Is Rock music dead ?

As a Boomer myself, I have to agree with this ... at least somewhat.

I just got the free version of Spotify, which I'm going to be using to try and find the new and worthwhile. For me, it's all about songs now ... whether "rock" or not, matters to me less and less.

 

This sounds a bit like Jessie Lee Peterson.

We can blame or thank Madonna for the pornification of pop.

 

Do you really think that rock was a spent force artistically during the late 60s and 70s?

Throughout rock history, a lot of the most interesting underground bands have been operating along the margins. This was true in the 70s when rock was in its commercial prime; it was true in the 80s and 90s with the explosion of smaller indie/alternative labels; it remains true to this day as recording and distribution becomes more affordable with the aid of modern technology. The fact that rock is no longer a predominant commercial force seems to be independent from this, but at least back in 70s and 80s, plenty of up and coming bands got into the game with the hope that maybe they'd be one of the lucky ones to break through. A lot of smaller bands got carried along in the wake of the bigger blockbuster acts as the labels struggled to figure out which ones would hit paydirt and so for every Yes and ELP, there were also bands like Gentle Giant and Van Der Graaf Generator. For a young rock band starting out today, the prospects for earning a living in this business are pretty slim--now more than ever with the pandemic shutting down touring for the foreseeable future and it remains to be seen how many venues will be able to stick it out through this--so it seems likely that making rock music is becoming more of a hobbyist pursuit. It will be interesting to see what new music emerges from this extended lockdown period.

 

But there's also a downside.

 

When travellers from London entered Arcady they lamented one to another the death of Pan.

And anon they saw him lying stiff and still.

Horned Pan was still and the dew was on his fur; he had not the look of a live animal. And then they said, "It is true that Pan is dead."

And, standing melancholy by that huge prone body, they looked for long at memorable Pan.

And evening came and a small star appeared.

And presently from a hamlet of some Arcadian valley, with a sound of idle song, Arcadian maidens came.

And, when they saw there, suddenly in the twilight, that old recumbent god, they stopped in their running and whispered among themselves. "How silly he looks," they said, and thereat they laughed a little.

And at the sound of their laughter Pan leaped up and the gravel flew from his hooves.

And, for as long as the travellers stood and listened, the crags and the hill-tops of Arcady rang with the sounds of pursuit.
Lord Dunsany

 

I do think mainstream music has become far more feminized which isn't a bad thing per se, but it's one factor of the downfall of rock in the mainstream with the baton passed to R & B and pop, while hip hop/R & B has dominated the black music scene for a long time now.

The 60s/70s music scene was mostly very patriarchal, whereas it's gone more the other way in today's white mainstream music at least with artists like Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus dominating the charts. The dominant male figures you've got Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber and K-Pop. There's no rock stars anymore.

 

Alfalfa warned us

But we did not listen

 

WAP

 

I rather meant the period of the late 70s through the late 90s when international stadium touring and multiplatinum album sales became the measure of success in rock industry.

 

I see. This corresponds with the time frame when we saw the emergence of a lot of diy indie labels, offering a vital alternative to the mainstream fare. I guess that I'd just question the notion that rock's diminished commercial fortunes are somehow better for smaller niche bands. For example, if we have a robust rock touring circuit, that should be beneficial to big and small bands alike.

 

...but it won't lie down.

 

Rock has always successfully evolved which was the secret of its longevity. From the rock n rollers of the 50s to the Mersey Beat of the early-mid 60s to hard rock/garage rock/psychedelic of the late 60s and early 70s into prog rock and then punk rock of the late 70s, metal and the hair bands of the 80s and grunge of the 90s (and what was known as 'Britpop' in the UK) and then the Indie Rock sound of The Strokes in the early 2000s.

Rock has struggled to reinvent itself again since the 90s/early 2000s and has thus died out in the mainstream. Perhaps art rock/experimental rock, which is more the direction it's gone in, is just that bit too broad, or just not considered rock.

 

I'm 66, grew up on "classic rock," and have a bunch of it loaded on an ipod I use in shuffle mode. When something from the 60s or 70s shuffles on, I enjoy it. That said, I rarely put any of the old music on for any type of serious listen. Rather listen to something that's not so time worn.

 

" WAP "? " Wet Ass (bleep!) " or " Women Against Pornography "?

 

The only ever advantage niche rock got from a mass culture phenomenon was the singular case of the Beatles when the industry got misled into thinking that you could write some unconventional stuff (like on their later albums) and still sell loads of records. Once they realized it was a one-off any indie movements would have to rely on DIY and wait until a major industry player got interested in a ready-made product.

The only difference now is that there's no one to poach on up and coming underground rock acts and amplify their stature through the marketing and distribution arm, because Internet has undermined easy monetization potential in (such) music. Hence no mega-stardom waiting around the corner, but at the same time no lure either to water down your music.

From my perspective the last decade in rock has been its best since the 70s, which means that you clearly do not need blockbuster rock sales in the charts to be creative. I rather think that the lack of perspective sponsor to come with a stash of money may have triggered a different approach too, when you have to make music to win die-hard fans rather than pitch your commercial prospects to an A&R man.

 

I remember there used to be a magazine named WAP, which stood for Women Who Administer Punishment. It sounds like someone needs a spanking. . .

 

Could you give some examples of artists, out of interest? I know the good music is still out there, but rock music died a death in the mainstream in the last decade and the good stuff gets missed.

 

You'll find some suggestions from the last 15 years on the previous page:

Is Rock music dead ?

 

I only wish passive-aggressive threads like this were dead. The most-prevalent genre of music on the board, in fact the one genre every other genre in this country compares itself to, discussed till it's blue in the face, over-written-about by every hip and cool publication looking for readers...but boy, put one artist on Saturday Night Live that doesn't come with jeans, a guitar or cool shades, and suddenly it's hand-wringing time.

Hey, here's an idea: do a search on "Rock" and "dead", and see if this terribly-original notion has ever come up before.

 

To my way of thinking and hearing, the question here is as easily answer as "Is jazz dead" or "Is Baroque Music Dead" or is "Jazz Fusion dead", etc. As long as someone is playing it or as long as the recordings are still available and people still listen to it, how could it be "dead"? Of course it's not dead!

 

The issue at hand is that no one listens/will ever listen to those groups, hahaha. Asking "what about, uh, Salt Teeth?" or defiantly insisting that your favorite indie guitar act exists misses the point entirely of Rock as a genre no longer having resonance with American youth.

I'd say the question going forward is whether or not Rock has what it takes to exist as a niche/enthusiast culture. Unlike, say, Jazz, I don't think the genre has enough substance to exist outside of a dominant social phenomenon and I tend to think it will be less popular than polka in a few decades, minus a few obvious prodigies like the Beach Boys and the Beatles, but I'm interested in any counter-arguments.

 

I just want to say how impressed I am that, 22 pages into a thread entitled " Is Rock music dead?", there have only been three responses stating that, to the contrary, " It just smells funny".
Surely this must be viewed as some sort of turning point for the Forum. Outstanding.

D.D.

 

Don't know about those, but I do think that the theater is really dead.*
At least these days.


*see: conversation, dangling.

 

That is sad. I hope it can be revitalized post-COVID.
Sadly, I've never had the opportunity to see theater on Broadway. The one opportunity I had I was given a choice: either see a play on Broadway or go to a double header at old Yankee stadium. I chose the latter and had the good fortune to see both Mickey Mantel and Whitey Ford play!
I really miss the days of going to ACT plays in San Francisco. Those were some great shows!

 

That is only one side of rock - and the fact that you’re lumping in the 90s when rock was culturally, artistically largely a spent force only undermines your credibility. But on the whole, we’re talking about completely different metrics.