Is there any good modern popular music?

I’m trying really hard to not be one of those “In my day we had real music!” people, waving my proverbial cane at the proverbial whippersnappers with their not-so-proverbial iPods.

Today, for the first time in a long time, I turned my radio to the Top-40 station.

I was greeted by drum machine, synthesizer, what I can only assume was a turntable screeching something that sounded like a fire alarm, and such thought-provoking lyrics as “I can hear my heart beating in my skin-tight jeans”. (and all this time I’ve been wearing my jeans on my legs…) being croaked out through an auto-tuner.

That’s not music. That’s karaoke. And not the Arnel Pineda version, either. Hell, it’s not even “Hey, isn’t that drunk dude shouting ‘War’ off-time hilarious?” kind.

I gave it a good 50 minute drive home. More of the same.

So… is there any popular music out today?