rock 'n roll
25th May 1976: Rolling Stones lead singer Mick Jagger during a concert in 1976. (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images)

The Mystery And Romance Of Rock ‘N Roll Is Dead And Buried

Photo: Evening Standard/Getty Images

Rock ‘n roll may not be dead (close), but the romance of it sure as hell is, thanks to modern technology.

Not that long ago, kids would daydream their schoolday away wondering what their music idols were up to. Were they taking chain-smoking cigarettes around a musty studio, conjuring up inspired riffs and God-given solos of potentially the greatest songs ever to be heard? Now, instead of wondering what Keith Richards is up to, we can just look on Twitter and know instantly, removing any mystery, effort or anticipation.

The imploding record industry and exploding tech industry combined to force artists, even the mighty ones, to pander to their audiences in order to keep them afloat. Big-name bands have their hefty mortgages to pay off, and to do so, must sell more tickets while album sales continue to become more and more of a joke. Meanwhile, Joe-Blow down the street, who now exists in multitudes, markets his pots-and-pans garage band on the same level as these monumental men (and women), thanks to social media and the unlimited tools at our fingertips.

At least we have these guys: Ranking the 10 Best Live Drum Solos Recorded in Rock History

Rock ‘n roll was never just about the music. It was iconic, looped in with fashion and lifestyle. But social media and its connectivity (better yet, dis-connectivity) has been the death of the rock star, the murder of music lifestyle and the beast of burden to the term “sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll.”
Check out some of our favorite examples, including public apologies amongst bandmates, political agenda waterboarding, over-the-hill bands pandering enough that they’ll let fans choose their setlists and Mick Jagger glamping like a real badass. Talk about communication breakdown.
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