Xero, Listen to Magma - they're a French prog rock band that invented their own prog rock subgenre in zeuhl music. But to answer your question - I don't know but I focus more on certain artists and I love to see how they have evolved over the years. Sometimes you get lucky and find an artist like Sparks who pretty much have a different album every time they release a new album. But artists like that and Radiohead won't be popular with the mainstream because they aren't cookie cutter. Look into getting into acts that are cult favorites such as Yo La Tengo and Eleventh Dream Day.
i cant remember who said it, but it was a famous musician or producer (probably in a documentary) who made the argument that music peaked in the 80's. basically, it was the intersection of great songwriting/musicianship of the previous decades and the emergence of modern studio technology and synths/drum machines/ect. i wish i could find the quote because they made a really made a strong case. its hard to argue against the beatles being the most innovative group of all time. everything about them was innovative...writing their own songs, going pscyh in 1965, studio trickery, dress and style, ect. so in that case musical innovation peaked in 1970. that was also the year hendrix died, whom one could argue is the single most innovative musician ever.
I sort of agree that musical innovation peaked in the 80's, with some bleed over to the early 90's. Nine Inch Nails is the band I think of the most when I think of that innovation. That's not to say the music itself was the the best in the 1980's. I think the 1970's holds the crown for the best music decade.
There's good innovative music coming out every year. I think certain generations grow up with a certain sound, attach some memories that they're very fond of to that music, subjectively equate that their preferred music is the best, most unique and innovative and then proceed to go full boomer that newer music that comes after is meh or is less creative somehow. I don't personally get that. You're missing out holding onto that mentality.
I believe music is constantly evolving with new innovation. The question of whether one likes this new innovation is a different story. Hip hop/rap music just used to be gritty, meaningful lyrics with Nas, Pac, RUN DMC .. Now it's turned into fun club music with folks like Drake, Post Malone, Future, Migos and others leading the way. Whether you like it or not, it is still innovation. There is so much music variety of music on Spotify/Pandora/Soundcloud nowadays, it's mind blowing. The sub genres go 10 layers deep now. I think we're at peak innovation now.
In your rush to be trite and funny, you seem to have missed reading the actual content of the original post. Re-read and resubmit your comment. Incomplete grade
You're mistaking evolving for innovating. in·no·va·tion /ˌinəˈvāSH(ə)n/ a new method, idea, product, etc. e·volve /ēˈvälv/ develop gradually, especially from a simple to a more complex form.
Gonna sound like fantano but Death Grips would be considered innovative then. I think all the artists that sample old music and create it into something new like Kanye or Madlib or Al Chemist could be considered innovative then. The big mainstream bands that are considered innovative, chances are probably got their inspiration from a prior generation they "borrowed" from whose names never really got the spotlight or credit they really deserve. By your own definition the Beatles, for example, would be more an evolution of the sound at the time, than true innovators. I mean Nirvana admittedly got inspiration from Mudhoney and the Melvins, yet when people think of the pioneers of grunge music, they attach Nirvana. Your NIN example, as though they were really the first to make that type of sound is also not true. You mean there wasn't industrial or synth sounding bands prior to NIN? When I think of NIN, I think of a mix of New Order and Ministry personally. Both bands that started in 1980 and 1981. And truth is there were artists prior to New Order and Ministry, who no doubt inspired them to make their own sound. NIN started in 88. Not exactly innovative.
It peaked with Pokemon Red & Green's "Lavender Town Theme." I've just been listening to that on repeat since 1996.
First... the Beatles were very innovative and important..... doesn't mean they were perfect or that they were the only influence on music..... perhaps in a couple hundred years they will only be a footnote, its hard to say. Music is still constantly changing and some of that change brings innovation .
