In a parallel universe (or if you controlled the 'music muses' or 'music gods'), how would you have liked music to have evolved and developed in the 00s? Would you have liked to see a freaky acid-inspired, disco revival (Scissors Sisters but freakier)? A music scene that was super-diverse, embracing styles from robotic 80s techno, 90s house and trance and 60s folk? Would you have liked to see more fusion music styles happening in the early 00s? Punk Cabaret in the style of the 'Dresden Dolls?' I'm talking more about the period 2000-2005, not your predictions for the future. In other words, if you can pull time back to 1999, how would you WANT music to develop?

It'll be interesting to see how they match up with predictions for music in the upcoming years...

more Madonna.  a lot less rap.  in fact, no rap would be good.  http://www.inthe00s.com/smile/08/rocketwhore.gif

The Zeroes: The Electro Decade

I would've wanted to retard the development of stuff like Bright Eyes and the Strokes, and seen some sort of direct revival of Beatles/Squeeze-type stuff, or cheerier new wave/synthpop a la Cyndi Lauper or early Madonna. Or maybe some fusion of world music into the alternative scene, like African polyrhythms. I don't think trance and folk go all that well together, it's like mixing '90s indie a la Pavement and new wave like alot of bands do today (it doesn't work out well.) Maybe I would've liked to see a revival of early '80s noise rock, or campy stuff like the B-52s.

I would've wanted to retard the development of stuff like Bright Eyes and the Strokes, and seen some sort of direct revival of Beatles/Squeeze-type stuff, or cheerier new wave/synthpop a la Cyndi Lauper or early Madonna. Or maybe some fusion of world music into the alternative scene, like African polyrhythms. I don't think trance and folk go all that well together, it's like mixing '90s indie a la Pavement and new wave like alot of bands do today (it doesn't work out well.) Maybe I would've liked to see a revival of early '80s noise rock, or campy stuff like the B-52s.




That, and I would've liked to see some sort of revival of "Minneapolis Sound"-type funk and electrofunk. And the sort of upbeat, neo-new wave like Squeeze. Or maybe a combination of new wave and traditional soul, or new wave and '90s style soul.

In A Parallel Universe: britney is not married to Capt. Redneck K-fed.a Democrat is in a white house,madonna is stop speaking like a british women and tom cruise is in a insane ward

That, and I would've liked to see some sort of revival of "Minneapolis Sound"-type funk and electrofunk. And the sort of upbeat, neo-new wave like Squeeze. Or maybe a combination of new wave and traditional soul, or new wave and '90s style soul.


Or epic, inventive electroprog like Kate Bush.

I'd like to see a return to militantly-acoustic folk... like, same songs, same bands.. just that 100% acoustic instruments is the "in" thing.

Emo wouldn't be as popular.

Though the rock step: two guitars, one bass and a drum-kit has been the cornerstone of pop music for 50 years, I would've liked to see more keyboard/piano music, like Ben Folds Five, and perhaps more singer-songwriters from cabaret-influenced Norah Jones, to more 'rock-flavoured' singer-songwriters. Of course, most of us would lust after the prospect of a world without emo; solid, I'd rather there more proto-punk groups like NOFX and post 'Nimrod' Greenday rather than Fall-Out Boy and Good Charlotte.

No more Madonna (enough is enough), and the demise of techno, trance, drum and bass and all that kind of crap!

Basically more indie, more elecro pop - and loads of the hybrid indie-electro :D

Let's just get rid of gangsta rap and all the crappy hip hop that's a round and just keep the few songs that actually have a point, those that have meaning.

In a parallell universe I'd like the Go Go's to have actually been popular in the UK - for Vienna to have got the number 1 spot instead of that bloody 'Shadappa Your Face' and for people in the US to get to hear more stuff by some of the fantastic British indie bands!!

Basically more indie, more elecro pop - and loads of the hybrid indie-electro :D

Let's just get rid of gangsta rap and all the crappy hip hop that's a round and just keep the few songs that actually have a point, those that have meaning.

In a parallell universe I'd like the Go Go's to have actually been popular in the UK - for Vienna to have got the number 1 spot instead of that bloody 'Shadappa Your Face' and for people in the US to get to hear more stuff by some of the fantastic British indie bands!!


Gangsta rap probably died around 1998.

Basically more indie, more elecro pop - and loads of the hybrid indie-electro :D

Let's just get rid of gangsta rap and all the crappy hip hop that's a round and just keep the few songs that actually have a point, those that have meaning.

In a parallell universe I'd like the Go Go's to have actually been popular in the UK - for Vienna to have got the number 1 spot instead of that bloody 'Shadappa Your Face' and for people in the US to get to hear more stuff by some of the fantastic British indie bands!!


Yes, I don't really mind your so-called 'indie-electro' like groups such as the Postal Service and Modest Mouse. I also think the Jazz-Pop hybrid - like the Aussie group 'The Cat Empire' would've been interesting. More retro influences.

Yes, I don't really mind your so-called 'indie-electro' like groups such as the Postal Service and Modest Mouse. I also think the Jazz-Pop hybrid - like the Aussie group 'The Cat Empire' would've been interesting. More retro influences.


I would like to have seen jazz-rock come back, actually.

I would like to have seen jazz-rock come back, actually.


I also quite like 'Punk Cabaret' e.g. the Dresden Dolls. Discordant chords/melodies, nursery rhyme melodies, and alot of screaming. A real blast of fresh air, I think. We need more totally unselfconscious music, if you know what I mean.

I also quite like 'Punk Cabaret' e.g. the Dresden Dolls. Discordant chords/melodies, nursery rhyme melodies, and alot of screaming. A real blast of fresh air, I think. We need more totally unselfconscious music, if you know what I mean.


Unless it's self-consciously trying to be unselfconscious. But I think alot of music this decade is so inhibited, trying so hard to be something rather than just being. There are already enough nursery rhyme melodies around...

Unless it's self-consciously trying to be unselfconscious. But I think alot of music this decade is so inhibited, trying so hard to be something rather than just being. There are already enough nursery rhyme melodies around...


The problem is, when you try to set out and create something original, there will invariably be someone who's done it before. So the music press automatically compare you to so and so. Even if you're something original and new, there will likely be someone who sounds alot like you. One needs to cross new boundaries, take there influence from untapped musical goldmines.

I also quite like 'Punk Cabaret' e.g. the Dresden Dolls. Discordant chords/melodies, nursery rhyme melodies, and alot of screaming. A real blast of fresh air, I think. We need more totally unselfconscious music, if you know what I mean.


That's a good genre, but I'd rather spare the screaming.

In A Parallel Universe: britney is not married to Capt. Redneck K-fed.a Democrat is in a white house,madonna is stop speaking like a british women and tom cruise is in a insane ward
Well,at least Tom Cruise doesn't like drug companies promoting varying illness,real and imagined,to promote their products.Ever wonder how they can afford all those fancy ads?

That's a good genre, but I'd rather spare the screaming.


I think some controlled screaming adds something to a song.