Rick Beato vs Antony Fantano - Battle of the Idiots (DELIBERATE CLICK BAIT TITLE) 

Really good assessment. 👍

It’s not the best of times and the worst of times, it’s just the worst of times. I think we are about the same age, I grew up in the 80s and 90s, music was EVERYTHING; Kurt Cobain inspired me to get an electric guitar, I’ve been playing for over 30 years now. I think music was even more important to my parent’s generation growing up in the 60s. Music, playing records, the ability to sing or dance or play an instrument was a thing of real value in our family. I now have no idea how to pass this love of music on to my children, they just won’t have this in their life and it makes me really sad.

I think Beat-o has a broader view of things, a wider set of contacts than Fantano, who is in a technical bubble. Meanwhile, like as the dinosaurs died out, the smaller creatures are getting on with their lives. The 'Music Industry' may die / has died but people will still make their own music.

There are still venues doing live music and there is still a thirst to watch live music. However, I am seeing less touring, inflated ticket prices. No wonder kids aren't as bothered about music. My kids think I am a pariah for still buying CD's! I agree Darren that music isn't the main cultural talking point anymore, neither are films.. which is sad!

I've really never had a 'shared exlerience of music'. I am a young person that has always purchased physical media and dedicated a lot of time to consuming it to the fullest. In fact I very rarely if ever stream music, not because I think its bad, but because any music I care about I enjoy dedicating time and money to. I didn't realize how different I was to most people my age until they started asking about my personality. I'm not a hipster - I just really care about music and when I listen to older music and watch reviews of it on channels like this, I feel like I'm sharing in the cultural relevance that the music once had

RB is knowledgeable on music theory, but his obssesion with Sting is hilarious

Hey! Well… the Beatles had all the toys in their best days… I really think once more people realise knowing music theory very well will actually help them, things will change a lot. Most electronic and pop music is made by people with a fairly good ear, but very little knowledge or will to expand their creativity.

I don't think the state of music is as bad as it's made out to be. I personally think Fantano and Beato are both misguided at the best of times on most things. Both of their opinions are, in some way, rooted in money and how much they can make spinning a story in their monetary favor. I agree with you on most things you said in this video except the state of live music is strong imo as that's most artists sole way of making money. Music has a fighting chance to make a gradual return to some sort of relevance but the very best years are far behind us and I'm so thankful I got to experience the best years during my lifetime.

gone is the committing, the shared experience, the relevance. usually. relatively. choice paralysis is a good point too. i have 1000 albums on my bandcamp. but now what? how to connect? how to exist?

I feel like Beato at least talks to relevant musicians

Your video is more balanced than both....I couldn't believe that Fantano thought yammering about home taping was some kind of "own." Though I do agree that as long as Beato plays up his tech angle, a lot of his other better points will be overlooked....

You know Beato is angry when half the video isn't him explaining music theory by going, "ooh, ooh, that's a sus chord," as if that makes everything obvious.

ps very amusing 'Beato Bingo' card was made in one Weaver Beats stream.

I think that Fantano is very right and Beato is very wrong here

the music industry no longer protects its artists like before the wall and the lamb lies down on Broadway both cost 30 dollars each 40 years ago I couldn't afford them then that's what I mean about protecting the artists

Fantano is a pop culture defending ideologue- he's a cartoon. Beato is way too middle of the road and generally nice to take this on- it's culture death on multiple fronts or a revolution and it's a dumb one (and one Fantano is interested in promoting - this is the core of what he likes and doesn't, is it useful to the cause or not)

Fantano called that song with the Irish kids EDM Electro when it's clearly and obviously a DnB song. Anything Fantano says is invalid.

I'm amazed at how much generalisation occurs in these discussions. The thing that always put me off Beato is that he is so focussed on technology in the production process as the culprit. I'm of a similar generation to you; Joy Division is as meaningful to me as New Order. (Anderson's O Superman is a great example)..the idea that technology is even slightly to blame to me appears idiotic, i find Kraftwerk's Neon Lights as magical and emotional as Sound Garden's 'Black Hole Sun'. I dont discriminate based on rock traditionalism vs technological modernism. Quantizing is an artistic choice, notice Beato NEVER talks about groove and incremental quantizing!. ITS ALL MUSIC. I disagree slightly with you on one point - this idea that anyone just 'drags some icons around' this to me seems to be more sniffy traditionalism ie the 'i hate drum machines' we used to hear. You know full well an entire intellectual process of arrangement and dynamics are at play when you create music entirely in the box - it's can be just as sophisticated and musical as any traditional performance skill ie 'playing drums/guitar'. There are more music artists than ever, there are plenty playing in ALL genres who still make moving, artful music, from folk rock to any of the myriad of electronic genres. You are much warmer i think about the ubiquity and cultural cache of music, from pay for play to pay for the algorithm...there is more shit than ever, but thats only if you have NO CURIOSITY which is the vast majority of arts consumers. You were 'exposed' because you also EXPLORED. I really think im mostly agreement with much of what you say here. I do think Fantano debunked Beato quite brilliantly. I not a fan of either tbh. I'll check your bandcamp. ps the algorithm brought me here. ;-)

Fantano is right. Most of Beato's arguments are laughable (especially the Google one, my God).

Fantano covers the waterfront, steers me away from timewaste (I'm old), has a sense of humor. Beato I find pedantic. You're right that Music is wallpaper now; I know youngers who love music but aren't real Fans of any artists, whereas I--Beatles, Crim, REM, Richard Thompson, Low, Roches, etc, could go all afternoon. But saying Music is awful now is dumb. All music? Dispersed, less broadly meaningful, sure. The value -judgement is simply about You now, and your pack of friends. Would we really want, say, a popular swell of Trump-MAGA music (Kid Nugent; Ted Rockt), used at their night rallies? No.

I tend to lean more to Mr Beato’s viewpoint, but then I’m 65 years old…just another old man shouting at the clouds.

Music is rubbish now. you can argue about the reasons for this and what can be done about it. But the overwhelming feeling now is that music is not as good as it used to be. Part of it is that its listened to in different ways now. Music used to be everywhere. Radios used to be on everywhere. For all its faults radio did have the ability to sift the chaff from the wheat. Now its just an amorphous mass.