Debate crystallizes around moral integrity versus musical taste
5 Sep 22 5:16 AM · 1d ago · 47 comments · 1 source · development 5 of 5
Some commenters reframed the argument as fundamentally about artists taking moral stands during periods of social upheaval, arguing that 1970s musicians possessed integrity that contemporary performers lack. Others pushed back that this conflates different eras and ignores political artists today.
“The post isn't about music quality. It's about taking a moral stand when it counts, and today's performers don't have the same integrity as they did in the 60s and 70s.”
fritzcokid.bsky.socialredpeter99.bsky.social Original poster
Ed Sheeran Subject of criticism
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What people said 24 voices · best of 107 · verbatim
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Plenty of amazing music being made now, if you know where to look. But I agree about Sheeran's stuff being unutterably bland. Who needs AI generated music when we've already got MOR slopmongers like Sheeran.
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CCR, Bob Dylan, and many others used their voices and talent to fight against things that mattered. It gave them depth of character. Few singers today sing about social and political matters today. Everyone is picking at him, but he's really no different than his contemporaries.
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Billy Bragg needs a mention for those that grew up in the 80s, plus Stand Down Margaret by The Beat. SKA was a very political musical movement in the 70s and 80s
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No better songwriter than Joni Mitchell ever, and I’d put The Beatles, Dylan, etc etc in there.
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There's something happening here What it is ain't exactly clear There's a man with a gun over there, telling me I got to beware I think it's time we stop Children, what's that sound? Everybody look what's going down..
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The post isn't about music quality. It's about taking a moral stand when it counts, and today's performers don't have the same integrity as they did in the 60s and 70s.
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This Jersey girl would like to add Bruce Springsteen to that list.
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In the 1970s they were artists who did it for the music. Sheeran is a businessman who does it for the money.
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Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Jim Croce, Dylan, The Band, Leonard Cohen.
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Every generation thinks their music is the best of all time. And it's usually the music that was released during their teens. It's not quality, it's nostalgia. Folks like Woodie Guthrie and Cole Porter could write a bit as well, and Rakim and Nas were as groundbreaking as anything in the 70's.
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I’d add Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp to that list.
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100% correct unfortunately. It always amuses me when younger people comment how great a new song is and I have to point out it is actually a rework from an original track written, performed sometimes many decades earlier.
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There have been plenty of sound songwriters and performers since the 70s who are political and speak truth to power. Similarly there are a lot of contemporary artists from the time who are utter shitheels. Its fine you stopped listening to new music, a lot of people do. But this is nostalgia.
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Growing up in the 60’s and 70’s I can tell you there was a lot of crap then too. And I loved those songwriters you named. But they also had a lot of fluff songs too. I still listen to them though. Been listening to Tracy Chapman lately. But I I also just want the fluffy stuff too (an escape).
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Each era of music is indicative of the time in which it’s made. And music is very much subjective. All to say, I don’t necessarily agree with your view. And I grew up in the 60s when the protest movement was massive and the music phenomenal.
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his music was never on that the plane though, that’s the thing, this shallow behavior is unsurprising if you listen to his music
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That must be why his music isn't very good.
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A
I don't care about the Ed Sheeran story, but I care do hate that people didn't learn from Nixon.
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That's not really fair: EVERY generation's singer/songwriters are superior to Ed Sheeran.
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Paranoia strikes deep. Into your life it will creep.
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I’ve been listening a lot to Tracy Chapman now too.
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Nor is Pink, nor Gaga. And that makes me sad. 
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A breakdown of Kraft's words as read by Ed Sheeran And you're right All those ppl and others were on the right side of history Feigning ignorance isn't a stance it's cowardly open.
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I wouldn't have had a problem with him if he had taken a firm stand and gone to bat for macklemore, etc. But his choices were that of a wimp, and that's not OK.
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Bluesky