Which bands/singers will survive?

This is always interesting, which currently popular bands/singers will still be popular in 20 years? Considering the ways to distribute music have changed significantly, I dont even know if the charts will even resemble the music world of 2018 to be honest, but do you see any acts still growing their legacy?

I think a good way to think about this is to look back at the artists of the 2000's and see what material has survived from that. I think, personally, that a lot of the 2000's most well-remembered acts are still going - with pop stars of the era like Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson and the boy bands of the era ending up as a footnote or a guilty pleasure to a lot of people, and a few solid acts of the era sinking into relative obscurity or failing to carry over. We know musicians like Eminem and P!NK because they continue to drop albums and compete with today's big musical acts (EDIT: although Eminem's best-known stuff is pretty early, and those early albums were kind of influential and just generally a big deal during the 2000's), while smaller acts that didn't last as long are forgotten more often than not.

I guess my answer is that the bands and singers that will survive into the future will be the bands and singers that continue to put out material for decades after their debut. There are some musicians who worked exclusively in the 2000's who have their followings, and who influenced the industry - they'll always be somewhat remembered, but it will be the P!N Ks or the Foo Fighters of the industry - long-running musical acts who stay somewhat visible and relevant - that will probably be remembered.

Though I'm not saying that's the single, definitive answer - I just think that a lot of well-known, beloved artists of old are artists who worked for decades like David Bowie and Elton John. they were popular, but they worked for years to stay relevant and have decades worth of material and coverage to be remembered by. There are definitely bands like Nirvana that are remembered for being a breakaway sensation and the sudden and turbulent end of Kurt Cobain, or Oasis and Blur who were well-liked figureheads of the late-90's Britpop movement, or musicians who died young and/or under scandalous circumstances - bands that end up being like cultural snapshots for their short, meaningful impact on the music of the time. But I think one big way to determine which musical acts of today will survive and be remembered in the next 30 years is how long they're willing to work in the pop music industry. For me, that's P!NK and Bruno Mars - P!NK's a long-runner who continues to sell, and Bruno Mars has been around for a while now and works damn hard to stay on top with singles and albums that sound good, good-looking music videos and some pretty solid and varied dance moves.

edited 21st May '18 10:10:40 PM by MrMallard

Gloria Gaynor, obviously, will survive.

As someone who hangs out in death metal circles, these are my guesses for the big/important acts in the genre (LONG list ahead):

• Cannibal Corpse: Broken up or on the very end of a farewell tour. They're all in their late forties and early fifties, and while they can still do it now, I realistically give them another fifteen years before they get to the point where they physically just can't do it any more. They're already feeling the physical toll of decades of touring, and these are guys who have made lifestyle changes (and, in the case of Paul, playstyle adjustments) to accommodate the ravages of age.
• Behemoth: Probably still around, but not for much longer. They'll definitely be getting ready to wrap it up by then.
• Amon Amarth: Probably in the middle of a farewell tour.
• The Black Dahlia Murder: Likely still around, just with a few lineup changes. They'll be done when Trevor or Brian call it.
• Morbid Angel: Probably done. Trey will eventually call it.
• Carcass: Broken up.
• At the Gates: Broken up.
• Obituary: Broken up or on the verge of a farewell tour.
• Deicide: Broken up. Hell, I'll be surprised if they last another ten years.
• Nile: Broken up. Karl is no spring chicken, and he'll eventually call it. George may leave before they break up if he develops insurmountable physical problems, and if he goes, Karl may just call it early.
• Dying Fetus: Still around, but probably at least considering a farewell tour.
• Suffocation: Broken up. They narrowly avoided it twice in their reunion as is, and if they have trouble holding onto a vocalist after Frank leaves this year (since I kinda doubt that Ricky will stay past the next album), they may just say "fuck it". Either way, Hobbs and/or Derek will eventually call it a day, and if either one of them goes, the other one will call it quits as well.
• Aborted: Either broken up or on the verge of a farewell tour. They blew up over the past few years and will keep going as long as Sven has the will to continue, but he's forty and can't do it forever.
• Cattle Decapitation: Broken up. Like Aborted, they got huge over the past several years, but when Travis Ryan's voice goes, they'll call it. I give them another 12-15 years tops.
• Job for a Cowboy: If they don't return to touring? Long dead. If they do? Probably still around and on the road here and there. It really depends on Jonny, though Nick and Tony will also play a part.
• Entombed: Both iterations will be done.
• Grave: Broken up or on the verge of a farewell tour.
• Belphegor: Broken up or on the verge of a farewell tour.
• Immolation: Broken up.
• Incantation: Broken up or on the verge of a farewell tour. When John doesn't want to do it any more, they're done.
• Septicflesh: Broken up or in the middle of a farewell tour.
• Fleshgod Apocalypse: Still going strong, I don't see them going away any time soon.
• Gorguts: Broken up.
• Cryptopsy: Broken up. Flo won't be able to play at his current level forever, and when he calls it, they'll call it.
• Decapitated: Probably a year or two off from a farewell tour, though calling them death metal at this point is a stretch.
• Revocation: Still around. They aren't going anywhere any time soon.
• The Faceless: Broken up if Michael Keene dies or he finally runs out of people who he can talk into joining, barely limping along if he can still find Berklee kids to sweet-talk into joining while still being a degenerate manchild, probably still going and experiencing a second wind if he quits heroin for good and stops being a piece of shit.
• Obscura: Probably still around, but they may be thinking about calling it at some point.
• Origin: Broken up. Paul's almost fifty, and Mike and John are in their forties. They won't be able to play at that level forever. They may try to continue on for a bit if Mike ever goes, but if Paul or John go, it's over.
• Krisiun: Broken up.
• Skinless: Broken up. They're a fest band as is, but they'll eventually decide that their second time around has run its course.
• Kataklysm: Broken up or on the verge of a farewell tour.
• Vader: Broken up. Piotr Wiwczarek is probably one of the most dedicated people in this list, but the dude's in his fifties and he can't do this forever.
• Hate Eternal: Broken up or on the verge of a farewell tour. Erik Rutan lives a healthy lifestyle, doesn't tour very much, and is a dedicated dude, but I just can't see him wanting to keep doing this at 66.
• Goatwhore: Broken up or on the verge of a farewell tour.
• Six Feet Under: Broken up.
• Malevolent Creation: Broken up, I don't give them ten years. Fuck, I don't give Phil Fasciana ten years to live.
• Broken Hope: Broken up.
• Atheist: Broken up.
• Devourment: Difficult to say because of how the same few people shuffle in and out of roles. They may be broken up, or they may still be around with a few lineup changes.

I think Kendrick Lamar has at least a decade left in him yet. Maybe more, I could see him eventually becoming one of those "old school" artists that just keeps recording.

Drake will also probably stick around for a little while longer.

I can't say for sure whether or not Cardi B's second album, whenever she gets around to making/releasing it, will be as successful as her first, and consequently, if she'll have a third. Then again, I didn't expect Rihanna to become a pop powerhouse after "Pon De Replay", so who knows.

For that matter I'll be surprised if Migos or their contemporaries lasts beyond 2019. Trap is a decidedly 2010s genre, much like New Wave was a decidedly 1980s genre. I'll give 'em till 2021 at most before hip-hop adopts a different sound.

Eminem's mad about people doubting him after Revival so people are speculating he'll put out at least one more album, just so he won't have such a poor finale.

G-Eazy and Macklemore are likely to fade away. Riff Raff, too. G-Eazy and Riff Raff were never really that big to begin with, and Macklemore has kinda been fading already.

I can see a few more years of J. Cole. Maybe Logic as well.

Several more years of SZA releases are likely.

That's all I can think of.

edited 26th May '18 11:31:24 AM by PhysicalStamina

Kendrick and Drake will achieve cultural longevity on par with Kanye, Eminem, Hov, Biggie, and Tupac. They will still be icons in twenty years, and I feel like To Pimp a Butterfly will still be in the same place in the hip-hop album pantheon as something like Straight Outta Compton, Paid in Full, Ready to Die, Reasonable Doubt, or Illmatic. Trap's days are definitely numbered and I see it going the way of crunk and snap by the end of this decade or the beginning of the 2020s, and Soundcloud rap will follow suit a few years after. Hip-hop is predictable: its mainstream-grabbing trends are ephemeral, but the acts who achieve success independent of trends usually have a decent shot at long-term survival.

I can see Adele surviving too, she's got massive crossover appeal among different demographics, and the fact that her music isnt as flashy might actually be a benefit, since it'll make it sound more timeless.

edited 26th May '18 12:44:49 PM by J79

Here's are the acts I think will survive in my opinion

• Deftones - They are one of the longest running acts I have listened to. They've been around since 1988 and I think they'll be around for many more years to come because they've always managed to switch it up each album.

• Kendrick Lamar - As much as I think Kendrick is a little overrated, I do like his music and I can see him sticking around for a long time. He is pretty much a cultural icon at this point and the Pulitzer Prize win has definitely assured his staying power.

• Eminem will probably be around in some way or another.

edited 26th May '18 10:45:59 AM by pointless233

1) After Em's next album I don't see him doing anything but features from time to time.

2) When did Kendrick get a Pulitzer?

edited 26th May '18 11:33:11 AM by PhysicalStamina

Kendrick got the Pulitzer Prize last month for his album DAMN. It was the first non-jazz or classical album to get the award.

Em is a cultural icon on par with Elvis, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Metallica in terms of impact and recognition. He will still be remembered.

It's no question he'll still be remembered, I just don't know if he'll still be recording.

I really don't think he will still be recording. I don't think the dude's dig at himself before he launched into "My Name Is" at Coachella was purely self-effacing. He may do one more album at some point, but he knows that he's not a Jay or a Kanye who can still put out huge albums that not only sell well, but are critically respected. To use Jay as an example, I think that on some level, Eminem knows that he released his Magna Carta Holy Grail with Revival, but knows that unlike Jay, he's past the point of being able to release a 4:44 that wins back both the critics and fans.

The "Chloraseptic" remix makes me believe he'll probably do one more album just to be like "See, I do still got it, fuck y'all." Like I said before, he's angry that people are doubting him, and now feels he has something to prove.

If the response to Revival had been more positive, he probably would have stopped there.

I also feel like people like Danny Brown and Joey Bada$$ will be viewed the same way that Talib Kweli or Cunninlynguists (to use as examples) are now: figures who never really got big or became completely mainstream, but aren't obscure and are known and respected by anyone with at least some serious interest in hip-hop (since I hesitate to call any of them "underground"). RTJ will also still be talked about in twenty years; they're one of the most unlikely success stories of the 2010s (though El-P was a name that anyone who was into underground hip-hop knew long before that), and the fact that they're a hardcore act with a stripped-down production style and a pair of technical, lyrical rappers should have kept them from getting as huge as they have, but they have such broad crossover appeal without even trying to be a mainstream act that they'll stick around.

edited 2nd Jun '18 7:03:36 AM by HasturHasturHastur

Queens of The Stone Age are definitely going to be around. They have critical respect, good music and lots of fans. I don't see them going away any time soon.

It's the same for Mastodon. They just put out an album last year and I feel they'll still be releasing albums for many more years to come.

edited 27th May '18 4:59:34 PM by pointless233

One act I'm unsure about is Daft Punk. They've been pretty silent the dust from RAM cleared. Are they working on something else or just done?

If we're talking about major hard rock and mainstream heavy acts:

• Metallica: Broken up or on the last leg of a farewell tour. I think they have one more album left in them before they retire. If one of them dies, they'll definitely break up.
• Iron Maiden: Broken up. Like Metallica, they have one more album in them before retirement. If one of them dies, they may try to continue on unless it's either Steve or Bruce.
• AC/DC: Broken up. When Angus calls it quits, is forced to retire due to his health, or dies, they're done, and I see that happening within the next ten or fifteen years.
• Van Halen: Broken up. At least one of the three older members will be dead by then.
• Judas Priest: Broken up. MAYBE one more album, but I realistically think that they have ten years left. At least one of them will be dead.
• GNR: Broken up. They'll probably keep the reunion going for a little while longer because it's basically a license to print money, but they'll eventually just retreat to their personal lives and solo projects.
• Tool: Broken up.
• Slipknot: Broken up. Multiple members are feeling the impact of decades of heavy touring and physically demanding live sets, and they're eventually going to have to accept that they're just too old to do what they do with Slipknot when they're in their sixties and seventies.
• Linkin Park: If they ever replace Chester? Probably still around with a few lineup changes, but they may be thinking about hanging it up by then.
• Korn: Broken up, they have ten or fifteen years left before they have a farewell tour and go off to do their own stuff.
• Avenged Sevenfold: Still around, but likely considering calling it relatively soon. If Matt Sanders goes (which may happen, his voice is completely destroyed), they'll either call it quits early or get a new frontman, which very well could grant a major second wind.
• Five Finger Death Punch: Difficult to say. Likely still around, but if Ivan relapses again, they may either finally force him out or they may just break up if he really goes off the deep end.
• Disturbed: Probably still around, but they may seriously be considering a farewell tour.
• Alice in Chains: Broken up or in the middle of a farewell tour.
• Marilyn Manson: In the middle of a farewell tour; he got a decent second wind in the latter half of the 2010s, but he's getting up there in the years and is not in great shape.
• Rob Zombie: Still around, but probably on the verge of a farewell tour. He's dedicated, but he'll eventually bid the musical world farewell and opt to just stick with film.
• Ghost: Still around and probably absolutely fucking massive, like pulling five-figure crowds in even the worst markets massive.
• Godsmack: Broken up.
• Limp Bizkit: Broken up, they probably don't even have ten years at this point.
• In This Moment: Still around.
• Halestorm: Still around.
• Megadeth: Broken up. I give them ten more years unless they get a ridiculous second wind.
• Volbeat: Still around, they're not going away any time soon.
• Deftones: Broken up.
• Queens of the Stone Age: Still around, but they'll probably take a break at some point.
• Mastodon: See Queens of the Stone Age if Brent Hinds doesn't die first.
• Lamb of God: Broken up. They have maybe ten years left, fifteen if they take another break.
• Motionless in White: Still around.
• Killswitch Engage: Still around, but probably considering a farewell tour.
• Anthrax: Broken up. With Slayer calling it quits, they're the next to go.
• Testament: Broken up. They have maybe fifteen years.
• Asking Alexandria: Still around, though likely without Danny.
• Machine Head: See Testament.
• Dream Theater: Tail end of a farewell tour.
• Black Label Society: Tail end of a farewell tour.
• Butcher Babies: Broken up, they're going to plateau soon and reach the point where they just can't get any bigger.
• Hellyeah: Broken up.
• Nothing More: Still around and absolutely massive. They're going to get stupidly big.
• Attila: Still around.
• Between the Buried and Me: Broken up or in the middle of a farewell tour.
• Suicide Silence: Tough to say. Right now, that band doesn't even have five years thanks to that spectacular bit of career suicide, but if they hang it up for a while and then come back in three or four years after that, they MAY do okay and still be around if they're insanely lucky, but I really don't see a hypothetical reunion carrying them past the twenty-year mark.
• Whitechapel: Broken up if they don't take a break or lose Phil (they have maybe five years left in their current state), still around and doing reasonably well if they lose the dudes dragging the band down.
• All That Remains: Broken up. They probably won't even be a band by 2021, and Phil destroyed every shot they had at eventually restoring their career by destroying his voice and being a gigantic dickhead.
• Gojira: Still around, but probably considering hanging it up.
• Trivium: Still around.
• Arch Enemy: Still around, probably with another vocalist shift when they get sick of Alissa's shit.
• Children of Bodom: Broken up, very likely due to Alexi Laiho either dying or pickling his brain.
• Nightwish: Broken up.
• Epica: Still around, but probably about to break up.
• Devildriver: Broken up.
• Unearth: Broken up.

Missed a few, but this is already an insanely long list.

edited 27th May '18 3:51:30 PM by HasturHasturHastur

I'll throw in my two cents about which rock bands will be around in 10 years:

Foo Fighters: Still around

Alice Cooper: I dont see Alice stopping until he dies

Kiss: Around but with no original (or even current) members (Gene has talked about putting new musicians under the makeup)

Aerosmith: on a retirement tour

Greta Van Fleet: Still around

Pearl Jam: retirement tour

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Retirement tour

Offspring: Broken Up

Green Day: Likely have a few more albums left in them

Imagine Dragons: Broken Up

Nickelback: Still around, but more of a touring band

Ozzy Osbourne : On a actual, no fooling, final retirement tour

Three Days Grace: Broken Up

edited 28th May '18 5:26:54 AM by J79

Greta Van Fleet is either going to plateau at around the 5-7k live draw mark, or they're going to just keep getting bigger and bigger before they top out at Iron Maiden levels (15-18k), which is also around where I see Ghost ending up. Nothing More will probably hit Slipknot levels (9-11k with two supports, 11-13k with three or four).

Aerosmith won't be around, period. Most of them will be dead by then, or at least Steve and Joe, and the rest will simply be too old to do it. They'll all be approaching 80.

edited 28th May '18 10:32:54 AM by HasturHasturHastur

Second round of mainstream heavy acts:

• Hatebreed: Still around. Jamey Jasta is going to do this until the day he dies or winds up in a nursing home.
• Fear Factory: Broken up. Burt and Dino will do their own stuff.
• Cradle of Filth: Broken up, Dani's voice will eventually be too far gone and he'll have to hang it up.
• Dimmu Borgir: Broken up or still around in a very limited fashion.
• Avatar: Still around, probably a theater band that will occasionally play small arenas on stacked lineups. They'll get bigger but will top out in the low thousands.
• Bullet for My Valentine: Still around, probably on the cusp of a farewell tour.
• Meshuggah: Still around, but it's possible that Fredrik may retire from touring for good and Per will hop on as their full-time live guy.
• Thy Art Is Murder: Still around, probably without CJ and possibly without Lee as well.
• The Acacia Strain: Still around in a limited fashion. They'll tour even less than they do now, probably once a year tops and only if one of their bigger friends want to take them out (so realistically just with Hatebreed, Killswitch, Dying Fetus, and a select few others), and the rest will just be fests and Northeastern one-offs.
• Carnifex: Still around, they somehow just keep getting bigger and bigger and I don't see Scott, Cory, or Shawn wanting to end it any time soon. They'll be over when any of those three call it.
• Oceano: Still around. They skyrocketed in popularity over the past year and I don't see Adam wanting to call it quits any time soon.
• Max Cavalera: Still around. Like Jamey Jasta, he'll keep going until the day he dies or his mind goes.
• Overkill: Probably in the middle of a farewell tour. Bobby and DD will probably try and go for as long as they possibly can, but at least one of them will get to the point where they just can't physically do it any more if dementia doesn't rear its ugly head.
• Exodus: Probably on the tail end of a farewell tour. As long as Gary wants to keep going, they'll still be around, but like Overkill, old age will eventually become an insurmountable hurdle.
• Shadows Fall: Probably reunited and doing reasonably well. I see a reunion happening after Anthrax hangs it up, and while Paul and Jason will probably sit it out, the other three will find new blood. Brian Fair in particular is a lifer.
• Emmure: Still around, probably with some lineup changes. They'll just keep going until Frankie can't or won't do it any longer.
• The Devil Wears Prada: Broken up or on the very last leg of a farewell tour.
• Issues: Still around.
• Beartooth: Still around.
• Born of Osiris: Broken up. They don't have ten years at this point. They may eventually get back together if the younger generation takes to them.
• Veil of Maya: Still around, likely with a new singer or one of their old ones. They're going to have to get rid of Lukas Magyar eventually.
• After the Burial: Still around.
• Periphery: Still around, but they'll probably break up or go on hiatus at least once before then.
• Twelve Foot Ninja: Still around, probably a large club/small theater-sized band by then.
• Of Mice and Men: Broken up, they're circling the drain as is.
• Code Orange: Still around, probably a Hatebreed-sized band by that point.
• Fit for an Autopsy: Still around, probably with a couple lineup shifts.
• Rings of Saturn: Broken up. Lucas doesn't give a fuck about his band as is and just delegates the actual hard work onto other people while loudly taking credit for it, but he's eventually going to run out of people or not even have the energy to keep up the facade of caring.
• Volumes: Still around.
• Chelsea Grin: Broken up. They'll get another album or two out of Tom before he leaves, and once he goes, they'll probably not even bother trying to find another frontman.
• Light the Torch: Broken up, they're circling the drain and would have gotten big by now if they were going to.
• Wovenwar: See Light the Torch.

I mostly listen to classic bands but I'll give a few modern ones for the next 10 to 15 years.

• Radiohead: Probably will still be around. This is one of the few bands that I don't think has any animosity between members. I can see them going on hiatus like before, with Thom's solo albums and Jonny's soundtracks, but I think they'll be around for a while (I hope).

• Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Still going. Might be on their last tour and make a few more albums.

• Muse: Again, I don't think there's any animosity between the members. They'll still be playing and touring and making albums.

• Steven Wilson: Will still be playing. Maybe Porcupine Tree will get a reunion.

• David Gilmour: Retired.

• Roger Waters: Retired.

• Billy Joel: Retired from touring.

• Neil Young: Still got a few albums in him but I think he'll retire.

• Arctic Monkeys: Still going.

• U2: Probably will be on farewell tour. I see a few more albums being made from them.

• Jack White: Still around.

• Gary Clark Jr.: Still around.

• Dinosaur Jr.: Probably broken up or on a farewell tour.

Honestly don't see Dinosaur Jr. going away any time soon. I feel like J. Mascis is a lifer. Same goes for Melvins; as long as King Buzzo wants to do it, they'll keep doing it. Melvins' buddies in Napalm Death will probably also be around in twenty years, though they may at least be considering a farewell tour by then; Mitch will probably also step down completely before then and John Cook will likely take his place, and Danny may also leave, but like J. Mascis and King Buzzo, Barney Greenway and Shane Embury are lifers and will probably try to do it for as long as they can.