Rock and Roll Is Dying

Rock and Roll Is Dying

Picture an average person walking on the street, with headphones on. He is most likely listening to mainstream modern music. This is not necessarily a bad thing. But old Rock and Roll is slowly dying. People don't listen to rock as much as people used too. There may be reasons for this.

Out of a Survey of 18 people, 15 said that artists of Modern mainstream music do it for the money and fame, and not because of their passion and their love for music as an art. The ways of getting famous were different back when rock was a big thing. Bands like Nirvana started off as garage bands that played with old instrument. For this reason, people put more of their love and effort into making the music, and also because they loved it. “Now it’s different. People have to get a record label, and make up some lyrics” says Samar Zia, who is an avid music lover. Basil Haider stated that “ Music used to be an art, music used to passion. Now music is a job, a way to make money, and artist’s don't care how the music sounds.”

Gene Simmons, the famous KISS rocker made a statement that “Rock and Roll is Dead” He quoted while talking to son Nick Simmons “The death of rock was not a natural death. Rock did not die of old age. It was murdered. And the real culprit is that kid's 15-year-old next-door neighbor, probably a friend of his. Maybe even one of the bandmates he's jamming with. The tragedy is that they seem to have no idea that they just killed their own opportunity — they killed the artists they would have loved.” This statement from Gene Simmons has some deep meaning. Rock and Roll did not die because people didn’t think it was old or not cool. It’s probably the fact that there was so much garageband's in his time, that it became hard to get into mainstream media. Bands can't get their fame as easily as it was before.

Another reason why rock and roll is slowly fading is because of music piracy. CD’s are becoming obscure, because it is so easy to pirate music, rock artist are not able to make money by selling CD’s. Also old rock artists don't have as much merchandise to sell as their counterparts in the pop and rap industry. Rock artist can't make money anymore. Their passion for music won't necessarily pay their bills. They can't make money anymore because they are losing sources of money.

Now record companies that would have given them money and published their music won't jump to rock because now its old music. They do the same thing for pop and rap, but rock is fading for this reason. Gene Simmons quoted “ There was an entire industry to help the next Beatles, Stones, Prince, Hendrix to prop them up and support them every step of the way. There are still record companies, and it does apply to pop, rap and country to an extent. But for performers who are also songwriters, the creators, for rock, for soul and the blues, its finally dead. Rock is finally dead” Record companies have left the side of rock to go towards new music, and rock is now left in the dust.

How will this be fixed? There is no complete solution. But stopping music piracy will help the music industry as a whole. Also people should give rock more love. They should no completely disregard. But of course, its a persons choice what they listen to. But rock should not be left in the dirt