Rock Star vs. Rock Genre?

The Rock star has given way to the Rap star...I'm sorry to say.

To be honest, I'm glad the music is actually getting all the attention now than the actual stars because let's face it, the music MADE the stars! That's why they're ROCKstars and why they are known. They are not known for their exploits but for their work that makes the exploits known. Which is also similar to what Rckets was saying.

But I do get what you mean about the focus being made entirely on the genre and not on the actual actions of the artist. The artist is the one who makes the music and produces it so they should be recognized too. But you got to admit, most individuality has gone down society's drain hole so I don't think it matters what people do anymore because it's nothing new. Just hot attention for a tabloid newspaper.

Ya, I have to agree with Billy Inbred too.. seems that rock stars died out while rap stars took over as the "music industry bad boys".

While they still exist, I think that rock, as a general rule, has calmed down a lot from it's predecesor's days. I mean, you have your Scott Weilands, and your PETE DOHERTYs (Former Libertines frontman)... who are struggling with/have struggled with substance abuse, but all in all it's mellowed out a lot. I am not necessarily against this mellowing out though Fonzie, I mean if you look back.... music has lost MANY greats to the excesses of rockstar life.

Rockstars like Janis Joplin, Jimi H, Jim Morrison, Sid Vicious, the list is a mile long.. have all succumbed to their rockstar lifestyle.... Nikki Sixx almost did a bunch of times, Keith Richards, Dave Mustaine, etc.. all should be dead by now and escaped it.

I think the "rockstar" of the 60s and 70s just died out when it got too crazy, just as hardcore gangsta rap died out after IT got too hardcore after BIG, Tupac, and JamMasta Jay got killed.

So, I think it's actually a good thing that the frontman crazy rockstar is a dying, or dead breed for the most part, because the last thing rock music needs is any more talented people dying way too young.

Could you imagine the music that Jim Morrison and the Doors would have made had he not died? or how Janis would have impacted the music world had she been around longer than 29 years on this planet? It would be nice.

Oh, and speaking of Former Rockstar crazy frontmen dying off.... I officially HATE Gene Simmons for his reality TV show, which just shows him scheming ways to make MORE money and place more business deals. He embodies a sell-out! Thoughts? I might post a question about this matter.

It is my considered opinion that the only thing that resembles rock these days is the metal genre. What people are calling rock now is nowhere near rock. They are actually labeling rap music as rock. That's deplorable!

So, it is easy to see what has happened to the rock star. Since there is no real rock anymore, the rock star has faded into oblivion. Only Tommy Lee, Ozzy Osborne and Gene Simmons make any appearances to speak of anymore and Tommy Lee was only in the news because of his marriage to Pamela Anderson. Ozzy has his "Ozfest" and Gene Simmons had a TV show called, Gene Simmons' Family Jewels.

And, of course, there's Paul McCartney. But, he has only been in the news because of his much- publicized divorce.

The only venues keeping rock from dying out completely are the classic rock stations.

Excellent essay, Fonzie.

I think the Rock Star was "swallowed-up" sometime before or during the New Wave of the late 70's - actually, it may have been much earlier - maybe "too many cooks in the kitchen" caused the fall what we use to think of as the Rock Star(?)

EDIT - Lots of great answers, here - I'm glad ppl took this Q seriously. Good comeback by "Pirate Girls Kick Butt" with "What happened to Rock?"

You can't build a myth under a microscope. When all the information about everyone and everything is at your fingertips, it leads to a short shelf life for anyone looking to be a rock star in the old sense. If there are any out there, they may exist on a local/regional level, deliberately avoiding the media and their music probably has limited availability or is unrecorded.

Billy Inbred, i have to agree...

now, most TV shows, and any kind of media for that matter, only focus on Rap stars and the rock stars have somehow... well faded into the background... the lime light has moved away from rock and onto hip-hop and rap. it's just the way the music industry seems to be moving towards now i guess... plus... there aren't any new rock bands out there that actually rock... I mean most bands that come out are just mainstream crap... sorry but i just really despise mainstream and all the crappy guitar players that simply act cool but can't play a decent solo... not to mention that they don't even do solos... I really miss the 80's...

cuz the 80's had all the best songs... not just from rock mind you, i mean, who didn't like 'Tears for fears'? even Depeche mode had awesome songs back in the day... now they're just gay... no really, they are...

Corporate image is more important than individual creativity.

Morrison, Lennon, Dylan were poets who had thoughts, ideas and creativity. Today, songs are in a cubicle and a singer is selected based on that person's image. American Idol is the image that much of corporate Amercia wants. Can you imagine what Idol 1969 would have been like? They don't want rock stars; they want Derek Jeter to multimarket.

Careful what you wish for Fonz. What we have now is Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen. Seems like the pendulum has swung over to the females being outrageous and completely out of control. This also applies to Hollywood as well as rock. What sucks though is that their music isn't good enough to back up their exploits.

Maybe the media has become desensitised to rock star behaviour. 20 - 30 years ago it was shocking, today it has become the norm. If that annoying Nickleback song is to be believed, it seems that today's rock star is more obsessed with money and possessions than making quality music.

The only one i can think of that comes close to being described as the rock star of old is, i'm sad to say, Pete Doherty.

I think part of it is the Entertainment Tonight type shows. They are on 3 times a day on our NBC affiliate. Now you can watch all your favorite TV stars and movie stars. We know that Angelina may be preggie or whether Lindsey Lohan is back on rehab. And most importantly WHO PARIS IS DATING THIS WEEK!!!!!! Its all TMI. We don't care as much , overload.

I do think that Gene Simmons attempts to keep the old Rock Star idea alive.