đď¸ Songs That Donât Suck â Episode 43
đľ âYes, Most New Music Does Suck (And Science Agrees)â
Another rough week in the land of new music, but Episode 43 delivers some serious insight, data, and a few diamonds in the rough. If you’ve ever suspected that modern tunes feel louder, dumber, and way too familiar, youâre not aloneâand now weâve got the research receipts to prove it.
Letâs break it down with data, dopamine, and some damn good songs.
đ Music Has Officially Gotten Worse â Science Says So
Itâs not just your grumpy music-nerd uncle yelling at cloudsâthereâs hard evidence that music has become louder, simpler, and less diverse.
A 2012 study by the Spanish National Research Council analyzed 500,000 songs from the million song dataset. The results? Yikes:
- Songs are getting louder, but not in a good way. Think brickwalled mastering with no dynamics.
- Harmonic complexity is shrinking. Chords and melodies are simpler, and transitions between them are duller.
- The timbral palette is weak. Everyoneâs using the same GarageBand presets and copycat EQ settings.
- Lyrics? Trash. Okay, the scientists didnât say “trash,” but they might as well have.
- “Homogenization of the musical discourse” was the actual term. Nerdy gold. đŻ
The cause? Tech. From Napster to iTunes to Spotify, the industryâs revenue nosedive meant risk-averse A&R strategies, cookie-cutter production, and fewer resources to nurture real artistry. The result? A rinse-and-repeat model thatâs optimized for algorithms, not originality.
Enter: the mere exposure effect. The more we hear it, the more we like itâno matter how bland it is. Your brain rewards repetition with dopamine. Thatâs why even terrible one-hit wonders worm their way into nostalgia playlists.
đ˝ Cover of the Week: âPiece of My Heartâ â Slamming Gladys
Weâre rewinding it back to glam-funk-metal obscurity with Slamming Gladys, whose take on âPiece of My Heartâ resurrects this track with gritty charm.
đ¤ Originally by Irma Franklin (yes, Arethaâs older sister!), made iconic by Janis Joplin, this cover blends swagger, soul, and shout-worthy backing vocals. The lead vocals have a throaty rattle that punches right through the mix.
Their self-titled debut is glammy, funky, and unfilteredâperfect for fans of Poison, Warrant, and the âshouldâve been biggerâ bands of the ’90s.
đ New Songs That Donât Suck
Even in a tough release week, we found four fresh tracks worth your time.
1. âRotten Soulâ â Demona
Strong pop-punk energy with serious Poe vibes. Demona channels attitude, swagger, and sincerity, with killer hooks and pristine production. If you loved Poeâs 1995 Hello, this oneâll hit the same nostalgic nerve.
2. âWe Looked Like Giantsâ â Car Seat Headrest
Groove-heavy, cerebral, and rhythmically clever. Echoes of They Might Be Giants vocally, but with more emotional and sonic depth. Listen for the subtle time feel shifts post-bridgeâbrilliant drumming details here.
3. âMoon Chasersâ â Oxymorrons
Is it rap with a rock edge or rock with a rap pulse? Who caresâitâs đĽ. A standout from their album Melanated Punk, this track blends infectious hooks with meaningful lyrics. No mumble. No filler. Just fire.
4. âPretty Viciousâ â The Struts
This one channels INXS HARD. Sultry groove, sexy bass lines, and pure pop-rock finesse. Lead singer Luke Spiller is in rare form. Title track from their new album coming soonâget ready.
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Until next weekâstay curious, stay critical, and keep hunting for songs that donât suck. đ¸
