Subject: Re: Sgt Pepper
The classical music period lasted nearly 300 years, and is separated into three major eras. Three hundred years! . Obviously the world was different, there was no technology to instantly transport every composition to the masses, you had to be decent to get a commission from the King of Dukes and such, but still: 300 years!

And it's still going. Mozart and Beethoven were the latter half of the 1700s. Just a little thought experiment. Suppose they had recording technology. Do you think that Beethoven performing his Moonlight Sonata would still be played? Would others maybe be intimidated to perform it since you could -in this experiment- listen to the original?

Along with the purchase came MUSAK and a group of “beautiful music” radio stations. All of us (from the rock generation) yelled at the top of our lungs: “LOSER! Dump it!” The President, of the 1950’s “Your Hit Parade” generation didn’t think so, sure that new listeners would “grow into the format” as the old ones died off.

Some stuff lasts, but you're right. Most of the 20th century was a musical wasteland. Little pops here and there, but nothing with the staying power of some of the classical giants (as you point out, 200-300 years). Then came jazz, and that spawned rock. Most of which was forgettable. But not all, IMO. Even 20th century "classical" music mostly sucked (mom listened to the classical station, and occasionally they would play something composed in the 20th century that was complete rubbish -again, IMO (and mom's)).

Obviously, I can't know the future (or I'd be a lot wealthier!). Having gone down that rabbit hole that started with having some background stuff while I did our taxes, what albaby said wasn't going to happen is happening. Gen-Zers are finding music (not just Beatles), and listening to them for the first time, and being blown away. Many/most of them are commenting "I gotta find more". He was correct that as teens they never sought it out, didn't know anything about it, but in their 20s (from what I can tell) they are finding it 60 years later. Time will tell if that continues.

Please, god, spare the future from "mini-tunes".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...