[lidya-sggf]

Train counts as rock now? That's the worst part of news in the whole piece.

For the record, I've noticed that a lot of people are getting into this dance music bullshit. I can't figure why anybody would want to listen to Deadmau5 without the benefit of MDMA.

[Kdgjhytiy]

Footsie's quoted section missed out this bit from the article:

But album sales overall are down year-on-year: combined sales of digital and physical albums overall fell by 7% to 119.9m in 2010, while the number of people illegally downloading tracks continued to grow. This puts further pressure on record labels, who may be less likely to invest in non-manufactured bands with no guarantee of success. "Investment is going on, but it stands to reason that it will be threatened if high levels of file-sharing continues," said Wadsworth. What I've thought for years - piracy is killing real music. It's one of the reasons I stopped playing in bands.

[arrasleds]

Here in the Philippines we have another 20 years to rock on... cause everything played here is still from teh 80's! (If the math doesn't add up that's because rock died a long time ago...)

[rozneesitcn]

[dexterljohnthefinanceguy]

All the OP demonstrates is the horrible taste in music that the UK has (and no doubt the rest of Europe).

Data from the US:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/hom...ndustry-Report

According to that site, 2010 sales for each genre are:
Alternative 53.7 million
Christian/Gospel 24.2 million
Classical 8.9 mil
Country 43.7
Jazz 8.7
Latin 12.3
Metal 32.5
New Age 1.6
R&B 57.8
Rap 27.3
Rock 103.7
Soundtrack 16.4

I believe the categories are somewhat wonky since R&B includes Rap, and Rock, I believe, includes Alternative and Metal (and Pop is in the Rock category too).

Either way, Rock is most certainly not dead in the United States. Suck it Europe.

[Quaganoca]

Did you hear what they said? that rock 'n' roll is dead
Yeah
It's like a zombie it'll dig itself back up again

This is a good point.

In 1988 I joined a guitar-band. Our influences were Beatles, Kinks, Jam, Smiths, REM, but 80's synth-electronica was still in its era, and everyone was telling us "oh, guitar music is dead, you're living in the past". A few years later, and the guitar was back in fashion over here in the form of Brit-pop - which we'd been doing for years. By then, our influences had moved more over towards US-indie stuff like Husker Du and Pixies which in turn, by the mid-to-late 90's went on to influence a then-thriving Indie-Rock scene.

Without wishing to engage into the inevitable war about who actually influenced what and when certain genres rose and fell, the point is that 20 years ago the rock-guitar was also being pronounced dead, but it came back and had, in my view, a fantastic decade (albeit with the roots sewn earlier).

[12Jasoumemoobia]

Pssh, you don't know my tastes in music. I'm a big rap fan too. I like all music actually, except dance/techno/jungle/electric/crap.

[Ufkkrxcq]

Also, even looking at the original article (more parts not quoted in the OP) the "data" that resulted in the rock is dead prediction was only from sale of singles. Everyone knows that rock fans are more likely to buy albums than singles. The Guardian article says that 27% of the 100 best selling albums in the UK (uh.. 27 albums I'm guessing) were rock. So no paltry 3% like it claims. 27% is pretty solid, and apparently that isn't much changed from last year.

So even the UK isn't as bad off as the OP suggests.

Bad articles & bad quoting of bad articles.

[thegamexpertsdotcom]

[bMc8F9ZI]

well finally found a category where US and UK

This has sort-of been my view since Sugar released Copper Blue in 1992.

However, most of the writers of the American stuff I loved from that era were in turned influenced by British music from previous eras. There had been a 'special relationship' of ideas and styles going back-and-forth over the Atlantic for decades. Although I've always said over the last 20-odd years that US > UK for indie/alt rock I think it has more to do in many respects with the industry rather than the bands. I've seen countless excellent bands playing in small London venues who would never get a chance with the industry while dross gets picked up and promoted, often because of nepotism.

[mas-dkt-sive]

Do us a favour Al. Don't troll all over this thread, and don't post rap videos all over it.

Why not? Rap is apparently the most successful form of music there is

Rap is the past, present, and the future. Embrace it.

[DP5Ups8o]

Why not? Rap is apparently the most successful form of music there is

Rap is the past, present, and the future. Embrace it.

It isn't music, it's poetry.

[MP+4]

It isn't music, it's poetry.

Poetry is spoken music using the human voice as an instrument.

Does not poetry have rhythm? Does it not have a certain melody?

[Vomephems]

Poetry is spoken music using the human voice as an instrument.

Does not poetry have rhythm? Does it not have a certain melody?

Since when did poems have melodies?

[Percocetti]

I don't want to hear some tw*t talk over someone else's song talking about his hoes and b*tches...it's not music...it's just...well...sh*t...

Yes because every rap song is about hoes and *****es.

[Greapyjeory]

Yes because that's all rap is... guns, bling, *****es, and hoes

Just like rock is all suicidal devil worshipping ****.

[AbraroLib]

Far as I'm concerned, Rock is thriving right now. Mostly Alt-Rock. There's an insane amount of great new alt-rock coming out that I love.

[imporrilk]

spice girls

[StizePypemype]

Can I have permission to find a way to kill rap?

[CoenceLomneedtrue]

That would imply killing it the same way Rock died. Including it on a gay themed musical TV show.