What current music survive the test of time?

[Edwin Santos]

Ken

The actual musical compositions of the Beatles were/are very simple.

Hello,
Not long ago I caught a documentary by a guy that deconstructed the studio engineering work the Beatles did on the Sgt Pepper's album. He included Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane which were intended to be part of Sgt Pepper's but were released early on Magical Mystery Tour. The groundbreaking work they did in the studio was anything but simple. IMO very high forms of art can appear simple on the surface, with mass instinctive appeal, but also with deep complexity below the surface that will continue to enthrall the scholar. The Beatles had that. Even their early music showcased very intricate harmony work. There is an Italian music scholar on YouTube who analyzes some of it.

In modern music, lyrical content, themes, and emotional impact can be an important element and with all due respect to Zappa and his musicianship, I think comparing his lyrics to the themes the Beatles touched would be like comparing Howard Stern to Shakespeare.

Along the same lines of multi-dimensional music, I'd like to throw Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon on the list of music that will stand the test of time in this regard.

Edwin

[Curt Harms]

Glen Campbell, James Taylor, and Stephen Stills are probably the three most underrated guitar players of recent vintage.
(Almost said "living"...for some reason, I keep forgetting Campbell is dead.)

There was an interesting article in the sunday Parade magazine about Glen Campbell written by his wife. He had Alzheimer's and would display the mental symptoms - until he got on stage.

[Jerome Stanek]

You mean like Zappa's "Dinah-Moe Humm"

[Jim Tobias]

I am in full agreement with Edwin. When the Beatles quit touring and went into the studio and began to create ….they have few equals. Their musical became unique and was anything but simple. I might add, that most things that "stand the test of time" are not always the Most complex, but have some key ingredient(chord sequence/progression that appeals to the human ear/soul. Call it musical genius or creativity or whatever......it just gets your attention.
And just so this doesn't sound like a Beatles only rant, I also believe that Jethro Tull (Ian Anderson/Martin Barre) will be recognized more for their creative music than they are now

Jim

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ken
No worries, The Beatles will always have their place in the history of rock and music. Which will always be at the top. Their songs will last a long, long time.
My comments were directed more at the actual complexity of the music itself, and would there be enough in 100 years, that would still interest people to the point that it inspired them. Not the words, just the musical score. I've never cared, or really listened to the words in songs. It was always the technical with me.
The actual musical compositions of the Beatles were/are very simple. I had a lot more trouble learning Al DiMeola.
As a musician, guitar and bass, there are a lot of folks that people just never realized how talented they were, because they didn't learn to play their work.
I'll tell you a secret. Glen Campbell was a helluva of a guitar player. He was a virtuoso. Most people today just know him from True Grit, if they know him at all.

I realized Glen Campbell was a skilled guitar player. He played with the Beach Boys for a while so he proved he wasn't just locked into a country music style.

Sitting in my office is my Fender Power Jazz bass, about 5 feet from me is my Fender BXR 300 bass amp. Across the family room is my Takamine flat top 6 string and next to it is my classical I bought in 1970 in Brunswick, GA while attending a class at NATTC Brunswick, GA, a base that no longer exists. I love my bass but due to being deaf hearing only with my cochlear implant, my low frequency hearing is limited. (16 electrodes can't replace 21,000 hairs in the inner ear and get the same results.) Thus my amp and bass guitar will be relocating to a friends music shop and put up for sale.

That being said, I rejoice daily that I can still put on some really good headphones over my hearing gear and enjoy music. It quells the beast in me somedays.

Since becoming deaf I have bought a lot of orchestra music, a lot of 60's & 70's rock and even some Broadway musicals on CD. I rejoice daily I can still enjoy music, albeit at a reduced quality.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

I think Broadway Musicals are a sorely neglected art form. While I haven't listened to any of the musicals of the past decade, the classics of 50 years ago have some amazing music that still get feet tapping. A few took over the airwaves of contemporary music back then. As Operettas they shine. Although I always hated Cats. Which last I checked, for some bizarre reason, was/is owned by the US National Park Service. I understand why God Bless America is owned by a foundation for the boy scouts and Girl scouts, but Cats owned by a US Gov't agency? Some movie themes are incredible also. The theme from Big Country is the quintessential western theme and is far greater than the movie..

[Bill Jobe]

I think Bob Dylan will have some of his in that group.

I agree, Jerome.

[Stan Calow]

I dont think anyone will be listening to the pop music of today one hundred years from now with anything other than a historical interest or for amusement. How much popular music of the 1900s do we listen too now and you'd throw into that category? Tiptoe Through the Tulips? Rudee Vallee? Maybe Sousa. Taken out of context, most of the rock and roll "classics" are just important to the people who grew up with them. I don't see any Hip Hop or Tejano mentioned, which certainly is important to a lot of people.

[Ole Anderson]

I am certainly no expert in the subject, but I can't help but notice the complexity of most any genre of music, other than classical and jazz, over the last generation is head and shoulders above anything from a hundred or even fifty years ago, not to mention the fidelity and production value of the recording arts. Same can be said of movies, every time I watch an old classic, it is about all I can do to sit through it. Sure glad they don't make them like they used to. What current music will survive the test of time? Define "survive the test of time". IMO all of it to some degree. Just go to Sirius XM. So many genres it is mind boggling even more genres yet on the streaming services. Even a 1940's channel in XM. Just run through the radio dial on a big city FM dial, then multiply that by tenfold or more out there in electronic space, all preserved in a digital medium that will sound as good a thousand years from now as today. Unlike stuff from a hundred years ago.

[Kev Williams]

I have a cousin who explained to me once why, in his opinion, a lot of music- much that I really like listening to, like .38 Special, Journey, Def Leppard, Van Halen, Foreigner to name a few- likely won't stand the test of time: It's "Formula" music... The formula being, some catchy riffs, a catchy beat, a verse of catchy lyrics, a chorus, another verse or two, another chorus or two... "pick out a half dozen formula songs, the music's different and the lyrics are different, but it's all the same song."

As the years have gone by, I've come to agree. But I still love my catchy formula music!

As to current artists, Nightwish probably won't be a music force in the future, but their music is about all I listen to lately. The old saying 'if it's too loud, you're too old!' is, sadly, coming into play after 64 years. Example, I used to love Nazareth anything, now it's just noise... - But Nightwish keeps me looking for higher volume! - The combination of they-do-metal-well, the symphonic overtones, their love of performing, and the fact that Floor Jansen can sing, I'm hooked-- I and I love it loud! (good sound equipment helps)

Since I don't listen to much other music, no clue who's going to linger on after their gone...

[Lee DeRaud]

I have a cousin who explained to me once why, in his opinion, a lot of music- much that I really like listening to, like .38 Special, Journey, Def Leppard, Van Halen, Foreigner to name a few- likely won't stand the test of time: It's "Formula" music... The formula being, some catchy riffs, a catchy beat, a verse of catchy lyrics, a chorus, another verse or two, another chorus or two... "pick out a half dozen formula songs, the music's different and the lyrics are different, but it's all the same song."

My music-major college roommate, with an incredible baritone voice, used to love to confound music snobs by pointing out that "Deutschland Uber Alles"/"Ode To Joy" and "My Darling Clementine" were actually the same song by singing each with the other's lyrics.

[Rick McQuay]

AC/DC is playable on almost any classic instrument, sounds great with or without vocals, and translates to many music styles. I believe they will be remembered, played, and interpreted, for a long time from now. Some of these you might have to skip forward a minute or so.

cellos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfGggAGITwg

bluegrass
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pST4tHrc6Q4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4Ao-iNPPUc

next level instrumental guitar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMPWfHqVj40

nerd metal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnrogbZC3b0

bagpipe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-Op1Mng4oY

nazis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAWkLsWQCY8

rap
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoNMpfNVymQ

jazz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34AqFw3D78Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtNhboONGO8

I don't know ... ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n_vgID3I8A

I rest my case. Whatever style of music they are playing in 100 years, I bet AC/DC will be there.

[Kev Williams]

"Highway to Hell" -

Start with some catchy riffs, catchy beat, a verse of catchy lyrics:
Living easy, living free
Season ticket on a one-way ride
Asking nothing, leave me be
Taking everything in my stride
Don't need reason, don't need rhyme
Ain't nothing I would rather do
Going down, party time
My friends are gonna be there too

-a chorus-
I'm on the highway to hell
On the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell

-another verse-
No stop signs, speed limit
Nobody's gonna slow me down
Like a wheel, gonna spin it
Nobody's gonna mess me around
Hey Satan, paid my dues
Playing in a rocking band
Hey mama, look at me
I'm on my way to the promised land, whoo!

-another chorus-
I'm on the highway to hell
Highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell
Highway to hell

-short, but another verse-
Don't stop me

-another chorus-
I'm on the highway to hell
On the highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell
On the highway
Yeah, highway to hell
I'm on the highway to hell
Highway to hell
Highway to hell
And I'm going down
All the way
Whoa!
I'm on the highway to hell
================

Of course, some formula music is better than others

[Mike Null]

Here's a monkey wrench. How popular would the classical music be if it wasn't subsidized, virtually all over the world? Would you ever hear it?

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

My Sweet Lord was copied from He's so Fine
Your the Reason God Made Oklahoma copied from Rocky Top
and dozens of others. Two years ago, I heard a Country Artist singing his arrangement of a Christmas song, is was actually the melody of a Beach Boy's Song.

As one Musician I heard give a speech. We are running out of musical possibilities. If we take all the possible notes, rests and syncopations and use a computer to generate all the possible combinations, 90 percent of the actual "listenable" combinations have already been published.