I've just been thinking about when I hear songs from 2004 like "Yeah" by Usher or "Tipsy" playing on the radio, those songs seem old school now, and afterall that was 3 years ago. Does anyone else get that feeling when they hear those songs?

Not old school quite, but different. I think 2005 changed a lot. Early 2005 was still like 2003 or 2004, late 2005 is a lot like 2006 or 2007. I think the second wave of emo, the MCR brand of emo, and crunk evolving into snap musically defines the change. The movies are different too, more crappy sequels in the mid and late 00s.

Not just yet.

One thing about back in 2004, even though J-Kwon certainly blows as a rapper, Tipsy did at least have good quality production, in general just about all 2004 rap hits I remember were at the least well produced. Even something like Lean Back, which I didn't even like that song that much, but hell it's a million times better than that horrible Party Like A Rockstar crap or T-Pain's disgustingly sickening "effort" Buy U A Drank or Unk, lmao. Nowadays good production doesn't really matter as much anymore to rap listeners I guess. The only rapper whose songs continually have good production is probably T.I., of course you have Timbaland making awesome pop/r&b as well but rap generally has little if anything still going for it.

"Old School" was released in 2003.

"Old School" was released in 2003.


"Old School Dos" will come out in 2009

One thing about back in 2004, even though J-Kwon certainly blows as a rapper, Tipsy did at least have good quality production, in general just about all 2004 rap hits I remember were at the least well produced. Even something like Lean Back, which I didn't even like that song that much, but hell it's a million times better than that horrible Party Like A Rockstar crap or T-Pain's disgustingly sickening "effort" Buy U A Drank or Unk, lmao. Nowadays good production doesn't really matter as much anymore to rap listeners I guess. The only rapper whose songs continually have good production is probably T.I., of course you have Timbaland making awesome pop/r&b as well but rap generally has little if anything still going for it.


I'd actually say that good production still matters to rap fans, thats why sales are down now. There's actually a backlash going on right now to this current trend of awful "fake" rap. Think about it, rap is a lot less popular than it was in 2002-2004. Starting in 2005, you got snap rap kicking in big time, which, if you ask me, was the tipping point for rap fans.

Really as the decade has worn on, rap has been getting more pop oriented, and much more redundant. I think now, people have had enough.

I'd actually say that good production still matters to rap fans, thats why sales are down now. There's actually a backlash going on right now to this current trend of awful "fake" rap. Think about it, rap is a lot less popular than it was in 2002-2004. Starting in 2005, you got snap rap kicking in big time, which, if you ask me, was the tipping point for rap fans.

Really as the decade has worn on, rap has been getting more pop oriented, and much more redundant. I think now, people have had enough.


I never understood snap rap. There's nothing catchy about it since it's basically just a dull bassline and snapping with some annoying southern rapper rapping about nothing or sex. Even Britney Spears has more depth in her music compared to that.  :-X

I've just been thinking about when I hear songs from 2004 like "Yeah" by Usher or "Tipsy" playing on the radio, those songs seem old school now, and afterall that was 3 years ago. Does anyone else get that feeling when they hear those songs?
IT DOES NOT!  >:(

I never understood snap rap. There's nothing catchy about it since it's basically just a dull bassline and snapping with some annoying southern rapper rapping about nothing or sex. Even Britney Spears has more depth in her music compared to that.  :-X


Yeah its awful music, and its not rap at all, really its club music. But not even good club music, there's no bass or beat and it just sounds "twangy." I can't understand why it got popular in the first place. :-\\

The kind of music I listen takes longer.

Roscoe Mitchell recorded "Composition/Improvisation Nos. 1,2, &3 " with the Transatlantic Art Ensemble in Munich back in September of 2004.  ECM Records finally released in in July of 2007.  By my estimation, it still won't sound dated ("old school") in 2027....so what can I say?

http://www.ecmrecords.com/Images/cover/ECM/1800/E1872g.jpg

I never understood snap rap. There's nothing catchy about it since it's basically just a dull bassline and snapping with some annoying southern rapper rapping about nothing or sex. Even Britney Spears has more depth in her music compared to that.  :-X


What the hellll is snap rap?

What the hellll is snap rap?


Rap that snaps at you

What the hellll is snap rap?


It's rap with finger snappin' in the background. lol

It's rap with finger snappin' in the background. lol


Psht. They never had snap rock or anything like that, but I could think of many songs like that.

Snap + Rap = Crap; therefore Snap Rap = Scrap

'Course if you actually called it that, when people would say "I'm listening to some Scrappy music", some joker would reply: "But what about Scooby Music" :D

Psht. They never had snap rock or anything like that, but I could think of many songs like that.


I doubt they're anything like this.

To answer the original question, I think the first year that could have some old-school flavor to it would be 2002. Just because there's some things from then which might not be as successful today (i.e. neo-singer songwriter pop, like Vanessa Carlton, or that period's Michelle Branch and Nelly Furtado). Although I think there's some difference between something merely being "dated" and being "old-school". The latter implies it's long enough ago and removed enough from the present to feel considerably like a different time. In order to get that feeling, you have to go back to 1998 at latest. In all honestly, probably before the Internet became a household thing.

I've always thought a good way to gauge if there's a significant difference between the present, would be if we could immediately pick out differences if we time travelled back there. Honestly, even in my own neighborhood, I could probably be fooled and not notice for quite awhile. 2004 is just at the tip of the iceberg for being "slightly dated", but it's nowhere near old-school.

Look... Although the fads and styles in music have changed slightly, 2004 is certainly not old school. As for sound quality, there have not been many huge technological advances since this time, and the amount of low quality recordings have not increased nor decreased. 2004 was only three years ago, and everything made then sounds fresh as far as production... and even songwriting goes (Except radio hits, which wear out only with airplay.)

I will say rap has become even uglier since the late nineties, but otherwise music is not much different since then.

To answer the original question, I think the first year that could have some old-school flavor to it would be 2002. Just because there's some things from then which might not be as successful today (i.e. neo-singer songwriter pop, like Vanessa Carlton, or that period's Michelle Branch and Nelly Furtado). Although I think there's some difference between something merely being "dated" and being "old-school". The latter implies it's long enough ago and removed enough from the present to feel considerably like a different time. In order to get that feeling, you have to go back to 1998 at latest. In all honestly, probably before the Internet became a household thing.

I've always thought a good way to gauge if there's a significant difference between the present, would be if we could immediately pick out differences if we time travelled back there. Honestly, even in my own neighborhood, I could probably be fooled and not notice for quite awhile. 2004 is just at the tip of the iceberg for being "slightly dated", but it's nowhere near old-school.



Yeah I agree. You have to go back there to 2002 to even find a trace of old-school flavor. But really 2000 or 2001 are the first years that have any real 'old-school' quality to them. Nu-Metal was still very popular, boy-bands ruled the world, and rap was still somewhat decent.

There are some things about 2004 that seem somewhat old, but I would say that first true 'old-school' year is 1997.

Yeah I agree. You have to go back there to 2002 to even find a trace of old-school flavor. But really 2000 or 2001 are the first years that have any real 'old-school' quality to them. Nu-Metal was still very popular, boy-bands ruled the world, and rap was still somewhat decent.

There are some things about 2004 that seem somewhat old, but I would say that first true 'old-school' year is 1997.
I Do Not Think 2004 Is Old, but 2001 is Old! 2004 is Very Modern to Certain Standards.  :)

As far as what I think old school is: probably like 1999-2002 is the last period that can be labeled as old school.