Rock and Roll isn't literally dying right now, but it may as well be. I read this article about a couple of weeks ago, but this is even more relevant due to the passing of Eddie Money and Ric Ocasek this weekend.

https://theweek.com/artic...ock-legend

Many of our favorite artists (Prince, Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Aretha Franklin) have sadly died already, and while Prince and Michael Jackson most likely died too soon, Areha Franklin was 76 years old at her passing and David Bowie was 69. Eddie Money was 70 years old, and Ric Ocasek was 75. The article points out just how many of our favorite rock icons are in their elder years now.

By comparison, Taylor Swift will turn 30 this December.

[Edited 9/16/19 17:28pm]

a few tunes aside, the title really isn't fitting, this isn't Rock and Roll at all. But yes, Rock and Roll is dying. Just let's mention different artists!

Mortality salience is the awareness by an individual that his or her death is inevitable.

That's the cycle of life, it's been happening since time began. People born, people die, rich or poor, musicians or actors, young or old, etc etc etc! Think about it, how many movie stars and rock and rollers, etc, have died that we don't even remember or think about anymore.....that's just the way it is! We all will die someday, so the death of someone (rock n roller or not) shouldn't come as a surprise to any of us, because the truth is, no one was put here to live forever.

The real problem isn't the mortality of people already here, it's the total corporate dominance of the scene that's smothering out the future.

Remakes, franchises and trends have always been a thing but we're approaching the first time in modern history where there's no real fringe support groups or a clear path for those aspiring artists to cut their teeth on a large scale.

Entertainment as a whole is stale and boring. Even when you stumble onto a good indie record label or movie, it's very rarely doing something new. It's usually an approximation of the past. A vague longing for a time when things were real and exciting.

Bet they said the same thing in 1977 when Elvis died and in 1980 when Lennon died.

As long as folks dig it, the rock attitude will go on.

Tool is number one? Are they rock?

Strive said:

The real problem isn't the mortality of people already here, it's the total corporate dominance of the scene that's smothering out the future.

Remakes, franchises and trends have always been a thing but we're approaching the first time in modern history where there's no real fringe support groups or a clear path for those aspiring artists to cut their teeth on a large scale.

Entertainment as a whole is stale and boring. Even when you stumble onto a good indie record label or movie, it's very rarely doing something new. It's usually an approximation of the past. A vague longing for a time when things were real and exciting.

Good point...Rehashing the Avengers, Charlie's Angels, Lion King, Alladin...Boring. It's a cynical money grab.

IMO, there does seem to be something extra special about musicians who were born in the 40's, ie., The Stones, Beatles, The Cars, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, The Grateful Dead, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, many of the great Motown artists, Jimi Hendrix, The Beach Boys, etc. Even Prince said the 60's/70's time period was the Golden Age. So, there is a feeling of loss as these

iconic musicians leave us.

They were cutting edge. I wonder if it has to do with being born after the War?

MotownSubdivision said:

Don't forget Donna, Whitney and George as well. Just found out about Ocasek on FB. It's weird too, I was just watching the video to "Magic" the other day. R.I.P. to him.

Never knew Whitney and George were rock and roll

nextedition said:

nextedition said:

MotownSubdivision said:

Don't forget Donna, Whitney and George as well. Just found out about Ocasek on FB. It's weird too, I was just watching the video to "Magic" the other day. R.I.P. to him.

Never knew Whitney and George were rock and roll

They're not considered "Rock" artists, but their sound is arguably rooted more in small-r rock and roll than "Rock."

[Edited 9/18/19 9:45am]

Rock has been a thing since around 1956. I don't know why anybody expects it to be still popular with the younger mainstream generation. Rock remained mainstream popular longer than the stuff before it like big band jazz, crooners, exotica, Hawaiian music, etc. There's a lot of people who was not born when hip hop has not existed. Rap is their rock n roll. Unlike rock, jazz, and blues the artists have remained primarily black. It didn't need an Elvis Presley, Rolling Stones, Hall & Oates, Wham!, or Eric Clapton for white people to buy it. Run DMC was the first mainstream popular rap act. Their was a mainstream Hollywood movie made on the Fat Boys.

MickyDolenz said:

There was a mainstream Hollywood movie made on the Fat Boys.

And I paid to see it. Disorderlies!

Baby boomers made other baby boomers legends. Yes, some of them are starting to go early.

MickyDolenz said:

Rock has been a thing since around 1956. I don't know why anybody expects it to be still popular with the younger mainstream generation. Rock remained mainstream popular longer than the stuff before it like big band jazz, crooners, exotica, Hawaiian music, etc. There's a lot of people who was not born when hip hop has not existed. Rap is their rock n roll. Unlike rock, jazz, and blues the artists have remained primarily black. It didn't need an Elvis Presley, Rolling Stones, Hall & Oates, Wham!, or Eric Clapton for white people to buy it. Run DMC was the first mainstream popular rap act. Their was a mainstream Hollywood movie made on the Fat Boys.

But when you ask white people who listen to hip-hop who do they think is the greatest rapper of all time, a lot of them say Eminem.

kitbradley said:

But when you ask white people who listen to hip-hop who do they think is the greatest rapper of all time, a lot of them say Eminem.

Hip hop (on record) was around 20 years old when Eminem came out. It didn't popular because of him. He's not even the 1st white rapper to make a record, nor the first to become popular. It was the Beastie Boys (or technically maybe Debbie Harry & Teena Marie ). Then there were others like Young Black Teenagers, Vanilla Ice, Tairrie B, Betty Boo, Jesse Jaymes, Lucas, House Of Pain, etc. There's rappers of many ethnicities all over the world. But the majority of the most famous ones are black. Hip hop did not become to be considered as "white music" like rock did. As far as the greatest rapper label is concerned, of course, just like Benny Goodman is the King Of Swing and Elvis is the King Of Rock n Roll. Notice the media does not talk about a replacement for them. But Justin Timberlake has been called the "New King Of Pop". It would seem to me that if they're trying to replace Michael Jackson's title, then Drake would make more sense than Justin. Drake has more Hot 100 hits than any other act.

kitbradley said:

MickyDolenz said:

It would seem to me that if they're trying to replace Michael Jackson's title, then Drake would make more sense than Justin.

You can't be serious!

domainator2010 said:

You can't be serious!

Glee: 207 Hot 100, 3 Top 10, 0 #1
Drake: 205 Hot 100, 35 Top 10, 6 #1
Lil Wayne: 163 Hot 100, 24 Top 10, 3 #1
Elvis Presley: 109 Hot 100, 25 Top 10, 7 #1
Nicki Minaj: 104 Hot 100, 17 Top 10, 0 #1
James Brown: 91 Hot 100, 7 Top 10, 0 #1
The Beatles: 71 Hot 100, 34 Top 10, 20 #1
Paul McCartney: 47 Hot 100, 23 Top 10, 9 #1
John Lennon: 18 Hot 100, 8 Top 10, 2 #1
George Harrison: 15 Hot 100, 5 Top 10, 3 #1
Ringo Starr: 12 Hot 100, 7 Top 10, 2 #1
Michael Jackson: 51 Hot 100, 30 Top 10, 13 #1
Jackson 5: 17 Hot 100, 8 Top 10, 4 #1
The Jacksons: 13 Hot 100, 3 Top 10, 0 #1
Janet Jackson: 41 Hot 100, 27 Top 10, 10 #1
Jermaine Jackson: 17 Hot 100, 2 Top 10, 0 #1
Justin Timberlake: 33 Hot 100, 19 Top 10, 5 #1
'N Sync: 12 Hot 100, 6 Top 10, 1 #1

If you add 'N Sync & Justin solo together (45 - 25 - 6), it's still less than Drake. They're even with #1s though.

MickyDolenz said:

domainator2010 said:

You can't be serious!

Glee: 207 Hot 100, 3 Top 10, 0 #1
Drake: 205 Hot 100, 35 Top 10, 6 #1
Lil Wayne: 163 Hot 100, 24 Top 10, 3 #1
Elvis Presley: 109 Hot 100, 25 Top 10, 7 #1
Nicki Minaj: 104 Hot 100, 17 Top 10, 0 #1
James Brown: 91 Hot 100, 7 Top 10, 0 #1
The Beatles: 71 Hot 100, 34 Top 10, 20 #1
Paul McCartney: 47 Hot 100, 23 Top 10, 9 #1
John Lennon: 18 Hot 100, 8 Top 10, 2 #1
George Harrison: 15 Hot 100, 5 Top 10, 3 #1
Ringo Starr: 12 Hot 100, 7 Top 10, 2 #1
Michael Jackson: 51 Hot 100, 30 Top 10, 13 #1
Jackson 5: 17 Hot 100, 8 Top 10, 4 #1
The Jacksons: 13 Hot 100, 3 Top 10, 0 #1
Janet Jackson: 41 Hot 100, 27 Top 10, 10 #1
Jermaine Jackson: 17 Hot 100, 2 Top 10, 0 #1
Justin Timberlake: 33 Hot 100, 19 Top 10, 5 #1
'N Sync: 12 Hot 100, 6 Top 10, 1 #1

If you add 'N Sync & Justin solo together (45 - 25 - 6), it's still less than Drake. They're even with #1s though.

You know that charts (especially in the spotify age) are a sham, right?

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https://www.washingtonpos...aming-age/

skywalker said:

MickyDolenz said:

Glee: 207 Hot 100, 3 Top 10, 0 #1
Drake: 205 Hot 100, 35 Top 10, 6 #1
Lil Wayne: 163 Hot 100, 24 Top 10, 3 #1
Elvis Presley: 109 Hot 100, 25 Top 10, 7 #1
Nicki Minaj: 104 Hot 100, 17 Top 10, 0 #1
James Brown: 91 Hot 100, 7 Top 10, 0 #1
The Beatles: 71 Hot 100, 34 Top 10, 20 #1
Paul McCartney: 47 Hot 100, 23 Top 10, 9 #1
John Lennon: 18 Hot 100, 8 Top 10, 2 #1
George Harrison: 15 Hot 100, 5 Top 10, 3 #1
Ringo Starr: 12 Hot 100, 7 Top 10, 2 #1
Michael Jackson: 51 Hot 100, 30 Top 10, 13 #1
Jackson 5: 17 Hot 100, 8 Top 10, 4 #1
The Jacksons: 13 Hot 100, 3 Top 10, 0 #1
Janet Jackson: 41 Hot 100, 27 Top 10, 10 #1
Jermaine Jackson: 17 Hot 100, 2 Top 10, 0 #1
Justin Timberlake: 33 Hot 100, 19 Top 10, 5 #1
'N Sync: 12 Hot 100, 6 Top 10, 1 #1

If you add 'N Sync & Justin solo together (45 - 25 - 6), it's still less than Drake. They're even with #1s though.

You know that charts (especially in the spotify age) are a sham, right?

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https://www.washingtonpos...aming-age/

Exactly. Who is Drake, and who is Glee? 205 times in the top and i never heard even 1.

MotownSubdivision said:

nextedition said:

Never knew Whitney and George were rock and roll

Aretha isn't a rock artist and TC mentioned her, you know. Shoot, Michael and Prince weren't rock artists either. Either way they all were/are very significant artists of the "rock" era. [Edited 9/18/19 14:58pm]

I think many would considered Prince a rock artsit. Not that it really matters

TheFman said:

Exactly. Who is Drake, and who is Glee? 205 times in the top and i never heard even 1.

lf you listen to Top 40 or R&B radio then you'd have heard of Drake because he's like played every 20 minutes. Plus he used to be in the TV show Degrassi High before he started making music. He got a popular meme about Degrassi.

MickyDolenz said:

domainator2010 said:

You can't be serious!

Glee: 207 Hot 100, 3 Top 10, 0 #1
Drake: 205 Hot 100, 35 Top 10, 6 #1
Lil Wayne: 163 Hot 100, 24 Top 10, 3 #1
Elvis Presley: 109 Hot 100, 25 Top 10, 7 #1
Nicki Minaj: 104 Hot 100, 17 Top 10, 0 #1
James Brown: 91 Hot 100, 7 Top 10, 0 #1
The Beatles: 71 Hot 100, 34 Top 10, 20 #1
Paul McCartney: 47 Hot 100, 23 Top 10, 9 #1
John Lennon: 18 Hot 100, 8 Top 10, 2 #1
George Harrison: 15 Hot 100, 5 Top 10, 3 #1
Ringo Starr: 12 Hot 100, 7 Top 10, 2 #1
Michael Jackson: 51 Hot 100, 30 Top 10, 13 #1
Jackson 5: 17 Hot 100, 8 Top 10, 4 #1
The Jacksons: 13 Hot 100, 3 Top 10, 0 #1
Janet Jackson: 41 Hot 100, 27 Top 10, 10 #1
Jermaine Jackson: 17 Hot 100, 2 Top 10, 0 #1
Justin Timberlake: 33 Hot 100, 19 Top 10, 5 #1
'N Sync: 12 Hot 100, 6 Top 10, 1 #1

If you add 'N Sync & Justin solo together (45 - 25 - 6), it's still less than Drake. They're even with #1s though.

You can't compare the charts, they changed drastically in (mid) 80's, favouring airplay to sales, by the time we reach the mid 90's. Airplay was 70% of the chart calculation, thus we had all these artist debuting singles at # 1. Today single is King, and there is digital sales and streaming included in chart calcualtions. You almost have to break them into eras, and understand what is going on with the calculations of the charts.

MickyDolenz said:

TheFman said:

Exactly. Who is Drake, and who is Glee? 205 times in the top and i never heard even 1.

lf you listen to Top 40 or R&B radio then you'd have heard of Drake because he's like played every 20 minutes. Plus he used to be in the TV show Degrassi High before he started making music. He got a popular meme about Degrassi.

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Top 40? Radio? It's dead. If MTV didn't kill it, the internet sure did. The thing called "radio" now? Zombie remains that are 100% corporate dictated payola commercials. Demolition Man was scary accurate. The future of radio is here and it's bleak...

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As for Drake. Good thing he exists in this pop culure wasteland of the 21st century. Had his "prime" been in the 90's. He'd would have been exposed as the phony he is quicker than you can say Vanilla Ice. I mean, at least Rob Van Winkle could dance...can't say the same for Aubrey. Seriously, with all his "chart success" can you honestly say that Drake has had a bigger impact on pop culture than, say, MC Hammer did in his time? I am being honest.

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Sorry Uncle Larry.... this dude raps worse than David Silver and sings worse than Milli Vanilli. Get better ghost writers, please...

[Edited 9/30/19 19:52pm]

[Edited 9/30/19 20:02pm]

Lastly, what'd Huey say? The heart of rock and roll is still beating:

https://www.youtube.com/w...fpma1AUz5k

skywalker said:

Seriously, with all his "chart success" can you honestly say that Drake has had a bigger impact on pop culture than, say, MC Hammer did in his time?

The Kardashian family has a bigger impact on today's pop culture than MC Hammer or Drake and they don't really do anything and became millionaires or billionaires doing it. There's hardly a day that goes by that they're not mentioned on TV in some way including on the news. So what's your point? There's also Youtube stars and people getting lots of views reacting to movie trailers and music videos or opening a box of something they ordered. Unknown singers/bands doing covers of current hits such as Bodak Yellow and Old Town Road get millions of views. Paul McCartney put a video on Youtube with Black Beatles by Rae Sremmurd playing in the background for the mannequin challenge. There's a lot of talent shows on TV like American Idol, The Masked Singer, The Voice, Lip Sync Challenge, Dancing With The Stars, Drop The Mic, America's Got Talent, etc. You think these shows would be on if enough people are not watching them? Taylor Swift is popular because she's on the radio and people watch her videos on Youtube. Anyway commercial chart radio has always worked off of payola. James Brown used to pay some DJs himself to play his records in the 1960s. It doesn't matter if you listen to the radio or not, millions of people still do and some jobs have the radio playing and modern hits are played at sporting events too. So it's not dead to the mainstream.