has music lost it's cool

I'm studying the business of music at Berklee School of Music, and I am a musician myself. Major labels are in the downturn and they no longer develop artists. They only care about what sells and so the quality of music has gone down in the mainstream. However, with the advent of the internet and digital media, people more than ever are able to find music that works for them. There are more bands and artists today than there ever was and they are more easily accessible. 20 years ago, a garage band from Indonesia didn't have a chance. But now, with the internet, they can connect with people all around the world simply by having a website. When you say "the industry" its really hard to pin point what you mean by it because it has become so obscure. The Record Industry is suffering greatly while the music industry itself is not doing so bad. The internet has actually helped the Music Industry by getting more exposure for bands which then gives more people the likelihood of coming to see them on tour. On the same token, digital media has hurt the Record Industry with sales going down and stores like Tower Records closing. I am sure if you research enough, you will find music that is fresh, new, and cool.

There is a disturbing trend in new music where remixing old hits become the way for a new artist to top the charts. In my humble opinion, music is suffering a creativity deficit which drives a lot of us to listen to the retro and classics we grew up with instead of listening to the torn apart remixes. Yes, music is losing its cool, or at least its originality. Then again, maybe this is the sign that I am just way too old now to worry about what is cool.

Music lost it's cool in the nineties and has never been the same since. I do not like most of commercial music these days and tend to stick with bands that have stood the test of time. Everything released now just sounds the same, although there can be the odd gem, but it is very rare these days.