New Music Seems To Be Super Bass Heavy

Jayrosc

Super Member
Thanks to Spotify Premium I'm listening to lots of new music. Tuned into a browse option right now called "Nashville Stripped."
Lots of good tunes there, but I'm noticing that most of these songs carry a very strong and powerful bass element, almost to the point where I would consider it the major element of the music.
Make no mistake. I enjoy it. It sounds really good.
But, when did this become they way stuff gets mixed/recorded?
It almost seems like they are doing it just because they can.
If I were at a live concert and heard the same mix I would conclude that the bass it too loud!
 
I've definitely noticed a heavy emphasis on bass in a lot of newer music as well. No idea why but it does seem to be there.
Some old recordings have more bass than is expected as well. Lots of Steely Dan albums and some jazz where the double bass is featured prominently in the mix.
 
I've definitely noticed a heavy emphasis on bass in a lot of newer music as well. No idea why but it does seem to be there.
Some old recordings have more bass than is expected as well. Lots of Steely Dan albums and some jazz where the double bass is featured prominently in the mix.
With regard to those Steely Dan and (some) jazz records you cite, the bass present is real and representative of the tastes of some fine musicians and composers whereas much of this newer bass heavy music sounds more like an entire herd of elephants all farting together in unison. :confused:
 
Noticed that back during my MOG streaming days (2012) and going forward to today. Bought a Yamaha Subwoofer to augment my Audioengine A2's (desktop PC speakers)… that's when it really stuck out to me.

I've always tended to stream what I don't own on Vinyl … which is mostly modern music (post Classic Rock).
Must say I've grown to like it … not better/worse IMHO than the Classic Rock era of recordings … just different.
 
I've always thought that its due to digital recording processes getting better and better. But I may be wrong.

Listening to most early 80's stuff makes me cringe - like the old Metallica pressings - where the hell is the bass?

As the tech gets better, I think engineers squeeze more bass into the fairly limited frequency-response format of standard-rez formats.
 
I've always thought that its due to digital recording processes getting better and better. But I may be wrong.

Listening to most early 80's stuff makes me cringe - like the old Metallica pressings - where the hell is the bass?

As the tech gets better, I think engineers squeeze more bass into the fairly limited frequency-response format of standard-rez formats.
Um, yeah, that's not it. It has much more to do with the general decline of quality in music for the masses.

EDIT: Actually, for the most part, music for the masses has always sucked.
 
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I think it started in 1998 with believe by Cher. Everything was jammed to the top. Then moved from that to the bass heavy pop we now have.
It's a hook and they gotcha.
 
EDIT: Actually, for the most part, music for the masses has always sucked.
Agree with you on this point.

But to say that this observation only applies to "bad music" I dont think is correct

I've noticed GOOD music also has more bass - which is my point. Ie: Becks' Morning Phase has a ton more bass in it than I would have expected from a new CD which was released say, 10 years ago.
 
Not counting rap/hip hop ... noticed a lot more bass on the Robert Plant Alison Kraus LP. T Bone Burnett does the mix and production and I have heard that same phat sound come from other new recordings and soundtracks that he has produced. Definitely a lots of bass and very deep wet drums. Seems to be the in vogue sound right now.
 
I've noticed this trend of higher bass in music from the mid 90's. I'm all for it as long as the music can get mastered without distortion. It is amazing how far music reproduction has improved with digital recording since the '80s. There are some discs that are so well recorded that they are unbelievably impressive.
 
Phil Spector was known for mixing his hits to sound great on a car audio system -
his songs stood out when you were driving around listening to the (then) AM radio stations.

I suspect a lot of that is producers in studio dinking with music so it stands out from other music (the competition)
when listening through ear-budz and smaller speakers.
Just like the compression wars to make music seem "louder" so it stands out on the radio or mass media.

And those of us with more "bespoke" systems with larger amps, lower distortion, multiple drivers and larger woofers
notice that unreal sound more than the average casual listener does. A shame
 
Boosting bass is a trend I hope ends sooner than later, it's way out of balance.

It problem I have with it online is everything will be fine until a commercial or video change and and it can blow up my speakers. They need to push the same law they did for TV for online advertising.
 
Big base is new? Not, I've been loving pipe organs, and acoustic piano since forever. And all that good mid base in pop too. This new annoying base as of late, it's not new either.
Now overblown base has it's place every now and then but for the most part is bad news.
 
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