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Smart People Listen To Radiohead, Dumb People Listen To Beyoncé, Study Finds
Now you can substantiate to today’s generation why that '60s and '70s era’s music was objectively "better," as JPMorgan's CIO Michael Cembalest has previously noted, and furthermore, researchers also found that popular music has gotten a lot louder (as SAT scores have plunged.. hhmm?) However, as Consequence of Sound notes, a software application writer by the name of Virgil Griffith has charted musical tastes based on the average SAT scores of various college institutions... and the results are.. interesting. Bob Dylan, The Shins, Radiohead, and Counting Crows are the favorite bands of smart people. Meanwhile, Lil Wayne, Beyoncé, The Used, and gospel music comes in at the lower end of the spectrum — or, as Griffith puts it, is music for dumb people.
Via Consequence of Sound blog,
Among other interesting revelations from the Griffith’s chart: Smart people prefer John Mayer over Pink Floyd; rock titans like Tool, System of a Down, and Pearl Jam fall right in the middle — so, music for average people?; and people still listen to Switchfoot.
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Of course, correlation is not causation but...
As JPMorgan's Michael Cembalest has previously noted, there has been a “progressive homogenization of the musical discourse”, a process which has resulted in music becoming blander and louder.
Bring those classic rock and R&B playlists back
Now you can substantiate to today’s generation why that era’s music was objectively “better”.
The Million Song Dataset is a database of western popular music produced from 1955 to 2010. As described in Scientific Reports (affiliated with the publication Scientific American), researchers developed algorithms to see what has changed over time, focusing on three variables: timbre, pitch and loudness. Timbre is a proxy for texture and tone quality, terms which reflect the variety and richness of a given sound. Higher levels of timbre most often result from diverse instrumentation (more than one instrument playing the same note). Pitch refers to the tonal structure of a song: how the chords progress, and the diversity of transitions between chords. Since the 1960’s, timbral variety has been steadily declining, and chord transitions have become narrower and more predictable.
The researchers also found that popular music has gotten a lot louder. The median recorded loudness value of songs by year is shown in the second chart. One illustrative example: in 2008, Metallica fans complained that the Guitar Hero version of its recent album sounded better than it did on CD. As reported in Rolling Stone, the CD version was re-mastered at too high a decibel level, part of the Loudness Wars affecting popular music.
Overall, the researchers concluded that there has been a “progressive homogenization of the musical discourse”, a process which has resulted in music becoming blander and louder. This might seem like a reactionary point of view for an adult to write, but the data does seem to back me up on this. All of that being said, I do like that Method Man-Mary J. Blige duet.
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So now you know...
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I didn't see Mozart or Bach either.
I'm calling bull on this "study." Where's Rush, Dave Matthews Band, YES, Genesis, Oingo Boingo, the Doors, Alice in Chains...but mainly Rush?? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa9g49yeFms
RUSH? That goes without saying : ) Thanks for the link, I've never watched it. Love the dueling double necks while NP tosses sticks in the air on Xanadu. We all looked so young LOL, whocouldaknowed all these years later they would still be writing, recording, performing, and have more gold records than anyone except Beatles & Stones?
I came to within a hair of seeing Led Zeppelin at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit in 1980 but Bonham died. I finally saw Page and Plant and said I could die a happy man! But today, after taking the kids to see Jon Anderson (solo, 2011) and RUSH (last year avec la Clockwork Angels String Ensemble) I could truly die a happy man!!!
"Though his mind is not for rent
to any god or government..."
HAPPY 40th RUSH!!!
+++++++++++++
here's a link for you; enjoy!
SHAW-BLADES ~ YOUR MOVE ~ YES / JON ANDERSON ~ LIVE!!"TOMMY AND JACK PERFORM THIS CLASSIC JON ANDERSON / YES SONG, "YOUR MOVE" AT THE WILDHORSE SALOON,
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
DECEMBER 8TH, 2007
I call bullshit on all olf you and the study.
Where is the only rock band that ever mattered?
THE CLASH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTnijX0TH-w
I just noticed - where the fuck is ROCKABILLY on this?
It started all of it, and is still going strong - rat rods, cheep beer, fight club and rockabilly.
Cat a slappin' that bass ..... Thanks
it all started in "america" with what they
now call "old time" or "old timey" music. all of it.
look it up and you will see a progression from
that thing. the african influence gave it the
kick resulting in popular music with no borders.
it has since been con modified and stripped of its
charm and potential. the next phase of progression
will be splooje(sic) music. of course, the most excellent
examples and artists of the past offshoots will retain
their interest, importance and beauty.
Started out listening to Beethoven then switched to Led Zeppelin. Does that mean I got dumber?
Really dumb people read stupid articles like this and think means something.
Radiohead is the most pretentious hipster nonsense I have ever heard.
And I see Cheech/Chong are mysteriously absent from this list.
Shameful.
http://youtu.be/VJW67QN24SA
Wall of Voodoo Mexican Radio....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V04IBsz-9Wo
Can't understand just what does he say?
No comprende it's a riddle...
Now heard in the heartland....
Haha i find it funny people still dont understand that SAT scores follow socioeconomic lines.
Obviously.
Who do you think will get a better grade? A rich white kid whose parents pay for a SAT tutor or a poor black kid from the bronx whose parents dont have the time/arent sober enough to raise him? Music has nothing to do with being "dumb" or "smart".
And the SAT definitely doesnt measure smartness. It merely measures the level of upbringing.
Another stupid study/filler article
If they are so smart, then why are most of them living at home?
Led Zep, Pink Floyd, all great. I appreciate NIN and Radiohead.
But give it up for Steely Dan. Awesome musicians.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1WTgWpfSlU