Originally Posted by: AkiraThis could lead into an interesting philosophical debate.

But if the bands around now weren't around, surely there would be other bands and so music would evolve anyway, just maybe in a different direction.

Very true. However bands now just spawned off of older bands so you would have to erase all the older bands to get a differnt direction. As an example... im going to use punk because i know most about that particular genre.. Bands like Simple Plan, GC, and all that kind of pop punk, has to thank bands like Nirvana, Rancid, Green day, and that whole generation, from drawing on thier ideas. And in turn Rancid,and Green day, they all drew on thier inspirations from the punk legends- The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Dead Kennedys, Anti-Flag, The New York Dolls, Black Flag, ect. ect. Its only when someone does something completely new that music could have evolved a differnt way.