[meowface]

> It's orders of magnitude easier to make working software than it is to make a hit record.

I think the same could be said of any (good) art. Art and engineering are fundamentally very different things that just can't be compared, even if there may be some mutual overlapping. (Audio/mixing/mastering engineering definitely crosses the streams more, but for the sake of argument let's just consider the entire end-to-end process of making an album, which I think is almost entirely a matter of art.)

There is some degree of art involved in developing software, but if it's just getting some business app working for BigCorp, it really can't be compared to writing amazing fiction, painting a beautiful painting, directing a fantastic film, making a great album, or any other artistic endeavor. Anyone who scoffs at artists because they're not doing [technical thing] just shouldn't be paid any heed.

[throwaw4y-plate]

Art isn't the kind of thing that can be solved with a clever hill-climbing algorithm, is it.

[p1esk]

We don't know yet.

[wolco]

Counterpoint is record companies are creating pop music or using audiotune without the artist quality a classic painting has.

[andybak]

Artistry != Singing in tune

In fact art != artistry

It's entirely possible for somebody relatively lacking in technical ability and/or any great insight into their craft to produce something wonderful.

[burntoutfire]

> It's entirely possible for somebody relatively lacking in technical ability and/or any great insight into their craft to produce something wonderful.

100% that. Thom Yorke (Radiohead singer) has composed dozens of godly songs without even being able to read the notes (in fact, his band members are calling him the idiot savant and are asking him NOT to learn the notes at this point, as it might spoil the magic). Tricky composed some good songs without being able to read notes OR play any instrument.

[redis_mlc]

> without even being able to read the notes

Most pop/rock musicians historically have played (and composed) by ear without notation or formal music theory.

It's only in the past 20 years or so that large numbers of pop/rock musicians went to music school.

Even so, virtually all pop/rock is composed by ear today, even for music school graduates. Typically composers start by humming or singing a melody, "transcribe" that to an instrument by ear, and then embellish that further if they know music theory.

You can see from above why most pop music consists of the same 4 chords, with the addition of audience/gatekeeper familiarity (don't mess with a formula that works.)