Popular music is starting to sound different. It's still dance but it just feels "different" than the previous years. Hard to explain. Do you think 2012 is a transitional year for music? Is this hinting of what is to come in the mid 2010's? It seems as if music is changing now and going towards more of a relaxed electronica vibe.

Personally, I still see 2012 music the same way I'd see 2010. But I do understand what you mean about a year "feels" different. I felt the same way about 1997 and 1998, not just musically but also atmospherically. Then again, Janaury 2012 was atmospherically a lot different for me personally than September 2012 was.

It seems like alternative and indie rock is taking over the charts, and less electronic dance pop. Music that defines 2012 include Fun., Gotye, One Direction, and of course Carly Rae Jeppsen, as well as the return of 90's bands/artists including Smashing Pumpkins, Matchbox 20, No Doubt, and Alanis Morisette.

Well, this is very different than her late 00's to 2011 stuff:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=et-RT1INf7c

It sounds more like pop-rock than like autotune dance music.

Music sounds the same to me. The was as much Indie/Alternative on the radio that 2010 had if you go back to the 2010 charts. Electro Pop is still in style. Maybe 2013 we will see some real change.

Nope, I'm not noticing too much change, hip pop and typical pop music is still popular with the same boring lyrics, (except this decade is little more electro pop sounding I suppose) but then again, I don't listen to modern mainstream music or the radio very often, I mainly listen to more obscure music. haha.  :-\\

Yet another "the 2010s are gonna change/are changing" thread.  We've had quite a lot of these lately.

Yet another "the 2010s are gonna change/are changing" thread.  We've had quite a lot of these lately.


True, we can make arguments that 2001 sounded different to 2000, or that 1994 sounded different to 1993.

I think the 2010's are already pretty different from the 2000's it's just quite early. They will diverge more as we get further into the decade. I think cultural change just seems slow because between 1993 and 2009 it changed glacially, which was ironic because technology changed so incredibly fast in that time. I think since 2010 cultural change has been speeding up again but we're only 3 years into the 10s not even so it's still not completely noticeable and there's still some similarity to the 1993-2009 era.

Not a big difference compared to 2011.

I think the 2010's are already pretty different from the 2000's it's just quite early. They will diverge more as we get further into the decade. I think cultural change just seems slow because between 1993 and 2009 it changed glacially, which was ironic because technology changed so incredibly fast in that time. I think since 2010 cultural change has been speeding up again but we're only 3 years into the 10s not even so it's still not completely noticeable and there's still some similarity to the 1993-2009 era.


I agree, except I would say the period of glacial change was more like 1996 to 2006. Which is why mostly younger people often confuse the early 2000s for the 90s since music innovation hit a real lull back around then.

IMO a song like 'Somebody I Used to Know' or 'We Are Young' would not have been a #1 hit back in 2007 or 2008. That indie pop/alt rock sound has become more commercially viable and big record labels are definitely catching on with increasing frequency.

I agree, except I would say the period of glacial change was more like 1996 to 2006. Which is why mostly younger people often confuse the early 2000s for the 90s since music innovation hit a real lull back around then.

IMO a song like 'Somebody I Used to Know' or 'We Are Young' would not have been a #1 hit back in 2007 or 2008. That indie pop/alt rock sound has become more commercially viable and big record labels are definitely catching on with increasing frequency.


That's true, there's more and more songs that would be considered 'left field' and not popular among pop fans that are becoming hits now. I couldn't imagine Foster the People being played on a pop station 6 years ago.

2006 might have been when things kinda started to change. 2002-05 had kind of a mid 90s feel, even Will Smith had a hit in 2005 for God's sake! I can't really blame little teens born in 1998 for thinking 2005 was still the 90s because even though it felt different, it really wasn't too far off either.

Popular music is starting to sound different. It's still dance but it just feels "different" than the previous years. Hard to explain. Do you think 2012 is a transitional year for music? Is this hinting of what is to come in the mid 2010's? It seems as if music is changing now and going towards more of a relaxed electronica vibe.


its getting more relaxed

There is a few dance pop songs but they are becoming less vast on the itunes charts
The radio airplay has a while to catch up to this but they will prob get there faster than you think.
Just as fast Dance pop caught on it will go out

I think it's the decline of rock and rap music. Today all the genres seem blurred into two ambiguous 'pop' and 'indie' genres. It's almost like we're beyond genres.

That's true, there's more and more songs that would be considered 'left field' and not popular among pop fans that are becoming hits now. I couldn't imagine Foster the People being played on a pop station 6 years ago.

2006 might have been when things kinda started to change. 2002-05 had kind of a mid 90s feel, even Will Smith had a hit in 2005 for God's sake! I can't really blame little teens born in 1998 for thinking 2005 was still the 90s because even though it felt different, it really wasn't too far off either.


Thank Timbaland for that

That's true, there's more and more songs that would be considered 'left field' and not popular among pop fans that are becoming hits now. I couldn't imagine Foster the People being played on a pop station 6 years ago.

2006 might have been when things kinda started to change. 2002-05 had kind of a mid 90s feel, even Will Smith had a hit in 2005 for God's sake! I can't really blame little teens born in 1998 for thinking 2005 was still the 90s because even though it felt different, it really wasn't too far off either.


IMO, I think 2005, at least the later half belonged more with 2006-08 than 2001-04 (and definitely not mid-90's, even though 2005 had hits by Green Day and Weezer). Early 2005 still had a lot of early 00's remains, like 50 Cent and Nelly, but the summer had hits like "Feel Good Inc." and "Sugar, We're Going Down", and even Missy Elliot's "Lose Control" sounded like the Timbaland-eque music that was heard in the following year's. 2005-08 can best be defined musically as the emo pop, electrohop, and snap/ringtone rap.

I still think electropop/synth will be big until at least the last 2-3 years of the decade.

I noticed more acoustic and indie-type music coming into the mainstream. I noticed a lot less rap!! I do notice the music sounding different, even if it is still dance/electro, etc. So yes, I do see a difference.

IMO, I think 2005, at least the later half belonged more with 2006-08 than 2001-04 (and definitely not mid-90's, even though 2005 had hits by Green Day and Weezer). Early 2005 still had a lot of early 00's remains, like 50 Cent and Nelly, but the summer had hits like "Feel Good Inc." and "Sugar, We're Going Down", and even Missy Elliot's "Lose Control" sounded like the Timbaland-eque music that was heard in the following year's. 2005-08 can best be defined musically as the emo pop, electrohop, and snap/ringtone rap.


2006 was the real changer tho. I will have to say indie music is creeping in  You can not say its not.

2006 was the real changer tho. I will have to say indie music is creeping in  You can not say its not.


Other than Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, and adult contemporary like James Blunt and Daniel Powter, I don't really see how 2006 was much different from 2005. I think because 2006 overall seemed like a bland year and there really wasn't anything about it that made it stood out. 2005 on the other hand, was more unique and seemed to be completely different from 2004 and the years before. Late 2004 seemed to be a changer as well, with Gwen Stefani's first solo album being one of the first of the mid-00's style electro/dance pop. Not trying to sound like a decadeologist here, but since 2012 and 2008, and as I just mentioned 2004, have seen big changes in music around the fall time, it seems to coincide with the presidential elections, even if the incumbent is reelected. Someone threw in the term "zeitgeist" somewhere. I had to look up that word myself, lol.

Other than Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, and adult contemporary like James Blunt and Daniel Powter, I don't really see how 2006 was much different from 2005. I think because 2006 overall seemed like a bland year and there really wasn't anything about it that made it stood out. 2005 on the other hand, was more unique and seemed to be completely different from 2004 and the years before. Late 2004 seemed to be a changer as well, with Gwen Stefani's first solo album being one of the first of the mid-00's style electro/dance pop. Not trying to sound like a decadeologist here, but since 2012 and 2008, and as I just mentioned 2004, have seen big changes in music around the fall time, it seems to coincide with the presidential elections, even if the incumbent is reelected. Someone threw in the term "zeitgeist" somewhere. I had to look up that word myself, lol.


how was 2006  a nothing year??????????

how was 2006  a nothing year??????????


Because there was really nothing from 2006 worth remembering. I got annoyed with hearing "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt 50,000 times. There are only 15 songs on my 2006 playlist, and some of them are late 2005 holdovers. Pop-culturally, 2006 was my least favorite year of the 2000's, along with 2002.

Because there was really nothing from 2006 worth remembering. I got annoyed with hearing "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt 50,000 times. There are only 15 songs on my 2006 playlist, and some of them are late 2005 holdovers. Pop-culturally, 2006 was my least favorite year of the 2000's, along with 2002.



music wise or as awhole wise?

music wise or as awhole wise?


Both, because my personal life in 2006 wasn't that great either from what I can remember, although I've had worse years.