I know good and bad is an opinion, but it seems that most of you here and many people in the United States would agree that right now America's mainstream music isn't in the sharpest shape. I know a lot of you say that "Good music is still here, you just have to search outside of the mainstream". I agree, but I am talking about mainstream and mainstream only.

This is my opinion, and MY opinion only. In my opinion, music's decline in quality started in 1999. Actually, looking back it wasn't that bad YET. Even though I don't like Britney and Nsync's music, I have to admit that their music isn't as cliche and bad as the music out right now, but it was a start and by 2004 I knew the horrible quality in music was here to stay. And I posted on one thread here that I grew indifferent to radio music in 2007.

Is this just a long phase in the music industry or will good quality music come back? Or is the golden age of popular music over for good?

100% of what's in the US Top 40, maybe 10% of it is good.

100% of what's in the Canadian Top 40, I'd say about 40% of it is good (our charts aren't dominated by Rap and hip-hop)

100% of what's in the UK Top 40, I'd say about 80% of it is good.  Those brits know their music WAY better than North America does

100% of what's in the US Top 40, maybe 10% of it is good.

100% of what's in the Canadian Top 40, I'd say about 40% of it is good (our charts aren't dominated by Rap and hip-hop)

100% of what's in the UK Top 40, I'd say about 80% of it is good.  Those brits know their music WAY better than North America does


This is true.  I started to check out the stuff that was mainstream overseas starting about a year ago and was pleasantly surprised that it was actually way better than the stuff that passes in America.  While I'm not too familiar with Canadian music, the music of Europe and East Asia is far better than what passes for mainstream here in the US.  Of course, those areas aren't perfect either.  The Europeans have their fair share of generic dance music and East Asia is currently suffering from a severe epidemic of boy bands and girl groups.  Regardless, I'd still take their Top 40 over the American Top 40.

I wouldn't say it's so much that mainstream music went downhill so much as Hip-Hop went downhill.  Unfortunately, Hip-Hop exerts an enormous influence here in the US.  The genre itself is not as popular as it was a few years ago, but it still has a tremendous influence on the development of popular music.  Europe and East Asia (with the possible exception of South Korea) never did see Hip-Hop exert as much of an influence as it did in America

EDIT: I accidentally said "I'm not too familiar with American music".  It should've been "I'm not too familiar with Canadian music."

Ah we've been through this before it was the great economy in the US that led to music lacking depth I think. I mean hip-hop has just been crap for a little over 4 years now. Rock music is just flat dead. I don;t think Hip-Hop has as much influence on Mainstream music currently in the US as it did in 2003-2004. It s all electro-pop/dance niow in the US like Britney Spears, Lady GaGa, and Rihanna. Even the Black Eyed Peas who have dominated the top slot on the Billboard Hot 100 since spring time of this year have elements of "electro-pop" and also the dreaded "autotone sound" as well
I think in their 2 chart-toppers.

The music market has to correct itself like any other market. I mean we had teen-pop at the start of this decade and Glam Rap that was dominate and both lack depth. Maybe there will be something like a grunge or new wave era in the 2010's. Look what was popular before grunge and new wave: the remains of disco going into 1980, 1970's A/C wasn;t completely dead till 983 I think either, and second rate hair-metal bands going into the 90's.

I myself would rather much have the current canadian music scene than the current music US scene. I wouldn;t have said that maybe 4 years ago either! I am not impressed with the UK music scene I mean boybands are dominant there too almost consistently there I think and as the previous poster pointed out generic dance music too. 

Mainstream music will be good again when people stop watching Idol and all its different versions, start going back into clubs and listening and promoting its new and inventive local scene, and bringing the fresh stuff forward.

I guess it is a matter of taste but you will always find someone that likes mainstream music.  I think when Clear Channel finds out that people are not buying into what they are selling, then they will have to cater to them.

It will...
When people stop listnening to autotune crap like Rihanna, Lady GaGa, Pussycat Dolls, Britney etc.
When talented guys like Jay Brennan become as famous as skum like Tokio Hotel, Jonas Bros, James Blunt, Mika and the likes (if not more).
When new wave makes a comeback. At ;east one can dream about these things happening. Dreams are free, right?

When people stop listnening to autotune crap like Rihanna, Lady GaGa, Pussycat Dolls, Britney etc.

I did not even start listening to them in the first place.

When Emo dies a horrible death.

100% of what's in the US Top 40, maybe 10% of it is good.

100% of what's in the Canadian Top 40, I'd say about 40% of it is good (our charts aren't dominated by Rap and hip-hop)

100% of what's in the UK Top 40, I'd say about 80% of it is good.  Those brits know their music WAY better than North America does


You're right.  1999 was the year when it all went bad.  There was so much great stuff coming out of britain at least.  Two things killed it.  Britney Spears and the fact that everyone is nostalgic for the 80's.  There was good stuff in the eighties, but from a mainstream perspective, it was pretty bad (though not nearly as awful as today).  However, it seemed to me that the 90's was a big improvement.  I mean, just take a look at MTV.  The high water mark for that channel was around 1992.

At this point, I don't see how it can get better.  The only decade that was almost without horrible music was the 1960s.  Every genre (Rock, Soul, Easy Listening, Jazz) was awesome.

1979 or 1980 is when it started going bad...it hung on for a while in the 1980s, then in 1987 it went even further down. Since 1990 we've been in "the dark ages" in pop music.

1979 or 1980 is when it started going bad...it hung on for a while in the 1980s, then in 1987 it went even further down. Since 1990 we've been in "the dark ages" in pop music.


1990 is probably the last year that had some good songs. 1991-~2007 was really boring, with an exception of the 1999-2001 era. Since 2008 it's getting better.

Since taste is subjective, I think the more interesting question is whether or not music will ever "matter" as much as it used to.

Will we ever again see music become a leading force for cultural change like it was in the 1960's? Will we ever again see musicians break through the medium and become true pop cultural icons like Elvis, MJ, The Stones, The Beatles, Bob Dylan Jimi Hendrix, or even Kurt Cobain, Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls in the 90's? Will we ever again see another song like Satisfaction, Revolution, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Stairway to Heaven or Like a Rolling Stone that can transcend it's moment in time and become legendary?

Unfortunately, I sort of believe that the answers to all these questions will be no. Pop culture just seems too fragmented nowadays for it to ever be that important again.

Thanks to Adele, Cheryl, Carly, and even Bruno Mars I actually think music finally is good again.

1979 or 1980 is when it started going bad...it hung on for a while in the 1980s, then in 1987 it went even further down. Since 1990 we've been in "the dark ages" in pop music.


I'm a big fan of New Wave so to me the best years were about 1979-87. Late 80s/early 90s wasn't that great, mid 90s to early 00s had a lot of great stuff but also a lot of awful stuff, mid and late 00s were horrible and early 10s is starting to improve again.

I do like select stuff from pre-late 70s too, it's a little bit old fashioned to a synth lover like me but I definitely enjoy quite a bit of old time music.

I do like select stuff from pre-late 70s too, it's a little bit old fashioned to a synth lover like me but I definitely enjoy quite a bit of old time music.


Hehehe, yeah, that's true. If I have the choice of a full discography of a singer (in this case the Pointer Sisters), I often skip the 70s' albums up to 1977/78 and tend to listen more to the 1979-1988 stuff. 1989-20XX will often be skipped aswell.

I like some stuff from every era and hate some stuff from every era. The only era where I really couldn't stand much of anything in the top 40 was 2005 to 2010, the last couple years are a slight improvement at least.

1979 or 1980 is when it started going bad...it hung on for a while in the 1980s, then in 1987 it went even further down. Since 1990 we've been in "the dark ages" in pop music.
My hang on period would be like the 2000's up when the 2007-2008 school year started even though I was like 27 years old maybe then.

You're right.  1999 was the year when it all went bad.  There was so much great stuff coming out of britain at least.  Two things killed it.  Britney Spears and the fact that everyone is nostalgic for the 80's.   There was good stuff in the eighties, but from a mainstream perspective, it was pretty bad (though not nearly as awful as today).  However, it seemed to me that the 90's was a big improvement.  I mean, just take a look at MTV.  The high water mark for that channel was around 1992.

At this point, I don't see how it can get better.  The only decade that was almost without horrible music was the 1960s.  Every genre (Rock, Soul, Easy Listening, Jazz) was awesome.
On the 80's nostalgia I don't think there is much of it left now. There was alot of nostalgia for the 80's maybe like 2001-2006 but it died out completely by the decade's end of the 00's I think. 80's nostalgia didn't start out in 1999 I don't think. There was still alot of remants of 1970's nostalgia for the 90's at that time plus in early 1999 90's teen idols like Jennifer Love Hewitt and Alicia Sliverstone were still hanging around albeit to their last months of popularity as teen idols. They were an aftertought once the summer of 1999 came around and Britney had the "it" factor by that time and Christina Aguilera was starting to be popular around that time too.

As for the 80's music itself it did have that corny reputation(but in different ways maybe)that alot of 00's music has/had but most 80's music is pretty much viewed favorably now.

I think there's still plenty of 80s nostalgia. Hardly anyone over 35 really misses the 90s that much it seems.

Since taste is subjective, I think the more interesting question is whether or not music will ever "matter" as much as it used to.

Will we ever again see music become a leading force for cultural change like it was in the 1960's? Will we ever again see musicians break through the medium and become true pop cultural icons like Elvis, MJ, The Stones, The Beatles, Bob Dylan Jimi Hendrix, or even Kurt Cobain, Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls in the 90's? Will we ever again see another song like Satisfaction, Revolution, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Stairway to Heaven or Like a Rolling Stone that can transcend it's moment in time and become legendary?

Unfortunately, I sort of believe that the answers to all these questions will be no. Pop culture just seems too fragmented nowadays for it to ever be that important again.
Your probably right.

I think there's still plenty of 80s nostalgia. Hardly anyone over 35 really misses the 90s that much it seems.
Sure some people are nostalgic for the 80's I don't doubt but not like 2001-2005/2006 when 80's nostalgia was huge.

Sure some people are nostalgic for the 80's I don't doubt but not like 2001-2005/2006 when 80's nostalgia was huge.


It was more prominent later in the decade than earlier, I'd say it ran more from 2004/2005-present, maybe peaking around 2009.
I think '80s nostalgia will remain until around 2017-ish or so.

'70s nostalgia seemed to run from 1991-2005 or so, peaking around 2000.

It was more prominent later in the decade than earlier, I'd say it ran more from 2004/2005-present, maybe peaking around 2009.
I think '80s nostalgia will remain until around 2017-ish or so.

'70s nostalgia seemed to run from 1991-2005 or so, peaking around 2000.


nah i would say like    80s retroness lasted til early 2011

80s nostalgia is pretty much gone. I think it lasted until like 2010 or 2011. Like thenewtattoo said.

I actually think today's fashion is more 80s influenced than it's ever been. And I agree about 80s nostalgia being more prominent later in the decade. The 80s was still very uncool for the most part in the early 00s, and was still considered relatively recent.

I think the era of circa 1954/1955 to 1998 can't be beat, at least not in the next 300 years! I seriously think the second half of the 20th century will stand as one of the best times for music in human history, at least American music.

I think the era of circa 1954/1955 to 1998 can't be beat, at least not in the next 300 years! I seriously think the second half of the 20th century will stand as one of the best times for music in human history, at least American music.


Perhaps, but there is no way to be 100% certain of that. It's only been within the last century that the technology has existed to record music, so you never know just what may been lost to antiquity.I have wondered sometimes if at some point during the classical Greek or Roman eras, there existed a musical group that was equal to or even better than the Beatles.

I think the era of circa 1954/1955 to 1998 can't be beat, at least not in the next 300 years! I seriously think the second half of the 20th century will stand as one of the best times for music in human history, at least American music.


What's wrong with 1999? I actually think it was a better year for music than 1997 or 1998.

Music now is an improvement over say 2007-2011. Also, I'd say 90s nostalgia is bigger than 80s now.

What's wrong with 1999? I actually think it was a better year for music than 1997 or 1998.


1999 is indeed one of the best years of music history but 1997 is the absolute best.

Music now is an improvement over say 2007-2011. Also, I'd say 90s nostalgia is bigger than 80s now.


The 80s seem to have gone through a bit of wear and tear over the last year or so, losing an awful lot of its nostalgic value. The 90s seems to be getting stronger, which makes sense since 1993 is about to be 20 years ago.

The 90s were the worst decade I ever experienced, no nostalgia there at all.

The 80s seem to have gone through a bit of wear and tear over the last year or so, losing an awful lot of its nostalgic value. The 90s seems to be getting stronger, which makes sense since 1993 is about to be 20 years ago.


Are the 80s just too long ago now? I mean 23 to 33 years is a lonnnng time.  :-\\

The 80s seem to have gone through a bit of wear and tear over the last year or so, losing an awful lot of its nostalgic value. The 90s seems to be getting stronger, which makes sense since 1993 is about to be 20 years ago.


I feel more 80s nostalgia because it's more escapist from the current times. I was actually more nostalgic for the 90s around the mid 00s because of missing my childhood.

I think there's still plenty of 80s nostalgia. Hardly anyone over 35 really misses the 90s that much it seems.


I don't miss the 90's that much.

Music now is an improvement over say 2007-2011. Also, I'd say 90s nostalgia is bigger than 80s now.


I'd say it's the other way around.

I don't miss the 90's that much.


I don't miss them at all, like you. It's probably because we are older than the people in this topic. The 90s (for some) were part of their childhood, so they long for it. Just like you long for the 80s (it was part of your childhood). Just as I long for the late 60s and 70s, it was part of my childhood.

What does this have to do with mainstream music ever being good again? I dunno.. ;D

I don't miss the 90's that much.


I notice a lot of people born in the mid 70s don't. It seems like the most ardent 90s fans are people born after 1976 ... including people born after 1995 who can't even remember the 90s.

I guess because much of the 00s was so similar, even if you were born very late in the 90s you'd still feel a connection to them?

I notice a lot of people born in the mid 70s don't. It seems like the most ardent 90s fans are people born after 1976


I've noticed this online alot too. In the past, nostalgia was mostly driven by people missing their teenage/young adult years, but it seems like people born in the 70's might be the first cohort to miss their childhoods more than their teen years. This was likely one of the reasons that eighties "kid" nostalgia has been so huge over the last ten years or so.

For the sake of comparison, my parents were born in the 60's, and even though they love the 70's, they really love the 80's, and have deep nostalgia for their high school and college years. During the eighties nostalgia movement, there seemed to be just as many 70's born people reminiscing over the decade's "kid" culture as there were Brat Packers my parents age reminiscing over it's "teen" culture. This continues now as nineties nostalgia takes off, as it too so far seems mostly focused on the childhood side of the ledger.

I've noticed this online alot too. In the past, nostalgia was mostly driven by people missing their teenage/young adult years, but it seems like people born in the 70's might be the first cohort to miss their childhoods more than their teen years. This was likely one of the reasons that eighties "kid" nostalgia has been so huge over the last ten years or so.

For the sake of comparison, my parents were born in the 60's, and even though they love the 70's, they really love the 80's, and have deep nostalgia for their high school and college years. During the eighties nostalgia movement, there seemed to be just as many 70's born people reminiscing over the decade's "kid" culture as there were Brat Packers my parents age reminiscing over it's "teen" culture. This continues now as nineties nostalgia takes off, as it too so far seems mostly focused childhood side of the ledger.


I wonder if it's because the 90s were a boring time to be a teenager? They were a great time to be a child but they seemed like a pretty depressing time to be a teen or a young adult. Aside from the tech bubble the economy was generally worse in the West compared to the eighties too, though it was better than now of course.

I wonder if it's because the 90s were a boring time to be a teenager? They were a great time to be a child but they seemed like a pretty depressing time to be a teen or a young adult. Aside from the tech bubble the economy was generally worse in the West compared to the eighties too, though it was better than now of course.
No the 90's weren't boring to be a teenager since I was a teenager then and no the 90's wasn't depressing either I don't think. I like both the 80's, 90's, and some of the stuff in the 2000
s(its hit or miss for me.)

The West? The Western United States are you talking about having to do with the economy?

I don't miss them at all, like you. It's probably because we are older than the people in this topic. The 90s (for some) were part of their childhood, so they long for it. Just like you long for the 80s (it was part of your childhood). Just as I long for the late 60s and 70s, it was part of my childhood.

What does this have to do with mainstream music ever being good again? I dunno.. ;D


We all have different decades that a lot of us enjoy I just prefer the 80's. 

1999 is indeed one of the best years of music history but 1997 is the absolute best.
1999 is the one of the best years in music history? I don't think so but if you think so thats your thing. Just do your thing!

Oh yeah back to the question of the thread I don't know if music will ever be good again but the 2007-2012 period is kind of similar to 1977-1982 era. Music was kind of in limbo when disco died by the time the decade of the 80's started. People hate a hatred of disco even though it was popular in the late 70's even because it was everywhere. The current music scene is in limbo now!

Music was kind of in limbo when disco died by the time the decade of the 80's started

Because it was the start of rap with guys like The3 Sugarhill Gang, Kurtis Blow, Grandmaster Flash and RUN-DMC.

Oh yeah back to the question of the thread I don't know if music will ever be good again but the 2007-2012 period is kind of similar to 1977-1982 era. Music was kind of in limbo when disco died by the time the decade of the 80's started. People hate a hatred of disco even though it was popular in the late 70's even because it was everywhere. The current music scene is in limbo now!


True about 1979-'82. New Wave was very active in this period but it wouldn't start becoming mainstream until the later part of 1981. I think Blondie's "Rapture", Devo's "Whip It" and in the UK Duran Duran's "Planet Earth" and "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" by The Police really got the new wave thing going.

And finally by '83 you had "Cum On Feel The Noise" and "Round and Round" and Eddie Van Halen got a hold of his first keyboard. The last '70s' thing to really die out was the female hairstyles I think, the feathered hair look did not go kaput until 1984.

I kind of think late 1989 thru to the end of 1991 was a similar 'limbo period'. You might even include 1988 in there because new wave was pretty much dead and the music tended to be really generic pop, it was still 80s as hell but you can tell the 80s was in its 'old age' in 1988 and early 89.

Music from the 'Paula Abdul' era of '89-'91 was starting to favour breakbeats over bubbly synths, and the main trends were glam metal, hip house, new jack swing and old school hip hop. It had an Afro flavour that connects it in some ways more to the 90s, but I still kinda think of that period as being very very late 80s because it's still vastly different from and was quite outdated by 1995.

The mid 90s was full on grunge, heroin chic and also was the beginning of the current tech-crazed era in many ways. I'd say 1990 to '92 feels just a bit closer to the '80s than it does to the years that followed it though it's undoubtedly a mix of both.

Oh yeah one more thing. In the early nineties, it seems like for the average woman on the street, the 'Aqua Net' era was still in swing but I notice many of the models in music videos have straightened hair starting around 1989. I think big hair was no longer considered fashionable on the highest 'rungs' if you will though it was still pretty common all the way up to the point the Rachel cut came out, just because it took a while for the public to 'catch on' to what the models and celebrities were doing.

In 1988, even models and all were still poofing their bangs, some of them did even as late as 1991 but for the most part I notice the 'babes' in music videos mostly had straight or plain curly hair starting in 1989, but look at any year book from '89 to '92 and there's still plenty of Aqua Net abuse.

Environmentalism probably killed big hair too since the hairsprays often had CFCs in term. From what I understand of the history of that era 1989 was the beginning of a revival in interest in conservation.

Oh yeah back to the question of the thread I don't know if music will ever be good again but the 2007-2012 period is kind of similar to 1977-1982 era. Music was kind of in limbo when disco died by the time the decade of the 80's started. People hate a hatred of disco even though it was popular in the late 70's even because it was everywhere. The current music scene is in limbo now!


For 1977 to 1982, there was lots of other music other than Disco. There were artists such as Elton John, Billy Joel, Bob Seger, Chicago, Rolling Stones, E.L.O, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Fleetwood Mac and many others that kept producing music during this period. New Wave came is as Disco was leaving, somewhere aroung 1979 or 1980, but those other artists were still producing music in that period. I never felt there was a limbo there, at least for me.

Oh yeah one more thing. In the early nineties, it seems like for the average woman on the street, the 'Aqua Net' era was still in swing but I notice many of the models in music videos have straightened hair starting around 1989. I think big hair was no longer considered fashionable on the highest 'rungs' if you will though it was still pretty common all the way up to the point the Rachel cut came out, just because it took a while for the public to 'catch on' to what the models and celebrities were doing.

In 1988, even models and all were still poofing their bangs, some of them did even as late as 1991 but for the most part I notice the 'babes' in music videos mostly had straight or plain curly hair starting in 1989, but look at any year book from '89 to '92 and there's still plenty of Aqua Net abuse.

Environmentalism probably killed big hair too since the hairsprays often had CFCs in term. From what I understand of the history of that era 1989 was the beginning of a revival in interest in conservation.


Yeah, celebs were rocking the straight hair pretty early on. Usually kind of thick straight hair, though.

80's style big hair in a general sense was still pretty common. Dying down in the mid-90's. Really rare in the late 90's.

Yeah, celebs were rocking the straight hair pretty early on. Usually kind of thick straight hair, though.

80's style big hair in a general sense was still pretty common. Dying down in the mid-90's. Really rare in the late 90's.


98 is when all poofy hair was gone. I think once the friends look came on  everyone ditched their previously looks