Today's Music: A Rant

If this blog makes me sound like a grumpy old man, then so be it. But, some of the people who are allowed to be called musicians today really tick me off. When you need computer software to make you sound just okay, you probably should find a new profession. You do not deserve to be sold in the same store as Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Buble' or Josh Groban. These people can sing and they do not need the help of Auto-Tune to do it.

These artists would not be caught dead lip syncing on live television like a certain Ashlee Simpson. In fact, I have a recording Frank Sinatra made in 1962. It is called “Live in Paris.” On this album you will hear something that I would say most of the popular artists today would try to have a sound engineer correct. Frank Sinatra, the Chairman of the Board, misses a couple of notes and words. It is actually really cool to hear. Listen to any of his studio cuts and he is flawless. Listen to this live album and he is not; but that's what makes it great. I must confess, the album was not released until 1994; but, Sinatra was still alive and I have to believe he had some say in it being released.

Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus, I challenge you to sing a concert without Auto-Tune. Take a listen to Christina Aguilera, she can actually sing girls. She does not need some one to engineer her voice to sell her music. But, this is the way the industry has become, and the people buying their music helps to perpetuate it.

I should tell you what got me fired-up about this to begin with. I was listening to “We Are the World,” the good one from 1985, on the way to work this morning. I got all nostalgic and wanted to watch the video. So, I did a search on YouTube. Yeah, “Were Are the World 25” displayed at the top. So, for some reason I watched this imitation. Now, it is not terrible, but in some places it is really obvious that you have a bunch of different singers. In the 1985 version, you can tell the difference between the artists, but it is not nearly as obvious. They made it sound like a more cohesive song. It seems like they checked their egos at the door. The 2010 version, not so much. But, I digress.

Maybe I am just old fashioned. I cannot help that I like the people on my Walkman, err I mean iPod, to be able to sing. I often think I was born about forty years too late. I feel like I should have been a teenager/young adult, during the big band era. That was a time when musicians had to be good because they were constantly putting on live performances whether in a concert hall or on the radio. I continue to hold out hope though when the Josh Grobans and Michael Bubles surface. For now, I can continue to listen to some contemporary music.