Is Rock Dead?

[Soot and Stars]

Only if you dwell on it in music forums!

Aktivator's made more than enough of an argument to support my opinion but I can agree with LG that the business has changed! The thing is regardless of the way the business has changed the options haven't. I can still find music in any way I want in any format I want in the same way I could when I first started truly buying music in the 90's. Music is cyclical and I've heard more warnings about the end of music as a physical form or in quality or in the end of a genre as I have about the end of the world. Every predicted date on all of them from the vocal minority always ends up wrong. In a time when vinyl can come back it's not an attribute to vinyl itself but more that almost nothing truly dies out for good. The people who predict doomsday will always predict doomsday while others look around them and realize what they actually have.

 

[Migmagnific]

Yea, I think Music industry as to adapt to how ppl listen to music today..
If music is so accessible online, they should use this for their advantage and not see it has a bad thing.

When there is "good music", it is heard by everyone around the world.
You could never get the same amount of ppl listening to your songs like you do today.

Someone mentioned that kids just spend most of their time playing games. Its not good ofc, but the game industry is a good example.
Some of the biggest game companies have their games out for free, they just make money in a different way.

I do not have an exact solution for it, but I think they have to adapt to the new times, or die in agony.

 

[Groovy Man]

LG live music out sells albums sales these days. It's a very changed world. You need to stop looking at album sales as the only revenue stream. Festivals are a machine now and they have mix music with gaming, sports and other entertainment. The major festivals in America are growing and expending to two weeks, they are selling out immediately too.

This is why rock is dead...kids, and some old fogies today are more into ''gaming, sports and other entertainment'' and the today's music is secondary, background music, where in the past rock music was front and center, not '' look at me I'm at the flavor of the week rock band show'' - that's self life will be outdated and disposable soon, or ''Look at me I'm at some big money making festival to be seen and show of my brand new hipster fashion outfit'', haha..

ok, that might be a bit too harsh, but hopefully you get my point...

but on the other hand....sure there are new decent ROCK bands out today, but they are sure hard to find amongst the ton of crap out there today...

So, rock might not be completely dead, it will never completely die - but it's quality of life will be low - anyone who can't see this is fooling themselves or in denial.

And please remember the topic here is rock dead, not pop music or indie music....some might be confused on the topic.

 

[Mistral Wind]

Musically, I don't think rock will ever die...
The thing that makes the difference between "old classic rock" and "new rock" is the "source of the inspiration"...
I mean... I don't think it's a matter of sales or of skills... it's a matter of content.
In '60 and '70, Rock was something connected with social and cultural development...
Nowadays, I feel less sincerity and depth...
even though I think that there's so much to say today... but there are few people who have the guts to say it... but those people... well, they "rock".
And, let me add that it's true what someone said before, about the fact that genres are mixed today... so, musically, trying to repeat what done in the past would be senseless...
to be sincerely "rock", you also need to be "new" in some manner.

Anyway, I define myself as listener of good songs... I'm not a great expert... so, this is just my opinion...

 

[Khor1255]

This is why rock is dead...kids, and some old fogies today are more into ''gaming, sports and other entertainment'' and the today's music is secondary, background music, where in the past rock music was front and center, not '' look at me I'm at the flavor of the week rock band show'' - that's self life will be outdated and disposable soon, or ''Look at me I'm at some big money making festival to be seen and show of my brand new hipster fashion outfit'', haha..

ok, that might be a bit too harsh, but hopefully you get my point...

but on the other hand....sure there are new decent ROCK bands out today, but they are sure hard to find amongst the ton of crap out there today...

So, rock might not be completely dead, it will never completely die - but it's quality of life will be low - anyone who can't see this is fooling themselves or in denial.

And please remember the topic here is rock dead, not pop music or indie music....some might be confused on the topic.

Absolutely. I would not say it's dead, more liker on life support from a small group of 'music geeks' who actually like to listen rather than ponder the depth of the newest video or social life of the schmucks on stage.

Some of us really don't care what these people look like or what they do when they are not making music but I think we are the minority today.

 

[Aktivator]

This is why rock is dead...kids, and some old fogies today are more into ''gaming, sports and other entertainment'' and the today's music is secondary, background music, where in the past rock music was front and center, not '' look at me I'm at the flavor of the week rock band show'' - that's self life will be outdated and disposable soon, or ''Look at me I'm at some big money making festival to be seen and show of my brand new hipster fashion outfit'', haha..

ok, that might be a bit too harsh, but hopefully you get my point...

but on the other hand....sure there are new decent ROCK bands out today, but they are sure hard to find amongst the ton of crap out there today...

So, rock might not be completely dead, it will never completely die - but it's quality of life will be low - anyone who can't see this is fooling themselves or in denial.

And please remember the topic here is rock dead, not pop music or indie music....some might be confused on the topic.

Hi groovy nice to see you back.
But your one of the people who told me rock was dead 10 years ago now you claim there are a few good ones. Rock is not dead and it's not indie music it's indie rock . I get it you don't like most if it doesn't mean it's not good.

Yes a bunch of kids do go to festivals for other reasons but the majority are there to see the music. Kids don't stand in the rain to play video games at rock shows. The kids are no different then the kids in the 60-70 who weber to shows to get drunk, do drugs and have sex.

You are correct there is a lot junk that is my point music is more diverse so if you only like a few basic genre you will have a problem finding what you like if anything. I listen to over 250 new albums by new bands every year. I tend to like about 30-50 of them. This hasn't stopped for me in the past 15 years. I keep waiting for this let down you all talk about but still hasn't happen.
These days I go out of my way to talk to music industry people to get thee opinions and they tend to think I'm nuts for being up the subject of rock dying.

Off to see another new band tonight lanterns if the lake.

 

[Khor1255]

That's great. I wish I could be genuinely enthused with anything that has come out in the last few decades. I'm still looking and have no doubt it will eventually come back.

 

[Aktivator]

^ let me be clear if you are looking for the same formula hard rock of the 70's and 80's good luck that is a hard find although out there. If you are just looking for good rock it's is still out there. Take a look thru soots list or my list if top albums of 2013. But don't expect the next pink Floyd or led zeppelin .

 

[Johnny-Too-Good]

The 'Classic Rock' piece I mentioned in my opening post is not a single article by one writer, it is a whole section of the mag, covering about 20 pages, with input from people in all sections of the industry, including band members old and new. The overwhelming message that came over is that today's rock artist (I deliberately exclude the word 'star') needs to be a business person as well as a musician. The smart ones are bypassing the record labels and taking charge of their own affairs, which, of course, involves messy things like production, distribution, and marketing amongst a million other things. Social media is becoming key to marketing strategy. Another general view is that the day of the rich rock star is over. It is now a job, like any other. Most of the new bands are looking to build what they call 'a community' of followers of say 10,000-20,000. They would hope to get their home addresses/email/phone numbers in order to generate income in the future. How times change - can you imagine getting a phone call from Roger Waters - and even if you did he'd probably tell you to f*ck off

 

[Groovy Man]

your one of the people who told me rock was dead 10 years ago now you claim there are a few good ones.

I didn't know you 10 years ago.

Anyhow...

Rock is dead...nothing has changed. I was just avoiding some new music zealots going nuts on me, telling me I'm close minded and living in the past musically.

Rock is not dead and it's not indie music it's indie rock. I get it you don't like most if it, doesn't mean it's not good.

Well then it could be said, just because you think most of it's good, doesn't make it good.

Kind of a silly point.

The kids are no different then the kids in the 60-70 who weber to shows to get drunk, do drugs and have sex.

I disagree, it was all about the music back then...drugs and sex were always secondary...nowadays, it's image and style over the music, and the quality of the music suffers, imo.

The times have changed, and so have people....nothing is the same as it was in the 60s and 70s...musically, socially or politically.