In my opinion, modern pop music hasn't bring any thing fresh or groundbreaking to the table. It's all rehash of all the same innovative visual and musical ideas used by legendary pop stars of the past such as MJ, Madonna, David Bowie , etc. I mean grunge is considered the last musical revolution up to date. Are modern pop musicians capable of redefining the music experience? Or are there no more territory to discover considering the fact pop music was still relatively new when it experienced groundbreaking innovation? Or is the GP isn't ready for a universal slayage?

I'm trying to have a legitimate and serious discussion about the state of modern pop music in a pop music forum and y'all don't want to answer. It's cool though.

Rihanna is coming and I know you loathe the good sis but she's gonna innovate with this record whether you like to admit it or not.

i think we need a little perspective before we really view anyone from our generation as truly innovative. another 10 or 20 years or so and we may see the lasting impression of some of our pop stars more than we do now.

As if she thought up the concept of R8? Yea right. And I'm sure is her team isn't doing anything original.

I believe their lasting impression comes more from their celebrity more than idea of them creating truly innovation music. You don't have to wait 10-20 years to see that they are rehashing the same old ideas (minus Beyonce and the surprise release of her latest album).

This is exactly what I mean.
What's the use of making a thread like this if you're only open for innovation by a select few artists?
A pretentious attitude ain't cute sis

I kind of agree. We need more indie/alternative sound to break into the mainstream.

I think 2015 is gonna be a good year for music though. Maybe nothing extraordinary but good quality sounds.

Are we talking music? Because this new wave of contemporary R&B is definitely innovative. Starting with Kanye's 808s and Heartbreak album.

Beyoncé's visual album isn't truly innovative, she did it before and a few others did it before her (in the 80s), but it could push the industry into making more bold moves.

But did my OP mention a few select artists? When I said modern pop artists I meant all creating and pushing an artistic vision. And how does it make me pretentious to wish that music doesn't stay in the same generic unoriginal ruck it's in now? What? You want to keep lowering standards for major pop artists and not hope that they continue to push boundaries like their predecessors?

And you Want people to discuss with you? Lmao

We all know this it's most likely true, but that topic is not in the Op, do would you like to contribute something useful to the discussion?

There is, it's just the new acts are following trends desperately to get 30 seconds of success, and the established acts are too scared to do anything new so they're staying safe/mediocre - and this is reflected in the sales.

All the innovation is happening underground. Hopefully we get someone that takes those innovations and brings them to the mainstream soon.

New wave R&B? Interesting. Do you mean with the likes of Tinashe, Jhene Aiko, Frank Ocean, and such?

And although visual albums had been done before as you mentioned, do you see it having a recurring place in the music industry of the future? Will someone come around to re-innovate and perfect the art?

Do you see indie being as huge as grunge when it came into the mainstream?

There won't be video albums in the future, or not as big as self-titled. You need money for that and Beyonce did it only cause of Pepsi, so.

Interesting. It has me wondering, if not visual albums, how can one push visuals and music a step further?

I've always had the mentality that music and sound is endless so there is always the possibility for innovation.

However, some of the biggest names in music (Bruno Mars, Taylor, etc) have always struck me as doing the same kind of music over and over.

There have been musical innovations in areas outside of sound like Beyoncé surprise releasing a visual album, Gaga re-hyping music videos and giving exposure to fan-to-artist relarionships via social media, Nicki doing a movie for her album, etc.

You also have to consider artists have a lot more pressure nowadays to be original because so many things have already been done. MJ and Madonna are innovators but it's not like they faced as much work either.

Artist are stuck doing the 90s thing.

From 2000-2014 we have been copying the 70s, 80s, and 90s. There's little innovation besides a few here and there but none as large as the 90s or 80s and before.

It has to do with the fact that people and artists are too nostalgic, they want music from the past and get angry when anything new or innovative appears.

You could pretty much say that about every genre unfortunately