Allan Conn: I'm not so sure about the "samey" thing and can't see how it all sounds the same anymore than music from any other era or genre! I know lots of people who don't like Scottish fiddle music because they say it all sounds the same. You could say the same though for many, probably most, genres.

So yes some R&B and Rap etc does sound much the same as the rest in the genre but not all modern music is of those genres and anyway much rock'n'roll, blues, fiddle music, bluegrass, chamber music etc sounds pretty much the same as other rock'n'roll, blues, fiddle music, bluegrass, chamber music etc.

Absolutely! I was about to post something very similar (samey?) but saw your post first.

There's actually a lot of variety in current music, and, as I've posted here before, the songs/ tunes from the past that we consider great are just the tip of an iceberg of mediocrity and derivative "me-too-ness" that's survived while the crap has been thankfully forgotten.

Just been listening to some nice drum and bass from a female duo, followed by some folky stuff from Gilmore & Roberts and then a blast of indie rock from Arcade Fire....excellent variety and all recorded in the last couple of years.

As someone quite senior myself, it's depressing to see other seniors "dissing" current music in the same way my parents disparaged my generation's music. In fact, they had no idea what we youngsters were *actually* listening to as all they heard on the radio and saw on TV were bland bands such as Freddie and The Deamers and Herman's Hermits. They had no idea of the existence of The Nice, Soft Machine, King Crimson, Yes, etc, which is what we were *actually* listening to.

Same now....all most older people see/ hear of the current (loosely labelled) "pop" scene is the highly commercial stuff on TV and (most) radio (there are a few programmes/ DJs in the UK where you can still get a broadish selection, but they tend to be late night or internet radio only).