5 reasons why 2009 was the year that made dubstep:

1. Skream’s remix of La Roux’s ‘In For The Kill’ was the genre’s stealthy infiltration the pop mainstream. Bringing the underground to the masses by turning the red haired one’s single into one of the best tracks of the year. This is the point when dubstep showed itself to be more than just another dance sub-culture but a truly important, widespread youth movement.

2. Snoop Dogg!! I mean Snoop Dogg for godssake! When Tha Dogfather puts his seal of approval on your style of music then you know you’re doing something great.

3. And not just Snoop Dogg! Other West coast hip-hop heavyweights such as Xzibit and Eve have got involved. It’s the new British invasion of America, with producers such as Benga and Chase & Status taking their trade across the pond. The sound of Croydon is reinvigorating and reinventing LA’s rap scene.

4. The genre is really pushing boundaries and not restricting itself to its original definitions. The influences are becoming more diverse, with producers searching for more unique sounds, creating new forms for the music, such as Rusko’s ‘jump-up’ style.

5. The world’s media, including even the New York Times, has finally caught on and given credibility to the fact that this underground artistic movement is producing the most refreshing music on the planet right now. As well as being the most alluring culture for dance loving youth in the western world.

5 reasons why 2009 was the year that killed dubstep:

1. Skream’s remix of La Roux’s ‘In For The Kill’ was the genre selling its soul to the pop mainstream, leaving the underground to chase the pound by clinging on to the back of one of the trendiest and most successful quirky female popstars of all of 2009’s trendy and successful quirky female popstars. This is the point when dubstep showed itself to be just another commercialized dance sub-genre ready for total immersion in the pop mainstream.

2. Snoop Dogg!! I mean Snoop Dogg for godssake! This man does not have good taste anymore. Soul Plane anyone?

3. And not just Snoop Dogg! Other washed up and now talentless former hip-hop heavyweights like Xzibit and Eve are also depreciating dub-step’s quality and art. As are the narrow minded UK producers who think that this is a good way for the genre to progress, i.e. by chasing the American rap dollar.

4. The genre has moved too far away from what it was originally all about. Plus, Rusko’s stuff is annoying shit.

5. The New York Times? The Daily Telegraph? Daytime Radio1? The press has strangled the life and soul out of dub-step.