From an old fart's standpoint, things started going downhill fast in the 90s, for the most part. There's still tons of potential in the individual musicians --- but whether it has to do with the record companies and what they need for airplay, the culture in general, or something else --- the potential often doesn't seem realized.
Example: I like what I've heard from the new Green Day album...but there's also a sameness to it that you didn't always hear from great artists in the 60s, 70s or 80s, who were always trying new styles and new things. (I *do* really like "Last of the American Girls" though lol.)
Example: I'm definitely not a NIN fan, but I went to the Nails/Jane's Addiction show here last week (my wife is a crazy NIN fan and the tickets were her Mother's Day present lol). I'd never seen him live before, but it was so obvious, even to me - it's sick how talented a musician Trent is. But IMO there's so much more he could do to make "great" music than most of the NIN stuff has been, compared to the "great" music from true talents from the earlier decades. (And I actually enjoyed the opening act, the Street Sweeper Social Club with Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, more than Nails or Jane's Addiction - their music was...well...more musical lol.)
I know I'm hopelessly old - but I don't hate everyone and everything - and I can't relate to music that does
