What has happened to British music?

Popular music is a social phenomenon. My musical era was in the 60's and the great thing about it was that it was all new. Nothing like it had ever been heard before. So in the 60's we actually listened to the sound of the band because it was original. In the 60's a man could cause a sensation just by having long hair. Today that is laughable because there is no fashion that has the power to shock us anymore. It's the same with music.Now there is a huge back catalogue of hits that kids have grown up with and so modern teenagers are saturated with sounds from the past. So what does a modern band mean to it's fans if not the music they are playing? I think it's other aspects that also featured in former eras: image and attitude. And the sound the band make? Well as long as it falls into the right category that fits with certain social groups then it's o.k. for them.

Saw Dr Feelgood a few weeks back and they were brilliant. There may be no original memebers left now but the attitude still lives on.
The popular chart music changes but there are fantastic bands doing live stuff in pubs and such that popular music does not need to have to be listened too.

Amy McDonald & Kate Nash should not be mentioned in the same sentence! Amy has alot of talent, Kate Nash is just pathetic.
Otherwise I agree, alot of it these days is very boring. Personally I find Athlete one of the worst offenders.
If you want something current (still) with a bit of bite try Nick Cave. (Not British either, but lives here!)
Otherwise keep listening to the old stuff, there is enough to rediscover.

I agree. it all sounds generic. there is no timeless music. Its all about the haircuts and image of bands which like to put about there rep through myspace and student unions. Its globalisation and coporate influence of popular culture which is taking away our national tastes and individualities. there will never be evolutions like "punk" "mods" "motown" or "blues."
sad state of affairs.

I'm a musician and I know many musicians who haven't a hope in hell of achieving recognition or even a modest living from their craft. This isn't because they're untalented but because the music business has always been about who you know, and now it's undergone such a massive change that many great singers and writers can never get beyond gigs and the personal release of their CDs. Websites like MySpace serve a purpose for some, except that it's reached saturation point. Artists can't make an impact by this means alone, and even those that have some financial backing are struggling.

Maybe with the advent of computer technology making "music" has become too easy and dumbed down. The charts reflect what the (remains of the) biz wants to sell. Even then, lots of sales rigging goes on and has for years. Some of the number 1s have been so dire that to get there, underhand tactics have had to be employed.

So - what has happened to British music? Nothing unusual. Like many things in life, standards have plummetted (barring a few exceptions). If you want to find GOOD music that suits your taste there's an abundance of seriously fine amateur and semi-pro CDs / mp3s on the net. Only if you manage to download it rather than pay per track then you are just part of the problem.

There IS good music around but much of it never rises to the mainstream surface. We need a People's Alternative!

Dear Old Codger. Get hold of your ego boy! What on earth gave you the idea that I was responding to you personally??

I wasn't talking about "the charts" at all! You were! Everyone knows that the only music in the charts is bought by teenage girls on the whole, which is why most of it is sh*t. I was merely pointing out that there is a hell of a lot British talent out there so to make the sweeping statement that "all British music is crap" is not fair. On the whole, I tend to listen to new talent coming out of this country, whether well known or not, as it makes a nice change to all of the American music that generally dominates our air-waves.

By the way, this is only people's points of view. No need to get so het up about it, you may do yourself some mischief

Here here, I keep hearing Winehouse music and it sound all so similar to 1940, 30s, 50s music. I seems to recognise the sound and vocals, but cannot pin it . I do not see her as a talent.

Of course there is "Garbage" music. "Garbage" music is the sound the dustmen collecting your bins in your street at 7am. There's an amazing amount of rhythm to it, as the crusher squashes the detritus in the back of the Goliath Gobbler, the manner in which the full bins are picked up and the empties thrown back down again. Never let be said again that ordinary life is soundless.

My ole man's a dustman; he wears a dustman hat
He wears cor blimey trousers and lives in a council flat.

Diverse music lover, you said; "What about Inme? What about Snowpatrol, Coldplay, Oasis, and the Lost Profits? What about Funeral for a Friend, Feeder, Manic Street Preachers and the Stereophonics?"? WELL! what about them???????
You missed the point of my message, the main point being that their is no choice of music in the charts anymore.
Most of the music in the charts is either insipid, or computer generated junk, and their is no variety of styles of music, Also, most of the "Artistes" topping the charts at present, are so far up themselves by making statements like eg; "My music is making an important statement", or " I am expressing myself with my music". Who gives a damn!?? Most musicians ( and I use the term musician in it's very loosest sense here ), and record producers are only interested in one thing, and that is the amount of cash on the bottom line of their accounts, pure and simple, the music, or the quality or the music is incidental, as long as the mugs are willing toshell out for the stuff, they are happy. BUT it does nothing fot the variety of music, or the quality either
compare the quality of pre 1980s music, and you will see the Talent was far better then.
I have a wide taste in music, from Classical, to Jazz, heavy metal, etc (even country & western :-) ),

I don't agree. There are loads of really good British bands out there. It's interesting that you have only really mentioned solo artists and not bands. What's recognised on the Brits doesn't represent all British music. What about Inme? What about Snowpatrol, Coldplay, Oasis, and the Lost Profits? What about Funeral for a Friend, Feeder, Manic Street Preachers and the Stereophonics?

Were "the Darkness" a real band? I thought they were sh+t! Sounds like many of you on here are harping back to the old days and have closed minds to anything but dusty old ageing rock!!

There is no such thing as 'garbage' music, yet.. do you understand?

MOST modern music today is utter garbage, people in my generation (teens) listen to absolute utter crap music, and new craze sweeping across Britain "mc-ing" a scouse chav shouting and grunting over dance music, and the point of this is? I am 15 and I know it may seem strange but 70's 80's and 90's and some music today I LOVE! Bring back the 'oldies' :)