I've been thinking about this for quite a while, actually, ever since I started hearing of the RIAA's struggle and the declining sales of popular music, especially hip hop and R&B, the undisputed top genre's of the 00's. It makes sense, when you look at it as something similar to alternative in the 80's. In the 80's, alt. rock bands like R.E.M., Janes Addiction, and U2 were gaining a lot of ground and proving to the hairbands that they could be just as huge, if not bigger; and what do we have now? Local scenes erupting, many music fans rejecting MTV and the radio and embracing eMusic and iTunes, veteran bands like Radiohead releasing #1 albums without the help of a major label, and independent bands like Enter Shikari using their own label to finance very successful international tours. It is a revolutionary time for music indeed, and whenever stale music gets rejected, something new and powerful emerges to completely wipe it off the map. So, do you think independent music will explode in the 2010's? Or in 2009 or even the end of this year? Or do you think it will be something else entirely that takes over? If nothing else, this dying mainstream trash definitely will not survive this recession unless it undergoes a serious evolution.

Great post all around.

Yes I do think Independant music is the next big movement. As much as the press has cried fowl, the decline of record sales has been very good for music, and especially for levelling the playing field for Independant artists. Whether the RIAA likes it or not, sales and profits will never ever return to the levels of the 1990s.  The RIAA will never again have the ability to dictate tastes to the public. Think of how revolutionary alternative rock was when it knocked out hair metal in the early 90s. Now with stuff like YouTube, iTunes and eMusic you can discover the most obscure artist you never heard of and get their music within minutes, without even leaving your home. As profits decline for the music industry, more and more original independant music will make headway into the mainstream as the industry continues to lose its grip. Our media will continue to fragment and become more personalized, which allows more variety and choice to proliferate. There's no reason to think their won't still be popular artists/bands although they won't be nearly as big as the popular artists 10 years ago, when the media was still homogenized to an extent.

As far as I see it, the 2010s will be all about Independant music. Sales will be even lower than they are now currently and by then YouTube will probably be recognized for its cultural impact the way MTV was credited when it launched in 81'. I would watch hip hop in particular as well as rock. The gangsta era of hip hop is on the way out, its about to be replaced by a more socially conscious form of hip hop, because music always goes in cycles. Not sure about rock though, since hip hop sort of did and has taken over for rock for quite a while now (circa 1995) What does anyone think will be the next big movement in rock as Independant music continues its ascent into the mainstream?

^ Also want to point out the recession, which was another excellent point you made. Recessions have a way of bringing people "down to earth" which is what the 1990 recession did after the boom period in the 80s. As things more or less deteriorate financially a lot of the mainstream materialistic trash with no social commentary will become very much irrelevant.  It may sound depressing, but the world is never the same place it once was after a recession, though things go on. The 1990 had a HUGE impact on popular music in killing of the materialistic pop and rock from the 1980s, and we didn't even have the internet back then. Imagine what could happen now, since the recession we're going in may be more serious than the 1990 recession along with whats happening in the music industry.

Great points, I've actually thought that way for quite awhile now myself - indie music becoming mainstream (for instance, with '80s influenced rock bands like The Killers getting big briefly around 2004/05). Especially since there haven't been any thriving phenomenon artists since the boy bands and other stuff around Y2K, partially because of (or maybe brought on by) declining album sales. Of course the internet in general as well as downloading and YouTube help this become true even more.

That's also probably why more young people like classic rock and other "older/before their time" music than in past generations. It's easier to discover it AND the mainstream isn't nearly as good as before! ;)

Does anyone also agree that music in the mainstream tends to reflect the mood of the country at a given moment? Like, one reason '80s music was generally very fun, carefree and upbeat was because people were having a good time and being materialistic. Then it became a bit darker, more stripped down and morose (albeit still with its own casual,laid back sense of fun) during the early-mid '90s. Maybe the dotcom boom and general worry-free times towards the end of the decade are part of the reason boy bands and teenpop got so big too?


Another quick point to make too - I think as a general rule you won't see as much of a unified "youth culture" with bands and artists that most kids and teenagers listen to. In other words, we'll get to a point (in fact I think we're already there) where everyone is more "into their own thing". Of course there's always gonna be popular music of the time, but it just won't automatically be everyone's focus...since like I said above, you'll see a good amount of kids who like either older stuff and/or less mainstream music online and what have you.

Independent Music has always been around, but I don't know if it will be a big movement.  In today's times, as well as yesterday's times, most people only care about what's in the mainstream

Alot of independent artists eventually make it big.  The Barenaked Ladies are a good example: they were still an unknown indie group when they were asked to record 'Lovers in A Dangerous Time' for a Bruce Cockburn tribute album in 1991.  It ended up breaking the Canadian Top 40 and became their first ever hit

I agree. The popular music will be the music that is in the mainstream and (unfortunately) pushed on the public by big money music executives.  Example:  Diddy's horrible Danity Kane group, who, if not backed by Diddy's $$$$, would not be on the radio.

I also agree that Independent music will have a chance, but, for those groups to get noticed and become popular, they will need exposure.  Exposure may come from youtube, myspace, or other media.  Unfortunately, these media types are flooded with so many groups and music that they may not be able to get the exposure that they would like.

If there is an underground following and it becomes "cool" again to follow Independent music then I believe it will become popular.  Music popularity moves in cycles like everything else.

Music now is so shallow, egotistical, and polished (especially the sappy rock and hiphop) that we are due for an independent music uprising.  Hiphop and rock are YUPPIE music.  Lets rebell folks!

Probably not. :(

The internets are allowing for better indie music to be given a wider audience not possible 10 years ago. Still, as long as the big rocord companies keep pushing their mediocre crap, independent music shall stay underground.

[quote author=Marty McFly link=topic=32517.msg1648179#msg1648179 date=1210804948

Does anyone also agree that music in the mainstream tends to reflect the mood of the country at a given moment? Like, one reason '80s music was generally very fun, carefree and upbeat was because people were having a good time and being materialistic. Then it became a bit darker, more stripped down and morose (albeit still with its own casual,laid back sense of fun) during the early-mid '90s. Maybe the dotcom boom and general worry-free times towards the end of the decade are part of the reason boy bands and teenpop got so big too?


Another quick point to make too - I think as a general rule you won't see as much of a unified "youth culture" with bands and artists that most kids and teenagers listen to. In other words, we'll get to a point (in fact I think we're already there) where everyone is more "into their own thing". Of course there's always gonna be popular music of the time, but it just won't automatically be everyone's focus...since like I said above, you'll see a good amount of kids who like either older stuff and/or less mainstream music online and what have you.
 


In response to the above paragraph, exactly 100% correct! These are very serious and dangerous times.  Thus, regardless of what the producers of mainstream popular music would like you to believe, people don’t want to hear upbeat love, dance, or rap songs designed to make them forget about the world.  Moreover, people want their artists to actually have discipline in their performing (i.e. being able to play more than one instrument and write their own music about more than just relationships and happiness through material possessions). Also young people will have easier access to artists and music of past decades and from genres outside the mainstream because of the internet.                                           

^ Thanks. :) I agree with that, but I also wonder if one reason glam/club rap and materialism is so big now is because of a reaction against the harsher, more fast-paced dangerous and less carefree time we're in.

If so that's totally opposite of how it was in the late '60s. The Vietnam era was dark and serious too, but alot of the most groundbreaking pop and rock music came out of then, and lots of it did reflect the times (i.e. protest music).

What I was trying to say was that the attitudes of mainstream artists and producers has changed.  Back in the Vietnam era popular artists and bands built their entire repertoire around protesting and antiestablishment ; Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dylan, many British invasion groups and the list goes on.  In the times where we find ourselves today the mainstream on the radio seems too content making money with generic bull crap when they could be using their superstardom to address the issues everyone is thinking about. 

it all comes full circle.  By 2020, the only way you'll be able to listen to music is on the radio or to purchase on vinyl.  The internet won't be around anymore.

it all comes full circle.  By 2020, the only way you'll be able to listen to music is on the radio or to purchase on vinyl.  The internet won't be around anymore.


wouldn't that be the coolest? ;)

It might already be happening. Look at the Arctic Monkeys, Kate Voegele, Lights. :)

I agree. The popular music will be the music that is in the mainstream and (unfortunately) pushed on the public by big money music executives.  Example:  Diddy's horrible Danity Kane group, who, if not backed by Diddy's $$$$, would not be on the radio.


No I think a group like "Danity Kane" would still be popular even with "Diddy's" $$$ right now. A group like "Danity Kane" just fits todays music scene.

I hope music goes back to more of a 1994-1996 feel because todays music is overproduced and just has little substance to me.

Some will break through as always, I doubt it will take over mainstream music since independent music is supposed to be by definition non mainstream.

So, a decade later, were they right? I feel like indie/alternative music was big this decade, especially during the early part, but it didn't really last much past 2014  :P.

So, a decade later, were they right? I feel like indie/alternative music was big this decade, especially during the early part, but it didn't really last much past 2014  :P.


Yes, indie-folk was big this decade.  I think it lasted a little longer than 2014 though.  The vibe really started shifting away from that in early 2017 in my opinion.