And why should/would they? I am fifty eight. If my parents had told me to buy a Louis Armstrong record I know what my reaction would have been. I honestly think a lot of us on here have forgotten what it's like to be young, understandably. Rock may well have died, who knows. Who are we to tell todays generation what is OK to listen to? I expect the kids of today will be lamenting what music is like in forty years time....like my parents before me, theirs before them....
The local "active" rock station switched from it's former "new rock" mantra when it was realized they really weren't programming much of anything from the last decade. "Decade" being from when they switched, which was probably at least five years ago. I can't stand them, because they still use explosions on their promos and frentic DJs, but I guess there's still an audience for old Limp Bizkit songs.
Of course there's an audience but it's small, niche. There are hundreds and hundreds of talented artists/groups out there making very good music but hardly any will break it "big". The problem for them all is that it has all already been done and done again. However if they can pack pubs and clubs and give people kicks, it's all good. There is so much fantastic music available after all these decades that I don't really give a damn if rock dominates anymore.
Sounds like Q101 in my market. Just the most unlistenable format in radio today. Makes Modern Country seem almost progressive by comparison.
I recently read an article on 21 Pilots. I don't really consider them "rock" but they are marketed as such, and if you want commercially successful new rock they are currently the biggest chart act in the genre.
Probably owned by the same company. At least the songs change on country stations. This is a fossilized as classic rock, it just plays music from a generation later and pretends to still be young and hip.
"Random lost souls have asked me "What's the future of rock'n'roll?" I say "I don't know does it matter?" This and that scene, They sound all the same to me Neither much worse nor much better" - Conrad Keely, ..And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead / "Worlds Apart" Rock music is mutating still, and it's long since mutated away from rock in the era of the Stones or The Who's heyday. Seems like there's far less emphasis on hit songs or music written and recorded with real guitar, bass and drums than computer software and drum loops, to the point that where I hear a band producing music with real-sounding instruments, it's a bit of shock to my ears. That said, I come across a new band every other month on Spotify that reaffirms my love of rock music. One of the latest was the New York band Honduras and their song "Dead Weight". Another is the rock supergroup of sorts called Gone Is Gone. In short, yes, rock is still alive and the audience is there for it, but a majority of pop music listeners seem to prefer divas and megalomanical rappers vocalizing over computer-created music.
I compleely disagree. In the old days thanks to Top 40 radio listeners were exposed to all sorts of genres. Look at a radio playlist from the mid '60s and you'll see British Invasion acts, garage bands, smooth soul, hard R&B, girl groups, country, easy listening, show tunes, folkies... That kind of diversity no longer exists. Today, thanks to the Balkanization of listening alternatives, there are people under 40 who've never listened to anything except rap.
I know the new/modern rock station in Lafayette LA recently dropped the format to go "Classic rock". I'm sure similar changes are happening around the country
I grew up in the UK. Top 40 radio was bloody awful, with the exception of the history-making John Peel slot when all the teeny-boppers were tucked up in bed. As I mentioned, record labels filled the charts with whatever the newest hottest thing was, and the Radio 1 playlists were largely built from the chart. Sure there was diversity in the chart, and that was reflected in playlists, but it wasn't what I would describe as a broad education. Of course, we did have Radio Caroline as well, but that was a pirate transmission apparently from Mars.
My problem with new rock is that the things that seem most important is how somebody looks, the attitude they try to project, or trying to be cool/hip. I don't care about any of that. It's the music that counts. A good song, good energy/message/melody (remember those?)/maybe some fun. Everybody takes themselves too serious and seems to be afraid to be happy. I listen to many different types of music and am pretty open to new sounds but don't hear much that isn't a bit too retro based or worst of all, boring. My opinion only. My ears are open.
