greater degree than we have seen in the 40-45 years since (at least among western nations).

So even with some all-timers in that span — Michael Jackson, U2, Prince, Queen, Billy Joel, Nirvana — who unquestionably left their fingerprints, there just hasn’t been remotely as much surrounding churn to go along with them.

Now that I think about it, Garth Brooks and the mainstreaming of country music may have been more of a game changer than any of the above.