If we use art as an example, rather than the early days of recorded music, I think we can safely assume that many of today's popular artists will be forgotten, and some artists who die in relative obscurity will be resurrected and popularized.
This might happen in many ways, including the use of their music in films and the recycling of their music by future contemporary artists as homages, leading to the re-exploration of the original.
I would also assume that this will happen genre by genre, since it's not likely that we will ever return to formats where music can be popular across wide spectrums of society.
So the questions we should be asking are 1)which pieces will remain or become popular within a genre and 2) what genres will exist 50 years from now?
This might happen in many ways, including the use of their music in films and the recycling of their music by future contemporary artists as homages, leading to the re-exploration of the original.
I would also assume that this will happen genre by genre, since it's not likely that we will ever return to formats where music can be popular across wide spectrums of society.
So the questions we should be asking are 1)which pieces will remain or become popular within a genre and 2) what genres will exist 50 years from now?