The Future Is Now - The 00's and The MySpace Generation

One of the most common discussions had between musicians, ethnomusicologists and music fans alike is that of the 'Golden Era' of Popular Music. Which decade was the most influential? Which decade is responsible for the greatest contribution to Pop Music as we know it? The problem with all these questions is that they all fail to take into account that music is a constantly evolving medium. To point to one period of time in which all popular music as we know it stems, does not do justice to the complexity of cross-pollination to be heard in music. Often such discussions end in a stalemate in which all parties are forced to agree that each decade has its own merits and shows a continuation and development upon the ideas of the previous. Interestingly the starting point is always the 1950's, the decade that arguably was the beginning of the 'recorded music boom'.

However it's not hard to see why people look back at previous eras with such nostalgia. In a decade in which music engineering has, in many respects taken a backward step, with lossy MP3 files and the overuse of compression to achieve ever more louder recordings at the expensive of the music's dynamic range, its easy to look back on past filled with quality and innovation. Watching music television and listening to the radio, its often difficult to imagine a time in which musicians looked so longingly to the past for inspiration. Bands like The Darkness are a perfect example of musicians, not just taking influence from the past but actively trying to recreate it. However I want to argue that such a view is inherent in a medium that has existed for as long as popular music. In looking to the past with such nostalgia we often forget about what is happening right here and now. If we are looking for a golden age of music (if such a thing is possible) it could well be in front of us or indeed with us at this very moment.

The last few years have seen the biggest shakeup ever to hit the music industry. Peer-to-peer sharing, YouTube and MySpace have all contributed to change everything from the way music is marketed and distributed, to the very process of making music itself. Interestingly this has done nothing to slow down the actual creation of music. Quite the opposite. The current climate allows for more intrigation and creativity than ever before. So often we hear about the decline of the music business and how the internet is to blame for its destruction, that we can forget about the overwhelmingly positive impact it has had. In 2007 the BBC reported that global music sales fell by an estimated 10% in 2006. However in 2005 Jeff Leeds of the New York Times reported that Independent record labels saw an 18% rise in album sales. Marketing practices developed by the music industry since the 1950's now seem ever more irrelevent. When EMI announced cutbacks in the region of $392 million in January of this year it became clear that major labels were struggling to adapt to the changes brought about by the free exchange of music and video that Technology now allows, changes that independent labels embraced whole heartedly. Perhaps the problem is that companies such as EMI have everything to lose and the independents have everything to gain. Never has it been so easy to record, market and distribute music so successfully.

New technological advances in Audio Synthesis software have made it easier for all musicians to record music. Demo recordings (often nearing studio quality) can be made, uploaded to MySpace or other similar sites for free, allowing your average 16 year old to have his or her music exhibited on a site alongside major label acts like The Rolling Stones and REM, such is the democracy of the internet community. Easy access to resources and technology is undoubtably going to have a profound impact on the development of musical styles. Social networking and media sites encourage users to find music for themselves, network with musicians and intrigate as a community. If anything has the potential to drive further cross-pollination in music it is this.

It is important to acknowledge that these new technologies are still in their infancy. Such is the state of flux within the industry that the future often seems uncertain. This does not mean we should take the present for granted. Far from being stagnant, the 00's are a defining decade for music, perhaps the most important for paving the way for what music is to be in the future. The Future is now...