Rick Beato sees a connection between the vibrant colors of 1960s culture and the adventurous harmonies that once defined popular music. From the psychedelic clothing of the Beatles to the dramatic Technicolor imagery of The Wizard of Oz, he argues that modern society has gradually traded visual richness for muted uniformity. His central concern is that popular music has undergone a similar transformation, losing much of the harmonic experimentation and individuality that once made songs distinctive. It is an imaginative comparison that gives his criticism of contemporary music a more interesting foundation than a conventional complaint about declining musical quality.
The opening discussion of architecture, automobiles, and visual design establishes this analogy through familiar examples. Beato contrasts the colorful staircase from Home Alone with its more subdued modern appearance, compares older McDonald's restaurants with contemporary redesigns, and examines the increasing popularity of white, gray, and black vehicles. His personal preference for a distinctive blue SUV adds a relatable touch. These observations effectively communicate his frustration with aesthetic conformity, although the suggestion that modern design has become uniformly bland depends heavily on selective examples and personal taste.
The discussion becomes considerably more substantial when Beato explains what musical color actually means. Drawing on his knowledge of harmony, he identifies extended chords, dissonance, unusual progressions, and unexpected notes as elements that give compositions character. References to the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows," the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever," and Blink-182's "All the Small Things" demonstrate that harmonic sophistication can appear across different genres. His explanation of the dissonant keyboard part and vocal harmonies in the Blink-182 song is particularly effective because it identifies specific musical details rather than relying on vague descriptions of artistic greatness.
Beato's central argument focuses on Radiohead's "Everything in Its Right Place," from the band's 2000 album Kid A. He presents its unusual chord movement and rich dissonance as a high point in popular music's harmonic imagination, describing the progression through C major, E-flat, and F major harmonies. His keyboard demonstration helps establish why the composition feels distinctive, while the discussion of Victoria Canal's viral reworking of the Beatles' "Blackbird" illustrates how recognizable Radiohead's harmonic language remains. The example gives his argument a contemporary connection, suggesting that the song's influence continues well beyond its original release.
The examination of Thom Yorke's emotional state adds another dimension to the musical analysis. Beato references a 2001 Rolling Stone interview in which Yorke discussed becoming overwhelmed after a performance, connecting that experience to the unsettling lyrics of "Everything in Its Right Place." This provides a useful reminder that the song's significance extends beyond its chord progression. Its combination of harmonic tension, emotional exhaustion, and unconventional presentation helps explain why Beato considers it an artistic landmark. However, the discussion concentrates so strongly on harmony that other aspects of the composition receive comparatively little attention.
The argument becomes less convincing when Beato attempts to establish Radiohead's achievement as the dividing line between a colorful musical past and a comparatively lifeless present. He attributes the homogenization of popular music to internet algorithms, the disappearance of monoculture, and the rapid exhaustion of trends through viral exposure. His examples of punk reacting against disco and grunge emerging after hair metal provide an accessible historical framework, but his claim that contemporary culture lacks meaningful subcultures or opportunities for rebellion is too sweeping. Similarly, the coincidence between Kid A's release, Napster's emergence, and the decline of traditional music sales is intriguing without establishing that musical creativity declined alongside the industry's commercial transformation. The absence of detailed comparisons with later songs leaves his central historical judgment largely unproven.
Pros
- The comparison between Technicolor imagery, modern visual minimalism, and musical harmony creates an original and accessible framework for discussing artistic change.
- Beato's explanations of extended chords, dissonance, and unconventional harmonic movement give the discussion genuine educational value.
- Specific musical examples from the Beach Boys, Beatles, Blink-182, and Radiohead demonstrate how unexpected harmonic choices can make familiar songs distinctive.
- The examination of "Everything in Its Right Place" provides a focused example of the expressive possibilities of unusual chord progressions.
- Victoria Canal's viral "Blackbird" reinterpretation offers a relevant illustration of Radiohead's continuing musical influence.
- The Thom Yorke interview adds emotional and historical context that strengthens the discussion beyond technical music theory.
Cons
- The comparison between visual design trends and declining musical complexity is evocative but does not establish a direct relationship between the two.
- The claim that "Everything in Its Right Place" represents the final major peak of harmonic creativity in popular music lacks meaningful comparisons with subsequent releases.
- Assertions about algorithms eliminating monoculture, subcultures, and musical rebellion oversimplify complicated cultural developments.
- The discussion emphasizes harmonic sophistication as a measure of musical importance without sufficiently considering rhythm, production, lyrical expression, or other forms of innovation.
- The connection between the decline of traditional music sales and diminishing musical creativity remains speculative rather than demonstrated.
Rick Beato delivers a thoughtful and musically informative reflection on artistic individuality, using Radiohead's enduring influence to explore what may have been lost as popular culture became increasingly standardized. His harmonic demonstrations and historical connections make the discussion engaging, but the sweeping conclusions about modern music extend beyond the evidence presented. As a personal argument about the value of musical experimentation, it succeeds more convincingly than as a definitive account of when popular music supposedly lost its creative color.
