I was listening to my iPod this morning and couldn't help but notice how much more diverse music in the early/mid 2000s was compared to today.

What the heck happened?

It's as if everything we hear nowadays is limited to pop songs from a few select artists (Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, etc.) and mumble rap from the likes of Future and Migos.

What happened to the Green Days, Shakiras, and Kanye Wests of the world?

In the mid-2000s, you had ringtone rap (which many people detested), but you also had good music from heavy hitters like Chris Brown, T-Pain, Ciara, Akon, and Beyonce.

Why have all the music genres seemingly merged into one or two?

I agree with you man! There was so much in the mainstream to listen to in the 00s than today. It sucks because there's apparently a lack of diversity in music. I don't hear rock (or its variations), R&B, soul or even the other types of Hip-hop at all unless one is on Pandora, Spotify, etc.

While the 2010s does have thousands of fantastic songs, the variety mainstream wise is severely awful.

Seriously, it's almost as though 90% of the charts is music for teenage girls.

I was listening to my iPod this morning and couldn't help but notice how much more diverse music in the early/mid 2000s was compared to today.

What the heck happened?

It's as if everything we hear nowadays is limited to pop songs from a few select artists (Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, etc.) and mumble rap from the likes of Future and Migos.

What happened to the Green Days, Shakiras, and Kanye Wests of the world?

In the mid-2000s, you had ringtone rap (which many people detested), but you also had good music from heavy hitters like Chris Brown, T-Pain, Ciara, Akon, and Beyonce.

Why have all the music genres seemingly merged into one or two?


A lot of people complained about the music in the mid '00s.  Yes, rock was still popular but people lamented its decline in quality compared to the post-grunge and nu-metal of the pre-Nickelback era.  People also hated on emo a lot.  Pop punk lingered throughout most of the '00s but it's real time was the early 2000s.  I liked T-Pain myself but I remember a lot of people didn't.  Likewise with Akon.  T-Pain/Akon are artists I associate more with the late '00s than the mid '00s personally.

I think current music is better than the mid '10s.  Still doesn't hold a candle to the late '00s/early '10s though.  A lot of that is because of my own nostalgia though.  People tend to long for the music that was popular when they were happiest and most carefree.  For me, that was 2008 through the end of 2011.

Seriously, it's almost as though 90% of the charts is music for teenage girls.

Agreed. I don't know why or how this happene but I definitely miss diversity in mainstream music. Hopefully it will make a comeback soon.

Agreed. I don't know why or how this happene but I definitely miss diversity in mainstream music. Hopefully it will make a comeback soon.


It's like there's no more choices in genres of music anymore.

Hiphop alone was much more diverse. You had Gangsta rap, Ringtone rap, Crunk and Alternative rap. 

Seriously, it's almost as though 90% of the charts is music for teenage girls.


I never thought of it this way, but you're right!

A lot of people complained about the music in the mid '00s.  Yes, rock was still popular but people lamented its decline in quality compared to the post-grunge and nu-metal of the pre-Nickelback era.  People also hated on emo a lot.  Pop punk lingered throughout most of the '00s but it's real time was the early 2000s.  I liked T-Pain myself but I remember a lot of people didn't.  Likewise with Akon.  T-Pain/Akon are artists I associate more with the late '00s than the mid '00s personally.


I think this is mostly the correct answer here, but I think there's also something to the notion that the music industry is just not taking as many risks as it used to. You can see it in movies too - releases are getting a lot more homogenous because the corporations that finance, market, and ultimately release works would rather play it safe for the profit than to potentially blow it all on the next big thing. It's what killed Adventure Time (and most of Cartoon Network's unique programming), it's what killed the medium-sized Hollywood film (which now consists of either mega-blockbusters or much smaller indie films; there's really no in-between anymore).

On that note, you may all be interested to know that I will be re-entering the blogging business somewhat soon, and I'm planning for one of my weekly topics to cover exactly this issue.

As a musician, and someone who spent the majority of my working life in the music business, this subject is near and dear to my heart.

It makes me so sad to see what music has become. If we're being completely honest, there is really only one form of "pop" music these days. An electro-synth / rap / r'n'b fusion that has a "woah woah oh oh" hook in there somewhere.

Almost all pop songs nowadays are literally the same four chords, with minimal diversion. Aside from changing the key of the track, changing the "feel" of the track or adding the occasional 'passing chord' here or there, we are essentially being fed hundreds of formulaic copies of a pop song standard over and over again. And we're being slapped in the face with mind-numbingly stupid vocal phrasing and lyrics.

Within the industry, it literally is a process of making the tracks simplistic and stupid so that the masses can register it... and so that 'topliners' who don't know how to write a song and have no talent, can add a phrase, or change a lyric and get a couple of points (a percentage) on the writing credits.
As an example. Iggy Azalea's first record was rejected by her label numerous times for being "too intelligent" - so they dumbed it down and we got "Work", and all the rest of the regurgitation from that album.

Bands don't get over anymore, and alot of that has to do with business politics...
Simply put: there's more money to be made in solo artists - and even more to be made now in female solo artists, as they have more social/political strength nowadays... That counts for a lot more sales!! Get ready for the rise in transgender music superstars! why certain individuals are more useful]. A lot less on the music. A lot more on the packaging.
With a solo artist, a label and management team has much more control for much less risk. You can contract a solo artist for a 20-date tour, and the artist knows that they have to fulfill the dates and be ready.
If you contract a band to a 20-date tour, half way through the band could break up and members could leave. Then you need to work out pay, press releases, replacements and it comes with a litany of other problems. The same principal applies for every other aspect be it recording in-studio, promotional work etc.


Back in (especially the early) 2000's, you still had a very healthy blend of solo stars, rock bands, metal bands, girl groups and rappers, that were all extremely different in identituy and delivery. Aaliyah and Linkin Park were big around the same time that Avril Lavigne, Nickelback, Nelly, System of a Down and Mel. C all had their own thing going. (I know it wasn't all at exactly the same time - but you get my point).
I've often asked people that I've worked with about the drastic shift in music from then to now is. And we generally circle back to asking, "Who were the last bands to get over huge in the mainstream on the "old model" of the recording industry?" I would say the last band to break huge from the old model was Evanescence, who by May/June 2003, were about the biggest thing going if I remember. To the point where they were initially advertised for opening slots during the European festival season that year, but within two-to-three months, had been moved without exception to being The, or Near-Headliners.

Linkin Park (though maybe not anymore :\'( ) and Paramore from the 2000's, along with Metallica, Foo Fighters, and occasionally Green Day - these are the only bands that really get on the award shows, and headline the money festivals and get any comparable modicum of acceptance from the broader mainstream audience today.

Paramore were the first band to hit it 'big' on the 'newer model' used in the business - but that's another story for another time.

I think an artist like Zara Larsson could have been what Mel C. was to the early-2000's, post-Spice Girls, or Brandy was in the 90's. But she will more than likely get lost in the shuffle of the 15-minutes of fame, one-hit-wonder boys and girls of today. Everyone remembers really strong one-hit-wonders of the past. I can't remember the majority of the "singular" hits from the last two-to-five years...

The long-and-short of it all is... We're being fed the same cookie in a slightly different wrapper each time, always in the same basic flavor, even if sometimes they add a bit of icing on top.
Also because we can consume so much of it so quickly, it dimishes the mark that songs of recent history has been able to leave, therefore shortening the gap for influence on the next generation. Next week you'll have 50 new toys, all much more insulting to your intelligence than last week. 15 years ago, you would've only had 3 and you really only liked one, and the other one wasn't so bad.
Music is now more than ever a cash grab by people in suits who are more worried about presentation of image than the fans' emotional investment in the songs.

The reason why it will never turn back around is because now an entire generation has grown up thinking that this is the way it's always been, rather than a period of grossly mishandled practises by a few of the biggest power players.

Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA" will be to the kids today and tomorrow, what "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" was to me in the 90's. And that may be the only part of all of this that I'm happy about, because they're both great songs for their time.

Cheers folks!

I've often asked people that I've worked with about the drastic shift in music from then to now is. And we generally circle back to asking, "Who were the last bands to get over huge in the mainstream on the "old model" of the recording industry?" I would say the last band to break huge from the old model was Evanescence, who by May/June 2003, were about the biggest thing going if I remember. To the point where they were initially advertised for opening slots during the European festival season that year, but within two-to-three months, had been moved without exception to being The, or Near-Headliners.


Well hang on a minute, what about the meteoric rise of Fall Out Boy around 2003-2008? And I certainly think they hit it bigger than Evanescence what with their sustained success over the course of three records, where as Evanescence sort of fell apart as soon as they tried to follow up their debut.

And why are there a small amount of genres of music out today besides the ones we used to grew up on like funk, disco, pop, rock?  ???

As far as the lack of variety in rap/hip hop, do you think it has anything to do with the caliber of producers in the industry today?

In 2003-2007, you had guys like Scott Storch, Timbaland, Pharrell, Kanye West, and Swizz Beatz producing great club bangers for artists such as Chris Brown, Justin Timberlake, and Ludacris.

Are these producers as prominent today? Doesn't seem like it. If they are, then their beats are nowhere as good.

I just can't fathom how mumble rap has become an "it" thing. You can't understand what they're saying, and the music isn't the kind you want to get up and dance to. I know ringtone rap was lame, but at least some of those beats were catchy, and you could at least make out the rappers' words.

As far as the lack of variety in rap/hip hop, do you think it has anything to do with the caliber of producers in the industry today?

In 2003-2007, you had guys like Scott Storch, Timbaland, Pharrell, Kanye West, and Swizz Beatz producing great club bangers for artists such as Chris Brown, Justin Timberlake, and Ludacris.

Are these producers as prominent today? Doesn't seem like it. If they are, then their beats are nowhere as good.

I just can't fathom how mumble rap has become an "it" thing. You can't understand what they're saying, and the music isn't the kind you want to get up and dance to. I know ringtone rap was lame, but at least some of those beats were catchy, and you could at least make out the rappers' words.

It doesn't seem like those people are producing many of the records out today (I could be wrong). I think they mostly stick to established 2000s artists, but those artists aren't as relevant today. I don't know if Scott Storch is producing anything mainstream these days.

I agree with you on mumble rap and ringtone rap. Now I understand that I was  young when crunk and snap music were popular and teens tend to enjoy whatever is mainstream no matter what it sounds like..but at least I could dance to that type of music. Lots of people's response to the criticism of mumble rap is that it's just party music but it doesn't even make me want to dance. Trap is too slow for me.

As far as the lack of variety in rap/hip hop, do you think it has anything to do with the caliber of producers in the industry today?

In 2003-2007, you had guys like Scott Storch, Timbaland, Pharrell, Kanye West, and Swizz Beatz producing great club bangers for artists such as Chris Brown, Justin Timberlake, and Ludacris.

Are these producers as prominent today? Doesn't seem like it. If they are, then their beats are nowhere as good.

I just can't fathom how mumble rap has become an "it" thing. You can't understand what they're saying, and the music isn't the kind you want to get up and dance to. I know ringtone rap was lame, but at least some of those beats were catchy, and you could at least make out the rappers' words.


cause that rap was made for idiots. ::)

As far as the lack of variety in rap/hip-hop, do you think it has anything to do with the caliber of producers in the industry today?

In 2003-2007, you had guys like Scott Storch, Timbaland, Pharrell, Kanye West, and Swizz Beatz producing great club bangers for artists such as Chris Brown, Justin Timberlake, and Ludacris.

Are these producers as prominent today? It Doesn't seem like it. If they are, then their beats are nowhere as good.

I just can't fathom how mumble rap has become an "it" thing. You can't understand what the people are saying, and the music isn't the kind you want to get up and dance. I know ringtone rap was lame, but at least some of those beats were catchy, and you could at least make out the rappers' words.
Yes! Those guys are nowhere to be found in the hip-hop scene these days, and they were putting amazing hits in the 00s. Man, I wish there was more diversity in hip-hop today, but that won't happen at all since we're towards the end of the era.

I agree. Trap/mumble rap are worst subgenres to come out recently in the last few years. I'll honestly take the ringtone rap over that the other. I also agree it was catchy.