This just in: Modern pop music is blander, louder and more homogenized than ever, as per a new study conducted by the Spanish National Research Council, Reuters reports.  “We found evidence of a progressive homogenization of the musical discourse,” artificial intelligence specialist Joan Serra told Reuters. “In particular, we obtained numerical indicators that the diversity of transitions between note combinations – roughly speaking chords plus melodies – has consistently diminished in the last 50 years.”  I think we can probably blame this on AutoTune, can’t we?

Furthermore, the use of computerized beats over real musicians has seemingly reduced the “timbre palette” of modern pop.  Reuters says, “The same note played at the same volume on, say, a piano and a guitar is said to have a different timbre, so the researchers found modern pop has a more limited variety of sounds.”  And here I thought Timbre Palette was the name of some new hipster indie pop band or something…

In any case, it sounds like the modern music industry is all about keeping it simple (and) stupid.  Is it any wonder KISS has a new album coming out this year?