I didn't need to because I follow the charts. Their debut album hit number four on the ARIA chart and that's when I first heard of them.
The headline acts on the Pyramid Stage for Glastonbury, the most important music festival on the world, this year were Friday: Radiohead (headliner), The xx, Royal Blood Saturday: Foo Fighters (headliner), The National, Katy Perry Sunday: Ed Sheeran (headliner), Biffy Clyro, Chic I assume that everyone on this Forum knows Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Ed Sheeran and Chic. The xx and The National are indie rock veterans of the highest order. Royal Blood and Biffy Clyro are young guitar based bands that are hot right now. Katy Perry, who is third on Saturday's lineup, playing before The National and Foo Fighters, is a pop star.
In my view, Currents is their weakest album. Interestingly, it is also their most pop-oriented with more keyboards than guitars, but apparently this is what the market craves.
Not to dismiss the band (just not my thing), but Tame Impala sounds a lot more like pop to me than rock.
Earthless is great! I'll check out Russian Circles, The Sword and Orchid. I agree, it's getting harder and harder to find new good to great rock bands. I try to give an open minded/open eared listen to new things but most just don't do it for me.
I'm in the same boat, I have tried with tame impala but they do not do it for me. I would not really classify them as rock either, def more pop than rock. I don't really look to the charts for new music honestly as I'm always disappointed anyway. If you like instrumental stuff like earthless and Russian circles check out pelican also. I have not heard them yet but all the people I talked to at the shows I saw Russian circles at were talking about pelican. As far as the sword goes make sure you sample all of their albums they started out more doomy and sabbath like and morphed into a trippy thin Lizzy sort of flavor. They kill it live too.
These guys amazed me 2 nights in a row. Very creative sound scapes and inventive playing on stage .. Bass player swaps between bass and guitar and Taurus pedals .. Lead guitar player does some awesome guitar layering. All completely live from what I could see right in front of him. Real treat in this day and age where most guitarists don't even hit their own effects pedals anymore between rhythm playing and solos anymore.. They have their tech do it out back haha.
Who cares about chart statistics and whatever tops what? The great rock bands out there have their audiences. I saw Joe Satriani last year in DC. Not a 'hit' artist. Place was packed! Not a stadium artist by any stretch, but he doesn't need that. I go by such statistics. There will always be an audience for good rock music. The radio or charts never were good indicators for the genre.
I agree. Certainly Radiohead and Sheeran, and perhaps the Foo Fighters, are all capable of filling stadiums or large arenas alone, so they are strong main headliners. The xx, the National and Biffy Clyro, on the other hand, seem weak to me as "seconds" on the main stage. That said, it appears that the xx and the National have had albums in the top 3 in both the US and UK and Biffy Clyro's last album went to no. 1 in the UK, so perhaps that's just my lack of familiarity with current trends talking. My point wasn't really that Glastonbury 2017 was a strong or weak lineup, but that it was dominated by rock acts, as are many festivals today. I'm going to Summer Sonic here in Japan, and the second day is just filled with blistering guitar rock by veteran acts (Foo Fighters, Sum 41, Good Charlotte) as well as hot newbies (The Struts, and my two latest faves, Royal Blood and Babymetal). If I can survive temperatures in the 90's, it should be great.
I'm sure this has already been said - but the rock (and music) market has fragmented - heavily. I'm reminded of this - back in the 90s I was part of the local punk/indie music scene here in Grand Rapids. Shows were usually packed - even for offbeat or unknown bands - because the number of live music choices were so small. On the other hand, when I went to visit my best friend in Chicago, there were so many clubs and shows going on, that anyone interested in alternative music could find the music of their choice. This underground music scene was so much larger and, by extension, fragmented compared to Grand Rapids. I look at the rise of the internet the same way. You - the consumer - can find music that -you- like and it's a lot easier to ignore anything you don't. It's been great for finding new music, but finding those artists in the flood of information takes persistence!
This is what I envision Rock music will be like when the robots have taken over. It was like watching a bloodless surgery.
I haven't read this whole thread so apologies if this has already been posted but I'd be very surprised if it hasn't yet. This is my feeling on this topic. Not only is music cycling, but we are too.