I have researched about the music industry and have found out that between 1979 and 1982, the music industry was in a huge slump. This is comparable to the slump in record sales we are having now, except the music was good then even with album sales down. And then the slump lasted only 4 years. The slump we are having now started in 2001 and is still apparent today. Either in the future CD's will not be the format anymore or we will always be in a slump, unless record producers produce better music for the masses.

Because of Mtv's rise or maybe something else, in the early 80's record sales increased dramatically by 1983 and continued to do so even in the 90's. The 90's was an amazing time for the music industry and it kind of peaked during the teen pop era (around 1999). Maybe in the future, or even now, singles sales will become the new format for measuring success. I think before 1968 or something, single sales were the format, and maybe we're returning to that era now? Between 1968 and 2001, album sales were huge and if you're singles didn't sale, but your album did, you were a huge star.

Some even go as far as saying that Michael Jackson's album, Thriller, helped boost album sales around 1983. With his innovative videos and creative genius in his music, people flocked to buy Thriller, while buying other CD's as well. Thriller was such a new concept and idea at the time that it sold like no album before or even after it's time. People love something fresh and new.

I think either we're in a transition to a new format of music, which means we're not really in a slump, or the people behind the scenes better wake up and make better music. How long do you think this slump will last? Do you think there's a slump or are we just in a transition period? It's been 8 years (It started in 2001) and no relief in sight for record sales. I say we're just in a transition period, although the music does suck today.

I have researched about the music industry and have found out that between 1979 and 1982, the music industry was in a huge slump. This is comparable to the slump in record sales we are having now, except the music was good then even with album sales down. And then the slump lasted only 4 years. The slump we are having now started in 2001 and is still apparent today. Either in the future CD's will not be the format anymore or we will always be in a slump, unless record producers produce better music for the masses.

Because of Mtv's rise or maybe something else, in the early 80's record sales increased dramatically by 1983 and continued to do so even in the 90's. The 90's was an amazing time for the music industry and it kind of peaked during the teen pop era (around 1999). Maybe in the future, or even now, singles sales will become the new format for measuring success. I think before 1968 or something, single sales were the format, and maybe we're returning to that era now? Between 1968 and 2001, album sales were huge and if you're singles didn't sale, but your album did, you were a huge star.

Some even go as far as saying that Michael Jackson's album, Thriller, helped boost album sales around 1983. With his innovative videos and creative genius in his music, people flocked to buy Thriller, while buying other CD's as well. Thriller was such a new concept and idea at the time that it sold like no album before or even after it's time. People love something fresh and new.

I think either we're in a transition to a new format of music, which means we're not really in a slump, or the people behind the scenes better wake up and make better music. How long do you think this slump will last? Do you think there's a slump or are we just in a transition period? It's been 8 years (It started in 2001) and no relief in sight for record sales. I say we're just in a transition period, although the music does suck today.
I think the music scene has been terrible has sucked since March 2007. I think part of the problem with music today is their target audience is all teens. I mean in the 90;s it wasn't uncommon for a 40 year old to like Mariah Carey, Toni Braxton, Boyz II Men, TLC, or Babyface's music. There's no music being made today like that except for Leona Lewis or Ryan Lesile.

I think the last year of good music was early to mid 2005. Somewhere in between late 2005-early 2007 music started to go downhill somewhere. I mean even in mid 2005 I mean Green Day, 50 Cent, The Killers, and Usher all had hit albums. Albums by "Audioslave",  "NIN" and the rapper "The Game' did moderately well in mid 2005 too. Now NIN(Trent Reznor) doesn't even care about albums sales and distributed NIN's last album online I believe.

I think the ringtone rap era of 2007-early 2008 killed music to me or for me. I hope the grunge era or the next Public Enemy comes out in the next few years because today's music is mostly all fluff. To me the period of 2007+ could be compared to what we went through from 1977-1982.

Sorry if I am blunt, but popular music since 2001 (well, actually 1998) stinks.  Lets be honest, all the hip hop songs are the same - about dancing in a club, "shorties", gold teeth, and bling.  These songs are so bad and talentless.

Mainstream rock isn't much better with the whining EMO brats.

Lets blame the music corporations.  People used to write songs because of a meaning, not to score a quick hit.

Mainstream music peaked in the 70s, declined a bit in the 80s, declined more in the 90s, and fell off a cliff in the 00s.

Hasn't really been good for over a decade, IMHO

Exception of a very few songs and artists

There isn't much that inspires me these days.Like its all been done before.....I think most of Hip Hop is absolute garbage.They take others music & ruin it with some cockamaimy lyrics!
Like their untalented & too stupid to make their own music... >:(

Can't Spell Crap without RAP

There are too many cookie cutter girl singers like M. Carey & the likes that basically sing the same stuff over & over.......No definition to their style & with the likes of MTV/MUCH trying to force feed the public like a baby bird gets feed...........I'm not bothering to watch anymore as no-ones going to force feed that puke down my throat!

You would think that some of the 80s artists would do the engineering for these 00s talentless bums so they would get a good sound & clean up their music so maybe they would get sales !

Or perhaps just like the Hollywood well has just dryed up!!! :)

I think the music scene has been terrible has sucked since March 2007.
That all? I'd say at least the last 10 years.

This decade has had ups and downs in music. 2001 and 2002 were pretty bland. It was all about Ja Rule and Ashanti, and it was a leftover period of the late 90's era of P. Diddy, J-Lo, DMX, and teen-pop. 2003 to 2005 were good. We had everything from Outkast, 50 Cent, Jay Z, Usher, and Lil' Jon. 2005 also ushered in more dancepop and less rap, such as Gwen Stefani and Pussycat Dolls. 2006 was a crappy year for music, probably worse than 2002 and maybe even worse than 1990. I got tired of that James Blunt's "You're Beautiful" song. 2007 was an improvement from 2006, but still pretty crappy. 2008 has been decent so far. I've been listening to less rap and got into songs like "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay, "Stop and Stare" by One Republic, and "Say" by John Mayer. However, it seems like West Coast gangsta rap is making a huge comeback this year. The Game's "LAX" album is good, and so is Ice Cube's new one. Warren G and Dr. Dre also have albums due out later this year.

That all? I'd say at least the last 10 years.
Well 1999-2000 did suck and you know why that is. I have some songs that I like from 2001-2005 but like "Batfan" said that dance pop scene that came out in 2005 I don;t care for it but I hated that whole ringtone rap that I was talking about before thats what really spoiled current music for me. I don't think 2006 was that good for music but I took 2006 in music as like a 1990 like year in music.

OP - I agree. I've actually thought about that before myself. I'd probably say it's more like 2005 to now, though. There haven't been many popular albums since American Idiot, Hot Fuss, Love Angel Music Baby, and a few others. There also hasn't been any defining music that totally gets people talking. Although I don't think we'll ever see huge Thriller-like album sales ever again, or even the way the boybands were in the late '90s.

The fact that downloading has caused album sales to decline (and record stores to go out of business) now...you could probably compare that to how pop music was stagnant around 1980/'81. I've heard that it was hard for new bands to get noticed, since the radio tended to just play established artists (either AC like Christopher Cross or safe arena rock like REO Speedwagon and Foreigner).


I think the music scene has been terrible has sucked since March 2007. I think part of the problem with music today is their target audience is all teens. I mean in the 90;s it wasn't uncommon for a 40 year old to like Mariah Carey, Toni Braxton, Boyz II Men, TLC, or Babyface's music. There's no music being made today like that except for Leona Lewis or Ryan Lesile.

I think the last year of good music was early to mid 2005.


I always like your posts dude. :) I agree with that too. I've said myself too that it seemed alot more middle aged people could find music to enjoy during the '90s. I'd put Jon Secada on there too.

The fact that downloading has caused album sales to decline (and record stores to go out of business) now...you could probably compare that to how pop music was stagnant around 1980/'81. I've heard that it was hard for new bands to get noticed, since the radio tended to just play established artists (either AC like Christopher Cross or safe arena rock like REO Speedwagon and Foreigner).

It's been really sad this decade to see long standing music stores like Tower Records going out of business. Even a number of Virgin Megastores have closed (including the one where I live). I would've never thought that something like this would happen 10 years ago.  :(