The Tragic Decline of Music Literacy (and Quality)

The real advantage is that a young person's mind develops further with music instruction and education. Music benefits all other subjects studied as well. It should be as essential and as required as math, language arts, reading, writing and history/social studies.

Whatever the hell the kids are listening to these days surely must be better than being cooped up in the house 24/7 posting on forums about whatever the hell the kids are listening to these days.

You’re right, chrshanl37, why are you doing that very thing?  Two more points.  Most of us don't do it 24/7 and we can listen to music while we check in on Audiogon.

schubert, except for Franz Schubert, of course.

@whart   Thanks for the Snarky Puppy mention.  Listening right now on Tube.....how have I not heard of them?  Fantastic.....  Sammy Miller next....

@schubert, wasn't this always the way? 
Everything is of its time, no escaping that but civilisation goes up and down.
Between the end of the great Greek golden age and the beginnings of the Renaissance very little progress seemed to happen. Then it took off.

With music, its always about expression first. Different decades had different feelings to express. Wasn't the youthful frustration behind much Rock and Roll in the 50's mirrored by a similar frustration behind Punk/New Wave/Metal/Rap in the 70s/80s and beyond? 

I'm not sure what the kids of today are trying to say but it'll never stray too far from frustration, dating, lack of money etc.

Strangely enough politics seems to be totally unfashionable nowadays whereas they were at the forefront during Punk, (and Folk decades earlier). 

I'm not worried, I've got my archives!