Problem is: the music business is in fact a business--and the big sales are in the dehumanized "music". We have even more manufactured "stars" than ever, imitating whoever was popular last year---thanks to cultural phenomena like American Idol ( in the US), modeled after a UK program, I think.

And the main alternative seems to be rap.

I'll admit that Carrie Underwood seems to actually deserve her stardom--and that some of the new "country" singers do some good stuff (while not country).   But what Joni Mitchell talked about as the "star-making machine" is way out of control now.

There may be lots of talented composers and songwriters now who still believe in the human element. But when you talk about "best decade for music", you pretty well have to talk about the prominent figures--otherwise what are your criteria? These talented composers and songwriters are the underground, it seems. And not likely to get more exposure.

I listened to the top 50 of 2008 (videos included, as seems common these days), as determined by AOL or some other corporate entity. A cultural toxic waste dump. You're lucky to be able to understand the words--or maybe unlucky when you do.

And don't give me the garbage that that's what they said about rock when it first arrived. At least it often had a sense of humor--e.g. Lieber and Stoller.   And people had to actually be able to play their instruments--it wasn't a bath of synthesizers.

Hard to believe anybody will ever be nostalgic for any of the current offerings.

It's time for a major revolt against the studio-dependent stuff which seems to rule the "charts" these days.   People should be able to play and sing without needing an army or an industry back them up.

But as long as it sells, ain't gonna happen.