And, about pop:
I'm not criticizing old pop, I actually like it. I'm talking about the new pop -because of its generic lyrics and rythm, that are all the same in all songs- that makes me think that if you listen to one song, you've listened to all. For example Taylor Swift or Britney Spears.

I agree with you in the idea that a genre's "age" doesn't make it intrinsically good or bad, but a newer genre has got less time to perfectionate than an older one. And if that new genre is the one teens listen to (and they will listen to anything), it won't get better over time.

Tl;Dr
Young music is usually bad because it has no "detractors" and where I live people only listen to trap and reggaeton, so I don't know what teens will listen to in the rest of Europe (Aiming at reggaeton, trap, pop and all popular music).

I guess it also plays a role that a lot of modern pop is largely commercial music; which is fine for some people (teens and young people, as you say ^^), but uninteresting for others. You cannot compare this to e.g. Blues music, which, apart from being older, originated in an entirely different context.

I think you also have to consider that most of young people like what it is called "bubblegum pop", which is the one that has a very repetitive melody and simple lyrics (aka, Taylor Swift, or almost any popular singer). However, there are new pop artists that are quite good (from my point of view, of course), but are also unknown. The thing is that the vast mayority of people like to listen to simple music and doesn't even bother to read the lyrics... That's why reggaeton is very popular (I also live in Spain, so... XD)

So I googled reggaeton, clicked the first hour long mix and wherever I skipped the music was exactly the same. Maybe it makes it easier to twerk?
I guess it's best to avoid the radio and use last.fm or something. When you're not exposed to these products you'll again be able to say there's a lot of great new music being made.

Music is a subjective thing. I for one, don't like the beatles since it's not my style, even though they're legends in music history. So new music styles may not be your thing but they can be well composed or have a deeper meaning to their lyrics or are able to give you a certain emotion etc... It just depends on what makes you feel good

Taylor Swift's lyrics are repetitive but her music is most certainly not.

Bubblegum pop isn't what people listen to today. Bubblegum pop came from the 70s lol. It's a very specific genre.

I don't think it's right to generalize songs that belong to one genre. Doesn't matter where in time, there was always bad and good music. There was always taste and very subjective opinions. I feel as though there are a lot of pop songs that are worth listening to if you can appreciate the kind of work put into producing a song.

the rythm just seems too repetitive for me

For the most part, if a rhythm wasn't repetitive, it would sound absurd or all over the place if the song managed to stay on key. there are only so many notes that belong in one kay to be able to make differing patterns. In music, if you change one noter from major to minor, or any other variation, it could potentially change the whole mood of the song, let alone changing who whole note. Of course, I couldn't explain in detail why, but if you wanted to know, just learn an instrument in the most basic level and try replacing one note/chord with another for the whole song, you'll see.

I don't listen to reggeaton, but I see that's super monotonous.

Trap - I can't come around to most djs, like I don't understand why Marshmello is so popular. But I like some mixes and one great dj - The Fat Rat.

Pop - probably every pop song might be sung and played in C-G-Am-F chords (or I-V-VI-IV in other keys). They use proven tunes, hooks, sometimes lyrics. Musicians try to create hits and not cacophony.

And repetitiveness within songs makes them more catchy for me.

They use proven tunes, hooks, sometimes lyrics. Musicians try to create hits and not cacophony.

And repetitiveness within songs makes them more catchy for me.

If you make music to be successful, your motivations are obviously different from those of artists who make music out of passion.

Every currently successful musician will tell in interviews that he/she performs mostly from passion (even if they sing about accumulating dough). Maybe past stars would be more honest about this.

I pay attention to motifs too. Like in this song:
Kingdom Of Heaven Soundtrack - Crusaders
Mixed Arabic and Church choir and accompaniment, very interesting. Apropos it's a good example on how too much repetitiveness makes songs boring, but it's just an assemble of 1:40 film score. By a catchy repeatability I meant a similar structure of bits.

From OP:

the lyrics have less meaning than some years ago; or no meaning at all.

I don't know - pop and alike might be more direct in meaning cause that's the trend? Rap songs should be a solution for someone who seeks a deeper message - good hip-hop is soaked with meaning.

In general it mostly comes down to the difference between a successful musican and a producer who produces party hits and only hires singers (or talks and calls that rapping)

I pay attention to motifs too. Like in this song:
Kingdom Of Heaven Soundtrack - Crusaders friday night funkin
Mixed Arabic and Church choir and accompaniment, very interesting. Apropos it's a good example on how too much repetitiveness makes songs boring, but it's just an assemble of 1:40 film score. By a catchy repeatability I meant a similar structure of bits.