Music in the Noughties: 00-09

Hard Fi never lived up to their first album in 2005.

The concept of Music has perhaps not changed much since the start of the decade. However, the way we have listened and shared music has been the greatest change.

If you ask the teenagers and children of today, on how they first got into music, you can no longer just expect a CD, TV show or even Gig. The value of sharing music through media files, with the increasing impact of the internet has changed the way we listen to music.

The majority of my listening to Dubstep for instance has been frequently through rapid share. On social networking sites. That’s right – social networking sites. The fact that music has now converged so much with other people over a screen is something that has made music more accessible more than ever. Clicking on other people’s links and there a ‘tune’ downloads. This is something that was talked about back in 2000 as MP3, a way of uploading files into MP3 players, a new better version than a Walkman. In terms of social networking, even MSN was still basic, and as soon as we hit 12 and 13 ‘pre-teen’, its messaging chat and its way of sharing things (pictures, games etc) became a real purpose for using the internet.

Now it is Facebook, Facebook and Facebook. Social networking has never been a bigger part of our lives. Groups, Events and the like all hype new albums, news and importantly new music. But even before Facebook, was Myspace who were responsible for perhaps kick starting the most important British band of this decade.

The Arctic Monkeys are king of the MySpace trend, and the first mainstream band of using music through the internet. When we now think back to 2005, we think back to Myspace and the Arctic Monkeys. Their first album ‘Whatever People say I am, That’s what I am not’ was great for its musical style and witty lyrics, but the fact was, they were propelled right from their bedrooms to a thousand of people arced field, within the space of just a year.

2004, was also the year of the ipod. Who can forget the multi coloured adverts on television with U2′s ‘Vertigo’ blasting out in the background? People might have thought this was nothing more than an MP3. Just a collection of tunes but in a nicer looking music player. Indeed, it’s colour helped secure it as an accessible fashion trend amongst all ages, much like the mobile phone had done. However, its purpose was far greater than what people would have imagined.

The ipod became the focal point of personalities. People expressing how they felt, and their music on the pod expressed their kind of person. The ability of it’s kind to bring ‘communities’ together, as well, helped a house party experience or gathering give more of a party feel.

The ipod is now a piece of handheld furniture.

But what of the actual music itself? Some music columists such as Miranda Sawyer this week, have highlighted the fact that music has remained the same. Indeed, there has not been a movement as such like Rave, Britpop or Punk. However it has more been a case, of some music been revived. Mixing the old with the new helping the old audience like the new music just like their children as an example. Though there have been slight movements such as ‘new rave’, these have not fizzed out to be blessed into history. The current wave of Indie bands have followed their predecessors and not been able to follow up a second album in Britpop fashion.

If that has been the case, with the indie world, what about the pop? Only one man can rule that planet at the moment, Simon Cowell.

Can he be stopped? His ‘music’ or more like his ‘money makers’ are also killing the concept of underground genres of dance music in favour of X Factor talent blended in with the chart music.

In the next decade, it will be interesting to see if there is such a reaction to the brand. It rules our television, our dance floors and also practically everywhere in one social form or another, because of the huge convergence of the media. Social characters such as Susan Boyle and John and Edward are now icons.

Can someone fight against this? Well that could be a new movement in the ‘Teenies’.

For Top 50 Albums of this decade, check out: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/nov/17/nme-top-albums-decade-noughties