Who owned the 00s?

[hutch]

I believe she played a free show at Kennedy center millennium stage before blowing up

[gavroche]

In terms of influence and popularity I feel like it is Sean Combs, Eminem, and Jay-Z. Rock is dead!

[hutch]

Puffy?

[gavroche]

Puffy?

Yup... he was commercially successful with his own music, was able to parlay connections with MTV into both TV and music careers for folks like O-Town, and of course was involved with real talent from a label perspective. 

In some ways I feel like he actually epitomizes the whole era.

[hutch]

Oh yeah I can see it...

[lily1]

I hadn't even considered this but you're spot on.

And you have the addition of Charles Bradley and Lee Fields (of whom Sharon was previously a backer).

Similar to how Mary J Blige and Maxwell heralded the 90's resurgence of R&B.

Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings \ Daptone Records

I  was well into Northern Soul\Deep cuts, etc by the mid 00s and rarely finding anything from new artists in the same vein.  Wasn't until I heard my first Sharon Jones track that I truly became aware of the burgeoning Retro or Neo Soul movement that they were clearly the front runners of.  They inspired the formation of other collectives in order to release records and form groups.

[evilizac]

Shaping the general perception of what a music career is - American Idol (also how we view "stardom", in that folks will do anything for their 15 mins.)

Band. . . Coldplay? Ugh, Nickelback?

Artist. . . Def Kanye, Justin Timberlake, maybe Lady Gaga. . . Britney. . . bitch!

[evilizac]

Or Beyoncé. . ? Big albums, big movies and well received tour.
Also, lots of growth potential from an established artist.

[hutch]

American Idol is a great point!