Musical nostalgia vs Modern mayhem

 Musical Nostalgia and Modern Mayhem

As a home-taught musician who grew up on the glorious sounds of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, I can’t help but feel that the quality of music has, by and large, taken a bit of a nosedive. I know, every generation has its sound, but bear with me. When I say ‘quality,’ I’m talking about those melodies that linger in the mind, those lyrics that stir the heart, and those rhythms that move the soul.

Some of my fondest memories are of playing in bands in Allahabad – grand dances at the Thornhill Club, the Fort, and the Army clubs, where the music pulsed through every wooden floorboard, echoing in the high ceilings. And then, of course, the big Christmas dances at Clarks Varanasi, where couples swayed to Elvis, Tom Jones, and rock ‘n’ roll pioneers.

Sing-along parties were a staple too – someone would grab a guitar, and before long, everyone would join in, singing classics like "Sweet Caroline", "Imagine", or "Hotel California". These songs still bring a room together today. Notice, they don’t sing rap or the heavily produced humbug of today’s music – these songs just aren’t singable.

Think about the legendary voices of those decades. Johnny Cash with his baritone, or the storytelling mastery of Kris Kristofferson. These are classics that endure because they speak to real life, heartbreak, and hard-won wisdom.

Then came the rock gods – The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Queen. Take Led Zeppelin’s "Stairway to Heaven" – a rite of passage for aspiring guitarists. Or Queen’s "Bohemian Rhapsody" – a six-minute operatic masterpiece.

Fast forward to today, and what do we get? Bands with names that sound like something you’d find in a hipster café – "Tame Impala", "Glass Animals", "Lemon Demon", and "Gorillaz". Or rappers with monikers like "Lil Uzi Vert" and "6ix9ine". What happened to names that at least sounded like musicians?

And then there’s the lyrics – the heart and soul of a song. Contrast these two lines:

"Imagine there’s no heaven, it’s easy if you try…" – John Lennon.

Versus…

"I got hot sauce in my bag, swag." – Beyoncé.

Or this one:

"We all live in a yellow submarine, yellow submarine." – The Beatles.

Now compare that to:

"Gucci gang, Gucci gang, Gucci gang..." – Lil Pump. Sing that 28 times !

Today we have a world where music is dominated by synthesizers and auto-tuned vocals. What used to be raw, organic music has been replaced with polished, artificial perfection. Even a mediocre singer can be auto tuned into sounding like a superstar. It’s become so easy that backing tracks are used to fill in what should be real live music.

So, here’s to the greats – the legends who gave us timeless music, powerful lyrics, and unforgettable melodies. May their songs forever echo in our hearts, even as we scroll past the latest inexplicably named viral sensation.

After all, as Bob Dylan once said, "The times, they are a-Changin’" – though I’m not sure he quite meant this.