Rock & Roll: Dead?

[RecoveringJournalist]

It says a lot about the state of music that the two biggest tours of the summer are bands who I saw both of their farewell tours.... 25 years ago...

 

[Captain_Kirk]

Nice post cyclingwriter. One clarification--we may have listened to the Osmonds and the Jacksons, but we bought Steve Miller and Bad Company and Kansas.

So let me take a couple of the bands you mention that I can enjoy: The Strokes and Modest Mouse. And I ask myself, what's their name recognition, what's their Q rating. If The Strokes go on tour, does it generate the buzz or recognition across the broad populace in a way that say REM or U2 or Aerosmith did back in the day? I would say negative. Would it even equate on a Supertramp or Boston or INXS level? If Modest Mouse releases an album, does it generate the widespread interest a Bowie or Gabriel or Crue record might have back in the day. It doesn't seem to in my view.

So then I ask is that because of the music itself, or is it because the way music is distributed, and more importantly, consumed today, causes a fragmentation that doesn't create the mass appeal opportunities of the past. Are there just too many visual and aural distractions that the modern music artist must compete against. It's really a tremendous research opportunity from a sociological, economic and artistic perspective to try and figure out what changed and more importantly why, or what were the factors behind that.

And if you are going to stand on my lawn, please mow it--dealing with a lot of rain here recently.

 

[Mr. Sunshine]

Just listened to 30 seconds of a Kendrick Lamar song. Holy ****, that was awful.

 

[93Devil]

I think asking if rock has died is a cliche that is brought out every 10 years or so.

There are bands making rock music - good rock music, but there might be fewer of them or they might be stashed away a little deeper on the internet or radio.

The Orwells
Band of Horses
Built to Spill
The Hold Steady
The Black Keys

 

[RecoveringJournalist]

What was the last band you thought was truly great?

For me, it would probably be The White Stripes. That's certainly not saying there have been no great bands since then, but it's probably more a reflection of my age and not being exposed to as much newer music as you get older compared to when you were in your 20s.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Do solo artists qualify? If so, Sturgill Simpson.

 

[MisterCreosote]

Holy ****. I just looked at the Grammys for Best Rock Album since 2000. Thoughts:

-- Led Zeppelin won it. In 2014. Among those they beat out are Black Sabbath, David Bowie and Neil Young.
-- The Foo Fighters won it four times.
-- Green Day and U2 won it twice each.
-- Such new blood as Springsteen, Santana and Red Hot Chili Peppers won it once each.
-- Coldplay is not "rock."
-- Of the other winners, I've never heard of Muse.
-- What I've heard of them, I like Beck and the Black Keys, but I'm not sure I'd classify either as "rock."

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

Old people bitching about "today's" music and the death of rock and roll.
Awesome.

I was looking at Coachella coverage on RS. Of the highlighted stuff, I think they were like two artists I'd heard of, one was Steely Dan.

Who cares ... Music tastes change. Kids rebel. ... Do we really care that kids aren't listening to rock n roll?
Esp. these kids ...
‘Kylie Jenner challenge’ leaving teens’ lips bruised, swollen | Fox News

 

[Mr. Sunshine]

Do solo artists qualify? If so, Sturgill Simpson.

Beloved by those in my general music circle, so I feel kinda bad his stuff has little appeal for me. Found a couple songs I liked initially, but I've been meh on everything since.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Old people bitching about "today's" music and the death of rock and roll.
Awesome.

I'm not sure how many times I have to say that I think today's music is good? It's just not rock. Guitar music is dead as a widespread cultural force. In many respects, so is music.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Holy ****. I just looked at the Grammys for Best Rock Album since 2000. Thoughts:

-- Led Zeppelin won it. In 2014. Among those they beat out are Black Sabbath, David Bowie and Neil Young.
-- The Foo Fighters won it four times.
-- Green Day and U2 won it twice each.
-- Such new blood as Springsteen, Santana and Red Hot Chili Peppers won it once each.
-- Coldplay is not "rock."
-- Of the other winners, I've never heard of Muse.
-- What I've heard of them, I like Beck and the Black Keys, but I'm not sure I'd classify either as "rock."

Then what are the Black Keys??!!

 

[Mr. Sunshine]

I don't give a **** what kids are listening to. I just want some decent new music for my own listening pleasure.

 

[Mr. Sunshine]

Yeah, The Black Keys are definitely a rock band.

 

[MisterCreosote]

Well, shows you how much I listen to new music. They played at the Concert for Valor on the National Mall and whatever songs they played sounded very synthesized.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Rock has never been the same since vinyl went away. Parents and politicians could no longer complain about backward Satanic lyrics.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Yeah, The Black Keys are definitely a rock band.

He may be thinking of some of their more swirling psychedelic/soulful stuff, though. They definitely mellow it easy on occasion.

Well, shows you how much I listen to new music. They played at the Concert for Valor on the National Mall and whatever songs they played sounded very synthesized.

Yeah, I was just going to post that I bet you had heard some of their swirling psychedelic/soul-influenced material. I can see where you'd think that, hearing that. They definitely rock out 95 percent of the time. Very Zeppelin-esque sound.

 

[MisterCreosote]

One song was called "Fever," I think. The other was "Howling," or some such. Didn't watch the rest of that set.

 

[cyclingwriter2]

Nice post cyclingwriter. One clarification--we may have listened to the Osmonds and the Jacksons, but we bought Steve Miller and Bad Company and Kansas.

So let me take a couple of the bands you mention that I can enjoy: The Strokes and Modest Mouse. And I ask myself, what's their name recognition, what's their Q rating. If The Strokes go on tour, does it generate the buzz or recognition across the broad populace in a way that say REM or U2 or Aerosmith did back in the day? I would say negative. Would it even equate on a Supertramp or Boston or INXS level? If Modest Mouse releases an album, does it generate the widespread interest a Bowie or Gabriel or Crue record might have back in the day. It doesn't seem to in my view.

So then I ask is that because of the music itself, or is it because the way music is distributed, and more importantly, consumed today, causes a fragmentation that doesn't create the mass appeal opportunities of the past. Are there just too many visual and aural distractions that the modern music artist must compete against. It's really a tremendous research opportunity from a sociological, economic and artistic perspective to try and figure out what changed and more importantly why, or what were the factors behind that.

And if you are going to stand on my lawn, please mow it--dealing with a lot of rain here recently.

Good points all around. I think fragmentation is a key. There may be too much going on to actually create mass support, and the record industry doesn't want to hype a good rock band as opposed to a boy band.

Again, I am not sure if you can correlate, but i am sure back in 1972 when the Who, Zeppelin and Floyd were in their primes, and radio was jamming on power pop, and Rolling Stone was masturbating waiting for the next CNSY album or what have you, there were a small handful of ****ers going "why won't you buy the new Ry Cooder? You're are all insane." (That rant bought you by the fact that picked up Cooder's 1972 "Into the Purple Valley" last night on vinyl.) The fact is the industry mainly decides what gets big and once in awhile some sneaks through

 

[cyclingwriter2]

and per The Black Keys:



The first time I heard this song at the gym last fall, I was really wondering why I had never heard this BTO song before.

 

[MisterCreosote]

Kind of reminds me of Matthew Sweet. Not bad.