Whereas the potential of static inelastic analysis methods is recognised in earthquake design and assessment, especially in contrast with elastic analysis under scaled forces, they have inherent shortcomings. In this paper, critical issues in the application of inelastic static (pushover) analysis are discussed and their effect on the obtained results appraised. Areas of possible developments that would render the method more applicable to the prediction of dynamic response are explored. New developments towards a fully adaptive pushover method accounting for spread of inelasticity, geometric nonlinearity, full multi-modal, spectral amplification and period elongation, within a framework of fibre modelling of materials, are discussed and preliminary results are given. These developments lead to static analysis results that are closer than ever to inelastic time-history analysis. It is concluded that there is great scope for improvements of this simple and powerful technique that would increase confidence in its employment as the primary tool for seismic analysis in practice.