REM quits.

Bands calling it quits. REM is the latest band from the 80s that announced they quit. Their early music were good. I used to listen to them on cassettes. It seems the music direction have changed. People kind of goes for boybands, R&B and those teen singers. Veteran bands kind of lost the magic. Just last year my favorite band A-Ha quit, but the indivuals members have their own solo projects. Would the members of REM remain in the music industry? Usually they would if they are really tightly linked to the industry. I hope the music direction moves change again to something more acceptable to older listeners.

Top worst songs of the 90s?

Rolling Stone recently put of the 10 worst songs of the 90s. In the list I would say, not all 10 songs I hated. There were songs that were overplayed as well as songs I didn't like. All of them were hits in some charts. So how did they came with such results? In any case, I would say all those songs are catchy in some sense except for Celine Dion's track. They are much better songs as compare to todays music.

http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/rs_sotd/6047/barbie-girl-tops-rolling-stones-worst-songs-of-the-90s/

MTV was already dead years ago

Read about how yesterday was MTV's 30th birthday. On the music blog from Yahoo, it mentioned that MTV did not have any celebration on their website. User's comments were mostly about MTV not being what MTV used to be anymore. I would quite agree with them. MTV in the early days plays music videos. Regardless of any kind of music, if there is a video they plays it. Perhaps in today, no much people watch music videos on TV. Everyone goes to youtube. Then from the business perspective, MTV changed from playing music videos to the shows of today. The death of MTV already occurred years ago. I don't watch music videos of today since I don't even enjoy the music of today. I may have stuck at yesteryear's music but then again, those videos are also cooler.

http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/heard/12618/mtv-apparently-wants-to-be-29-forever/

media files or compact discs?

So Apple finally gets to sell Beatles tracks on their Itune store. Then, is this what it will be in future? All new music will be media files? You will need a USB flash device to carry them just so you could play it on your hi-fi set. Whatever happened to the, but the CD and you get to read the booklet within the CD case? Usually you get to enjoy the photographs, lyrics and any other stuff included. Already the effect was felt when I couldn't find cds of my favorite band in local HMV store. They didn't have it because it isn't a hot seller or so call well known band. They used to have all kind of CDs regardless of famous or not. Now I will have to order through internet. I will get the CD because I want all the goodies included and also to support the band and lastly, I don't need to dig out my USB device to store the tracks. Maybe I am old fashion but CDs isn't like a floppy or cassette. I can copy the tracks to my mp3 player or even use my discman. It will be sad if it all become just another file to download.

walkman ending

Sony walkman still exists. But not for long. Sony decided to stop production. The walkman is the portable cassette player. I used it when I was a teen during the early 90s. I am stil holding on to mine but doubt that it still works. Have not been using it I assume the rubberband within it melted. The FM radio should still works. The cassettes are still around but no one sell their songs on cassettes anymore, except maybe in those third world places. I still have my cassette but it is not possible to continue to listen to them. MP3 format is easier to play. Still the best memories are with the cassette and my money was spent there so I am holding to them for now. Maybe portable players of other brands are still avaliable. Whatever the case, it is end of an era.
http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2010/10/26/the_sony_walkman_1979_to_2010/

Rock music dying?

Rock music is dying. I would say it is quite true. Unlike the 80s to the 90s, metal bands like Guns N Roses and Metallica blast the airwave with those familiar rock music, nowadays there isn't much. The bands exists but radio doesn't play them. Must be due to commercial reasons or people prefer pop instead. Even Bon Jovi whose heavy metal classic Bad Medicine seems to go towards pop. Maybe I am still stuck in the good old days where every songs are good regardless of rock or pop but I just can't seems to listen much to todays music, mainly teen singers or boybands. I will try to adapt, or I will just go back to my cassette collections.....

MTV changing format

MTV is changing brand format. It is no longer Music Television. During its heyday, music videos were all the in thing. Everyone wants to watch the latest MTV on the latest hits. It seems that today's generation, MTV is not necessary. Maybe I am old school. But it seems as the music of today is much more different than the days in the 80s and 90s, so are the listeners. So the question now is that where do we tune to if we want to watch music videos? Most likely Youtube. There will always be some good videos that need to be shown again but without a network to do it, it seems to be a sad news for old school music fans.

A-Ha will quit

Yes. As the title says, A-Ha have call it quits. It is shocking, at least to fans like myself. The only decent music left that I like is quitting. Not that other bands don't put out nice music but they don't sound to my liking. While they do want to spend time on other stuffs, the selfish fans would certainly like them to continue as A-ha. One of the greatest 80s group they stand among others liek Pet Shop Boys and Erasure. Of course it would be good for them to quit with all the success then being fade out. I can be sure there will be another Greatest Hits album coming. If you are lucky, they might be back again. Meanwhile they will always be the greatest band ever.

Michael Jackson RIP

You probably have heard it, Michael Jackson passed away today. Most people know him as King of Pop. The current generation exposed to Britney and Westlife may even wonder why is he even King of Pop when he was not trashing the charts. Michael was trashing the charts way back in the 80s. His classic Beat It, Billie Jean and Thriller is still one of the best but strangely it was never been on any of those retro collection. He had more coming, such as Smooth Criminal and Leave Me Alone in the early 90s. He faded off the scene due to some of his personal issues. All his achievements from those years it seems no one managed to over take. I do not much listen to any of his songs much, I don't even listen to much other songs nowadays as the musical direction is much different from my liking. Still his musical direction have never changed and alas his comeback just couldn't make it. Lastly, shame on those people who had ever sued him. For whatever reasons they sued him for just make me feel they want to make news out of it. Now the vultures will be eyeing on Jackson's collectables at his home. RIP Michael.

http://omg.yahoo.com/news/michael-jackson-dies-in-la-hospital/24346?nc

Return of REAL heavy metal?

With the anticipation of the new album from Guns N Roses, will it also bring back the classic sound of heavy metal? Most of the sound from the late 80s and 90s have been mixture of pops and heavy metal. Since boyband era, metal bands have all stopped new releases except a few like Bon Jovi and Metallica. However they just don't sound heavy as they were. They are just being loud. While it may not bring back bands that were no more in the businese, it would bring back interest to the music and may bring in new bands. Let's wait and see.

Rick Astley performs

The recent Singfest feature some international artists performing. Most of them is kind of out of my time. The style of music have changed through the years that I don't quite listen to them much. However this year's Singfest include 80's icon Rick Astley. Most youngsters may not know who Rick is but he is one of 80's chart topper. Like most other 80s artists they kind of vanished but will come back for some performances. Regardless who is performing, the audiences should give them the respect. They may not be your favourite but they are the guys that perform for you. I am glad Rick Astley is still doing music. Hope to see Jason Donavan next.