Rock & Roll R.I.P?

[badfaith]

[Alt-Rocker77]

I think a better question is not "Is Rock dead?', but "Is there anything new to create in the genre?" Let's examine this decade, It starts off exceedingly well with Kid A, which infused krautrock, britpop, shoegaze, and electronica into one convincingly amazing sound. The very next year the band receiving the attention was the Strokes, who were not a band band by any means, but weren't exactly trailblazers. The rest of the decade seemed to be bent around This Is It?, in the sense that the styles of the 60's weren't being adapted, so much as copied. For the most part, this music wasn't bad, some of it great (The White Stripes will go down as one of the best rock bands ever), but it made me begin to question whether or not rock had any new ideas left. The electronic and hip hop genres had far more game changers than rock. I think the next 5 years will be indicative of where things are going.

[Alt-Rocker77]

I think a better question is not "Is Rock dead?', but "Is there anything new to create in the genre?" Let's examine this decade, It starts off exceedingly well with Kid A, which infused krautrock, britpop, shoegaze, and electronica into one convincingly amazing sound. The very next year the band receiving the attention was the Strokes, who were not a band band by any means, but weren't exactly trailblazers. The rest of the decade seemed to be bent around This Is It?, in the sense that the styles of the 60's weren't being adapted, so much as copied. For the most part, this music wasn't bad, some of it great (The White Stripes will go down as one of the best rock bands ever), but it made me begin to question whether or not rock had any new ideas left. The electronic and hip hop genres had far more game changers than rock. I think the next 5 years will be indicative of where things are going.

[Freddie55]

My observation is that, whether we like it or loathe it, the most popular rock bands today are: The Killers, Kings of Leon, Coldplay and Radiohead. And these top four are not as popular as U2 and many geriatric rockers doing their victory laps.

[Kiki]

So does anyone think that pursuit of fame and artistic merit can coexist as goals of a musician if they were to balance the two?

[RFNAPLES]

[Freddie55]

[telefunker]

it's very easy to satisfy your musical ambitions if you're not seeking fame and fortune.
_________________
no fat chicks

[badfaith]

I think I see three distinct flavours of musician emerging here:

First, the musician who loves making music for it's own sake (excellence and musical ambition) (anonymous, or low key types like Pink Floyd, Session musicians etc)

Second, the ME musician... Personally ambitious, who seeks to promote him/herself before the music, and includes those who see music as a tool for making money. (ALL "R&B", modern Rap and "Hip Hop")

and Third, the ideallist... Those who we've come to believe were trying to make the grand gesture, to live the life, and in some cases stand for something bigger.
(Bob Dylan, Lennon, Morrison, Moon, etc.)

...And thus revealed, it's this third group my question was about really,- do they still exist?... Did they ever really exist?, or have we romantisised their exploits, deeds, and bestowed attributes on them they never really possessed?

...I wonder if it is this question, and personally my growing concern that this has shattered the myth, that has opened the door for the second group, not only through the demise of the third group, but also the expense of the first.

[badfaith]

...Would make a good game- gather all the artists, and sort them into three pots- ART, CASH, or ICON... great fun for all the family, and a potential source of much debate and possible bloodshed!