Csontos
Bad analogy. Nobody wants the same gourmet meal every night.
It's a great analogy. The point of the analogy is that whether you want to eat the same gourmet meal every night or not, that meal is still a gourmet meal, not something mediocre because you don't feel like eating it anymore, for whatever reason. Same with great rock music from the '60s and '70s. Just because someone is tired of it, doesn't mean that it has become mediocre. As a litmus test, I sometimes wonder what rock or pop band t-shirts kids will be buying in 30 or 40 yrs. I'd like those who think there are better (or even equal) acts compared to the '60s or '70s artists out there today to name one band that started recording in the 21st century that they honestly think will be selling T-shirts in 40 yrs. It is as silly as it is telling what endures.
Frogman
Doomed to not being open to letting musical tastes grow and evolve. Not simply being open to new music in a given genre, but open to other genres that offer music created with more sophistication and a higher level of craft. We love our rock and roll (I do), but the undeniable truth is that classical, jazz and some ethnic music offers far more substance, sophistication, and if one is open to understanding these genres on a high level, just as much of the visceral feeling that good rock and roll does.
A true music lover sees (hears) no boundaries. Music is music. A cliche for sure, but there are only two kinds; good and bad.
Frogman, I absolutely agree. My musical tastes have certainly evolved a great deal as I began exploring other genres, and I pity those who limit themselves to a particular genre and never branch out given the incredible variety of music across the world. However, going back to the original post, I feel strongly that rock and pop music has been in a steady decline musically since the '70s with perhaps a few rare exceptions. Conversely, some of the newer genres, such as rock electronica (Massive Attack, Portishead, etc.) or heavy metal, just to name a few, have explored new musical territories and expanded musical horizons for bands and music lovers alike.
I'm not familiar enough with contemporary classical music to offer an opinion, but contemporary classic jazz, in my opinion, is as incredible as the stuff from the classic jazz golden eras of Coltrane, Davis, Evans, Monk, Mingus, and other classic jazz musicians of yore. As I drive to work every day, I listen to 88.3 in San Diego and I'm in awe how much great young talent is out there. Sadly, I cannot say the same about rock and pop artists today...
