Complex sentence: While the idea of musical semiotics was common in the 1970s, it never gained great popularity, and only a few modern ethnomusicologists employ linguistic methods, with critics claiming that music only bears significant similarity to language in a limited number of cultures.
Split into simpler sentences: While the idea of musical semiotics was common in the 1970s, it never gained widespread popularity. Only a few modern ethnomusicologists employ explicitly linguistic methods, facing the common criticism that music only bears significant similarity to language in a limited number of cultures.