I watched this very compelling documentary this morning and it really made me think about how I listen to music today. I am very much in agreement with the film and believe that most radio today sucks and the only real way to hear good new music is through the internet or word of mouth. It got me thinking of the last time really I listened to music on the radio, and I truly cannot remember. Besides getting into someone else car and have to subjected to them flipping through the stations finding the same shit on each channel. Recently I almost yelled at one of my best friends when he picked me up and was listening to the radio, flipping through and I almost lost it.
There will probably always be the bubblegum pop shit, but its becoming easier to avoid. Naturally you would think that the demand for better music could have changed this by now. Unfortunately with large corporations allowed to control the air waves its taking longer than what the true market demands. The death of independent radio stations has hindered the growth of new music because the corporate stations play what the major labels tell them to play and never really plays anything that is new and different.
As the movie points out we have became a nation obsessed with material wealth and pop culture and the music we listen to reflects this. All the garbage that was put out there was only to turn a quick buck and get us to buy their image more than the music itself. Now this movie is a few years old (2006) and times have changed economically for us recently and the way we digest music has definitely taken a step in the right direction. I don't purchase many albums anymore and have bought a few albums but only from artists that deserve my dollar. For the most part I discover bands from friends and internet and if I like them I respond by seeing their live performance, not by purchasing the album because that shit is free. The amount of music that is out their to discover is now limitless due to the web and sites such as myspace and last.fm. When I feel the need to listen to something new I don't turn on MTV of the radio but just browse the net for a bit until I find a band I like. Then I find their full album and download it, and if they are just lucky enough I pay them for their music by seeing them in concert. Plain and simple that is how I digest my music today. I know there are many people who consume their music much like I do, but clearly there isn't enough to really change the music industry, but time will tell.