About Rock Music
What started as an underground movement almost 70 years ago ahs now evolved to become the soundtracks of millions of lives of an entire generation. Rock music has a long, storied past, and its history has been volatile and unpredictable as the genre constantly reinvented itself with the changing times. The origin of rock music can be traced back to the late 1940s, in the United States when the popular styles of the day, country music and blues, all succumbed into a new sound aided by electric guitars and a steady play of drum beats. The seeds of the music got well implanted in people’s minds since then. With a whole array of gestures, attitudes, styles, and narratives, the rock music was endlessly receptive to outside influences and acted as a flexible ground to receive all the narratives of a youthful rebellion. By the early ’60s, rock had already expanded its scope by transitioning from single artists into musicians capable of producing cohesive albums of songs. But to understand rock’s significance one has to understand the way it works both socially and musically.
Types of Rock Music
The Rock genre covers a wide diversity of sub-genres, but below mentioned are few of the best fusion mixes that are still dominating the charts and successfully leave their mark by playing an integral part in shaping up artistic minds of rock musicians of today and for the future. The points jotted below focuses on the several styles that emerged in the late twentieth century.
PUNK ROCK:
Punk bloomed in the US, UK, and Australia back in the 1970s where it worked as a riotous alternative to the popular music of that era as it was improvised to deliver political messages. Punk rock gave a voice to the perspective of the audience who could relate to the sound and style of punk. The various punk groups aimed to sing relevant lyrics that were relatable to the audience accompanied by electric guitars, electric bass, and drum beats. Punk of that time sounded more chaotic and expressed the core of a person’s being, sometimes infused with vocals that sounded more like a noise than their singing. Although it was more of a medium of self-expression, today punk remains an important platform for political discussion and social awareness.
HEAVY METAL:
Heavy metal gives the audience the chance to experience lyrics based in fantasy, along with a powerful sound that has the listener headbanging to the repeated and hypnotic riffs. It is aggressive and includes a group of related styles that are intense, virtuosic, and powerful. The music is driven by the rough sounds of the distorted electric guitar and has strong repetitive rhythms. The distortion in their music is the result of amplifiers that have been altered to produce a different kind of sound.
RAP ROCK:
This sound wave emerges from the fusion of rock and hip-hop. The rap-rock takes the beats and rapping of hip-hop and connects them to various styles of rock. The flow of the rap and the rhythmic rhyming which when blended with rock music sounds exciting. Rap rock is a fusion genre that includes heavy metal and hardcore punk oriented influences. There is also a fantastic inclusion of harmonies and playful vibrancy in rap rock music.
HARD ROCK:
Hard Rock is a variation of the rock and roll music which is typified by a heavy metal sound. This genre is forever changing and tends to be harder, faster, and louder. There is a sheer heaviness in the music that bets the energy into play.
FUNK ROCK:
More than just being a musical genre, funk rock was introduced as a movement in Britain and the US. The first wave of fuck was relatively short-lived but it had already ignited the influence in many other genres. By the time it had emerged as a genre of loud, fast, rebellious music which is packed with style. It mixes the soul, blues, and rhythms with the sparks of rock. The involvement of instrumentals in the sound is very much encouraged, but a definitive beat fro bass, guitar, or drum is what forms the base of the fuck rock’s world, fully distorted and chaotic.
The popularity of Rock Music
Previously rock music used to be associated with youth and rebellion and remained dominant until the late 1990s. But with growing time, the genre has been taken over by pop and R&B. Pop-rock, however, made a comeback in 2013 when electro-rock bands and pop-punk bands enjoyed wide popularity and achieved success. However, rock and roll were popular amongst the young people in the 1950’s because it seemed to form a rebellion during a time that emphasized conformity. The rock which once used to be the shining star in the night sky of popular music, with radio diversifying, the moment of now is driven more towards the guitar-driven rock. Now in the new millennium, it has fallen aside by hip-hop, pop, and country which dominates the mainstream. Although there have been few releases that have managed to gain some recognition, it continues to hog for the spotlight.
Is Rock Music still relevant?
The traditional rock music may be dead, but the new generation of vital rock is rising from its ashes. Although many statements have been wheeled out regarding the death of rock and its unavailability in the commercial radio, rock radio is alive and well. It is just the work of the audience to discover it. Technology has just taken the power from commercial gatekeepers and advertisers and handed the responsibility back to the fans to keep the passionate rock music alive. Rock music is now under the control of the fans. The common thinking that goes by saying that rock is dead is because no rock bands have come up in recent times which are as famous as Beyonce or Taylor Swift. Though things look quite grim fro Rock, the genre has always served as the underdog.
Is Rock n Roll music fading out?
The phrase Rock music is dead might sound unpleasing to some people but with every passing year, it seems that the rock genre has mined out. According to recent research, it is only hip-hop and R&B which have managed to make it to the charts with other genres eclipsed in all measures of popularity and profitability. Musicians ignite the discussion on platforms in an attempt to add some spice to the controversy, but the truth lies in the fact that rock has been cycling with the same old ideas and clichéd riffs. Taking into consideration the sale of a recent rock album, it will be unwise to predict the comeback of Rock anytime soon. One such example which would fuel up this statement is the absence of rock category in the Grammy’s who didn’t even bother to air the genre at this year’s ceremony.
What Rock needs right now is some charismatic wunderkind that will come along and blow open the door for rock bands. With time, maybe the rock will gradually seem appealing in comparison to hip-hop and EDM. Right now Rock is somewhere in the middle and the more decline of its popularity happens, the more it will attract baseless musicians.
Singer and Song
Alexisonfire- 'Familiar Drugs'
Alexisonfire is a five piece hardcore band from Canada whose recent blistering track ‘Familiar Drugs’ aims to make the listeners recognize the need to make changes in life and grabbing every opportunity to make that happen.
Alter Bridge- 'Wouldn't You Rather'
Alter Bridge is an American rock band from Orlando who has been going strong since 2004. The track ‘Wouldn’t you Rather’ is heavy and has an eerie vibe to it. The song is a delight for any rock or metal music lover.
Andy Black- 'The Promise'
Andy Black is an American singer and pianist who is also the founder and lead vocalist for the American rock band Black Veil Brides. His uplifting new single 'The Promise’ will hit the listener right in the feels while teasing their emotional heart.
Bad Wolves-'Sober'
Bad Wolves is an American heavy metal supergroup formed in 2017, who has since then emerged as a lean, mean rock machine over the years. The track ‘Sober’ is a mid-tempo radio-ready rock number which primarily plays out over acoustic guitars and a clap-along beat, digging deep into the fragility of a relationship with someone struggling with their sobriety.
Badflower- 'Heroin'
Badflower is an American rock band founded in LA, who has really picked up momentum over the last year. The emotional track ‘Heroin’ is ripe with slow-burn verses and heavy-hitting choruses that put the band’s versatility on full display.
