Why every mainstream record sounds the same, step by step.

Tom Whitwell has just reposted his 2008 Word article on the recording process for mainstream radio-targeted music: how to record music literally targeted at people who don’t actually like music. It is every bit as processed as you can imagine, and possibly more so. I recently listened to all of the top 100 US chart hits for 2014, and by crikey you can hear this process.

You will also enjoy these videos setting out country hits of 2013 and 2014 and how they are literally the same song. Yep, there’s still no reason to pay attention to mainstream popular culture.