Rock music died in the '70's

[Ahdkaw]

Sorry guys, but it really is time you moved on, rock music is dead.

[Tea is my copilot]

No way.

[mikeo]

Yawn, yawn. Am I supposed to be listening to R&B now?

Also, best define "rock" when you're proclaiming it's death.

[Rosemary]

Ah, but Rock arose from the dead in the '80's....

[littlemissattitude]

Some of the most brilliant rock artists ever died in the 70s, including Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Gram Parsons, Janis Joplin, and probably others I'm blanking on right now, but their music lives on and so does rock. Despite the efforts of disco to kill all music during that decade.

[weaveworld]

Rock 'n' Roll technically did not died - it just went into hibernation!

As long as you still hear great bands like Led Zeppelin, The Doors, etc, Rock 'n' Roll will never die!

[YOSSARIAN]

I believe rock is more alive than it has been for 15 years. Of course, it is hard to debate the statement "rock is dead" when given no reasons why one believes it is so.

[Ahdkaw]

Hey guys thanks for the response, not one flame amongst them (I'm disappointed in you lot).

When I say rock died in the 70's I am referring to the music itself, the rhythms and riffs that are used by todays modern rock music, are all reused rhythms from the 50's, 60's, 70's.

I am a avid proponent for the advancement of music and song, and currently the only movement I find that has any excitement and freshness to it is hip hop. Unfortunately, due to the nature of record companies, the term "hiphop" to many means the "pop rap" that seems to be inundating the charts nowadays.

Anything that is on the radio can pretty much be dismissed as non-music. The record isn't being played because "it's good" but because "they paid us lots money to play it lots of times".

Hiphop, like rock, is black music (remember when rock was the "Devil's Music"?), made under extraordinary circumstances. To this day the black communities of the United States are in a destitute way, even though the riches of the US were built off the backs of their enslaved ancestors.

These are people giving us new sounds to listen and dance to, and I feel they are being over-ridden by the record companies, who produce endless "rap songs" about sex and money (and also promote the same old, same old, rock music of today). There is more concious hiphop out there, it just doesn't get the airplay, but they are there. Dig deeper.

[YOSSARIAN]

I agree with your assessment of hip-hop (to a certain extent). There is a lot of exciting rap (and R&B) being made that is overshadowed by the lowest common denominator "ho's and money" beats that are considered commercially viable. I'm more of a rock guy so I can't agree that rock is dead. System of a Down has been creating mind-blowing music for a long time now and even though they are hugely popular now the quality of thier music continues to rise. "(Rated) R" and "Songs for the Deaf" by Queens of the Stone Age are the greatest albums ever. These are the two best examples of rock bands that are currently creating intelligent, insightful, inspiring, ass-kicking rock music. They are not the only ones. Music is just like any other art form. Great movies, literature, comedy, etc. is being made, but often the best stuff is not the most accessible. I think hip-hop is more susceptible to stagnation than rock is because innovation is less tolerated in hip-hop than in rock.

[littlemissattitude]

Originally Posted by Ahdkaw

Hiphop, like rock, is black music (remember when rock was the "Devil's Music"?), made under extraordinary circumstances.

Actually, rock is about equal parts rhythm and blues and country music, historically and genealogically speaking.

[Rosemary]

That sounds about right LittleMiss...

I wonder what Chris's opinion on this would be though?

[chrispenycate]

Actually "rock" (as distinct from "rock and roll". one of it's main ancestors) music absorbed so many inluences over its decade and a half of pre-eminence, that it got difficult to nail it down at all. Classical, with Emmerson and "prog rock", "Folk" ,"jazz" what would now be considered "world music", ballads from all over:- it would be easier to list styles that didn't have an influence. Certainly country music and blues were there at the opening- and both of them, and several other genres, got influenced right back.

Perhaps "rock" did mutate beyond recognition in the seventies, and those who went on playing the older styles were as far off the cutting edge as the dixieland jazz played for tourists to New Orleans- certainly "speed metal" is difficult to equate to Fats Domino- not that I haven't enjoyed working with each of them. Then again, perhaps I died in the seventies and haven't yet noticed.

Trying to classify any music into neat little envelopes is always a risky business- unless in a totally isolated community cross fertilisation always takes place, and rock music was anything but chaste (or careful) One could always claim that Hendrix killed rock, because it would never be the same after (except when it was), but that would be silly- it just changed yet again.

[cornelius]

why can't we all just enjoy the music? Music can be timeless you know

and also try stuff out a bit. I'm trying out all kinds of music. So far I haven't found a koRn equal, but I like a loads of music. You know you can listen to ac~dc, KoRn , Metallica, Sean paul and incubus on one day without getting hurt

[mikeo]

Originally Posted by Ahdkaw

Hey guys thanks for the response, not one flame amongst them (I'm disappointed in you lot).

Well heck, if you were trolling for a reaction, the least I can do is reply..

When I say rock died in the 70's I am referring to the music itself, the rhythms and riffs that are used by todays modern rock music, are all reused rhythms from the 50's, 60's, 70's.

I guess this depends on your definition of rock - are you including all of the different categories of metal like thrash, speed metal, nu-metal, punk, and so on? Even looking at the 80s, if you look at the roots of thrash / speed metal, you'll find it owes more to the classical music training of many thrash band members than to black sabbath's crunchy riffs. (Just as an example.)

Is Radiohead a "rock" band? How about Mr. Bungle? Opeth? If you're saying "black sabbath albums are getting pretty stale," then I won't argue, but if you're telling me that everything outside of the hip-hop section is old news, well, I'd say you're preaching a religion more than debating facts.

I am a avid proponent for the advancement of music and song, and currently the only movement I find that has any excitement and freshness to it is hip hop. Unfortunately, due to the nature of record companies, the term "hiphop" to many means the "pop rap" that seems to be inundating the charts nowadays.

I'm calling hijinks here - "the advancement of music and song?" Must... stay... polite.. gah!

Anything that is on the radio can pretty much be dismissed as non-music. The record isn't being played because "it's good" but because "they paid us lots money to play it lots of times".

Overstated - just because you don't like it doesn't mean that it isn't music. I know you really believe this - I remember saying the same thing about 12 years ago when I listened to nothing but industrial. The fanaticism will pass with time.

These are people giving us new sounds to listen and dance to, and I feel they are being over-ridden by the record companies, who produce endless "rap songs" about sex and money (and also promote the same old, same old, rock music of today). There is more concious hiphop out there, it just doesn't get the airplay, but they are there. Dig deeper.

I prefer dancing to old-school techno and trance myself, but there you go. I'd say there's better music out there than on the radio for most styles of music, but hey, people should listen to whatever they enjoy - isn't that a big part of the point of music?

[littlemissattitude]

I've come to the conclusion that there are two kinds of music - that which I like and that which I do not like.

I started to make the classification "good" music and "bad" music, but the truth is, there is likely plenty of music that I don't like that is perfectly good stuff, and I know for a fact that there is some music that I like, for purely personal reasons, mostly, that is probably pretty bad from a critical standpoint.

My point is, there is music I like in all genres. Yes, even country. Yes, even rap (or is it hip-hop, or are those two different genres?). And there is music I don't like in all genres.