So, a while back The Guardian posted an article that spoke about the death of rock music, noting poor performances in the charts as a reason behind the assessment.
Thankfully, some of our favourite UK rock bands are proving this to be nothing more than ignorance and stupidity.
Whether it’s news at You Me At Six have debuted in the Top 3 of the Album Charts, or that acoustic folk-punk star Frank Turner will be headlining Wembley Arena next spring, there’s a lot of evidence to prove that the UK rock scene is thriving.
Sure, album sales generally are down (unless you happen to be Adele or have the backing of a huge label), but rock music (in its heart) was never really about mainstream acceptance.
Still, seeing several Top 40 charts on various weeks this year littered with names like Arctic Monkeys and Foo Fighters proves that rock music can (and will) survive the recent trend of over-produced pop and mindless lyrics.
It’s not just bands as big as those, though, who are making a dent – The King Blues managed to break into the Top 40 with their recent effort Punk & Poetry, with sound that is a far cry from the usual artists who grace the charts.
Of course, this should be taken with a pinch of salt – Frank Turner hit Number 12 earlier this year, but slowly dropped out.
That’s how it works – artists with a huge fan-base (or PR campaign) like Adele will constantly be selling 10,000 copies each and every week, whereas these lesser-known rock acts will have a strong first week as their loyal fan-base picks it up.
It’s still very encouraging, though, and it shows that maybe not everyone is interested in the latest reality TV star or pop act.
There’s a lot to enjoy and discover out there, from the likes of Your Demise and Enter Shikari to The Blackout and You me At Six.
Thankfully, these bands are starting to get recognition for their talents, and as the emphasis of the music industry shifts to the live environment, more of these bands will excel.
