I think, looking at the charts, that mainstream rap is probably already past its peak of popularity, particularly glam rap. I mean, it'll go on for another few years, but my question is, is it already past its peak and when did it peak? I'm saying 2004 was the absolute peak, but it peaked between '03 and '05.

I think, looking at the charts, that mainstream rap is probably already past its peak of popularity, particularly glam rap. I mean, it'll go on for another few years, but my question is, is it already past its peak and when did it peak? I'm saying 2004 was the absolute peak, but it peaked between '03 and '05.


Nah. It's not the music that changed, it's the chart methodology. I guess it depends on how much you value the charts as reflective of what's popular as a whole.

Hmmm, I'd say it's just a tiny tiny bit below its peak.  Absolute peak would be like 2003 to 2005.

I think one of the main events of the past year seems to be the rise of A/C-oriented singer-songwriters like Howie Day, Jack Johnson, James Blunt, Teddy Geiger, David Powter, Natasha Bedingfield, KT Tunstall, and Maroon 5 to the charts.

I think one of the main events of the past year seems to be the rise of A/C-oriented singer-songwriters like Howie Day, Jack Johnson, James Blunt, Teddy Geiger, David Powter, Natasha Bedingfield, KT Tunstall, and Maroon 5 to the charts.


A/C... what does that mean?

Either way.... all of those musicians you mentioned (minus James Blunt) suck.

I pray to God they're not going to become mainstream music.

A/C... what does that mean?

Either way.... all of those musicians you mentioned (minus James Blunt) suck.

I pray to God they're not going to become mainstream music.


They all do suck...I think that includes James Blunt and minus KD Tunstall, her song is pretty good.

Natasha Bedingfield does not suck. Maroon 5 has been popular for 3 years now, they're cool. James Blunt and KT Tunstall are good too. The others are ok I guess but kind of boring. A/C has been popular throughout the whole decade really, you've got Train, Matchbox Twenty/Rob Thomas, Maroon 5, Hoobastank, The Calling, John Mayer, Five For Fighting, 3 Doors Down, Santana, Sheryl Crow, Dido, and the list goes on and on. All have had decent success on the hot 100. It may have took a slight dip in 2005, but it has come back here in 2006.

The only time Rap sounds good is when it's used in a dance song, but I can't recall songs like those since the 90's

[quote author=whis

A/C... what does that mean?

Either way.... all of those musicians you mentioned (minus James Blunt) suck.

I pray to God they're not going to become mainstream music.



A/C is "adult contemporary". 

For what it's worth, I think rap is on it's way out and I hope it goes faster than it already is. 


The whole genre has been caught up in itself, with the bling, and the hoochies and the god knows what else.  It's time to put this to rest.

Yeah, I'd say it is definitely past it's popularity peak.  It's entered what like to call the "saturation phase" that most music genres go through, where the amount of crap vastly outweighs the good.  I hope it dies out as quickly as possible.  It's not that I hate Rap.  I love rappers like Public Enemy and Dr. Dre.  I just hate Rap in it's current form.  It needs a change badly.

Like "Free Your Mind", that's an amazing song.


Free Your Mind by En Vogue?  That's neither rap nor dance :P

It is probably past its peak in mainstream circles...may not be the same in the 'non-mainstream' music-listening communities.

Well mainstream rap isnt really past its peak. here in NYC rap is really popular and strong, for instance rapper T.i is came out with a  movie called "ATL" and it did good in the box office ,also he has the number one single in the country. that proves that rap isnt really past its peak

Well mainstream rap isnt really past its peak. here in NYC rap is really popular and strong, for instance rapper T.i is came out with a  movie called "ATL" and it did good in the box office ,also he has the number one single in the country. that proves that rap isnt really past its peak


I've been listening to some stuff from T.I.'s new album "King", I think it's one of the better rap albums in a while.

Glam rap's on the way out but just very slowly. It's probably either slightly past it's popularity peak or is still in it now just on the tale end of it. Everyone makes the hair metal-glam rap, D4L-Warrant connection but we'll see if it turns out to be true. If so then "Laffy Taffy" will be the song that takes glam rap to its(as someone else said) saturation phase where the music gets repetitive and it's all downhill from there.

When did hair metal reach its "Laffy Taffy" phase, mid-1989? I'd guess it's around the same time more people started knowing about alt rock.

When did hair metal reach its "Laffy Taffy" phase, mid-1989? I'd guess it's around the same time more people started knowing about alt rock.



Maybe in '89 but I lean more toward sometime in 1990.

Maybe in '89 but I lean more toward sometime in 1990.


From everything I heard, it probably noticeably tipped towards silly sometime in late 1989 after its 1986-early 1989 golden age.

Maybe in '89 but I lean more toward sometime in 1990.


I'd say 1990.  Mind, it was very popular, I don't buy for a minute that hair metal died in 1990, but it was clearly starting to seem really stupid by then.

I'd say 1990.  Mind, it was very popular, I don't buy for a minute that hair metal died in 1990, but it was clearly starting to seem really stupid by then.



Yeah, hair metal did not die in 1990 that's when it reached it's "saturation point" it didn't even really die until 1992 when you think about it. There were still plenty of hair metal hits in '91.

Yeah, hair metal did not die in 1990 that's when it reached it's "saturation point" it didn't even really die until 1992 when you think about it. There were still plenty of hair metal hits in '91.


I'd go out on a limb and say even as late as 1993 it was vaguely around.  Of course by early 1992 it was eclipsed by Grunge.

I'd go out on a limb and say even as late as 1993 it was vaguely around.  Of course by early 1992 it was eclipsed by Grunge.



This is true too. Remember that video game "Crue Ball" that came out for the Sega Genisis in 1992? Don't even ask how I remember that ;D

From my research, hair metal was around but at death row through 1992, and was off mainstream MTV rotation and radio airplay almost totally by 1993, or relegated to "Headbanger's Ball." It was still around, though, certainly. But by 1994 and certainly 1995, it'd been totally dropped from mainstream record labels with the exception of Bon Jovi, who survived much better.

From my research, hair metal was around but at death row through 1992, and was off mainstream MTV rotation and radio airplay almost totally by 1993, or relegated to "Headbanger's Ball." It was still around, though, certainly. But by 1994 and certainly 1995, it'd been totally dropped from mainstream record labels with the exception of Bon Jovi, who survived much better.



Yeah, save for Bon Jovi and a few other bands that changed there sound to alternative to fit the trends, the genre died in 1992 and was totally gone by 1993.

What about the band 'The Darkness?' They're like Guns 'n' Roses.

This is true too. Remember that video game "Crue Ball" that came out for the Sega Genisis in 1992? Don't even ask how I remember that ;D


Sorry, I don't. Never played Genesis  ;D

Sorry, I don't. Never played Genesis  ;D



Long story short it was a pinball video game based on Motley Crue ;D.