One of my simple pleasures is to watch videos on YouTube. Nearly every night I spend a few, or more than a few, minutes watching everything from classic rock to classical. My preference is videos of live performances. Watching real musicians make real music is a treat.
I recently watched footage from the 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF) induction of the band "Yes". I had always liked this band and was surprised it took this long for them to be inducted. Their bass player, Chris Squire, passed away not long ago so they tapped Geddy Lee from Rush to take over for the night. So that, of course, caused me to watch a couple of Rush videos, and one thing lead to another.
Comparing fashion, art, or trends from one era to another is usually a bad idea. I don't like the phrase "when I was your age" or its sibling "back in my day" but I'm old enough now that they occasionally creep into my conversations. If I'm not careful I'll soon catch myself yelling at people to get off of my lawn. However I can't seem to avoid making the comparison so I'll simply try not to be too judgmental.
Much of the music today is created by one or two producers laying down backing tracks with the use of a computer. The instruments you hear are generally generated by a keyboard and/or loops of sounds that are nearly indistinguishable from real instruments. When the artists go on tour, either they sing to these backing tracks or the band musicians learned their parts from these tracks. That's not necessarily a bad thing. It's not that far removed from what classical musicians do every day.
The bands of fifty years ago did it differently. One person may have written the song, but everyone else has their fingerprints on it. They all made a contribution and the creative process could be joyous or contentious. And these people really loved music. They loved playing it, singing it, practicing it, creating it, and listening to it. You can see it on their faces when they perform. At times the audience member can feel like a voyeur peeking into their private moment.
In order to maximize sales artists tend to follow the scripted format. But some groups like "Yes" would challenge that format and their songs would either tank or soar. They took risks like artists should. Combine that with virtuosic musicianship and the experience could be breathtaking. As I watched Yes at the RRHOF I was reminded of how talented they were and how intelligent their music is. Yep.....they don't write 'em like that any more.