Voice of a generation

[Rawkus]

I was having this conversation the other day with a friend. It seems like every generation has those musicians that came to define them or that decade. For me it was Kurt cobain and 2pac(polar opposites i know). So, who is that person for the 2000's til now? I think it's sad but i don't think anyone has taken the mantle yet. And, does it help if they are dead?

[fezident]

Beyonce.
Nobody is/was bigger. She has an uncountable number of smash hits. She's a fashion icon. A sex symbol. A role model. She's a brand.

[furie]

I was having this conversation the other day with a friend. It seems like every generation has those musicians that came to define them or that decade. For me it was Kurt cobain and 2pac(polar opposites i know). So, who is that person for the 2000's til now? I think it's sad but i don't think anyone has taken the mantle yet. And, does it help if they are dead?

a messenger has to die so that they don't overshadow the message

[zildjian361]

Beyonce.
Nobody is/was bigger. She has an uncountable number of smash hits. She's a fashion icon. A sex symbol. A role model. She's a brand.

You consider her a Voice of a generation:sad:

[TripleSkeet]

If I had to pick one from the last 10 years it would be Eminem. But I think society has changed where there are so many options out there its not as easy to have a voice of this generation as it was in the past.

[fezident]

You consider her a Voice of a generation:sad:
I think a younger person... especially a female.... would consider her so.

No tabloid bullshit. No porntape. A million hits. Performed for the president. Fashion, makeup, dance, actress........

[sailor]

Pepsi.

[JohnGacysCrawlSpace]

Ron Bennington is the voice of my generation. What ever generation that is.

[realmenhatelife]

I really dont think there's such a thing.

[Crash]

Beyonce.
Nobody is/was bigger. She has an uncountable number of smash hits. She's a fashion icon. A sex symbol. A role model. She's a brand.

I think her husband might be a better choice.

I don't think it's solely about being popular. I think the individual needs to write their own songs, have something to say, and change the direction of music. Dylan did that. Cobain did that. Beyonce hasn't.

I also might go with Eminem, but a lot of his iconic stuff predates the 2000's.

Jack White?

Chris Martin?

The Gorillaz?

With the exception of Martin, the mass appeal isn't there. But I think all three qualify for consideration.

Tough question. :help:

[keithy_19]

:innocent:Clearly it's Kanye West

[hanso]

Prince is the voice of the new power generation.

[Melk]

I also might go with Eminem, but a lot of his iconic stuff predates the 2000's.

Jack White?

Chris Martin?

The Gorillaz?

I would say that Eminem is probably the closest thing to the voice of this generation. But, the aesthetic changed suddenly in the past few years, so it is really difficult to say who it will ultimately be. Jack White and Chris Martin don't have the longevity to qualify (Too early). The Gorillaz are a project from people who got their start in the 90s. They couldn't possibly be the voice of this generation.

I figure the voice will ultimately be a woman and probably a train wreck of a person like Britney Spears or Lady Gaga. But that declaration will be made far after the fact when the last surviving chickenhead is left standing.

I wonder if a podcaster will ultimately become the voice of this generation (Like Kevin Smith or Jimmy Pardo) or a radio guy like Ira Glass (The world's oldest teenager of the 21st century) or Jad from RadioLab.

[StanUpshaw]

I don't really accept the question's premise, but leaving that aside, I think it would be absurd to choose someone outside of hiphop. And I'd say Jay Z probably leads the pack.

[PapaBear]

http://vegasblog.latimes.com/vegas/images/2007/04/26/teller_jh29tpnc.jpg

[keithy_19]

I don't know who would be the voice of this generation. I think it's different for everyone. For instance, I can honestly say that Jay-Z has never released something that has "spoken" to me. So...I don't know. I could never think of him as the voice of a generation.

I'm thinking about this too much. And probably too much cold medicine.

[Rawkus]

But I think society has changed where there are so many options out there its not as easy to have a voice of this generation as it was in the past.

This is too true.

[Rawkus]

I don't really accept the question's premise, but leaving that aside, I think it would be absurd to choose someone outside of hiphop. And I'd say Jay Z probably leads the pack.

I think i know what you mean, i don't know if something like that will even happen again because of the nature of the music business now? When i think of my generation though, there are two very clear cut answers for me, 2 people that had something to say and that were real. I don't think theres even one really good canidate, just people that may fit the description. Jay-Z doesn't really have much to say, maybe it could've been nas but not after his first album so, if i was forced to pick i'd say eminem and lady gaga. Jack white was an interesting choice though. I'm curious though, how come it's absurd to pick someone outside hiphop?

[StanUpshaw]

I don't know who would be the voice of this generation. I think it's different for everyone. For instance, I can honestly say that Jay-Z has never released something that has "spoken" to me. So...I don't know. I could never think of him as the voice of a generation.

I'm thinking about this too much. And probably too much cold medicine.

No, I totally agree. Like I said, I don't buy the concept of a "voice of a generation." Not for this decade and not for the sixties.

But if we're trying to quantify the "voice" for the greatest number of individuals, from my perspective, it's probably Jay Z. If I were a chick, maybe Beyonce would come to mind. If I lived 100 miles further south, maybe I would think it's Carrie Underwood.

[StanUpshaw]

I'm curious though, how come it's absurd to pick someone outside hiphop?

Sheer numbers. You could say that there's more to it than record sales, that they have to have some message...but then how does that represent the generation? Does this generation have a message? If it does, it went over my head.

[keithy_19]

To go outside of the hip-hop world, I would suggest The Hold Steady. (granted they will never be the biggest name in rock or anything like that, they still put out some amazing music with a pretty true to life story about stumbling through life).

[Snacks]

I think her husband might be a better choice.

I don't think it's solely about being popular. I think the individual needs to write their own songs, have something to say, and change the direction of music. Dylan did that. Cobain did that. Beyonce hasn't.

I also might go with Eminem, but a lot of his iconic stuff predates the 2000's.

Jack White?

Chris Martin?

The Gorillaz?

With the exception of Martin, the mass appeal isn't there. But I think all three qualify for consideration.

Tough question. :help:

other then Eminem I have no idea who the other 3 people (1 sounds like a group) are

I would say its Eminem above any other artist.

[sailor]

other then Eminem I have no idea who the other 3 people (1 sounds like a group) are

I would say its Eminem above any other artist.

1. white stripes
2. coldplay
3. yes, group

[El Mudo]

There is no "voice" of this current generation, because the concept of "shared cultural experiences" really doesn't exist any longer, especially in music. The last one that's really left in our society is the Super Bowl.

The internet has changed the game. Choice has become personalized to the point where you can be in your own world and never interact with anyone.

[sailor]

There is no "voice" of this current generation, because the concept of "shared cultural experiences" really doesn't exist any longer, especially in music. The last one that's really left in our society is the Super Bowl.

The internet has changed the game. Choice has become personalized to the point where you can be in your own world and never interact with anyone.

same thing in tv as well. no records will sell like the big ones of the past, and no shows will hit the same levels of viewership.

[Crash]

To go outside of the hip-hop world, I would suggest The Hold Steady. (granted they will never be the biggest name in rock or anything like that, they still put out some amazing music with a pretty true to life story about stumbling through life).

I thought about The Hold Steady, mainly because of the depth of their lyrics. Finn is a story teller and I believe he tries to find some "shared experiences" that can resonate with a lot of people.

Problem is they're not a mega-band. A lot of people haven't heard of them. I think to be the "voice of a generation" you have to have mass appeal.

In the end, I agree Mudo and Sailor hit it on the head. There are no "shared experiences" anymore. It's one of the things we gave up. The same way we lost a diverse "American Experience" when we traded Route 66 for the interstate highway.