ROCK: THE DYING GENRE IN THE NEW AGE OF LIVE PERFORMANCE
BY LAUREN STIDHAM GRAPHIC BY CARLY HART
Live performances and world tours are booming across all genres. Whether it’s Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour,” Lorde’s recent announcement of her world tour “Ultrasound,” Charli XCX and Troye Sivan’s “Sweat Tour,” or Tyler Childers’ “On the Road Tour,” big names in the industry are constantly pumping out elaborate shows.
Amidst the fusion of old and new performers and inventive stage productions, one genre is falling short in the new age of live performances: rock. While a number of iconic classic-rock bands are still traveling far and wide to preserve their hits that pioneered the industry, new names and fresh faces are falling short against these other thriving genres. Foo Fighters, Deftones, Eagles, The Rolling Stones, and many other bands are still taking center stage, but as these artists age and fizzle out in the sphere of live performances, who will be there to keep the music alive?
Indie has seen a number of live performances from artists and bands such as Clario, Mt. Joy, The Lumineers, and The Marias. Pop has brought us new and old booming artists such as Sabrina Carpenter, Tate McRae, and Taylor Swift. Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Beyonce, and Tyler the Creator have reigned as major performers in R&B and rap. Country has stayed prominent with artists such as Zach Bryan and Megan Moroney attracting listeners from a vast audience.
Rock held its place as one of the most popular genres since Elvis amassed a worldwide audience in the ‘50s. Drawing many influences from many Black artists in earlier genres like gospel, rhythm & blues, and country, he kicked off a long and prominent string of performers who diversified and accumulated colossal crowds over the years.
Following in the ‘60s, “The British Invasion” introduced a new set of talent such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, and other artists who welcomed new sounds and new fans into the world of rock. The genre continued a legendary run as it invited new subgenres such as psychedelic rock and punk rock. Woodstock in 1969 brought some of the most memorable performances from artists such as Jimi Hendrix and the Grateful Dead, and major venues such as Madison Square Garden, the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and Wembley Stadium remained stages for great rock artists up until the 2000s.
The golden age of grunge and alternative rock reigned in the 90s, and it was then that we saw some of the most iconic live performances, such as Metallica’s performance of “Enter Sandman” in Moscow in 1991. Even moving into the early 2000s, we saw bands such as The Strokes and Arcade Fire keep the sound of rock alive, and it was after these bands that we arguably haven’t seen any novelties in live rock performers in recent years.
Looking into the quality of music and the size of crowds that would gather for these rock artists, it is easy to see the hole this industry has undergone since its decline. One could argue that a limit of new branches within the genre was reached. Greta Van Fleet, a new band that became a sole contender for a large following in live rock performances, has faced heavy criticism due to its similar sounds to the band Led Zeppelin which was popular in the ‘70s. Could the lack of invitation from the devoted fans of the classic-rock scene be stifling any shot for striving contemporary rock artists? Have electronic instruments and songs made for short-form content taken over the attention of young audiences? Many questions surround the recent suspension of the once widespread genre and it is uncertain whether the rock industry has run its course or is on the cusp of revival.
