As a lifelong rock enthusiast who grew up with the likes of Zeppelin, Aerosmith, and Queen, I must say that reading this article left me feeling rather disheartened. The once-thriving genre that shaped my youth is now struggling to make an impact on the charts. It seems like Taylor Swift’s reign has left little room for other genres to shine.
It was generally believed and it turned out to be correct: Taylor Swift dominates the musical world with a firm grip. On Billboard’s annual Top 200 albums chart, Swift holds four spots within the top 10, with her 2024 album, The Tortured Poets Department, taking the first position. Meanwhile, country sensation Morgan Wallen also has two of his albums in the top 10.
In a surprising turn of events, we may have all thought differently: It wasn’t just unlikely, but almost unheard of for any rock records to dominate the charts. However, it turns out that things were even bleaker. Not a single rock album released in 2024 managed to crack the top 200. And here’s the kicker: though 30 rock albums made it into the top 200, an astonishing 24 of them were greatest hits compilations.
The latest rock studio album to appear on the charts is Arctic Monkeys’ AM, released in 2013 and peaking at position 105. To put it another way, since then, no “new” rock studio album has managed to spark significant sales among the record-buying public in 2024, leading some to claim that rock music is no more.
Billboard might have just proven rock is dead for good
In a nutshell, Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours,” released in 1977, remains popular enough to rank at number 34 on Billboard’s annual chart. Right behind it is Elton John’s compilation album, “Diamonds.” However, some might say that over the past four decades, Elton John’s music leans more towards pop than rock.
In addition to “Rumours” by Fleetwood Mac and the Arctic Monkeys’ album, four other studio rock albums made it onto the chart: Nirvana’s “Nevermind” from 1991, AC/DC’s “Back in Black” from 1980, Sublime’s self-titled album from 1996, and Linkin Park’s “Hybrid Theory” from 2000. These albums ranked at positions 93, 162, 197, and 180 on the chart, respectively.
Is it saying that due to the multitude of subgenres, identifying what classic rock sounds like has become challenging? And could it be that country music is thriving lately because there aren’t many contemporary rock bands producing significant albums in the classic style? Here’s hoping that isn’t the case.
As a devoted fan, I find myself pondering if perhaps the wave of rock music has momentarily ebbed. After all, The Black Crowes graced us with their latest masterpiece, “Happiness Bastards,” in 2024 – an album deserving of a vast and passionate audience. Maybe it’s time for music enthusiasts to rediscover their love for rock and roll, and let the rhythm take control once more.
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2024-12-17 20:00