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Old 07-10-2017, 01:08 PM
JPD
 
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What does "underground" mean?

As far as I can tell, rock is still very mainstream even if it isn't the biggest player on the Billboard charts anymore.
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Old 07-10-2017, 03:47 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JPD View Post
What does "underground" mean?

As far as I can tell, rock is still very mainstream even if it isn't the biggest player on the Billboard charts anymore.
You answered your question. What type of artist qualify as "rock stars" these days?

Rock bands of any genre aren't chart topping and racking in as much money as they did over a decade ago unless they are legacy acts like Red Hot Chilli Pepers or something. Of course exceptions exist so I want to throw that out there in case someone wanted to be obtuse.

In 2017 EDM producers and Rappers are the rock starts of the day. This is the music you will most likely hear at festivals not devoted to a rock genre and when you are shopping in the mall or listening to a commercial or at the movies or at a kickback.

Modern rock acts still have "success" but it is largely in small to mid-sized venues and specialty festivals. There aren't too many newer rock bands selling out stadiums.
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Old 07-10-2017, 03:51 PM
 
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Yet, Bassnectar for example can come here and sell out the Tabernacle or Verizon theater two-three nights in a row.

I like Bassnectar btw but this is the reality the industry now.
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Old 07-10-2017, 03:55 PM
 
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None of this really matters to me personally though, since most of the bands I like would probably never reach the level of acts/tours you guys are talking about about passing up ATL because of their niche. It's a interesting discussion though!
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Old 07-10-2017, 08:27 PM
 
Location: The canyon (with my pistols and knife)
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Originally Posted by DJDeadParrot View Post
With exceedingly few exceptions, what passed off as rock music in the 2000s was absolutely horrendous.
And what they try to pass off as "rock" music in the 2010s isn't actually rock music. Record labels don't even bother scouting actual rock music anymore, let alone promoting it. No offense to Lorde, but when "Royals" won the Billboard Music Award for Top Rock Song in 2014, then that was a slap in the face. I like the song, but it's not a rock song, period, and it's kind of insulting to pass it off as one. There's not even a guitar in the song. What the **** is rock music without a guitar? The guitar is the bedrock instrument for the entire genre, regardless of whether it's metal, alternative or mainstream rock, and regardless of whether it's electric or acoustic. Honestly, if I want to listen to rock music, then I'll gladly take the "horrendous" rock music of the 2000s over the pseudo-rock music of this decade 100 times out of 100, and I won't think twice about it either.
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Old 07-10-2017, 09:18 PM
 
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Just wanted to compliment everyone on having sauch an enlightening and intelligent discussion.
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Old 07-10-2017, 11:34 PM
 
Location: The canyon (with my pistols and knife)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JPD View Post
What does "underground" mean?

As far as I can tell, rock is still very mainstream even if it isn't the biggest player on the Billboard charts anymore.
New York and Los Angeles do not have contemporary mainstream rock stations right now. In fact, Dallas/Fort Worth and Philadelphia are the only radio markets in the top 10 that do. It's very safe to say that rock music has been pushed out of the mainstream. Classic rock and alternative don't count either, because classic rock does not play current rock, and alternative doesn't rock anymore. In fact, alternative today is more like 1980s "new wave" than anything: a quirkier and/or more sophisticated style of pop music.

Are you familiar with the following songs?


"Emotionless" - Red Sun Rising
"Joyride (Omen)" - Chevelle
"Hardwired" - Metallica
"Take Me Down" - The Pretty Reckless
"My Name Is Human" - Highly Suspect
"Square Hammer" - Ghost
"How Did You Love" - Shinedown
"Let You Down" - Seether
"Song #3" - Stone Sour


If you're not, then that proves my point, because each of those songs has reached #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart since the beginning of 2016. (Song #3 by Stone Sour is the current #1.) It used to be that songs that charted highly on this chart crossed over to Top 40 radio, or at least were seen for several weeks in the bottom half of the Billboard Hot 100 if they were a bit more radio-unfriendly for Top 40 airplay. But even the radio-friendly songs on this chart like "How Did You Love" by Shinedown don't even chart on the Hot 100 anymore.
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Old 07-11-2017, 04:02 AM
 
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Originally Posted by bhammaster View Post
None of this really matters to me personally though, since most of the bands I like would probably never reach the level of acts/tours you guys are talking about about passing up ATL because of their niche. It's a interesting discussion though!
This is the thing that keeps me happy. I can certainly find fantastic bands to listen to or go see live that just don't get any exposure. I'm not happy that a band has a hard time with only a few fans, but that I don't have to shell out hundreds of dollars to see a big act. My wife and I went to see Besnard Lakes at The Masquerade a month ago. I think a dozen people were there (sad). In my head they are as good as anything out there. They rock hard in the way I enjoy. Going to see Paul Kelly at City Winery in September. Plenty of seats left which means he's another musician not very popular in the U.S., but to me he's practically unmatched for what he does. So, I don't spend too much time moaning where things are today as far as not finding enjoyment. And, honestly, it's been like this forever. Rock radio did exist to a higher level at one time, but even then I was still in the clubs seeing bands play to 20 people who were every bit as good as the mainstream. I'm not against popular bands at all. It's just not necessary if you know where/how to look/listen.
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Old 07-11-2017, 07:11 AM
JPD
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Craziaskowboi View Post
And what they try to pass off as "rock" music in the 2010s isn't actually rock music. Record labels don't even bother scouting actual rock music anymore, let alone promoting it. No offense to Lorde, but when "Royals" won the Billboard Music Award for Top Rock Song in 2014, then that was a slap in the face. I like the song, but it's not a rock song, period, and it's kind of insulting to pass it off as one. There's not even a guitar in the song. What the **** is rock music without a guitar? The guitar is the bedrock instrument for the entire genre, regardless of whether it's metal, alternative or mainstream rock, and regardless of whether it's electric or acoustic. Honestly, if I want to listen to rock music, then I'll gladly take the "horrendous" rock music of the 2000s over the pseudo-rock music of this decade 100 times out of 100, and I won't think twice about it either.
This is true only of the major labels, which have been worthless for rock music since at least the mid-'90s. There are countless small labels putting out rock music, believing in it, and supporting it. Off the top of my head, here are some of the labels I'm referring to. This list doesn't even scratch the surface, and the rosters of these labels include some of the biggest bands in the world.

In The Red
Burger
Trouble In Mind
Merge
Drag City
Jagjaguwar
Rough Trade
Mexican Summer
Castle Face
Matador
Goner
Famous Class
4AD
Vice
Anti-
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Old 07-11-2017, 07:17 AM
JPD
 
12,138 posts, read 18,295,927 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bhammaster View Post

In 2017 EDM producers and Rappers are the rock starts of the day. This is the music you will most likely hear at festivals not devoted to a rock genre and when you are shopping in the mall or listening to a commercial or at the movies or at a kickback.

Modern rock acts still have "success" but it is largely in small to mid-sized venues and specialty festivals. There aren't too many newer rock bands selling out stadiums.
Which mall are you going to where they play rap and EDM? I've only ever heard smooth jazz and yacht rock whenever I've gone to a mall.

As for selling out stadiums, that isn't an issue for me. Frankly, I'm happy about that. Jimi Hendrix never sold out a stadium, so this isn't something new. Rock music is always best in smaller venues with ticket prices affordable enough for true fans to attend. If you're a band that plays the Variety Playhouse or Terminal West, but also regularly appear on late night TV shows, are you really underground? I think not.
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