Does anyone else see the Late '10s & Early '20s as one era?

I will say the pop culture of 2020 does feel a little bit different from 2017, and maaayybe early 2018.

Yeah pretty spot on. 

While I can see validity in both arguments, I’m definitely in the “COVID-19 changed everything” camp. After all, the first Great Depression hit very suddenly on Black Tuesday, there were still flappers up through 1932, Hoover was still president until spring 1933, and Hollywood didn’t transition from sleaze and experimentation into full on Hayes Code censorship (and ironically, the beginning of the Golden Age) until 1934 or arguably even 1935. But I think most cultural historians would agree that despite these things hanging around from the previous decade, the Roaring Twenties definitely ended on October 29, 1929. I mean, this is that level of societal shock, forcing a radical change to the way we live - creative works will follow. Not immediately, but it is going to become increasingly apparent in hindsight.

I agree with this.  Music is about the only thing that is similar in 2020 to the late '10s in my opinion.  Looking back at pictures from 2019, it seems like a world that is too good to be true.

I really think we are a decade away from whatever the new normal is going to be.  It's going to be 2-3 years before we will even be able to end lockdown and then 10+ years before the economy comes back.  I think most bars and restaurants popular in the 2010s won't be there in 2025.  The entire hospitality industry is going to have to rebuild itself from the ground up.  Cities are going to be a lot more boring in the coming decade than they were in the 2010s.  I think a lot of midsized cities that were just starting to see urban growth, largely due to the hipster trend, will be set back 15-20 years.  I have a feeling this is the end of new urbanism and US living preferences will return to favoring suburbs and car-oriented commercial developments.  With all of the amenities gone, there will be no reason to pay high, big-city prices.

Another thing is I think retail as we knew it is gone for ever.  Brick-and-mortar, outside of a few big boxes, aren't going to survive this.  This is the end of the shopping mall.  In the 2010s, some people thought that entertainment-focused retail may save the day for shopping malls, but I don't think many of these properties, even high-end ones, will be able to wait the 5-7 years that it's going to be before that's a viable business model again.  While I think the office will eventually come back, nearly all department stores and mall clothing stores will not survive the next few years since everyone is working from home.

Amazon is the mall of the future.

I think the 2030s are going to be a decade to look forward to, but it's going to be a long, painful road to get there.  The 2020s aren't going to be a fun decade, especially in the US.  Even if Trump loses, the damage has been done.  If Trump wins, I fully expect full-blown theocracy in parts of the US by 2030.

I totally agree with that. Late 2016-mid 2018 was the last period of the core 2010's and a transition from mid 2010's culture to late 2010's culture. Late 2018 definitely started pure late 2010's culture that ended in early 2020 due to the coronavirus, though I still definitely think we are in the late 2010's but now a transitional period going into the early 2020's.

Actually when you look at the bigger picture, that's when it's easier to see the differences.  Pretty much everything good and positive in life died in March 2020.  That's a big deal.  Most people are predicting 2-3 years of lockdown and 10-15 years of economic ruin if you live in the U.S.  This is the worst disaster any of us have had to live through.

I can agree music hasn't changed much since 2017.  There's more to life than music.

I think music and movies are going to continue to lag simply because not much is being done right now because of the quarantine.

Music is entering uncharted territory.  With concerts, bars, and nightclubs not existing for the next 3-5 years, I can see one of the biggest shifts in pop music history occurring.  I think the genres people listen to are going to change.  For example, I don't think EDM will remain a force in an era where festivals can't happen and nightclubs aren't open.  Party music in general will decline.  I think it's a perfect time for a new singer/songwriter era.

On the other hand, music could stagnate and be stuck with trap until 2025.  I don't think that will happen though.

I think the coming shift towards animated entertainment as opposed to live action will be the beginning of 2020s Hollywood.