According to SoundScan, 2015 represented the first time since the data have been collected that current releases were outsold by what it calls "catalogue album sales." That phrase refers to material that's been out for longer than 18 months. This prompts several observations:
1) A year and a half is kind of a low bar. Does Taylor Swift even wait that long between albums? It seems like she always has a song on Top 40 radio so I can't be sure.
2) This situation would seem to argue that older music is better than current music, but really, what can I say about this idea that Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga and the Weeknd haven't already said much more convincingly?
3) The story notes that this figure refers to sales, and many folks who listen to current hits probably do so using some streaming service. Those listens are figured differently than are sales. This would again suggest that current music is not as good, since it is not worth purchasing to listen to during times when wi-fi is not available.
4) It also notes that catalogue album sales measure exactly that -- sales of albums. Many current releases are not contained on albums but are singles only. If I were one of those middle-aged grumps who believes that music from his day is better than music these days, I might suppose this is because current artists aren't able to have more than one song worth a darn. And while I am one of those grumps, I have bought enough albums in my day to know that having only one song worth a darn -- or maybe one song worth a darn per album -- is in no way a new phenomenon.
For what it's worth, the classic rock staple which gave this post its title managed to crack the Billboard Top 30 by peaking at #28 way back in 1979, but is instantly recognized by just its eight introductory piano notes. Whereas the eight notes that open one of that year's number one singles, Robert John's "Sad Eyes," could not be picked out of a lineup. Nor should they be.
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