Why is modern pop music today so terrible?

@Schubert .  any idea what kids in China are listening to these days?

@op.  Same can be said for "country."  Nobody filled their shoes.

Elvis had personality.  Personality goes a long way.

@gdnrbob. I’ll try not to inadvertently violate forum rules.

I don’t know if there are stats on it, but do you think the kids are listening to and playing at a higher percentage than in the US (or Canada, Western Europe, etc.)? Wouldn’t surprise me at all. Just that China has a large population.

I had no idea but just thought it was funny, given a few now-removed comments, when I Googled what’s popular in China, the lists were peppered with music that would probably be considered the topic of this thread.

I suspect there are some good music history buffs, here.  I think we can safely say that going back at least 60-70 years that there was a large contingent that thought the "new" music was terrible.  Bullitt noted that the "parents said the same thing about the Beatles" and theirs the same about Elvis.  Same with the subject of the thread and probably everything in between--punk, electronic, hair bands, grunge, etc.

But how about going back further on folks I think most now can and do consider masters and the greats.  Mozart, Chopin, Bach, etc.  Or when new instruments were utilized.  Did a large contingent view them or  music using the new instruments to be "terrible?"  Was the piano viewed like the autotuner?

@gdnrbob.  Generally agreed, except for the expectation that things will get better.  I hope it's not just me becoming an old curmudgeon.  Some of it is relative, too, which I try to appreciate.

Good points.  But, I think, if aliens are listening to some of our "modern pop music," they are coming here to kill us just to make it stop.

C'mon, just picture a time-traveling Bach landing in some club with molly.