Artists That Will Survive & Wane in the new Decade.

Artists To Continue to Into The New Decade
 
T.I.
Jail time couldn't come at a perfect time, at the end of the decade. It is not as if T.I. has ever left the scene.  Music was being released well into his jail time and he is one of few artists in the new iTunes era besides Lady Gaga to see all their albums singles go to the Top 10. I expect Clifford Harris to knock us dead once again into the next decade.
 
Beyonce
There is no stopping the machine.  She is one of few contemporary artists capable of selling 500k in first week sales, selling out packed arenas and garnering numerous awards.  With I Am...Sasha Fierce only selling 2.1 million copies and spotty charting on the U.S.Hot 100, which is small potatos next to her epic debut, this will give her much fuel to recreate those numbers.
 
Green Day
Ageless, This group first burst on to the scene in 1994 and if you can survive the 90s then you pretty much survive any decade.  That era has left behind Alanis Morrissette, LIVE, R.E.M and Courtney Love & Hole with only Smashing Pumpkins, No Doubt making it out alive and Fiona Apple making it out by just a hair.  They have become our generations U2. The group that goes against rhythmic music that tends to dominate the charts and the clubs but yet the music is good and all people of all backgrounds can like it.  Each decade they manage to captivate us with consistently good albums isn't going anywhere fast. 
 
Lady Gaga
Holy crap, where did she come from? She's blonde, she's crazy, she's art and she is Lady Gaga! She sings, she dances, she plays the piano and she choreographs.  She understands music! She is everything that is great about pop genre music.  She is hailed by many to be the female Freddie Mercury, the white Grace Jones, the product of Madonna and the lost offspring of David Bowie while possessing the vocal versatility that is unique to her.  If she continues to make music videos like that of Poker Face, Love Game & Bad Romance while pushing the envelope she will be around for as long as time allows her to.
 
Mary J. Blige
The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has been making music since 1991. Mary had a steady following that has been with her since the often forgotten yet referenced Whats The 411, she began gaining a broader audience on No More Drama and developed a following on the Breakthrough. She is still not at Queen of Soul status but she doesn't need it. Hip-Hop Soul is where her throne is at and where her subjects continue to be inspired by her tell-tale lyrics.  As long as there is a story to tell and someones going through a personal hell, Mary will be right there to be your ears and your Dear Abby.  In this case, Dear Mary.
 
Pink
What chick is funkiest and doesn't give a fuck more than Pink? The spikey blonde hair wearing, nose ring piercing and multiple tattoo in weird places don diva is the product of 90's star Kandi (formerly of Xscape) and L.A. Reid.  Pink also survived the 90's to have a string of multi platinum albums.  What Pink brings to Rock & Roll is her R&B roots. She doesn't yell but she actually does vocal runs that touches a nerve and if she catches you at the right moment, you must just quiver a little.  Her move from R&B/Hip-Hop to Rock was a smart one as no one will be able to do it quite like she can.  Pink is the rock leader of female empowerment.
 
Taylor Swift
Ok before you jump on my case, let me explain something about Taylor Swift. She is young, she is pretty and she is quite talented.  She reaches a huge audience.  She is also country.  There is a genuine appeal that Leann Rimes was not able to captivate in the 90s. She makes it cool for young boys and girls to listen to Country without feeling "uncool" or "square", part of that she can thank for releasing music at 15. She is now 20 and has the highest selling album of 2009 over Susan Boyle.
 
Maxwell
Huh? Maxwell you ask? Maxwell took a 10 year break what if he goes through another 10 year break? Maxwell is obligated to give us 2 more albums are a part of his Black Summer Night package and you best to believe this vocal babymaker will stretch and milk it for everything that its worth given the first installment of the Black Summer Night Series.  Maxwell saw 300k+ sold in his first week which had never happened up until that point.  He reached an audience other than that predictable Urban crowd which will propel his success further.
 
Alicia Keys
I often compare Alicia Keys to the smooth crooner Roberta Flack.  They both are beautiful songwriters of their time.  Roberta Flack didn't enjoy as long as a successful run as a piano playing singer/songwriter on the charts as Alicia is now because what Alicia has is presence and appeal.  Alicia Keys also grew up in the area known as Hells Kitchen, NY.  You don't come from Hells Kitchen and expect to become a multi-platinum artist.  She has found a way to be that artist that doesn't have to sling, pop or shake in order to sell.  Just play and sing and sing good is all we ask of Alicia and the recognition continues to pour in.   
 
Artist That Will Wane in the new decade

Rihanna
She's already headed down a slippery slope of partying and alcohol according to the tabloids. Her success has been linked to her fashion, her stunning beauty and her relationship turned break up from Chris Brown. Now that there's just the music left to focus on, I'm not sure if she can fulfill her 7 album Def Jam contract with the sales she did of her widely sucessful "Good Girl Gone Bad". There is truly room for her to prove me wrong. But with the turn to dark side "Rated R" provided us with, she better get happy again and quick. Her widely white audiences will not allow themselves to stay depressed.

Chris Brown
Jeff Foxworthy, a popular redneck comedian made a comment about Chris Brown comparing Breezys plight to Michael Vicks. Michaela life has been changed permanently. He has paid his debt to society but he has a long road to go. As Jeff pointed Chris road maybe a bit longer. The public is not ready for him to shove albums at us critically acclaimed or not. Until the public is ready to forgive him, he won't see another successful Hot 100 song or album.

Letoya
I love this sultry sweet mezzo-soprano and she is clearly the sweeter member of the originally Destinys Child line up. Beauty however doesn't sell albums, music do and while 2007 was her comeback year, it was truly not a good follow up year in 2009. Her only strength from her sophomore album have been radio airplay of "She Aint Got" & "Regret". With radios being particularly overwhelmed by new projects from Lady Gaga & Beyonce, Letoya will find herself back to pre-"Torn" unless her label figures something out. I want to wrong in this prediction.

Mariah Carey
Even though Mariah is slated to release a remix album of her lackluster selling "Memoirs on an Imprefect Angel", what can an artist do that has done it all? Mariah is on legend status. She may not have to sell another record or do another live performance. The sheer essence of her 5 octave voice is unmatched. However, she barely survived 2000 - 2009 if it wasn't for the release of "Emancipation of Mimi" and tge strength of her follow up #1 "Touch My Body" & top ten banger "Obsessed". This may be reason to keep going however, even many of her "Lambs" have noticed tge abuse Mariahs voice has endured in her 21 years as an artist. I doubt Mimi will leave the game and in that same breath I also don't see Mariah selling what "Emancipation" did.

Keri Hilson
Keri is not unique in the sense that she is a superb writer and a fun hook singer. Ashanti, Lil Mo were that too and neither managed to survive the 2000s. With several featured hits and one solo hit under her belt, I don't see consistency or a demand for new music. There is room to prove me wrong

Nicki Minaj
Nicki is cute and she's funny. She also brings a femininity that female rappers have never had, in that same breath, it's okay to be a "lady" but still have to spit the lyrics. Her rap flow can be quite juvenile, over-articulate and does these grunts in the middle of her bars reminiscent of Ludacris. That is not enough to keep her superior. God help her if she ever gets tested in a free style battle by one of tge bad bitches of rap however, her lack of skill and peoples desire for better will be her own battle to deal with.

50 Cent
Times up buddy, your music sounds the same each album. You're good but you're not so good to where we don't notice that your music is boring and repetitive. Just take a one way trip somewhere.

Jennifer Lopez
J.Lo is more than a machine, she's an empire now. Up to date only her and Diana Ross are the only two divas to perform in the rain and get wet, looking awesome doing it (Rihanna performed in the snow). Jennifer is also a superior dancer however she's also in the "women of a certain age" bracket and while she's at her fiercest when she's giving us much the choreography, time and time again her album sales since her third album, the highly successful "J to tha L O: The Remixes" have contined to decline and so has tge content of her music. TheXDexperience.com went on to quote "if she would just go back dating black men, her music would benefit" sadly Diddy ruined it for the brothas. Being the good mommy that she is, she won't be leaving powerhouse singer Marc Anthony anytime soon. (Btw, Marc was on my list of artists not to survive the 2000s and look...I was right).

Bobby Valentino
.... WHO? ...

Missy Elliot
Where she been at? Not making music. Her last significant album was in 2005 "The Cookbook" and what a dissapointment. It wasn't a bad album but it was revealed that Timbaland had only produced 1.5 tracks. I'm not sure what happened to Missy Elliot that we know and love but she may have checked out and left the building a long time ago. Instead of asking Who is Mike Jones, people will be asking Where is Missy Elliot?

Comebacks of the Decade

Janet Jackson
Lauryn Hill
Fantasia
Eve
Outkast
No Doubt
Toni Braxton

Don't expect them ever

Smashing Pumpkins
Hole
Donnie Klang