I don't think so!

That's why it takes time to come up an original song!

Other times we can get inspired from a song!

Dunno...*shrug*

One moment we're into country/folk music and the like, the next we're trying to emulate the euro-underground scene by integrating dub-step into everything... :P I imagine everyone will just go with the flow, whether or not anything is looked at as original or new.

Our minds are essentially just a series of different electrical pathways, so it stands to reason we're going to prefer music that goes along familiar pathways over something completely different. It reminds me of ages ago when midis were more common and there were a few composers trying to make "alien" symphonies. Sounded horrible, but fun all the same.

Great watch, thanks for the link.

It's amazing just how much is possible with 12 tones (24 if you count quarter tones and everything in between if you're considering microtonality). It's even more amazing when you consider the rhythmic possibilities as well as the melodic.

We will never run out of new music... But we will run out of GOOD new music. See gangster rap and dubstep. *chuckles*

Maybe, but so what? I wouldn't be able to listen to everything I want to hear :i:now:/i: if I had a hundred lifetimes.

Whoops. Italics fail. An edit function would be nice.

Very interesting. Thanks for posting! I remember the "Ask Marilyn" column (runs in that magazine you get with the Sunday paper) did this question once, she basically came up with the same answer--there are enough different melodies to last us a long, long time. But how many of them sound good (to human ears) is another question.

You'll know we're starting to run out when the recent subs on the first page of FA stay the same for a week or longer.

They havent included into the equation several things which makes it even more unlikely we will ever run out:

Newly discovered instruments
Newly discovered sounds
Newly discovered synthetic instruments (normally made from scratch digitally for example like dubstep wubwubs, so thats an endless pool right there)



My concern is that we are going to run out of UNIQUE music-videos much faster. Theres only so many dances, and scenes that can be created before (as we already do) start seeing the same old stuff :P