I will admit: I am a bit of a music snob. I just love music. Let me rephrase that, I love GOOD music. When I was a kid I loved old music: The Who, Billy Joel, The Police. I guarantee you I can rival almost any 40+-year-old on the knowledge of older music. It wasn't until Guitar Hero and Rock Band that the rest of our generation started catching up with those of us who already knew that the radio wasn't offering much at the time.
I have always felt that the large majority of my generation has terrible taste in music, but finally it is getting better. In this day in age, it seems like you can get on the radio if you just vulgarly describe drinking, doing drugs, watching a woman with sizable assets dance, and put it to a beat that a five-year-old could maintain. The problem today is there are fewer people playing real instruments, fewer people with unedited voices, fewer people singing lyrics that they wrote themselves.
The bests artists are the ones who are even better live than they are on records. My personal favorite band of all time is Dave Matthews Band. On their studio albums, they are great. But live... They are incredible. Listening to DMB not live is like drinking non-alcoholic beer.
The main thing that a lot of modern popular music lacks is real depth in the lyrics. There is no meaning anymore. Songs are just about surface-level things. There is little emotion, little story, and it seems like little effort. They don't make you really think. They don't really inspire you to do anything except party.
There are exceptions. In fact, there is a lot more good than bad. Like I said earlier, it is getting better. I really believe that our generation is expanding past Katy Perry, Drake, and Beyonce, mostly thanks to things like Spotify and other music discovery sources. I used to be one of very few people I knew that listened to the music I did. Now I know plenty.
The radio stations in Oklahoma City are laughable, they are so bad. It seems like your options are: top 40, bad rap, teeny pop, country, or classic rock. I usually go with classic rock if I have somehow committed the worst self-harm I know (forgetting my aux cord). I have discovered that most people my age don't really even listen to the lyrics of songs anymore.
It is not that all music today is bad; far from it! I just do not hear a lot of variety on the radio. In modern times, you have to find the good music on your own. You have to put forth some effort. I have a Spotify playlist entitled "Contemporary Goodness" containing 310 songs that are all tracks that have been released since the beginning of 2014. I update it all the time. It has stars: Hozier, Florence + The Machine. It has new artists: Leon Bridges, James Bay. It has people you've never heard of: Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. If I died today, that playlist would be my greatest gift to the world.
Here are the songs that have been released in 2015 that I believe are better than anything Drake, Beyonce, or Katy Perry has to offer. Some you probably know. Others, maybe not. Click the title for a link to the live version.
"Satisfy Me" by Anderson East, from the album "Delilah"
One of the best new voices of the year without question. A soulful sound, a deep male voice, a smooth band, curly hair and a denim jacket. Reminds me a little of young Bruce Springsteen. (See: "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out.")
Excuse the language. This performance is from Jimmy Fallon, and it is gold. This is a tough comparison... A large bearded white man, a big gravel-like voice, and a ton of energy. How about Leon Russell? (See: "The Letter.")
"How Much Light" by Ryan Adams, from the single "I Do Not Feel Like Being Good"
Ryan Adams has been around a long time, but this song was just released on a single this year. It is just him and a guitar, and it is just fantastic. Folk sound, high and low singing, solo... Reminds me of a Cat Stevens song. (See: "If You Want To Sing Out.")
"Hold Back The River" by James Bay, from the album "Chaos and the Calm"
Excellent voice, excellent lyrics, excellent guitar. Kind of like a young Steve Winwood with Traffic or Blind Faith. (See: "Dear Mr. Fantasy" or "Can't Find My Way Home.")
"Ship To Wreck" by Florence + The Machine, from the album "How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful"
Florence Welch has one of the greatest voices in music today. Most of the great voices we hear now are put to electronic instrumentation and heavy bass, but not Flo and the rest of the band. She sings about deep, meaningful subjects. I think I can draw a few similarities to Fleetwood Mac when Stevie Nicks or Christine McVie are singing lead. (See: "You Make Loving Fun.")
"Better Man" by Leon Bridges, from the album "Coming Home"
Leon sounds like he is directly out of 1950 or '60. The man has soul.
"Wherever Is Your Heart" by Brandi Carlile, from the album "The Firewatcher's Daughter"
Somewhere between folk and rock Brandi finds a perfect niche. A woman playing acoustic guitar, a light twanged voice and a very large hat... Screams Joni Mitchell to me. (See: "Big Yellow Taxi.")
"Fool For Love" by Lord Huron, from the album "Strange Trails"
A tasty jam indeed. A bit acoustic, a bit electric, and a band named after a place on a map... Another tough one. I'll say America. (See: "Sister Golden Hair.")
"Lonely Town" by Brandon Flowers, from the album "The Desired Effect"
The lead singer of The Killers goes solo, and this tune comes out nicely. Big synth line, great vocals...sounds like an older Steve Winwood when he was solo. (See: "Higher Love.")
"Black and Bluebird" by Dave Matthews Band, from the album...(UNRELEASED)
How can we not include the newest bit of genius from my favorites? They are legends by themselves; they really do not need a classic comparison. But if I had to choose: deep meaningful lyrics, great male vocals, crazy talented band. Reminds me of three people: Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, and Sting. (See: "In Your Eyes," "Diamonds On The Soles of Her Shoes," and "Love Is The Seventh Wave.")
OTHERS WORTH MENTIONING
"Ditmas" by Mumford & Sons, from the album "Wilder Mind"
"Crystals" by Of Monsters and Men, from the album "Beneath the Skin"
"Changes" by Langhorne Slim & The Law, from the album "The Spirit Moves"
"Mystery" by Boxed In, from the album "Boxed In"
"Mr. Rodriguez" by Rayland Baxter, from the album "Imaginary Man"
