Originally Posted by rob1984

I don't think a causal link between the rise of popular music and the decline of classical music is that clear. One could, for example, make just as good an argument blaming classical composers themselves and modernism for audiences switching off to classical music.

If people want to listen to pop music that's fine. If they want to hold it up as great music that's also fine. Why does this bother you so much? Clearly you don't see it as deserving of any cultural status but others do, including, as you've seen from the posts in this thread, people who understand music well.

As I've said in my earlier post, one of the main reasons for classical music being ghettoised is the fact that kids aren't exposed to it and that primarily is the fault of our schools more than anything else. Get kids listening to classical music at an early age and many will love it. Some won't and some, like you, may decide to listen to it exclusivley. But most, I believe, will probably choose to listen to both pop and classical.