This is just a theory. Consider popular music as having two faces: One, where serious music is actually written and performed by musicians, and the other, whilst goofy music is written by a committee, handed to someone else to be sung and put to music produced by a machine. My theory is that popular music in the USA sways between the two types like a sine wave. Consider: Rock and roll was brought to light in the early 1950's by such individuals as Chuck Berry and Fats Domino. They were great at playing their instruments. Then it changed a bit into the "Purple people eater" era of novelty-pop-bop songs. Then, in the mid-sixties, everything took a turn towards the serious end of the spectrum with Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, et al. The talent is unmistakable. Then another shift was recorded with the emergence of Dylan-covering bubblegum hipsters and late Beatles. (I dig the Beatles, but I feel their late stuff is really goofy. I am the eggman.) Early seventies - Funk. Late seventies - Disco. Eighties - Well, you remember. Early nineties - Grunge (which, whatever your feelings, was actually written and performed by people.) Late nineties - Alanis Morissete/Britney Speers. Now, I'm not saying it's perfect, but it seems to be a noticeable trend, eh? Maybe, if I'm right, we can look forward to a new era of pop, or at least the death of the current one.