Is Rock and Roll Dead???

[ole_oxford]

Although you mentioned rockers in their 20's it is possible to see that even newer bands have staying power like the oldies. Anybody been to a Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phish, Dave Matthews Band, or Metallica show lately? These are all groups who had their prime in the 1990's but still leave it all on the field come showtime.

Pearl Jam will probably be touring at 50 years

 

[halftime]

Jack White has been recording albums for 15 years, I wouldn't call him new by any stretch................

 

[BlindBoyGrnt]

The World's Greatest will always be England's Newest Hitmakers.

While there are plenty of current kick-ass rock & roll bands (Black Keys, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Brian Jonestown Massacre...), there is a noted lack of rock & roll "pop" bands these days.

As my wife said after watching "Crossfire Hurricane," "what's a young boy to listen to these days." The pop charts are dominated by Gaga, Perry, and One Direction, with some Pit Bull thrown in for good measure.

Rockin out to a good band is a Jungian ritual that I'm afraid my son is missing out on. We really need some good "dude" music for the younger masses. I'm sure when he gets in college, indie and hipster bands will fill the bill, but what about now?

No advice, but man, what a question. I'll think about it.

 

[KeninDC]

It seems like every half decade or so, someone says rock and roll is dead. Then out of nowhere, The Stones or The Clash or Nirvana or someone else kicks it back into high gear.

Great point. Disco was supposed to have killed it. Clash, Ramones happened.

Then the 80s were supposed to have buried it. Stone Roses (1989), Pearl Jam, Nirvana, STP happened.

What is surprising is how acoustic, kinda folky music is sneaking into the pop charts (Mumford & Sons, Lumineers). Even though I find these bands a bit effete, I am really surprised they are charting. Anything can happen.

 

[Andyman]

"Who were the young mega rockers last year that will have that kind of longevity??"

You want bands who released their first album last year who will still be together after fifty years ?

Nah, I don't expect that because I don't think there are any we can think of.

I guess I'm just lamenting the change. Rock used to be a huge force that ruled the landscape and even mediocre/average bands are still touring and talked about decades later.

I just don't see any bands with that kind of impact and certainly none that could dominate as the world's greatest. Jack White is good stuff, but heck, he's 37, which I guess is young if you stick him in a room with Mick, Keef, Jimmy, Pete, Rod, and Sir Paul...

Then out of nowhere, The Stones or The Clash or Nirvana or someone else kicks it back into high gear.

Yeah, where are the modern day counterparts to these guys??? The Black Keys??? Gimmee something fresh

I'm guessing that the difficulty doing so proves the point. :scratch2:

 

[dumptruck]

As I was trying to get at before, it's hard to get the world's teens to bow at your feet for doing the same kind of thing grandpa did . You have to give them something they can call their own. Doesn't mean it can't rock, but it still has to be new, and that's a rare thing. Well, at least it's rare for it to rapidly rise to massive popularity, that is.

 

[jaguar ride]

My good friend Ty is now starting to blow up pretty big. I've played in bands with him over the years, and I'm really happy for him now that he's starting to make it.

Anyways, he's rock n roll, in his 20's, and "the kids" are loving him.

It's loud, sometimes sloppy, and real rock n roll.


Good introduction to him, but you gotta listen to the whole song:
http://youtu.be/4rglalj2UwA

Here he is on Conan:
http://youtu.be/CCMSYRgRdAo

And on Letterman:
http://youtu.be/XtYQHGBgzig



There is a ton of great rock n roll going under the radar nowadays.

 

[Andyman]

You have to give them something they can call their own. Doesn't mean it can't rock, but it still has to be new, and that's a rare thing. Well, at least it's rare for it to rapidly rise to massive popularity, that is.

Maybe that's just it. My Dad had big bands and Sinatra, I had the Stones. Hard to say who has what these days with music being so fragmented and no broad, uniform, distribution system like Top 40 radio.

There's TV, but I'm hoping that American Idol isn't what the future holds...

 

[Andyman]

There is a ton of great rock n roll going under the radar nowadays.

I don't doubt that at all, but back in my day it was far, far, far from "under the radar"....

 

[KeninDC]

My dad hated rock & roll. Still does. That's part of the allure.

 

[jsisk]

Can't think of any bands that have released their first album within the last 5 years that people will still buy in 30 years.

Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Rolling Stones are all still selling tons of albums.

I was browsing MP3s on Amazon (had some free credits) and sorted by best selling and half of the first 5 pages of results were Led Zep and Journey.

 

[jaguar ride]

Can't think of any bands that have released their first album within the last 5 years that people will still buy in 30 years.

Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Rolling Stones are all still selling tons of albums.

I was browsing MP3s on Amazon (had some free credits) and sorted by best selling and half of the first 5 pages of results were Led Zep and Journey.

I'm convinced that's because many of the baby boomer age are generally not open to new things. They live for nostalgia while complaining about the present.

 

[dumptruck]

Does Ty know you're dropping his name on audiophile message boards? That dude can sure sell out a record in a hurry. Seems like every time I buy an LP of his it's worth $50 a month later.

 

[jaguar ride]

Does Ty know you're dropping his name on audiophile message boards? That dude can sure sell out a record in a hurry. Seems like every time I buy an LP of his it's worth $50 a month later.

Dang, I'm a name-dropper now! It wasn't intentional! I gotta do some thinking now...


But yes indeed, he's got some record flippers on his heels. And the rate at which he puts records out doesn't help much either.

 

[parman]

My good friend Ty is now starting to blow up pretty big. I've played in bands with him over the years, and I'm really happy for him now that he's starting to make it.

Anyways, he's rock n roll, in his 20's, and "the kids" are loving him.

It's loud, sometimes sloppy, and real rock n roll.


Good introduction to him, but you gotta listen to the whole song:
http://youtu.be/4rglalj2UwA

Here he is on Conan:
http://youtu.be/CCMSYRgRdAo

And on Letterman:
http://youtu.be/XtYQHGBgzig



There is a ton of great rock n roll going under the radar nowadays.

Liked the Conan didn't like the Letterman

 

[Kalev]

As I was trying to get at before, it's hard to get the world's teens to bow at your feet for doing the same kind of thing grandpa did . You have to give them something they can call their own. Doesn't mean it can't rock, but it still has to be new, and that's a rare thing. Well, at least it's rare for it to rapidly rise to massive popularity, that is.

I like this answer :thmbsp:. I don't think the phenomenon we are discussing is restricted to stylistic differences, either. The pace and means of media consumption have changed along with every other aspect of culture across the globe. It could be that the culture of the 60's and 70's was uniquely capable of spawning talented superstars with longevity (who knows?).

Can't think of any bands that have released their first album within the last 5 years that people will still buy in 30 years.

Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Rolling Stones are all still selling tons of albums.

I was browsing MP3s on Amazon (had some free credits) and sorted by best selling and half of the first 5 pages of results were Led Zep and Journey.

Maybe the large baby-boomer generation is gobbling up mp3's just before they go the way of the 8-track. I believe the young'uns are ditching hard drives full of mp3's for monthly-all-you-can-eat streaming music subscriptions.

Honestly, I hope that none of my favorite, current artists are still touring in 50 years. I really enjoy the early work (I know--it's a typical music geek retort ) of artists in this thread, such as the Stones and Zeppelin, but their latter output leaves me cold. Some of the "old guard" that is still touring appears stale if not embarrassing on stage. I don't want to have to go to a stadium to see a show, either.

 

[grillebilly]

Rockin out to a good band is a Jungian ritual that I'm afraid my son is missing out on. We really need some good "dude" music for the younger masses. I'm sure when he gets in college, indie and hipster bands will fill the bill, but what about now?

as usual the prophet Ken puts things in perspective.
From my vantage point rock is alive and well, but not selling. There are no groups like the Stones or the Who that just play killer rock AND sell a bunch of records.
The pie is bigger than ever but the slices are miniature.
Right now I'm cranking The Mercury Program, a band my son turned me onto (yeah Ken, I know you can't wait for that). He goes to almost as many shows as me, and definitely more bigger ones. Most of us are living in another era (the past, our playlists prove it...Floyd anyone?) so it's very hard to look at the state of music subjectively.
To answer the op's question, Wilco is the biggest touring rock band that has some relevance to modern music.

 

[jefrodigital]

Well, the thing is these days the only people besides you old guys actually purchase music are young girls, as a whole. Young men don't buy, they download. They don't attend concerts either, at least not on the level old guys and young girls do.

The music business is in business to make money and cater to the audiences that put money in their pockets.

The music biz is also in pretty much a meltdown over the last decade and it seems to me isn't trying to put money into any kind of risks- nirvana, for example, was a huge risk. As good as they were, they were totally different than anything else on the airwaves when they came out. I don't think any record execs want to play the risk game, they want to play it safe and keep going with the formula thats always worked- sugary pop music for young ladies.

The rolling stones to me, are just real sad at this point. 70 year old guys prancing around in tight pants trying to still look young. They look ridiculous. Anyone who sees that and thinks that's ok has no right to speak about anything new these "kids" are doing.

 

[richmu]

From the last 20 years or so. I think these would qualify as rock and rollish;

Pixies
Spoon
Built to Spill
Sunny Day Real Estate
Come
Codeine
Constantines
Drive By Truckers
Diableros
Drones
Queens of the Stone Age
Hold Steady
Rocket From The Crypt
Shellac
Les Savy Fav
Maniac Street Preachers
Royal Trux
Sloan
Modest Mouse
Mudhoney
Mystery Jets
Television
White Denim
Walkmen

I think R and R may be dying a slow death.

 

[jefrodigital]

Also, one more thing, Rock and Roll used to be rebellious and different. No one wants to listen to their dads music, which is what rock and roll is now. Even older than that in some cases, its grandpa's music. Think about that, when has grandpa ever been cool ?

These guys sold out their legacies long ago anyways to anyone willing to cut them a check, except for maybe Pink Floyd. I'm sure Citibank has tons of cash on hand at all times for whenever they decide to let them use Money in a commercial.