Well, if you really look at all the variations of electronic music, we are running out of options. So I don't think it will evolve much further than it already has.

I remember about 10 years ago, Noise was becoming popular, and there were entire websites full of digital albums that were just noise. Like an entire album of just construction noise sounds, and an album of nothing but tree falling sounds, etc. There were even bands forming, where they didn't play music, but just hit their instruments and sometimes destroyed them, as a form of music.

I also remember back further, 20 years ago, many people were very opposed to anything electronic, and if they saw something was digitally remastered, they would act like it was trash. I would just laugh at them though, and then ask them what they thought a sound recording was. I would then ask them if they expected everything to always be played live?

Since the dawn of electronic music in the 60's and 70's to now, especially with the dawn of the internet making it easier than ever to be heard without making and shipping CD's, also combined with the fact that music software is now better than ever, so anyone can make their own professional music and songs, it should be obvious that there is no longer a need for record labels and it is now impossible to make a living by making and selling music.

Will.I.Am even mentioned in interviews that there is no future now in music, and he has been trying to move away from it. He just got lucky by starting early and having an interest in computers, and working with artists like Michael Jackson.

The new artist Grimes even mentioned in an interview that she never pays for music and she gets all of her music free by mp3.

And just about every artist in the last few years has mentioned that the only real money to be made in music is by doing tours, because the music alone doesn't sell anymore.

So I will make these predictions.

1. That real music instruments will eventually become obsolete and stop being produced. In time, all instruments will be replaced by computers that will make their sounds.

2. Tours and shows will eventually become obsolete, because most performers now just lip-sync or play with recordings, or put in a CD and press play while they jump around.

3. If shows still exist, they will just be anyone with their CD's playing their CD's, and probably with their holograms so it seems like they are really there.

Electronic music (or it's better to say just "music") is going in many directions at any time. There are dozens of genres, differences in local scenes and many other factors.Thousands of people explore their ways in music.

Things like Jack U and other commercial staff have more to do with business strategies of big media than with artistic movements.

I have heard said that Trance is dead, just as it was said about Rock.

I see it changing in different directions as artists imaginations takes it.

>There is nothing more therapeutic than driving while listening to very loud music<

Is this thread really old?

Electronic music has been mainstream for years, Blackbox - Ride on time, Capella, 2 Unlimited etc etc

Music flows and evolves, its a bit cyclic, I think its very dance and EDM at the moment, like you've mentioned its in a lot of commercial tracks, so I think that it will shift to a more bassy feel, RnB or garage may make a return, but probably under a different name

Everything else will tick a long in the background until its time to become popular again

I'm not convinced that real instruments will decline

Shows may decline, but only because the entire world is awash with them at the moment, and it will become too samey

Its not like its rare to go to a show or a music festival anymore, there are millions of them everywhere, you can go to one every weekend through the summer, and I think the novelty will wear off (or will it?!)

If VR shows become mainstream, they will give concerts new life. Artists will use fancy stationary studios which will allow more intricate design and interaction with audience.

Have there been any VR shows yet?

There have been some. At least I've seen 360 music videos. I'm sure this just a beginning of VR music performance, there's a lot to experiment with. Hope VR sets become more affordable and widespread soon.

Will it lead to saturation though?

I mean putting on a show at the moment can't be that easy unless you have thousands of fans and an insane budget to work with

But if anyone can just do a VR show from their PC then will the place become awash with them?

In much the same way that setting up a band before the internet would probably have been quite a difficult affair, compared to now where anyone can mash a tune together and put it on 30 different digital platforms.

Opens up access though, enables fans who wouldnt be able to attend a show (or don't want to) to be able to experience it!

VR will become more affordable, is it the Magic Eye company glasses that are pushing that kind of technology?

Well the 80's style is becoming more popular again in electronic.