Now, unfortunately, we get to the 2000s. I know I promised not to do this, but I really can't help remarking on how patently awful most of the popular music of this decade is. I mean, seriously. What happened?
Oh, well. Only time will tell.
Post-Grunge
Even as rock and alternative are becoming increasingly less popular as hip hop/R&B/rap take over airwaves, the post-grunge genre keeps chugging along with bands like Creed and Nickleback. The good news was that Creed disbanded in 2004. The bad news is that they're supposedly back together. Nickleback (actually a Canadian band, and named for some reason after the amount of change you get back after ordering a coffee from Starbucks, which is probably the most un-grunge like concept for a band name that I can think of) is probably the most successful post-grunge act thus far, with 40 million sales. The Foo Fighters, formed by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, is technically also a post-grunge act; the difference being that they are actually...good. Here is a Foo Fighters song from The Colour and the Shape, which is actually from the 90s.
Foo Fighters - Everlong
Metal
There is a renewed interest in metal during this period, and older acts like Slayer and Metallica are popular again, along with a slew of new ones such as Killswitch Engage and Lamb of God. Also, metalcore, a fusion of metal and hardcore punk, becomes popular.
Killswitch Engage - My Last Serenade
British Invasion
Coldplay's single "Yellow" comes out in 2000. They head the popularity of British bands during the decade -- other bands include Radiohead and Muse.
Muse - Hysteria
Pop Punk
Pop Punk remains popular. Fall Out Boy's "Sugar We're Going Down" came out in 2005.
Sorry, couldn't resist.
Numetal
Numetal (a fusion of metal with hip hop) bands enjoy a slew of hit singles. Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory came out in 2000, and they are credited with being one of the biggest rock acts of the decade. Other artists from this trend are Evanescence and Staind.
Linkin Park - In the End
Emo
Emo isn't really a musical style; it's more of a term that describes the people that listen to the bands rather than the bands themselves. Popular "emo" bands include Dashboard Confessional and My Chemical Romance, even though they themselves repudiate the term.
Dashboard Confessional - Vindicated
New New Wave/synthpop/post punk
There is a renewed interest in synthesizer music and 1980s music during this time, as bands such as The Killers become popular as numetal fades away in the later part of the decade.
The Killers - Human
Indie
With the increased commercialization of alternative music, the indie music scene burgeons, helped considerably by technology that enables better advertising and distribution for bands not signed to major labels. There isn't really a particular style of indie music, it has been associated with a huge variety of different sounds and aesthetics, including lo-fi, post-rock (rock instrumentation, like Mogwai), sadcore, C86, math rock (featuring complex rhythms, like Dillinger Escape Plan), shoegaze/dream pop (My Bloody Valentine), indie pop, noise rock, noise pop, riot grrrl, post-hardcore, twee pop, alt-country, post-punk revival, garage rock revival, dance-punk, indie folk, baroque pop (classical music elements brought to rock, like Arcade Fire), and indietronica.
Arcade Fire - Wake Up (with David Bowie)
New Pornographers - Challengers
The Decemberists - We Both Go Down Together
Death Cab for Cutie - Soul Meets Body
The Strokes - Reptilia
Teen Pop Rock
Boy bands fade out of popularity by the middle of the decade and a new slew of pop artists targeting a tween audience achieve success, like Avril Lavigne and Miley Cyrus.
Dance Music
Dance music is becoming the dominant force on the radio. Along with dance music comes Auto-Tune. See Black Eyed Peas.
Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow (I could swear he's actually just saying Boom Boom Boom but whatever)
Ethnic Music (what a terrible genre name)
World music in general enjoys more widespread success. Shakira and MIA achieve mainstream popularity.
MIA - Paper Planes (theme is actually a Clash song)
Hip Hop/R&B/Rap
This decade pretty much belongs to this kind of music. Eninem is considered the best-selling artist of the decade. This is the era of Kanye West, Destiny's Child, and Beyonce.
Eninem - Forget About Dre
Country
Country music is becoming increasingly popular also in this decade. Carrie Underwood became the first American Idol winner to go into country instead of pop. Taylor Swift ushers in the popularity of country pop.
Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me
Changes in the Music Industry
Whereas before, the major entertainment networks used to hold the reins of distribution and fame, changes in technology are making it increasingly possible for musicians to control distribution themselves. With the rise of the MP3 and file sharing, the music industry is fighting a losing war against the increased piracy of music, despite studies that have shown that people who pirate the most music also tend to buy the most music. The response from the musicians has been mixed, some are extremely against piracy and others have come to terms with the 21st century. Radiohead released In Rainbows on a "pay for it if you like it" basis, Nine Inch Nails released their latest album for free on their website, and many artists are releasing material directly in MP3 format (such as on a flash drive). My personal opinion is that the music industry in general needs to come to grips with this new paradigm instead of fighting it. People also need to realize that most listeners are perfectly willing to pay for music, as long as it's actually good.
And we'll end with this, for good measure:
Video Killed the Radio Star
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