This publication reveals the drift in 20th-century music from composers to non-musicians, from strict rules to no rules, from the single note to the sample. This drift through technology, Minimalism, the rock era and techno music is earthed by the development of ambient sound, to the author the most important breakthough of the past 100 years. With the help of electronics, new ideas and consumer music, Ambient music has established itself beyond question as the classical music of the future.