Is Rock Becoming The New Jazz?

It’s an interesting question, although Rick Beato’s rambling and boring video is more a diatribe against artists who don’t allow their videos on YouTube.

I say rock is obviously becoming the new jazz. it’s still valid, of course. (I’m sure y’all have seen the deluge of clickbait articles the last few years announcing rock’s imminent death.) I mean, yes, it had its moment in the spotlight as the dominant form of popular music – a nice, long run – just as jazz did before it. But it’s not going anywhere.

Rock has taken a backseat as niche music now, and I’m okay with that. I’m curious to know what you guys think.

8 Replies to “Is Rock Becoming The New Jazz?”

  1. We’re ALL becoming the new jazz.

    Please get me my reading glasses so I can watch this old guy talk about the MTV’s.

  2. I agree with you. I’m also fine with it. There are a lot of great bands out there still, they just aren’t all over the radio (which I don’t listen to anyway). I also think that some of the recent moves in pop and hip hop are going a long way towards making artistic statements although much of it is still pretty disposable. Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce, and others are making strong albums that are built to last. People always think the worse when the culture or situation they are used to is on the wane, but as an historian I tend to take a longer view. I’m sure the Romans believed that their empire would last forever too.

    1. Well said!

      It’s fascinating to me how these various eras come and go. Anybody wanna speculate on what’s next? If Trump gets a second term, I predict sticks and rocks as being the next big music trend.

  3. Well, jazz certainly resembles classical in that it’s supported far more by universities and arts foundations than consumers. Rock isn’t there yet, but like jazz, it grew from disreputable roots into an institution with a Hall of Fame, losing much in the process.

    Also, like jazz and classical, note-perfect playing is taken for granted nowadays in rock. No commercially successful band could currently get away with the inspired sloppiness of, say, the Stones in the 60’s. Again, that follows both classical and jazz, both of which in their heydays had major artists with technical challenges that would never be tolerated today. That’s unfortunate. Wynton Marsalis on a bad day is technically a far better trumpeter than Miles Davis ever was, but whom would you rather listen to?

    So yeah, rock is definitely headed that direction. Whether it’s still valid begs another question: to whom? It certainly is to us and a subculture of youth, but perhaps not to most people under thirty. I’d like to think there will be more resurgences due to kids inspired by their parents’ or grandparents’ records, but therein lies a problem. If it’s ok with your parents, it’s just not that cool anymore. That’s why the era of larger-than-life rock gods is gone forever.

    I disagree with the video that video-blocking has anything to do with it. Sure, some artists would get more exposure if they or their labels didn’t restrict access, but the fact remains that they are older acts with an older audience. Time marches on, and new genres will replace older ones anyway. I’m cool with it.

    1. Great points. I teach high school and the interest in rock comes and goes over the years. Right now interest in relatively low. I also agree with you about the video blocking bit. There are a thousand other ways for kids to get and hear music than youtube. They are little stealth ninjas when it comes to this stuff!

  4. I teach high school as well, and you’re spot on. Generally, interest is also down at my school, but the ones who are into it are very active. Will post a video of some current students when I get a chance.

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