By Victor Li @victoreli23 Photo by Oscar Perfer
Let's face it, it's been a while. “Rock is dead” (At least for now, since I believe it's cyclical). According to an article in Billboard magazine (Is Rock still relevant in 2016?¨, 12/12/2016), despite the recent releases in 2016 by bands such as Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day, Neil Young and Bon Jovi, groups that topped the Billboard 200 of best-selling albums, these have not had much relevance. The only currently successful rock group is Twenty One Pilots, which combines rock with electronic atmospheres. However, classic rock bands can still make a living (and a very good one at that) from touring. Guns N' Roses had the highest-grossing tour of 2016, and artists like Paul McCartney and The Rolling Stones still fill stadiums (and rake in the cash).
However, the most current rock bands in the Anglo market They have had to adapt to electropop to stay current and remain relevant. Maroon 5, Coldplay, and Imagine Dragons still have hits on the Billboard Hot 100. But all of their singles, if not explicitly electropop, are clearly not. The latest example (and I think the most radical) has been Linkin Park with Heavy.
Latin American rock has also been in decline for the last 10 to 15 years. There are no longer any new bands that achieve massive success across our region like Molotov, Café Tacuba, La Ley, Soda Stereo, or Aterciopelados once did. Name one Latin American rock band that emerged after 2005 and is popular throughout our countries.
I want to believe that this Latin American youth isn't so complacent. Rock is rebellion and passion. We have many reasons to protest today. Will a rock band come out with an anti-Trump anthem that unites us all (and why not, makes them commercially successful?)
Finally, I leave the question open., Should our Latin American rock bands follow the current music industry trend to seek larger markets?
