When I first heared the term electronica on the mid/late 90's, I thought it really sucked. There was a name for electronic music already: techno.
Electronica was clearly a name dreamed up by the American music industry to introduce their audience to something that was neither country nor western, to try to market the new new thing to the masses. It was a pretentious, awkward coinage emanating from the boardroom not the underground.
But over time, and with the continued diversification of digital music beyond abstract 4-4 dance sounds, the term begins to sound more descriptive and accurate.
Electronic music is ever-evolving and changing, as artists seek new tricks and new sounds. Electronic musicians are madly interested in finding new sounds.
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If I may go out on a limb, virtually all music will soon be electronic. "Computerised music" will become a tautology - everyone will be composing that way, from instant disposable pop to those seeking the most organic sounding music, simply because it will be so much easier, more flexible and more natural to do it that way. Electronic music will be the dominant musical form of the early 21st century.
Rock and roll replaced big bands because the new technology of amp and guitar meant that four guys in a garage could now do what used to take seven or eight people.
But now, one guy in his bedroom can start to make music. A budding teenage musical genius or duo don't need to find a drummer and bassist.
Rock and roll is now folk music - a quaint, obsolete character piece. It's all techno from here on in.
Just as you didn't listen to the same Rock and roll as your parents, changing tastes will not make techno obsolete. Styles of techno, sure. For instance, where is goa trance today? Dead, cheesy, old hat. But electronica is the present and future of music.
PS: For those of you who claim that they can only listen to electronic music, techno, when dancing, stoned, high, tripping or whatever, whilst I concede that some of it... a lot of it is like that, I suggest that you try other forms of techno. There's a lot of variety out there.