Lately when not listening to the CBC I’ve started listening to a couple of local radio stations that play a lot of 80s hit music. This is my prime era — the late 80s were my high school years — so I should be all nostalgic about this music, I think. But I’m amazed to find, instead, that a heck of a lot of 80s music is really crappy. It’s so formulaic — every song sounds the same, with a synthesized beat, doctored vocals, standard verse-bridge-chorus structure. There’s band after band that had just one or two hits and seem to have no talent, other than looking good in cool outfits in videos. Was no one doing anything interesting, unique, or new in the 80s?
I hear a lot of complaints about the 70s but really, I think there was still lots of interesting new music and experimentation going on then. 80s music is just one generic song after another. Other than bands considered “alternative” at the time (I still like The Smiths, The Cure, New Order, and the like), I can barely stand to even listen to the crap that passed for actual hits at the time.
It makes me wonder about today’s radio — 20 years from now, will we hear “Baby One More Time” by Britney Spears and be embarrassed that it was a major hit? Maybe pop music really is dead.
TurtleHead 
I think I agree with you. The 80s seemed to be like the “safe” decade for music. Sure, the music isn’t dreadful, but it’s not great either. Even the alternative bands of the time didn’t seem to be really breaking ground.
I used to to loathe the 70s, thinking it was the weakest decade of music. Sure, there was the surge of easy-listening that started in this decade, but there was also punk, disco and some of the greatest rock albums ever made to come out of this decade.
The 90s seemed to pick up a little bit; there was grunge and then electronica which mixed things up a bit. So far, the 00s have been dreadful. The only genre that seems to be putting out anything worth listening to (outside of some alternative bands) is hip-hop.
I’ve had countless discussions with people about how I believe that all pop songs are basically the same song. It’s strange how society really doesn’t like to see much variance when it comes to music, which is strange, since there is so much you can do with music.
sorry, but the 80s is the best decade for music. without it, you would have not earned some of the greatest musician of today. there are many list of bands that you like personally who were inspired by 80’s musicians and their works.
today’s music really sucks. 80’s rule!!!!!