Sea Change in Music Delivery
• Back in 2000, more than 942-million CDs were shipped to retailers. By 2005, that number had dropped to 705-million and by 2008 CDs accounted for just 362-million units shipped. • During the decade, digital downloads ballooned from 5.5-million in 2004 to nearly 66-million in 2008, according to Nielsen Media Research. Digital delivery has also been boosted by satellite radio, DVDs and music video games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero. • Ironically, this decade has also seen a resurgence in sales of one of the oldest forms or recorded music, vinyl albums. Led by artists of the original vinyl era like Pink Floyd, The Beatles, and Bob Dylan, vinyl album sales in 2008 reached nearly 1.9-million, more than in any year since Nielsen SoundScan started tracking vinyl sales in 1991.Musical Transformations
• Ritchie BlackmoreUntil the late '90s he rocked with Deep Purple and Rainbow, but the new millennium took him far away from the iconic guitar licks of "Smoke On The Water." Today he is one-half of Blackmore's Night, playing Renaissance music (in medieval costume) with his wife, Candice Night.
• Bob Dylan
Although his entire career has been one long reinvention of himself and an exploration of a diverse range of musical styles, his 2009 album of traditional Christmas carols represents a significant departure from his musical persona of the past half-century.
Around the turn of the century, he was touring with Ringo Starr, Bill Wyman, and Styx. In 2006 he released his first instrumental album and performed with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra.
• Paul McCartney
He still performs The Beatles and Wings songs in concert, but since 2006 has released albums of classical and electronic music.
• Rod Stewart
After surgery for thyroid cancer in 2000, he morphed from raspy rock to softer covers of pop and soul standards.
• Sting
The 2007-08 Police reunion tour was a departure from his two most recent albums of instrumental string music from 600 or so years ago.
• Roger Waters
Pink Floyd's The Wall, of which he was principal writer, is a rock classic, and one of the top five best selling albums of all time, according to the RIAA. In 2005, he released what became the #1 classical music album on both the U.S. and U.K. charts.
Reunions and Rebirths
CreamA short series of concerts in London and New York City in 2005 represented the band's first (and probably last) reunion since their breakup in 1968. Fleetwood Mac
The decade has seen two tours (2003-04 and 2009) from this band, whose first tour was way back in 1975. Over the past couple of years, there has been on-again, off-again talk about a new studio album as well. Genesis
The influential progressive rock band's 2007 reunion tour (with Phil Collins but without Peter Gabriel) came 40 years after the band formed. According to band members, a new studio album is highly unlikely, but a future tour is not out of the question. Led Zeppelin
One of the most highly anticipated reunions happened in 2007 when surviving members performed a single set at a tribute to late Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. Although other members have expressed interest in a full tour, vocalist Robert Plant has repeatedly said he isn't interested. Pink Floyd
In 2005, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Rick Wright reunited for a one-off performance at the Live 8 concert in London. In the years since, Waters and Mason have performed together, as did Gilmour and Wright, prior to Wright's death in 2008. In 2007, Waters performed solo and the other three played together at a tribute for their late bandmate, Syd Barrett. The Police
When Stewart Copeland, Andy Summers and Sting reunited for a 2007-08 tour, Copeland summarized the band's sometimes stormy times. "We play nicely for two or three days, and then we start to get on each others' nerves, then have a screaming match, and then we hug and kiss, and then we play even better." Van Halen
VH have toured twice in the past ten years. In 2004, Sammy Hagar handled lead vocals. In 2007, David Lee Roth supplied vocals, and original bassist Mike Anthony was replaced by Wolfgang Van Halen. "Almost" Reunions
• In 2001, two of the three surviving members of The Doors (Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger) began touring, first as The Doors Of The 21st Century and more recently as Riders On The Storm. • In 2009, three of the four surviving members of Faces (Ronnie Wood, Kenney Jones and Ian McLaglan) announced a one-off benefit performance in London. Original vocalist Rod Stewart begged off. • In spite of the deaths of two of the original members of The Who (Keith Moon in 1978 and John Entwistle in 2002) vocalist Roger Daltrey and guitarist/composer Pete Townshend have soldiered on with various supporting players on bass, drums and keyboards. A 2005 Live 8 performance, a 2006 album and tour, a one-off 2009 acoustic performance, and a Daltrey solo tour have kept the band's name in the public consciousness during the past decade.
