Musical thoughts.

     As my iPod fills up with more and more of my choice of music, I've come to realize something. For the past fifteen years or so, I feel like I have almost totally stopped listening to mainstream music. My musical growth has taken the form of composers and artists that are centuries-old, underground, or overseas. I guess I feel like I grew jaded with mainstream music too early. Most people are into mainstream music until they're in their late twenties, not 23/24.
     There's a joke I like to say. "I love music the way I love America. You have to poke and prod to find what's good and worth holding onto. Why? Because corporate assholes have been ruining it." The reason for this is target marketing. Record companies hire researches to find what's edgy, but safe. Back when mass media started, this was understandable. Cameras and recording equipment were expensive, so to maximize their use, producers chased what was the "latest" thing that "the kids" were into.
     Craig Ferguson said it best: In catering and glorifying "youth culture" they sought to embrace the vitality, energy, and fun of youth. But the problem is that they also ended up embracing the materialism and inexperience of youth.
     Now that that equipment is less expensive, and people can make an album from their basement, there's no reason that millions of people should be listening to the exact same three types of music: modern "country" (AKA tractorpop), "hip-hop" (AKA crap-hop), and that crap that passes for edgy alt-rock. This is the information age. If one person likes something, there's no reason it shouldn't spread to that person's friends like wild fire. As the internet is supposed to act as the megaphone for the word of mouth, tastes would diversify more.
     Still, in the 21st Century, Madison Avenue is still hoarding that "youth dollar". Through search engine optimization and paying for ads that appear in the corners of sites, they've made the internet work for them. In addition, instead of chasing what was the "latest" thing that "the kids" are into, they systematically create what "the kids" will be into.
     In the sea of music the shell of mainstream ice has gotten thicker. I think I just wish that everyone else had the desire to drill as much as I do. Even if they don't find the things I do, it'd be nice to hear what others would find when they drill.