I don't think it died. I just think the was rebranded. Rock used to be a genre primarily targeted at young, straight males. The Beatles, Kiss, Queen and even Nirvana in the 90s were huge amongst young men. Then at some point in the late 90s and 2000s, straight guys got more into hip-hop and rap. They started listening to black rappers. At the same time, bands like Good Charlotte, Fall Out Boy, All American Rejects and currently 5 Seconds of Summer started targeting themselves towards young girls.
It stopped being cool to like rock, because it became about the desirability of the performers, a.k.a how "cute" the guys in the band were. And so you couldn't say you liked a mainstream rock band with out people thinking your were gay.
Of course rock is still popular amongst straight guys, but it's really niche and almost a culture in itself - hardcore, screamo, metal, country-rock, etc. But mainstream rock? That's for teenage girls now.
I don't think it died. I just think the was rebranded. Rock used to be a genre primarily targeted at young, straight males. The Beatles, Kiss, Queen and even Nirvana in the 90s were huge amongst young men. Then at some point in the late 90s and 2000s, straight guys got more into hip-hop and rap. They started listening to black rappers. At the same time, bands like Good Charlotte, Fall Out Boy, All American Rejects and currently 5 Seconds of Summer started targeting themselves towards young girls.
It stopped being cool to like rock, because it became about the desirability of the performers, a.k.a how "cute" the guys in the band were. And so you couldn't say you liked a mainstream rock band with out people thinking your were gay.
Of course rock is still popular amongst straight guys, but it's really niche and almost a culture in itself - hardcore, screamo, metal, country-rock, etc. But mainstream rock? That's for teenage girls now.
I don't think it died. I just think the was rebranded. Rock used to be a genre primarily targeted at young, straight males. The Beatles, Kiss, Queen and even Nirvana in the 90s were huge amongst young men. Then at some point in the late 90s and 2000s, straight guys got more into hip-hop and rap. They started listening to black rappers. At the same time, bands like Good Charlotte, Fall Out Boy, All American Rejects and currently 5 Seconds of Summer started targeting themselves towards young girls.
It stopped being cool to like rock, because it became about the desirability of the performers, a.k.a how "cute" the guys in the band were. And so you couldn't say you liked a mainstream rock band with out people thinking your were gay.
Of course rock is still popular amongst straight guys, but it's really niche and almost a culture in itself - hardcore, screamo, metal, country-rock, etc. But mainstream rock? That's for teenage girls now.
THIS!
I guess mainstream "rock bands" tend to target the young girls demographic nowadays so the ROCK that we once knew before almost became inexistent to some.
It's not dead. There are still millions of people who like, listen to, and make rock music.
But it dropped out the mainstream in the late 90's, and it will never become mainstream again imo. It just wouldn't work anymore, it's a completely different world now. I know there was the emo phase in the mid-00s, but that only lasted a couple of years, and it never really dominated like rock music did in the decades before.
What a compelling counter-argument. I definitely see where you're coming from.
First, you are saying mainstream rock is now an exclusive things for teenage girls, but boy bands =/= mainstream rock. "Bands" like 5SOS are just pop with heavier guitars.
The top ten on rock radio, Foo Fighters a band created by an ex member of Nirvana is #1.
I can't see any of those bands for teen girls are that you call "mainstream rock"
All of those bands are "straight appealing"
+ bands like 5sos like to identify their selves as "rock" to be taken seriously, which only creates backlash between rock fans.
It hasnt died. Its just a genre thats far more alive in the real life world of live performance. Record sales have dropped and media views have dropped cause unlike pop its not so much visual eye candy that attracts the youth.
Rock bands are still doing well queitly. The Arctic monkeys latest album is selling way more than many of the big popstars. Its sold 600k in the US..way more than the likes of Iggy or Ariana.
And Ed sheeran is rock and he's the biggest male star right now.
It hasnt died. Its just a genre thats far more alive in the real life world of live performance. Record sales have dropped and media views have dropped cause unlike pop its not so much visual eye candy that attracts the youth.
Rock bands are still doing well queitly. The Arctic monkeys latest album is selling way more than many of the big popstars. Its sold 600k in the US..way more than the likes of Iggy or Ariana.
And Ed sheeran is rock and he's the biggest male star right now.
First, you are saying mainstream rock is now an exclusive things for teenage girls, but boy bands =/= mainstream rock. "Bands" like 5SOS are just pop with heavier guitars.
The top ten on rock radio, Foo Fighters a band created by an ex member of Nirvana is #1.
I can't see any of those bands for teen girls are that you call "mainstream rock"
All of those bands are "straight appealing"
Yeah but where are they on the mainstream charts? That's why I said they're quite niche and almost a culture in themselves. The Foo Fighters definitely target a certain demographic, and a lot of people like them, but they're not dominating the mainstream anywhere near the level of this:
Nowadays you only see crowds this size at EDM festivals where juice-heads and girls with fake boobs walk around in singlets and denim undies.
