Today's Timeless Music

[Che]

We obviously know the old songs that are timeless, and continue on in our current decade even though they were made decades ago...

What are some bands or songs you think or predict will be timeless 20 or 30 or 40 more years from now? If TFF is around that long (and I hope it is!), we may be able to look back on this thread and see who was right or wrong.

I've got a few to start us off:

Daft Punk. They're like the pop of the future. I really think pop will come around eventually and go into my techno/trancy beats (it's already started to, really). But Daft Punk is just so unique...they will never be replaced and will live on forever.

Coheed & Cambria. Started out as a guy who had a father that listened to good rock from the 60s, and 70s, and 80s. Claudio wanted to make sure that in current times, people still had a band that did amazing solos and guitar riffs. If you listen to them, and if you really want to get into them and read the comic which goes along with all their albums they really are something special.

Sadly, it's a lot harder with rap. My two choices (and I might add more later on) are electronic and rock. I just don't think currently there's anyone out there that will remain timeless later on, especially since rap is pretty much dead at this point in time.

[Dodie16]

I'll give this a shot, but it really would be quite difficult to really predict something like this. Also, some of my own personal taste may affect my judgement a bit, but here goes nothing:

Well, I think that Coldplay might be around for a while, or at least some of thier songs will last well into the future. I think that thier songs have a certain quality that can be considered "timeless" and perhaps future generations will listen to thier songs and consider them great, just as fans of today consider them great. I know that with Coldplay, you either love 'em or really hate 'em, so really this is only a guess.

I second Daft Punk though. LIke you said, they are most definately unique and I also think that music is taking on a more techno/trance sound. A lot of thier songs have only a few words, but I do believe that future generations will listen to them and fall in love with what they do anyway.

A singer I think will stand the test of time may be Christina Aguilera. She's always reinventing her sound and her style and she does have a damn good voice. I believe out of the female pop singers that arrived on the scene in the late '90's (Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, Mandy Moore, etc.) Christina has been the most successful. Yes, you could argue that, but it's just my opinion.

[Josh_R]

Metallica~ They have lasted this long, therefore I see no reason they won't still be around. Unless one of them dies *knocks on wood*..

Daft Punks~ Have to agree with you Che after listening to them I believe they will be around for a while. Before this thread I had never heard of them, but they are a very good band...

Lil Wayne~ I hate to say this cause I hate the son of a bitch, but his music is loved and he keeps pumpingh out new shit...

[Taco-Calamitous]

I dunno. People still listen to Moby, right? His old stuff was pretty cool. He actually put out a CD that had a lot of electric guitar in it: Animal Rights. That's my favorite album of his. There's also Smashing Pumpkins, who have recently gotten back together to make a new CD (or rather, Billy Corgan got together with the drummer, and they're calling themselves "The Smashing Pumpkins" again, because they had done other stuff together with other names prior.) The Foo Fighters have put out some good shit, too, and are loved by many. However, most of these artists were at their best-and started out-in the late 80's and early 90's... so can we really count them?

I love me some Coheed, though. I agree with you there, Che; they are rather memorable. I don't know if they are necessarily huge yet, however; at least not on the same scale as some past acts, like the aforementioned Pumpkins, Foo Fighter, or Metalica. They're selling at major outlets like Target, yes, but are does that mean they've made it? I can think of other artists I've liked that are sold at places like that, but I wouldn't necessarily say that means they're popular enough for people to remember them years from now. Then again, I don't listen to the top 40 stations very much; I'm out of touch. Does Coheed get played there? Anyhoo...

Wuv, Yer Mom

[KeybladerXIII]

Daft Punk....there is no need explaining!

I absolutely think Coldplay will be live on. I also have a niggling thought that possibly Linkin Park will also.

As for solo singers, there is the obvious: Beyonce and Mariah Carey, they've got songs that will no doubt remain.


As for the Indie scene, Arcade Fire will be be seen as one of the greats. The album Funeral, if nothing else, will stay around.

[chrono]

today timeless music .....oxymoron? hahaha

just kidding...i dont know Breaking Benjamin maybe?

[Che]

today timeless music .....oxymoron? hahaha

just kidding...i dont know Breaking Benjamin maybe?

Uh, no? Breaking Benjamin is ****ing terrible.

I guess this really comes down to opinion. I want people to respond to this thread even if they have second thoughts on it. I really feel like we can come back and be like, "so and so was totally right" in a few years.

Obviously a lot of people feel like Daft Punk is timeless. I dig that.

Just think of bands/artists that are successful in the sense that you don't know anyone who dislikes them.

Another one I'd pick as timeless would be Outkast. I haven't heard of one person that doesn't like them.

@ Telegraph: Coheed is still sort of underground I think. They had like 2-3 songs from one of their older albums that made it to the radio. "Fever House Atlantic" and "The Suffering" being two of them. Although great songs, I feel they don't correctly portray who Coheed and Cambria really is. A lot of people don't even know they have a comic that you can read along to their albums either.

They really are the Rush (the band) of this generation, though.

[OnOneRyder]

I personally don't see anyone really standing out as timeless anymore. You could look at that and say, well...thats because we're not in the future yet. I see it happening for a different reason. Marketing and media has made it easier to twist peoples admirations for music and mold artists to what they think people want, look at pop music? Most BIG artists arn't appreciated for their musical talents but for how well they were marketed as an amazing act. The people who shine now are shinning for the wrong reasons and I think time will show that.

I think for me I need to look at individual artists and say "yea...this guy is going to go down in history". Artists like Trent Resnor, Maynard James Keenan, Kurt Cobain, Thom Yorke. They're all musician who really do or did something different and I think that will be appreciated for decades to come.

[luckystar314]

does this count for bands that are still together? because i think the beatles are making a comeback . I think evanescence will stay a while too (if she comes off hiatus) she has a wonderful voice. I agree that daft punk and metallica will last

[Walter Sobchak]

I like how all of you are picking bands that no one has heard of now to be remembered decades later.

From the decade, probably Coldplay, The Killers, OutKast, The White Stripes, The Gorillaz, Kings of Leon, etc. Basically, artists and bands with crossover appeal between the masses and the music snob.

EDIT: Radiohead.

[Taco-Calamitous]

James: Aside from Coheed and Cambria (who Che and I came to agree were not actually big yet) and probably Breaking Benjamin (a notion that got shot down) what are you talking about? Every other band or artist that has been mentioned has been popular. You even mention two or three bands that were already mentioned by other posters. I'll agree with you on the Killers, The Gorillaz, and the White Stripes, however. And Radiohead. Anyhoo...

Wuv, Yer Mom

[chrono]

Uh, no? Breaking Benjamin is ****ing terrible

so cold, evil angel, breath,until the end, etc. i could go on for days they most certainly are not "terrible"

well thought out lyrics excellent band members and great singer. i would like to know how you came to this conclusion that they are terrible.

back on topic i really can not say who will be timeless but i will say this it will be the bands/singers/rappers that talk about topics that the average guy can relate to. Things like pain, love,struggling,perseverance and other fun topics like that.

[Tallulah]

today timeless music .....oxymoron? hahaha

I personally don't see anyone really standing out as timeless anymore. You could look at that and say, well...thats because we're not in the future yet. I see it happening for a different reason. Marketing and media has made it easier to twist peoples admirations for music and mold artists to what they think people want, look at pop music? Most BIG artists arn't appreciated for their musical talents but for how well they were marketed as an amazing act. The people who shine now are shinning for the wrong reasons and I think time will show that.

I agree with these guys. There's not many bands who have that sort of appeal anymore. None of the music I hear today is really that memorable that it will be played even five years down the line.

[Dr_Flea]

Matchbox 20 are still around and theyve already got some timeless songs!!

Blink 182 again already got some good songs out there!! Waiting for there new Album!!

Linkin park maybe they have some decent music but most of their older stuff is better IMO

Lady GAGA Maybe although i hate to say it!!

most of the other bands/artists people have mentioned!!

~Dr_Flea~

[T.G. Oskar]

Metallica~ They have lasted this long, therefore I see no reason they won't still be around. Unless one of them dies *knocks on wood*...

Well...good ol' Cliff departed from this world a tad too early, and they still keep going. Whether you (royal you, just in case) consider that Cliff's departure meant that Metallica got a dump in quality is left to your consideration; however, they're pretty much a legend on their own right.

One idea I don't like, and for several reasons, is Lady Gaga. I haven't heard her, and for good reasons, I won't (I don't like pop very much, if at all). However, she's trying to follow the steps of someone who's pretty much right now destined (if not seeking for) timelessness, and that's Madonna. That focus on merchandising over music is what will make her timeless, not her actual talent (and any scandal she provokes, which I'll presume will be many considering how she's known because of scandals, much like every Hollywood star at the moment).

Given their own brand of social activism, I'd say bands of the degree of U2. It's pretty difficult not to hear a U2 song and claim it's not from them without first saying "hey, that voice sounds like Bono!". Any band, or even a simple singer, that gets to hang on the activism bus will probably endure. Right now, they're probably going the route of timelessness.

Another kind of musician that might be also destined for timelessness is the kind that can do well either alone or with a band. The kind of musician such as Sting, Phil Collins or heck, even Ozzy Osbourne. Sting combines a slight degree of activism with memorable songs, both as part of The Police as well as alone. (Plus, King of Pain. Awesome.) Phil is, I'd say, a different kind of Sting; famous while with Genesis, still popular on its own. However, he's been a bit absent recently. And Ozzy...well, there's no other reason (aside from the members, of course) why Black Sabbath is considered one of the defining bands of the 80's.