One of my favorite steady gigs is playing in a local upscale retirement community cocktail lounge. I play the old Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin jazz standards. The residents, mostly in their 80s and 90s love them as much as I love playing them. They grew up with these songs. Unfortunately these fine folk will be gone before too much longer and so will the appreciation of the Great American Songbook.
The next generation want to hear “Classic Rock”, which is OK but a big step down both musically and lyrically in my opinion. Then what?
Modern pop music isn’t composed and then recorded as an ensemble, it’s “produced”. (“Attached is the hook for your new hit, Rihanna. Please send us your recorded vocal by return email.”) As a result, the songs all sound then same. (I don’t include rap in this category as I don’t consider it music at all.)
Classical music is on life support. City orchestras are reduced to trying to attract younger audiences by playing Led Zeppelin. Really?
The same thing is happening in churches. The most popular ones feature a rock band playing “praise” music, which is OK if you like that kind of thing but it ain’t Bach or Handel. (There is some good new spiritual music being composed which I enjoy playing in church, along with gospel, but it’s in the minority.)
All of which brings me to worry about the future of good music. Does it even have one?

Cheers! -Alastair