Student Opinion Column: What current musicians do I think will stand the test of time?
Launch the media gallery 1 playerLooking across all generations and decades, there are hundreds of musicians who have stood the test of time, from The Beatles in the 60’s, to Queen in the 70’s, to almost every 80’s artist, and bands that blew up on stage in the 90’s and 2000’s. Looking at artists nowadays, there are a few I think that have a chance to last a long time in the future.
A quick Google search says the Top 5 most popular artists worldwide right now are Drake, Rihanna, Eminem, Coldplay, and The Weekend. Out of these five musicians, I think Rihanna, Eminem and Coldplay will stand the test of time. And my personal choice that is a little obscure is the band Bush.
Out of those three Rihanna is probably the one I’m the most hesitant on. I think her poppy and upbeat tunes will resonate in the future with the people that have grown up with her. People will continue to listen and connect with her music, and most likely have their kids and friends listen to them as well.
Coldplay is coming in a close third for me. Coldplay has been around since 1997 and is still going strong. Coldplay has influenced over 25 years of teens and young adults, which has definitely developed a cult following since its inception. With their most recent album coming out in 2021, they are showing no signs of slowing down, and I think this is why they are a prime candidate for sticking around.
Eminem is next. One of the most popular rappers and artists of his generation, his lyrics, although fast, can leave lasting effects on people. From hyping people up before the day or getting people to move around, he is a great musician. With his most recent album also coming out in 2021, he is still trucking along. At just 51 years old, he still has plenty of time and music to use up.
And my personal favorite that I think will stand the test of time is the 90’s band Bush. Bush is a post-grunge band originating in Britain, with their first album “Sixteen Stone” coming out in 1994. Sixteen Stone is by far my favorite album of all time due to its variety of music inside. Bush has been active as recently as 2022 with the album “The Art of Survival”.
I think these artists I picked will continue to create music well into the 2020’s, and I for one cannot wait to see how long I will connect and listen to their music in the future.