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Joe Mott

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Steps' Reunion Shows Pop Music is at an All-Time Low.

Posted: 27/10/11 01:00 BST
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It's a pretty damning indictment of the state of popular music when Steps reuniting is cause for such huge celebration.

I've nothing against Steps and thought they were enjoyable toss the first time around. Little Lisa Scott-Lee was always fun when I saw her clubbing and a mate went to school with Lee Latchford Evans, so their 100 per cent-manufactured cartoon pop escaped any real savaging from me. But - as everyone from the band right down to their most ardent fan knew - they were a silly joke.

And yet they look set to join the growing trend of used-up groups reuniting to great acclaim: Boyzone, Take That, The Stone Roses and soon Girls Aloud to name the big hitters. And I'm pretty sure I can tell you why we are so shriekingly desperate to see those bands from yesteryear come back - because almost all the music inflicted on the masses these days is utterly without merit.

It is so bad that music channels or commercial radio can no longer be enjoyed by many of us.
Songs about "busting another bottle" or "keeping going till the morning" and not being able to "party like we party" abound.

The music now is just a selection of rave presets we used to listen to in the 90s along with beats so weak they wouldn't challenge clock radio speakers. David Guetta is everywhere, ruining everything he touches. Kanye West has decided to become a singer. Cher Lloyd is...oh balls to her. Matt Cardle is...nah, balls to him too.

It's all vocoders and autotune with one word repeated instead of a chorus. The really great shame of it is the big players' (TV/radio/labels) inability and reluctance to really try anything new. If it's not on X Factor or got a huge team behind it with loads of money to spend, they won't back it.

No wonder bands from way back when are having a field day. Even the return of Steps is like offering a glass of water to a man lost in the desert. Can you imagine that happening when rock 'n' roll emerged? When the punk scene got going? Even the intrinsically repetitive dance music scene has always remained progressive.

Pop used to have Michael Jackson, Prince, A-Ha, Jodeci, All Saints, Duran Duran, Whitney Houston and so many more. Now we have Rihanna, Katy Perry and NeYo. For the first time our popular music has become so dire, we're actually travelling backwards in search of something worth listening to. In great big Steps...

 

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It's a pretty damning indictment of the state of popular music when Steps reuniting is cause for such huge celebration. I've nothing against Steps and thought they were enjoyable toss the first time ...
It's a pretty damning indictment of the state of popular music when Steps reuniting is cause for such huge celebration. I've nothing against Steps and thought they were enjoyable toss the first time ...
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eric14
1215 Fans
 
12:32 AM on 10/27/2011
Slutpop sucks.
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TheLibraryOfCodex
1108 Fans
08:51 PM on 10/26/2011
My advice is to simply wait a week. Steps will disappear back into oblivion where they belong.
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nickynicky
0 Fans
03:21 PM on 10/26/2011
The horrible fact is this: 39 of the top 40 every week are dancy poppy rubbish feat. david guetta et al. People must be buying and (dare i say it) enjoying modern pop music. Personally, i reckon it's sopmething to do with the fact that everyone follows everybody else these days and no-one likes feeling left out so they all rush out to buy the same rubbish, watch the same rubbish and read the same rubbish. it's what's trending now etc.

bring back big fun, toto and mr blobby...
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twochoicestom
0 Fans
09:20 AM on 10/26/2011
I completely agree. It's not because we're getting old. It's purely because it's becoming lazy. It's about what cool sound you can squeeze out of pro tools for your synthy drop.

It's no longer about song writing, it's about a hook.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
MancRat
90 Fans
 
08:36 AM on 10/26/2011
Pete Waterman referred to Steps as a "pantomime act". Very true. Inasmuch as they could dance, sing and actually entertain instead of today's garbage chart where attitude is everything and Cowell reigns supreme over the bubblegum and ballads.

The Steps relaunch does show how things have converged though. A track is recorded (a seventies cover naturally) as a bonus to a collection, but not issued as a normal single on a disc. it could still chart thanks to ITunes though, and the whole thing tied into television and ticketing as a genuine multi-play. It's been interesting to watch the programme at least, and the album has gone to the top of the charts,
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
edejan
2256 Fans
04:24 AM on 10/26/2011
Hahaha.....so true. "Music" has become just another business plan created by the suits. All the joy, pain, creativity, artistry and LIFE have been crushed out of it. Bands no longer come up from the local clubs and garages. They're "hired" and groomed and styled into something so artificial and slick they seem unreal and unrelatable. Time to ignore the entire industry and go back to enjoying local bands again.
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