MASSIVE Mastering said:
10, 12 years ago, I couldn't imagine compromising the sound of a recording just for the sake of sheer volume.
Now, I'm basically "forced" into it every single day, almost without exception.
It sucks. And to boot, it has almost nothing to do with the general listening public - Most of them are quite smart enough to know where the volume control is. It's a pissing match for the A&R guys and producers. The tracking guys don't want it, the mix engineers don't want it, the mastering guys certainly don't like it - It's the artists and their producers who are behind the push 90% of the time.
I really hope the industry gets over itself at some point soon so we can get on with making things sound *good* again...
Just to play devil's advocate and to pose some questions and healthy debate, here...
what about this perspective on the situation:
Over time, production and mastering trends change. This is what defines a "current" sound.
There is no such thing as "better" or "worse"... only "different."
One person may think the trend toward a lighter compression and wider dynamic range as heard maybe 35 (or 10) years ago sounds "better" than what is commonly heard in todays music, but it is that heavy compression and push for more volume that is a big part of what defines "todays" sound.
There are many things that have changed over the years with regard to production. Changes that some may say are for the worse and some may say are for the better.
Pitch correcting vocals
quantizing performances
sampling
looping
scratching
plugins
emulations
digital recording
analogue synths
digital synths
I can listen to most songs and know, just from the "sound", what time period it was recorded in.
Depending on how these things are used, a song may sound "current" or "outdated"
whether you like or dislike some of these things, their use (or non-use) can make your music sound dated or current.
Somebody who grew up in a time with heavily compressed masters and super-loud tracks will most likely think
that is what sounds best.
Somebody who grew up when "people", not "computers", played instruments-- will no doubt think "they don't make em like they used to" and "that's not
music"
...but there is no such thing as "right" or "wrong" and no such thing as "good" or "bad" when it comes to art.
...all that exists are currently accepted trends in production and style.
In a world of necessity to be on the radio, or have a "pop" hit, or fit into a particular genré, what is important? Is the importance on having a sound that is in line with what is currently in vogue? Is it having a sound that demonstrates the widest dynamic range?
People will like whatever they like. Most likely, what they like will be whatever they are used to-- whatever they grew up with.
some people may long for the days when they'll make video games like Space Invaders and Pac Man again instead of all these "1st person shooter" games...
some people may long for the days when a car had room in the back seat so make out with your girl, and when tail fins were all the rage, instead of these slow moving compact hybrid cars...
some people may long for the days when "bands" played live music instead of the synthesizer-toting electronic artists...
some people may long for the days when singers "sang" instead of "yelled"...
some people may long for the days when women wore dresses instead of "trousers"...
some people may long for the days when dynamic range is what mattered in music instead of loudness...
But the fact is... times change... trends change... tastes change.
"Change" is
always "different", but "different" is not necessarily "bad"... even if it is not what you are used to. And if heavily compressed, super-loud tracks are what people are asking for and are what the public is currently enjoying... then it can't be "bad"
(whether any particular person
likes it or not is another story, but it is not definitively "bad")
It would be one thing if there were an isolated incidence of an over-compressed super-loud record that stood out and made you say with surprise "what the hell is that?!? that doesn't fit in with what is normal", but when
everything is like that (and we are talking major popular records) then it
is normal... and that "normal" is the new accepted "proper modern standard"
...at least until a hit song comes out that has a different standard... then
that will be the new standard.