OT: Who are the current monsters of rock?

[pk500]

I thought of this music question last night while doing dishes: Who are the current monsters of rock?

Who are the bands or artists that get mainstream and widespread attention when they release a new album? Reviews in Newsweek or Time, tons of promotion and airplay on rock radio?

I remember in the 70s that Zeppelin, Aerosmith, The Who and The Stones stopped the public musical clocks whenever they released a new album. Same with The Police, R.E.M. and U2 in the 80s. I can remember people camping out of music stores for "Use Your Illusion I and II" by Guns 'N Roses. (Hell, I was at the store within minutes of it opening.)

So who are the monsters of rock today in this fragmented, niche world of rock music, where everything isn't governed by AOR? I'm not talking excellent bands like The Arcade Fire, which set the indie and college radio world abuzz but don't really get much mainstream rock airplay.

My list:

U2
Coldplay
Green Day (especially after "American Idiot")
Pearl Jam
Bob Dylan

Metallica used to be on this list, but it's becoming marginalized by the lack of quality of its recent albums. Aerosmith, I'm not sure. Same with The Stones, as their releases are becoming more of a curiosity. Springsteen? Still sells a ton, but he's becoming a folkie Sting.

Who else? Remember, this isn't a discussion of taste or quality. It's a discussion about the bands that rule the world in terms of commercial appeal, rock radio airplay and mainstream media buzz.

Discuss!

Take care,
PK

[matthewk]

Of your list, I'd only consider U2 as a rock band that gets that much attention. The others on your list get some, but I just don't see them on the same level.

There are very few rock bands today that attract widespread attention. Theones that get the spotlight today are either pop-trash like Britney & Pussycat dolls or hip-hop artists like Eminem.

At my age it really doesn't matter to me anymore. As long as I can find new music that I enjoy, I don't care anymore if it's mainstream. Thank Al Gore for the internet, as that has become just about my only source for new music.

[GameSeven]

Maybe it's just being from Jersey, but Bon Jovi releases still get significant attention.

[tjung0831]

Creed

[Sudz]

the f***in police are charging $450 for last row nosebleeds...

[pk500]

the f***in police are charging $450 for last row nosebleeds...

True, but that's for nostalgia, not for anything current. Still an impressive take, though.

Take care,
PK

[pk500]

Creed

Are you serious or just trying to get a rise out of me? The latter, it worked. The former, you must be sh*tting me.



Take care,
PK

[JackB1]

Sadly...the "monsters of today" don't compare to the "monsters" of yesterday.....(Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Yes, Queen, Bowie, Stones, Who, AC/DC)

Using your criteria of "major attention for new releases" I would say:

U2
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Green Day
Coldplay
Evanescense ?

that's about it. Sadly, all the bands that looked poised to take the hard rock reins after Led Zeppelin, either fizzled out or were not worthy (Whitesnake, Guns N Roses, Puddle Of Mud, Alice In Chains, Foo Fighters,
Live, Audioslave, Stone Temple Pilots, Nirvana, Fuel).

I thought of this music question last night while doing dishes: Who are the current monsters of rock?

Who are the bands or artists that get mainstream and widespread attention when they release a new album? Reviews in Newsweek or Time, tons of promotion and airplay on rock radio?

I remember in the 70s that Zeppelin, Aerosmith, The Who and The Stones stopped the public musical clocks whenever they released a new album. Same with The Police, R.E.M. and U2 in the 80s. I can remember people camping out of music stores for "Use Your Illusion I and II" by Guns 'N Roses. (Hell, I was at the store within minutes of it opening.)

So who are the monsters of rock today in this fragmented, niche world of rock music, where everything isn't governed by AOR? I'm not talking excellent bands like The Arcade Fire, which set the indie and college radio world abuzz but don't really get much mainstream rock airplay.

My list:

U2
Coldplay
Green Day (especially after "American Idiot")
Pearl Jam
Bob Dylan

Metallica used to be on this list, but it's becoming marginalized by the lack of quality of its recent albums. Aerosmith, I'm not sure. Same with The Stones, as their releases are becoming more of a curiosity. Springsteen? Still sells a ton, but he's becoming a folkie Sting.

Who else? Remember, this isn't a discussion of taste or quality. It's a discussion about the bands that rule the world in terms of commercial appeal, rock radio airplay and mainstream media buzz.

Discuss!

Take care,
PK

[Zeppo]

Ooops.

[pk500]

Good call on the Chili Peppers. They definitely fit, I think.

Take care,
PK

[pk500]

Gang:

It's Friday. I don't know if anyone will be around for some gaming tonight as we prepare to lose an hour over the weekend, but it's been a little while since we've played some good ol' SC vs. online.

10:30p EST is the time to get started. I could go a bit earlier for some co-op to warm up if there is interest in that as well, but I really want to get some 2 on 2 action in at least, if not the full 3 on 3.

Who's in?

Zep is a true monster of rock, in the vein of Pink Floyd: He must be feeling comfortably numb due to the placement of this post.

YOU DICK!

It's a perfect time to repeat the greatest line ever uttered by the late Ray Walston in any production in which he appeared: "What are you people, ON DOPE?"

Take care,
PK

[Zeppo]

Gang:

It's Friday. I don't know if anyone will be around for some gaming tonight as we prepare to lose an hour over the weekend, but it's been a little while since we've played some good ol' SC vs. online.

10:30p EST is the time to get started. I could go a bit earlier for some co-op to warm up if there is interest in that as well, but I really want to get some 2 on 2 action in at least, if not the full 3 on 3.

Who's in?

Zep is a true monster of rock, in the vein of Pink Floyd: He must be feeling comfortably numb due to the placement of this post.

YOU DICK!

It's a perfect time to repeat the greatest line ever uttered by the late Ray Walston in any production in which he appeared: "What are you people, ON DOPE?"

Take care,
PK

Listen Pal, it was a missed button clikc and nothing more! Sheesh! I regret even looking into this pointless thread started by mr. lonely I-don't-have-a-360, living in the past, stone-age PC guy over here! What, are you trying to 'be like Jack' with this thread? Where's the DSP Pointless forum?



I wasn't trying to Meddle, the buttons were just a little Obscured by the Clouds. You know while we're playing SC, seeking the Saucerful of Secrets, we'll all be thinking the same thing, PK: Wish You Were Here.

[pk500]

You're still a DICK!

Take care,
PK

[grtwhtsk]

Nickelback anyone?

[pk500]

Nickelback anyone?

Sadly, you might be right. There is a lot of inexplicable buzz surrounding their new releases. Same with Limp Bizkit, even though both bands are horrible.

Take care,
PK

[Brando70]

LOL at Zeppo's post.

I think the music business is too fragmented to have many monsters of rock. A lot of the hype for big new releases seems more in the rap/hip-hop arena (Jay-Z, Eminem, 50 Cent).

U2 and the Chili Peppers are definitely on the list. Green Day will be if their next album is as big as American Idiot. Coldplay is very popular, but I don't see them in that vein.

Linkin Park are pretty huge. They fly under the radar of old farts like me but they've sold a buttload of albums. Same goes for Nickelback, although I think they're the 2000s version of Grand Funk Railroad.

[ScoopBrady]

Every band mentioned in this thread sucks, including U2.

[BigAl]

The Killers

[pk500]

The Killers

Not a chance. Still a cult favorite. Not a household-name rock band. Maybe in a few albums.

Take care,
PK

[F308GTB]

Face it guys, most of us are old and getting older. To seriously answer this question we'd need to turn back the clock 10-15 years and put ourselves in the minds of teens and twenty somethings. I guess I'm just a grumpy old man who can't stand commercial radio anymore to know who the top acts are these days, and I would imagine many of you are too.

To tell you how out of touch I am with mainstream music, the last concert I went to was by a guy who's now dead (Elliott Smith - damn good show, too bad he offed himself).

Bob Dylan a monster of rock? I don't think I've ever heard him on the radio. All I have of him is on vinyl and CD. Pearl Jam? Their so '90s.

Commercial radio just plain sucks.

[RobVarak]

Considering that nobody is selling enormous numbers of albums except for tweener artists like Hanna Montana and other Disney-bots, I think that using sales as a gauge is useless.

The market is so thoroughly fractured as to be effectively pulverized at this point.

[AJColossal]

R.E.M. was right there with U2, with all of their albums getting the attention you would give a "monster of rock", but their last few albums have really fizzled in terms of commercial interest. They don't even get the critical love they used to get.

Maybe it's living in Chicago, but Wilco seems to be approaching that kind of buzz. Radiohead seems like the most popular band in the wold at times in terms of how rabid their fanbase is, but I don't know about massive radio play.

[fanatic]

Radiohead is still my favorite modern day band, but they've been a little too reclusive to stay at the top.

After Ok Computer, they have slipped a bit in terms of all time greats.

[pk500]

A.J., Fan:

Radiohead is a good call. There's still a lot of buzz surrounding its new releases. Forgot about them.

Take care,
PK

[devilsjaw]

Weezer