us with the following commentary on the state of music right now. Take a read.

It's no secret that 2002 was a disaster for the music industry, with sales plummeting by 9% in the US when compared to 2001. The music industry is quick to blame P2P file sharing and CD burning as the primary culprits, but the real reasons are far more complex; a soft economy, high CD prices, the popularity of DVDs, and the simultaneous decline of two fads which had been serious cash cows for the industry over the past few years: teen pop and nü metal. Although it remains to be seen what the industry can do about its other ills, the New York Times has this article today on this week's spotlight of several punk/punk-influenced bands on MTV's popular Total Request Live; the Donnas, the Used, Simple Plan, New Found Glory and Good Charlotte. Since TRL has long been a fairly reliable barometer of American youth culture, it's not hard to reach the conclusion that MTV execs think punk has a shot as the savior of the music industry. According to the article, "[I]t's hard to dismiss the reductive logic behind the network's gambit. Like the pop acts that came before, these bands are known for straightforward tunes, energetic performances and teen-friendly lyrics. The band members generally seem friendlier than rappers, more wholesome than R&B singers, hipper than country stars, more fun than divas and more cheerful than their heavy-metal counterparts. If some of these bands score smash hits and if MTV stays supportive, punk rock just might become the new teen pop."