As business and distribution models change, how we'll all find _good_ music has yet to be sorted out, but in some ways, rather than a nadir as Mr. Patterson describes it, I think this may be the beginning of a new golden age of music. There's a lot out there, to be sure, and thus a lot of crap, but there is also more good stuff than ever, and more ways to find it. There are problems and fads — too much dynamics compression, Auto-Tune, and so on — but those always exist (remember the cardboard-box drums of the '70s, or the cheeseball bell-tone DX7 synths of the '80s?). Quality is still there for us to find. And the pop charts no longer need be relevant in that.

And you're right on about that Guitar Hero thing… heck, I was pointing out years ago when kids were playing around with 'air guitar', that it was going to just keep kids from taking any real interest in really playing guitars… and sure enough, no kid wants to make music now.

Keep up the good work.

Musicians will still make money from live performances – folks cannot steal the experience of being there. Additionally, piracy will be reduced as the industry improves distribution methods. Zune Marketplace subscription service is a prime example of doing it right. They make it easier to buy music than to steal.

As for excellence not being “rewarded to the degree it should be”… How do you propose setting the reward/price? Personally, I prefer allowing the market set prices. Musicians need more than talent to get noticed – marketing savvy is also needed…just like in every other profession on the planet.

Lastly, as for the homogenized product – there is an amazing variety of artists and styles available, but you won’t find them on broadcast radio. Internet radio has opened up a whole new world of music genres with dozens of artists previously unknown to me.

If you feel that music is "homogenized" then I recommend that you explore the world of online radio. I have learned of a great variety of musical styles that I didn't know existed over the past few years by listening to online stations.

Taking Mr. Patterson to task, point by point, would involve a much longer response. I'd just like to add to what's been said without being overly redundant. Mr. Patterson's article only carries weight in the context of the "Big Old Media" system of intellectual property rights, production and distribution. He is missing the more important picture of what and 'democratization' means.

Look, most of the results of any artistic endeavor are mediocre at best, and often terrible. I am an elitist. Only a few are the best, the most expressive, the most on target with their results. (Mind you, there's a whole other discussion to have about whether any of the "best" are actually the most successful in the industry!) Think of the current system as a pyramid. With the mass of those trying at the bottom, and those who succeed (for whatever reason) at the top. The "digitization of music", as Mr. Patterson puts it, will essentially result in three significant shifts:

1. The pyramid will flatten out a bit. That is, there may be a little more room at the top, the elite will get bigger.
2. Since the available dollars for entertainment remain the same, with more music available, there will be less money per artist. You can look at this as the 'value' of music going down, or you can look at it as maybe a chance for more musicians to make some money.
3. The elite will be chosen a bit more democratically. Now, in addition to A&R departments, Marketing firms, Managers, Agents, and the layer of "industry professionals" who want to tell us what we like (and this won't be going away), there will be more input directly from the music listening public.

I could go on, but I want to hear Hucbald practicing! Hey Hucbald, send me one of those digitized mp3's of your latest. I could add a track or two and we'll put it up on Alonetone! I know it's only flat, digitized, democratized junk, but it's FUN!

For a start, U2 make by far the most money from their live shows, not album sales. So the fans didn't like the album ? Solution – write a better album.

(Actually, I do think this is a challenge for musicians today – namely people reject music that needs patience to appreciate – but that's all about our need for instant gratification, not allowing people to hear music before they buy it. Nothing can be worse than a record store listening post…)

Here's a great, provocative article by Andrew Dubber explaining why Giving Music Away For Free is a good idea:

Why give music away for free?

The one thing I do agree about is that a loss of traditional recording techniques and playing skills means people miss out on some of the best things about recorded music, but as many people here have commented, that's not the technologies' fault. And some of my favourite music has never been heard through a microphone.

Fantastic discussion, though !

EVERYONE is making music now. Most of it is garbage, except to the individual making it. Just because I don't like it is no reason for anyone to be disappointed. I can now do my own 80's sounds now, and not inflict it on others not appreciating my bent. Some folks are real happy about that; including me. Today's whining stuff grates on me. Mine grates on them. When we do our own things, we're both happy.

U2 has passed its "best when used before" date long ago. A lot of people sampled the thing, found it lacking, and went on down the road. Like me. They outgrew U2. It happens.

We all move to our own personal sound. The deal is, nowadays, you can make your personal sound for yourself. Its your own earworm that you can dance to.

Exactly. I could not disagree more with the original article.

Ring tones < MP3s < CDs < Cassettes < Records < Live Performances.

At each step, we sacrifice some quality for convenience. Because we live in a free society, we each get to choose how far down the convenience ladder we wish to travel.

As for the quality of today's music, that is what every generation says about the next generation. "The music of today is not nearly as good as it was when I was young!" Heck, I say that and I am only 35. I can't watch modern music videos because the music just sounds like noise to me.

However, unlike the author of this article, I am willing to recognize that this is normal between generations and not the fault of technology.