How this century doesn't compare with the 20th

Continuing, voice recordings 043-045, Nov. 6, 2014. 046 was a Jamie Benn post-game interview.
Christina Aguiilera from 1999 -- I guess it spilled over into 2000 -- "What a Girl Wants." It's not the original "What a Girl Wants" that I remember. That one might have been the original song written in 1998. "What a Girl Wants" was re-recorded in '99 with a key change to C Major. Christina's 4,600. She's average.
Justin Timberlake, "Dead and Gone." It's like Justin trying to establish street cred with a little rap. He's not doing the rap, that was by T.I. In fact, the song is listed as T.I. featuring Justin Timberlake. I'd say 4,650, not especially good.
The late '90s were a disappointing time on the music scene. I thought the alternative rock of the mid-'90s was very good, and true to old-time rock 'n' roll. Since the advent of what could be called a second wave of bubble gum from artists such as Aguilera and Timberlake, popular music has gone downhill. Rap and hip hop became the voice of African Americans, and not as strong a voice as Motown in the '60s and '70s.
Sum 41, "Fat Lip", from 2001. 4,500.
Beginning voice recording 047, Nov. 7, 2014, through 1:10
Pink, "There You Go" from 2000. 4,450. Beyonce, "Irreplaceable" from 2006 is very replaceable. Very pedestrian musically. 4,820, and that might be too high. I think Beyonce is one of the 21st century female soloists who is not anywhere near as good as the strong female vocalists who were coming up in the '80s and '90s. For that matter, the male soloists aren't that great either. I just heard Enrique Iglesias, "Be with You," I think '06. I think I heard that a few nights ago, and I think I put it in the mid-4,000s, between 4,400 and 4,600, and that may even be generous. I'm not sure if it's that "American Idol" has lowered the bar for what's considered good or what the deal is.