Does anyone else find K-Pop better than American songs?

It depends on the song. Better in which ways?

i dont listen to recent american pop nearly at all, just what plays on the store radio at work so i cant say much on it ig but its like.......... same level rly.

American music is unlistenable and (especially) unwatchable. It's the Kingdom of the Anti-Visual.

But only the products of the big companies. There is a lot of great independent music being made in many different genres, but even though they buy their "artists" a Grammy or two when necessary the big companies have completely lost the path.

Quote from bethesda

Any way.

Elaborate with details.

Uhm yes I barely listen to american music anymore

Depends on the song

Can't express your perspective, bethesda?

Quote from TheHeretic

American music is unlistenable

What exactly makes it unlistenable? Is that in reference to "mainstream" genres of American music?

Well some of it, modern western music is crap these days in my opinion, seem to be taken over by rappers.

Right now yeah. The older western songs were big bops though, some of my favs, but nowadays it's kind of downgraded and I honestly am not really interested in any artists except for Ariana Grande.

Kpop at least tries to be inventive with its more complicated song structures and beat drops. There is some effort being made to put in a unique intro, verse, rap, prechorus, chorus, post chorus, bridge and outro.

Local pop music has been so stripped of any creativity and musicality that literally anyone can write a song like Heatwave or a trap song in 10 minutes on Garageband. When was the last time a local song had all the elements i listed above? Pop music died when grunge took over in the 90s and it has never recovered, except for a brief period of time when EDM was popular. Ever since EDM faded, it's been nothing but recycled trap and retro beats with 2 minute advertisements masquerading as songs layered above them.

For me, it's easier to find good K-Pop songs than Western songs.

for me personally i don't really pay attention to western music besides what i hear ontiktok but idk kpop just sounds more... fun! and i feel like theyre more experimental than western pop music (not all western music) which is not always a good thing tbh but it makes it more interesting! I just personally like the fusion of genres that kpop does a lot too and how theyre not afraid to be silly which is why I like kpop more but i'll listen to a good western song every now and then

depends

I like both. I have more kpop but that's because I don't really listen to recent pop songs. I don't find kpop better.

MM is my fav artist that isnt k-pop

Quote from MY-Kwangya

Well some of it, modern western music is crap these days in my opinion, seem to be taken over by rappers.

Thanks for being specific.

which is ironic considering most are either written by western artists/songwriters and/or are western demos that have been shopped around for a while.

If we're speaking purely the mainstream, you could make a fairly decent argument for it. Mostly due to Mainstream Western pop stripping itself down to brass tacks and not really trying to go beyond a formula.

Now this obviously isn't a 100% case thing, cause there are top acts in the west that I'd say push pop music that's stronger than some of the best kpop has to offer. But on an average, I can understand.

That said, they're not so far apart like they're working on different axis. It's more just a matter of what the labels behind the acts are willing to put up and a lot of Western labels will cut as many corners as possible if they can get away with it.

Personally I dont find kpop better, I just find them different from American Music. The difference is what making kpop standing out right now.

I only mainly listen to Kpop because I like it

it's not about better or not better

it's about preference, I like to listen to Kpop

if there's American song that I like then yea of course I'll listen to it

Quote from DMV2DMZ

Thanks for being specific.

You're welcome.

American pop, yes. For more than 10 years, I've found no interest in Western pop.

But not all hope is lost in America. The band Polyphia released one of the best songs of 2022, Playing God.

The US music scene is dominated by too many tik tok songs and industry plants so it’s not good now. I avoid the radio. Kpop has straight up unlistenable songs though. So it’s pretty even IMO.

Classic American pop is the best. Madonna, Michael Jackson, Britney, Justin Timberlake, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, Gaga. There is a longer list of course.

BlackPink and Exo for me are at the same level to great pop music.

But if you ask for example: cheesy cute kpop concept/music, no it is terrible, i hate it and it will never top American music (my list, my taste - each to its own).

SM also, used to have great hits. And they like to copy Disney teen stars and values, so i guess some of SM music can be consider the same level to Western pop music. There are some other kpop groups that made songs that reach superior standars

If we're talking historically, of course not. In fact, K-pop became what it was due to American Pop or specifically Hip Hop. Kpop absolutely does not exist if they never did.

However, if we're talking about the last 4 or 5 years? Then yes Kpop is better. Kpop is filling a void that most American artists are leaving behind these days and that is "performance". I don't think American music is bad because of the growing number of popular acts that can't really dance but that's what has helped Kpop thrive. It really reminds me of the 90s where even scrub R&B girl groups could dance, which was an excellent time if you loved seeing performance along with music.

Quote from BlackpinkHouse

Kpop at least tries to be inventive with its more complicated song structures and beat drops. There is some effort being made to put in a unique intro, verse, rap, prechorus, chorus, post chorus, bridge and outro.

Local pop music has been so stripped of any creativity and musicality that literally anyone can write a song like Heatwave or a trap song in 10 minutes on Garageband. When was the last time a local song had all the elements i listed above? Pop music died when grunge took over in the 90s and it has never recovered, except for a brief period of time when EDM was popular. Ever since EDM faded, it's been nothing but recycled trap and retro beats with 2 minute advertisements masquerading as songs layered above them.

i agree but no HeatWave slander

ofc it depends on the music, there's nothing like one is better than other

its just different

I never really enjoyed main stream american music.

I prefer Irish and Swedish bands.

I stopped listening to non-kpop years ago.

Maybe around 2010-2012ish when Rihanna and Katy Perry were on top.

Not because it's better or worse but I'm just not interested.

well americans have lana del rey, mariah carey, taylor swift and britney spears.

kpop has fairytale dream girl groups and nakamoto yuta.

K-pop is just pop music in Korean sometimes for BP lol

Now if we talking SM typa K-pop...idk most of their stuff is like a freaky experiment lol

I find great songs on both sides

When it comes to pop music, yes, I think Korean pop is better (in general) today. It depends on the songs, though, there are some Kpop songs I don't like. As for Western (not only American, Europe exists too), I prefer more rock sounds, and pop music was way better at least 15 to 40 years ago.