It doesn’t matter who it’s by, when it was recorded, or how many people like it, good music is good music. None of those factors should affect whether or not somebody likes a particular song. I believe that the prime reason why people developing these “rockist” tendencies is to get a feeling of false superiority over those who do not listen to the same music that they listen to, which is obviously better then whatever garbage your listening to. Many of these rockists believe that the genre of rock n’ roll is superior to all other forms of music. Or similarly, they believe that all good music came from one specific time period (most commonly the 70s), and nothing produced today can ever be near as good as what was made back then. We can easily see how this is not true. All genres have the capability of producing good music. Rockists rejoiced when Rolling Stones named U2’s No Line on the Horizon the best album of 2009. However, Rolling Stones changed their preferred genre the following year when they unanimously named Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy as the best album of 2010. They once again changed genres last year when they named Adele’s 21 as their favorite album. This doesn’t mean that U2 should release an album every year to prevent that trash from reaching top of the charts. What it does prove is that good music can come from a wide variety of artists and genres. I used to think that I like all types of music. However, I recently realized that there is a lot of music out there that I hate. Ranging from Screamo to Country, there are many genres that I cannot bring myself to like. This is not to say that I believe bands in these genres don’t have talented. Rather, they just fall outside of my taste in music. I am not a rockist for this reason. I can acknowledge that an artist may have talent without me actually liking them. Rockists believe that if they don’t like the music, then it can’t possibly be good.
I do not consider myself to be, in any way, shape, or form, a rockist. I wasn’t even alive when most old musical legends were playing to the crowds. You will never hear me, up on my soapbox, raving about the Who. Are they a great band? Yes. Are they the only great band? No. I see absolutely no reason why I cannot be a fan of both the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Led Zeppelin. My grandfather can hardly get the words out of his mouth fast enough when singing the praises of Elvis Presley. He refuses to change his radio station from anything but the oldies. He assumes that nothing else will ever live up to his standards. That is the problem behind the rationale of most rockists. Rockism is based on close-mindedness, and rockist position comes predominately, if not entirely, from the elder portion of our population. Rockists refuse to give anything other than their old golden records a fighting chance. I am a fan of good music, no matter the genre. If it is good country, I’ll listen to it. If it is good hip-hop, I’ll listen to it. If it is good rock, I’ll listen to it. If it is good rap, I’ll listen to it. If it is good folk, I’ll listen to it. I have no predisposition toward any arbitrary constraints under which a song should fall. Give me a song, give me a radio, give me five minutes (unless the song is Freebird), and I will tell you whether I think a song is good or not. That is the beauty of the situation: I don’t care what others think of a song or artist; it matters only what I think of the music. My musical inclinations are entirely based on the music itself, not on the persons from whom the music comes. For example, I think we can all agree to hate Kanye West because of his track record: his disrespectful interruption at the Grammy’s (“Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time”!), not to mention the absurd assertion that, “George Bush hates black people,” on live television. That said, the man is a musical genius, and I do enjoy his music. I care about what happens on the track, and nothing else really matters. If it is good music, then it is good music. Who cares about who wrote it, who sings it, who plays it, who endorses it, who produces it. There are certain types of music that I have found that I don’t enjoy, such as jazz, heavy metal, and classical. It is not that it is lousy music, but it is not for me. I continue to respect the opinions of others but listen to whatever pleases me.
I find the idea of being a rockist preposterous and almost impossible in today’s music industry. The genre, the artist, the time period, how popular the song is, even how well the performance is live are a few of the innumerable factors associated with rockism. When deciding whether or not music is good, these aspects should not even be considered; music is good when it appeals to your emotions and gives you feeling. Today, there is much more competition for the rock genre then there was during the days of “Bruce Springsteen.” Pop and hip/hop have taken the lead in today’s younger generations, and there is no reason this music should be rejected simply because it is not the preferred genre of a rockist. In current society, there are still many “one hit wonders” and “overnight celebrities” that contribute positively to the musical world. These artists are not the legends praised by the rockist. Their reign is short lived, but their music still possessing the power to bring joy to people’s lives. What more could you ask for? Rockists also believe that today’s music is inferior to the productions of the 70’s and 80’s. This is ignorant though because looking at many of the accomplishments and works produced by modern artist suggest the opposite. All artists, of any genre, of any time period are capable of creating quality music, contrary to what the rockist may say or think. One of the most absurd traits of rockism is disregarding a song because of its popularity. Whether a song is played every hour over the radio, or if you’re the only one who knows it exist, shouldn’t matter because the song itself remains the same. I am glad that my love and appreciation for music is not restricted by the limitations advocated by rockist. I am going to continue to listen to what appeals to me no matter the genre, artist, time period, or level of popularity. Country, rap, folk, rock, alternative, pop, I love it all.
Are rock and roll bands today not the same as back in the day? Will the glory days of music every return? Is there ever going to be another Pink Floyd? If you answer no to these questions you may be a rockist. A rockist is a person who refuses to consider the music in today’s world as good music, and that the only good music was in the late 60’s to early 90’s. These rockists refute new music such as Usher and Jessica Simpson and worship old music such as the Beatles and Led Zeppelin. I myself am open to all music, with the exception of Justin Bieber, in the present and from the past. This would not make me a rockist. In my experience rockists tend to be people in their middle age who have first handedly experienced the age of great music. Those less radical ones accept today’s music, while the more radical ones are those you find with Lynyrd Skynyrd's greatest hits records framed and plastered on the walls in every room in the house. My father a less radical rockist has learned to cope with the loss of the golden age by downloading all of his old cds and records onto his iPod in which he can listen to in the privacy of his truck. My uncle a complete radical only keeps the stations on his car radio to classic rock, refuses to drive anything but classic cars, and has boxes stacked to the ceiling of classic rock just from the 70’s alone. He is the epitome of a rockist. Rockist attempt to hold on to the past and while at the same time condemn the music of today. The music of today is different than that of the past, but it is still our culture. With every generation comes forth a new culture, and with every new culture come forth new music and arts.
I am not a rockist. Being a rockist would mean favoring rock over all other genres, believing that self-produced music is better than that of the industry or that just because an indie artist wrote their own song it makes it better than a peppy pop single. It is more than this it is the belief that the rock and roll of the 70’s is better than anything that is being produced today. It is basically the belief that rock and roll is the only genre that matters, that it is superior to all others. By adhering to the beliefs of rockism you would limit yourself to a very small and select portion of the music that is out there. A rockist by definition could not stomach Jay-Z, Britney Spears, Doctor P, Example, Zac Brown Band, Taylor Swift, Kanye, Rusko, Jake Owen, Eminem, Bare Naked Ladies or really anything that is not in the tradition of the Beatles. This is very narrow-minded and points to a character flaw in the rockist. Musically I will listen to anything that is interesting and good. My musical tastes flow from electro, hip-hop, rap, metal, rock, pop, and country. I like to say that the only type of music that I do not listen to is opera. The reason I listen to all types of music is because I can recognize that it takes talent to produce any type of music and therefore good music can come from any genre. If you define yourself as the type of person who only appreciates rock for example, you will miss great hits such as All of the Lights by Kanye West or Mean by Taylor Swift. Declaring that you only like one type of genre will force you to miss many great songs. As the author points out just because a song does not have a deep meaning or does not tell a gritty truth does not mean it can’t be a good song. This is why I attempt to not have any musical prejudices, well except against Opera.
I am not a rockist simply because I do not enjoy rock music. I prefer country music to other types of music but I occasionally listen to some folk-rock. The music I listen to is played according to my mood. If I am sad I listen to depressing country songs by artists like Alan Jackson and Allison Krauss. If I am in a good mood I like to listen to faster and more exciting music by Toby Keith and Kenny Chesney. I prefer the folk-rock when I am driving long distances. These songs are by artists such as Eddie Vedder and The Avett Brothers. I have numerous biases toward music. My biggest bias would be against all rap music. A person tried to suggest a band to me called Big and Rich and because I thought it sounded like a rap artist I refused to listen to it. I later found out, while watching the CMT Top 20, that Big and Rich actually performed country music. People often ask me why I do not like rap. The only logical response that I have is you cannot spell crap with out rap. A group of artists that I simply dislike are Disney channel starts that somehow get on the radio. I include Justin Bieber in this category because his voice is remarkably similar to his girlfriend, Selena Gomez, who was a Disney Channel star. Just because you were on a somewhat successful children’s television series does not mean you have the right to be on my radio singing about her love affair with girlfriend Justin Bieber. I do not care about either of their lives so if this happens I immediately change the radio station.
I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself a rockist, since I do like different forms of music, but I do hold some of the same prejudices against corporate manufactured and consumer tested music currently playing on pop radio. I find it hard to believe the current musical mantra that popularity equals talent. My main problem with this is that it purely isn’t true, because it is also tied with the inner-music industry mantra that money equals talent. Money controls what music is popular in today’s music industry because money determines how many times a song gets played on the radio, how the DJ reacts to it, and how much publicity and media attention a song gets, no matter if it is from the creatively bankrupt like Katy Perry, Jason Mraz or Ke$ha. My musical taste tend to lie with artists that I consider to be the most creative, whether this ranges from indie rock like Radiohead, punk like Wire or rap like Lupe Fiasco. I believe that rap exemplifies both of these sides of music; it can be incredibly creative and it can be the largest showcase of hedonistic stupidity in all of music. As Cornell West points out “One of the most effective strategies of corporate marketeers has been to target the youth market with distractive amusement and saturate them with pleasurable sedatives that steer them away from engagement with issues of peace and justice… music convinces young people that the culture of gratification is the only way of being human”, which is ironic because this is the exact opposite of what hip-hop was created to do. As Cornell West later points out, “ the best of rap culture still expresses stronger and more clearly than any cultural in the past generation a profound indictment of the moral decadence of our dominant society” which was the original point of hip-hop with artists like NWA and Public Enemy. Rap has gotten away from this original message with the emergence of idiots like Soulja Boy, Wiz Kalifa and Pitbull. There are still many rappers that are concerned with social criticism like Lupe Fiasco and Outkast and there are many underground rappers that talk about other things than, as Outkast points out, “pimpin’ hoes and slammin cadilac doors.” The other main genre that I like is Indie rock, which is perfectly exemplified by Radiohead. Why pick Radiohead? Because they are the major innovators of rock music over the passed decade and are the most significant and important representation of Indie Rock. What I love about Radiohead is the emphasis on individuality and non-conformity. As Mark Greif states, “ Pop encourages you to hold on to and reactivate hints of personal feelings that society should have extinguished. Of course this winds up taking in all classes of fragile personal knowledge; things that are inarticulable in social speech …. I think that the thing that pop can prepare you for is defiance.” This is defiance against society, corporations, or any larger power that attempts to extinguish thoughts and feelings that they deem unacceptable. People often ask me why I like Radiohead if their songs are mainly sad. I believe that it is because Radiohead’s songs represent a catharsis, a purging of negative energies. It’s best to draw this in relation to tragic poems or plays. Aristotle defines a tragedy as “a mimesis of an action; in language embellished by distinct forms in its sections; employing the mode of enactment, not narrative; and through pity and fear accomplishing the catharsis of such emotions.” As Micah Lott points out “we feel fear because we recognize the individuals portrayed as like us, and therefore we see their misfortune as something that might befall us.” It is similar in Radiohead. This is aided by the music in the song, because music can mimic human emotions and force the listener to take on the emotions within the song. In many Radiohead songs the music builds becoming more intense and the emotions grow stronger, until it reaches a full frenzy and the climax is reached, finally purging the listener of the music and then releasing all of the tension causing a feeling of peace.
Am I a rockist…? Definitely not. Are there some people who are? Of course. Can’t we also say however that there are “jazzists” and “opera-ist” and so forth? Every generation has its own cultural differences, music being a big one, especially in the recent few decades. There is no reason why someone born years after the apex of the genre’s time, can still be a loyal fan of only that music. This however, is rare. It is most human’s reaction to adapt to, and assimilate, their current cultural ideals and “interests.” This goes for the “rockists,” as well. They were born and grew up into an era of intense change, rock-n-roll provided an outlet for many people. Some have relied on this outlet up until now, and there is nothing wrong with it. It is simply their preference, who are we to say they are wrong? I would not associate myself with any certain music group or genre. I do listen to some more than others, but everyone can say that. I tend to be fond of my generation’s music such as Pop, Hip-hop, and even some rap. These genre’s have gained the upper percentages of music production, and have become the “mainstream” music. I believe this is naturally why I am drawn to it. Sometimes I’m in the mood for a little change and switch to my rock playlist and enjoy some Skynard, Heart, Foreigner, Bon Jovi, etc.. Sometimes the mood may call for country. We all have our preferences, but I do not obsess over one in particular, as the “rockist’s” that, Sanneh described, do.
Rockism manifested out of the timeless idea that no one’s music is a good as mine, and the decline of good rock and roll music production. As long as people listen to music, people are going to view certain artists or genres as inferior. This music or that music is not as effective at portraying thoughts or feelings as the kind I listen to. We all have our musical prejudices. Whether you think that rappers are no-talent gangbangers or that punk rockers are metro sexual whiners, you are not alone. There is a hater in all of us. I think anyone who is consciously listening to music, will advocate rockist standards like writing your own music, bringing electric energy to your live shows, or not being afraid to be weird and rebellious in your own way. When you stop caring about things like this all noise can arguable be good music. I feel that people who listen to whatever is on TRL’s top ten songs of the day are not masters of music like all humans should be. They don’t like music that interestingly portrays their own ideas, but adopt the ideas of the mainstream music. This strips music of its individuality and significance. Music is all about pushing the social envelope of the culture. Everyone enjoys the classics with a sense of mysticism, but an edgy new style always captivates listeners because we are in the midst of the same social struggle as the new artist. Some one my age listening to Led Zepplin’s Stairway to Heaven or Jimi Hendrix’s all along the Watchtower might ask themselves, “ How in the world can someone make something so perfect and awesome.” The classics are a bit foreign to us. However, when I listen to Pretty Light’s Cold Feeling or Eminems’s Cleaning Out my Closet, its as if exponentially more talented than myself took my own thoughts are rhythm and created that which I refer to as the championed “my music.” Although, everyone will have their preferences, we could all benefit from venturing out of our musical comfort zone; to embrace new styles and messages. Since music ties our individual and collective thoughts and feelings, finding the good in all types of music is like finding the good in all people which is very instrumental in finding peace with the world.
I love rock-n-roll, but I am definitely not a rockist. A rockist is someone who has a love for the classic 70s bands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Who, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, but also has a complete disregard for all of the other great music that has been produced in the past couple of decades. A typical rockist is a middle-aged man who is stuck in the “glory days” of his high school years. They jammed to “Free Bird” and “Kashmir” every night when they were living in a carefree society that worshiped rock-n-roll. I understand that it was great music, but there are innumerable amounts of great music in today’s day in age as well. I am not saying that Luke Bryan’s “Drunk On You” is going to top Skynyrd’s “Simple Man”, but they are both great songs and there is nothing wrong with enjoying both of them. There is great music everywhere, you just need to be willing to spend the time and listen to it. I spend most of my free time during the school week listening to music and searching for new songs and artists that I have not heard before. I never fail to find a new song that I can enjoy singing while I am driving to school, sitting in the shower, or laying on my bed. I am a fan of country, rap, classic rock, pop, and folk, not because I am trying to like what everyone else likes, but because there are many great songs in each of the categories that all people should enjoy. Limiting yourself to a 10-year period of song producing limits you to experience the great songs that hundreds of new artists have written. Some singers do not participate at all in the process of writing songs that make them millions. I do not consider those people to be real artists. For example, Lil Wayne makes millions because of his scratchy voice that people enjoy listening to. He doesn’t write the music, play the music, or choreograph the videos, all he does is sing the lyrics he is handed and wave a blunt in the air. If you write, play, and sing your own music then I will give up my time and listen to your songs. Whether it’s good or bad is my decision, and I believe that is how people should view music.
Rockism seems as if it was created to stay superior to all other genres. I feel like rockists don't want their favorite artists to be looked down upon or put in competition with today's new music. It's impossible for me to consider myself a rockist because I would have to call myself a hypocrite. I have almost every genre in my iTunes library whether it be R&B, Oldies, Gangsta Rap, Native American, Grunge, Rock, Alternative, or Punk. This shows no close-mindedness. I obviously don't agree with some of the actions these music stars partake in like drug use and violence but I listen to their music for the emotions that it brings out in me by listening to either the steady beat that makes your head wobble or the lyrics that in some way relate to your life or experiences. My culture has changed the outlook on music. So am I a rockist? No. However, I do agree with parts of the idea. How old is Led Zeppelin, the Who, Lynard Skynard, or Pink Floyd? Most likely older than you but I'm sure you have knowledge of who they are and know at least a song or two. On the other hand, I ask how old Chamillionaire is? That's right, I'm sure you forgot all about him and his "riding dirty" even though it was only a few years ago you were thumping his songs in your car. This shows the longevity of rock n' roll. Good music can be your favorite tunes in the car for a year if that, but great music never goes away. You may stop listening to it for the new hip hop song but you always return to the great music.
Do I support Rock and Roll? Yes who wouldn't? However am I rockist? No, not in the least. Rockists are middle aged men stuck in "the good ole days". Rockists only believe the music that they listened to and liked when they were in high school and anything else that other people may listen to ... doesn't exist. Rockists deny the fact that bands such as The Who, The Beatles, and The Eagles all were very popular and made exceptional music. If they liked a band, they acknowledged their existence, but if not then oh well one more head banger that's not going to buy their album. I disagree with rockism because in society today it's impossible not to get you feet wet in the vast ocean of a musical genre we have today. My music ranges from native american to The Eagles to Wiz Khalifa. None of those relate in any way and that's the beauty of it, there's a genre of music for every feeling you have : chill is Wiz Khalifa, pissed is Lil boosie, heartbroken is John Mayer and when you're feeling tired there's Black mill, a softcore dubstep group that is amazing at calming the nerves.Rockists need to relax and learn to embrace other music genres just like racists need to embrace new cultures as their own. Music is a way of life, and you can't go through life being a narcissistic prick looking down upon others.
Rockism is simple a reason for rock and roll lovers to feel superior to anyone who isn't in love with rock. For someone to believe they are superior because of the genre of music they listen to is unreasonable in many respects. I do listen to and enjoy rock and roll, but I do not believe I am superior to others because of this. Also, those who would call themselves a rockist would probably act disgusted towards those who listen to what they think are “horrible bands with terrible music.” Bands that often fall into this category are Green Day and Nickelback. I often hear comments from the typical music nut basically saying “Ew you listen to Green Day? What’s wrong with you?” To this I want to ask “Who are you to judge my taste in music?” Regardless, the band has to have quite a few fans to become as popular as they are. The point is, a person’s taste in music has nothing to do with inferiority and doesn’t need to be used to fuel a rockists superiority complex. Music should remain what it is, entertainment. You don’t go around making fun of people because they didn’t watch the basketball game last night, or because they didn’t go out for the football team. Why should it be any different for music lovers? If athleticism is or lack thereof can’t be controlled, then neither can taste in music. Therefore, belittling another for taste in music is no different than doing the same to one of another race, size, ability, or intelligence.
Rockist is just termed coined by middle aged men to remiss about their glory days and down play the later generations. The music we have today is more evolved than the music 30 years ago, spanning from Toby Keith to little Wayne to Adel. Each brings something different to the table. I would listen to lil Wyane if I was mad at the world, I would listen to Toby Keith is I was trying to unwind after a long day or maybe Adel if I just want to sing along. Just because the writers don’t necessarily write their lyrics doesn’t make them less of an icon the Beatles or Eagles. Where the element in the 60 was lyrics the element today would have to be beats. Take a look in iTunes 100 most popular songs, 95% of them has one thing in common a sick beat. A sound that causes a forced reaction of nodding your head will destroy a song that just makes you think. The songs of this generations aren’t meant to be listened to with a bunch of drunk, high friends of the 80s yet are meant to be enjoyed with everyone, these song are meant for the people with 300 aps sub woofer that shakes the wind shield and thumps your muscles as you cruse down the street. It’s almost impossible to be a rockist given the wide vast of music we have today. If someone can’t find a type of music they listen to then they need to look harder.
Living your life as a rockist is like living under a rock. Its thought to be impossible and yet people somehow find a way to do it. Simply put, ignoring all other forms of music other than classic rock and roll, on the bias that all new music is only made to bolster an image or product, is complete insanity. Most bands in this day and age, sound so different from the classics because that is the whole point of advancement into a modern age. Why would a band want to sound exactly like The Rolling Stones? If I wanted to hear something Rolling Stones sounding, I would probably turn on The Rolling Stones rather than their modern cover band. Bands have moved on from the classic age of rock and have tried to form their own sound and uniqueness that will last them throughout the ages. Take Radiohead for instance. Their sound is mostly described as a “Pink Floyd type rhythm that’s dark and yet fun.” In a rockists perspective, they’re just another Pink Floyd rip-off trying to make money. The truth here is that, yeah, they sound similar, but Radiohead merely just took notes from the legends themselves to form their own type of dark/fun sound (and they nailed it!). Rockists seem to hate the idea of classics being used as a purpose of popularity but they also claim that if a band has any sort of unique-pop aspect, “they should have taken notes.”
Though I love rock n’ roll, I am in no way a rockist. I believe having many different types of music is a very good thing and that we should accept them. Of course some things won’t appeal to us, but that’s not to say that its horrible music because someone obviously had to like how it sounded in order to make it. Music is a form of enjoyment where certain sounds and noises ignite something within a person giving them a feeling of enjoyment. It really doesn’t matter which noises are used or what they sound like, as long as it is enjoyed by one person it has done its purpose. I like many forms of music and open to whatever is recommended to me, not necessarily meaning I will like it, but I will at the very least give it a shot. My tastes range, in order from bested liked to least, from Reggae to Rock to Hip Hop to Dubstep and at last country. Not only do I think it is stupid to exclude all music that is not in a certain category, but the arguments of a rockist are flawed. A rockist compares all music to a standard of Rock n’ Roll. They will say a band or artist “is not Rock n’ Roll enough.” What exactly is Rock n’ Roll? To what measure are they comparing these bands too? The Rolling Stones? Then how does one measure the Stones to be “Rocky” enough? It just simply doesn’t make sense. It seems to me that a rockist is just someone who compares all music to their own specific musical interests, which might differ from another rockist’s tastes, and if it does not measure up to speed then they discard it as terrible music.
To call myself a rockist would be an overstatement. Yes, I do love rock and roll and it is the musical genre which can be titled “the root” of most music I listen to but it’s not the only thing I listen to and I certainly don’t fallow the genres 60 year old “legends” while they desperately try to keep up with the intense stage life they had 30 years before. The idea of being a rockist is comparable to any other genre of music. Anyone can be loyal to their favorite types of music, so it doesn’t really matter if you are a rockist or a rap addict or even a disco queen. People are generally going to listen to and enjoy the music that is relevant to their lives today. Personally, I’ve already been to at least 25 big concerts in my life and the best shows were not forms of rock. Rock and roll is a good musical genre but not the best, as most rockist obviously view it. The genres’ people should be devoted to are more of the likes of blues, jazz, funk, ambient, soul, and classical, but truthfully who can’t love rock and roll? Whether you are a rockist or not, no person can sect of a whole genre is say it is good or bad. That is the great thing about music, it is far too vast for everyone to enjoy or hate. People are going to be leaving their families to fallow certain bands on tour, while others couldn’t stand to waste three minutes of their time by listening to the song on the radio. I would never consider being an extremist for any category of music, but that may just be my position or knowledge in many different genres. Luckily, today with the internet and vast sharing and illegal music download sites like frostwire, mediafire, and the pirate bay, or even YouTube, at a click of a button you can find millions of songs which can all be different. No one should be forced to listen or choose one type, all genre’s are good and bad, it just depends on preference.
It doesn’t matter who it’s by, when it was recorded, or how many people like it, good music is good music. None of those factors should affect whether or not somebody likes a particular song. I believe that the prime reason why people developing these “rockist” tendencies is to get a feeling of false superiority over those who do not listen to the same music that they listen to, which is obviously better then whatever garbage your listening to.
ReplyDeleteMany of these rockists believe that the genre of rock n’ roll is superior to all other forms of music. Or similarly, they believe that all good music came from one specific time period (most commonly the 70s), and nothing produced today can ever be near as good as what was made back then. We can easily see how this is not true. All genres have the capability of producing good music. Rockists rejoiced when Rolling Stones named U2’s No Line on the Horizon the best album of 2009. However, Rolling Stones changed their preferred genre the following year when they unanimously named Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy as the best album of 2010. They once again changed genres last year when they named Adele’s 21 as their favorite album. This doesn’t mean that U2 should release an album every year to prevent that trash from reaching top of the charts. What it does prove is that good music can come from a wide variety of artists and genres.
I used to think that I like all types of music. However, I recently realized that there is a lot of music out there that I hate. Ranging from Screamo to Country, there are many genres that I cannot bring myself to like. This is not to say that I believe bands in these genres don’t have talented. Rather, they just fall outside of my taste in music. I am not a rockist for this reason. I can acknowledge that an artist may have talent without me actually liking them. Rockists believe that if they don’t like the music, then it can’t possibly be good.
I do not consider myself to be, in any way, shape, or form, a rockist. I wasn’t even alive when most old musical legends were playing to the crowds. You will never hear me, up on my soapbox, raving about the Who. Are they a great band? Yes. Are they the only great band? No. I see absolutely no reason why I cannot be a fan of both the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Led Zeppelin. My grandfather can hardly get the words out of his mouth fast enough when singing the praises of Elvis Presley. He refuses to change his radio station from anything but the oldies. He assumes that nothing else will ever live up to his standards. That is the problem behind the rationale of most rockists. Rockism is based on close-mindedness, and rockist position comes predominately, if not entirely, from the elder portion of our population. Rockists refuse to give anything other than their old golden records a fighting chance.
ReplyDeleteI am a fan of good music, no matter the genre. If it is good country, I’ll listen to it. If it is good hip-hop, I’ll listen to it. If it is good rock, I’ll listen to it. If it is good rap, I’ll listen to it. If it is good folk, I’ll listen to it. I have no predisposition toward any arbitrary constraints under which a song should fall. Give me a song, give me a radio, give me five minutes (unless the song is Freebird), and I will tell you whether I think a song is good or not. That is the beauty of the situation: I don’t care what others think of a song or artist; it matters only what I think of the music.
My musical inclinations are entirely based on the music itself, not on the persons from whom the music comes. For example, I think we can all agree to hate Kanye West because of his track record: his disrespectful interruption at the Grammy’s (“Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time”!), not to mention the absurd assertion that, “George Bush hates black people,” on live television. That said, the man is a musical genius, and I do enjoy his music. I care about what happens on the track, and nothing else really matters. If it is good music, then it is good music. Who cares about who wrote it, who sings it, who plays it, who endorses it, who produces it. There are certain types of music that I have found that I don’t enjoy, such as jazz, heavy metal, and classical. It is not that it is lousy music, but it is not for me. I continue to respect the opinions of others but listen to whatever pleases me.
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ReplyDeleteI find the idea of being a rockist preposterous and almost impossible in today’s music industry. The genre, the artist, the time period, how popular the song is, even how well the performance is live are a few of the innumerable factors associated with rockism. When deciding whether or not music is good, these aspects should not even be considered; music is good when it appeals to your emotions and gives you feeling. Today, there is much more competition for the rock genre then there was during the days of “Bruce Springsteen.” Pop and hip/hop have taken the lead in today’s younger generations, and there is no reason this music should be rejected simply because it is not the preferred genre of a rockist. In current society, there are still many “one hit wonders” and “overnight celebrities” that contribute positively to the musical world. These artists are not the legends praised by the rockist. Their reign is short lived, but their music still possessing the power to bring joy to people’s lives. What more could you ask for? Rockists also believe that today’s music is inferior to the productions of the 70’s and 80’s. This is ignorant though because looking at many of the accomplishments and works produced by modern artist suggest the opposite. All artists, of any genre, of any time period are capable of creating quality music, contrary to what the rockist may say or think. One of the most absurd traits of rockism is disregarding a song because of its popularity. Whether a song is played every hour over the radio, or if you’re the only one who knows it exist, shouldn’t matter because the song itself remains the same. I am glad that my love and appreciation for music is not restricted by the limitations advocated by rockist. I am going to continue to listen to what appeals to me no matter the genre, artist, time period, or level of popularity. Country, rap, folk, rock, alternative, pop, I love it all.
ReplyDeleteAre rock and roll bands today not the same as back in the day? Will the glory days of music every return? Is there ever going to be another Pink Floyd? If you answer no to these questions you may be a rockist. A rockist is a person who refuses to consider the music in today’s world as good music, and that the only good music was in the late 60’s to early 90’s. These rockists refute new music such as Usher and Jessica Simpson and worship old music such as the Beatles and Led Zeppelin. I myself am open to all music, with the exception of Justin Bieber, in the present and from the past. This would not make me a rockist. In my experience rockists tend to be people in their middle age who have first handedly experienced the age of great music.
ReplyDeleteThose less radical ones accept today’s music, while the more radical ones are those you find with Lynyrd Skynyrd's greatest hits records framed and plastered on the walls in every room in the house. My father a less radical rockist has learned to cope with the loss of the golden age by downloading all of his old cds and records onto his iPod in which he can listen to in the privacy of his truck. My uncle a complete radical only keeps the stations on his car radio to classic rock, refuses to drive anything but classic cars, and has boxes stacked to the ceiling of classic rock just from the 70’s alone. He is the epitome of a rockist. Rockist attempt to hold on to the past and while at the same time condemn the music of today. The music of today is different than that of the past, but it is still our culture. With every generation comes forth a new culture, and with every new culture come forth new music and arts.
This is Chase's:
ReplyDeleteI am not a rockist. Being a rockist would mean favoring rock over all other genres, believing that self-produced music is better than that of the industry or that just because an indie artist wrote their own song it makes it better than a peppy pop single. It is more than this it is the belief that the rock and roll of the 70’s is better than anything that is being produced today. It is basically the belief that rock and roll is the only genre that matters, that it is superior to all others. By adhering to the beliefs of rockism you would limit yourself to a very small and select portion of the music that is out there. A rockist by definition could not stomach Jay-Z, Britney Spears, Doctor P, Example, Zac Brown Band, Taylor Swift, Kanye, Rusko, Jake Owen, Eminem, Bare Naked Ladies or really anything that is not in the tradition of the Beatles. This is very narrow-minded and points to a character flaw in the rockist.
Musically I will listen to anything that is interesting and good. My musical tastes flow from electro, hip-hop, rap, metal, rock, pop, and country. I like to say that the only type of music that I do not listen to is opera. The reason I listen to all types of music is because I can recognize that it takes talent to produce any type of music and therefore good music can come from any genre. If you define yourself as the type of person who only appreciates rock for example, you will miss great hits such as All of the Lights by Kanye West or Mean by Taylor Swift. Declaring that you only like one type of genre will force you to miss many great songs. As the author points out just because a song does not have a deep meaning or does not tell a gritty truth does not mean it can’t be a good song. This is why I attempt to not have any musical prejudices, well except against Opera.
I am not a rockist simply because I do not enjoy rock music. I prefer country music to other types of music but I occasionally listen to some folk-rock. The music I listen to is played according to my mood. If I am sad I listen to depressing country songs by artists like Alan Jackson and Allison Krauss. If I am in a good mood I like to listen to faster and more exciting music by Toby Keith and Kenny Chesney. I prefer the folk-rock when I am driving long distances. These songs are by artists such as Eddie Vedder and The Avett Brothers.
ReplyDeleteI have numerous biases toward music. My biggest bias would be against all rap music. A person tried to suggest a band to me called Big and Rich and because I thought it sounded like a rap artist I refused to listen to it. I later found out, while watching the CMT Top 20, that Big and Rich actually performed country music. People often ask me why I do not like rap. The only logical response that I have is you cannot spell crap with out rap. A group of artists that I simply dislike are Disney channel starts that somehow get on the radio. I include Justin Bieber in this category because his voice is remarkably similar to his girlfriend, Selena Gomez, who was a Disney Channel star. Just because you were on a somewhat successful children’s television series does not mean you have the right to be on my radio singing about her love affair with girlfriend Justin Bieber. I do not care about either of their lives so if this happens I immediately change the radio station.
I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself a rockist, since I do like different forms of music, but I do hold some of the same prejudices against corporate manufactured and consumer tested music currently playing on pop radio. I find it hard to believe the current musical mantra that popularity equals talent. My main problem with this is that it purely isn’t true, because it is also tied with the inner-music industry mantra that money equals talent. Money controls what music is popular in today’s music industry because money determines how many times a song gets played on the radio, how the DJ reacts to it, and how much publicity and media attention a song gets, no matter if it is from the creatively bankrupt like Katy Perry, Jason Mraz or Ke$ha. My musical taste tend to lie with artists that I consider to be the most creative, whether this ranges from indie rock like Radiohead, punk like Wire or rap like Lupe Fiasco.
ReplyDeleteI believe that rap exemplifies both of these sides of music; it can be incredibly creative and it can be the largest showcase of hedonistic stupidity in all of music. As Cornell West points out “One of the most effective strategies of corporate marketeers has been to target the youth market with distractive amusement and saturate them with pleasurable sedatives that steer them away from engagement with issues of peace and justice… music convinces young people that the culture of gratification is the only way of being human”, which is ironic because this is the exact opposite of what hip-hop was created to do. As Cornell West later points out, “ the best of rap culture still expresses stronger and more clearly than any cultural in the past generation a profound indictment of the moral decadence of our dominant society” which was the original point of hip-hop with artists like NWA and Public Enemy. Rap has gotten away from this original message with the emergence of idiots like Soulja Boy, Wiz Kalifa and Pitbull. There are still many rappers that are concerned with social criticism like Lupe Fiasco and Outkast and there are many underground rappers that talk about other things than, as Outkast points out, “pimpin’ hoes and slammin cadilac doors.”
The other main genre that I like is Indie rock, which is perfectly exemplified by Radiohead. Why pick Radiohead? Because they are the major innovators of rock music over the passed decade and are the most significant and important representation of Indie Rock. What I love about Radiohead is the emphasis on individuality and non-conformity. As Mark Greif states, “ Pop encourages you to hold on to and reactivate hints of personal feelings that society should have extinguished. Of course this winds up taking in all classes of fragile personal knowledge; things that are inarticulable in social speech …. I think that the thing that pop can prepare you for is defiance.” This is defiance against society, corporations, or any larger power that attempts to extinguish thoughts and feelings that they deem unacceptable. People often ask me why I like Radiohead if their songs are mainly sad. I believe that it is because Radiohead’s songs represent a catharsis, a purging of negative energies. It’s best to draw this in relation to tragic poems or plays. Aristotle defines a tragedy as “a mimesis of an action; in language embellished by distinct forms in its sections; employing the mode of enactment, not narrative; and through pity and fear accomplishing the catharsis of such emotions.” As Micah Lott points out “we feel fear because we recognize the individuals portrayed as like us, and therefore we see their misfortune as something that might befall us.” It is similar in Radiohead. This is aided by the music in the song, because music can mimic human emotions and force the listener to take on the emotions within the song. In many Radiohead songs the music builds becoming more intense and the emotions grow stronger, until it reaches a full frenzy and the climax is reached, finally purging the listener of the music and then releasing all of the tension causing a feeling of peace.
Am I a rockist…? Definitely not. Are there some people who are? Of course. Can’t we also say however that there are “jazzists” and “opera-ist” and so forth? Every generation has its own cultural differences, music being a big one, especially in the recent few decades. There is no reason why someone born years after the apex of the genre’s time, can still be a loyal fan of only that music. This however, is rare. It is most human’s reaction to adapt to, and assimilate, their current cultural ideals and “interests.” This goes for the “rockists,” as well. They were born and grew up into an era of intense change, rock-n-roll provided an outlet for many people. Some have relied on this outlet up until now, and there is nothing wrong with it. It is simply their preference, who are we to say they are wrong? I would not associate myself with any certain music group or genre. I do listen to some more than others, but everyone can say that. I tend to be fond of my generation’s music such as Pop, Hip-hop, and even some rap. These genre’s have gained the upper percentages of music production, and have become the “mainstream” music. I believe this is naturally why I am drawn to it. Sometimes I’m in the mood for a little change and switch to my rock playlist and enjoy some Skynard, Heart, Foreigner, Bon Jovi, etc.. Sometimes the mood may call for country. We all have our preferences, but I do not obsess over one in particular, as the “rockist’s” that, Sanneh described, do.
ReplyDeleteRockism manifested out of the timeless idea that no one’s music is a good as mine, and the decline of good rock and roll music production. As long as people listen to music, people are going to view certain artists or genres as inferior. This music or that music is not as effective at portraying thoughts or feelings as the kind I listen to. We all have our musical prejudices. Whether you think that rappers are no-talent gangbangers or that punk rockers are metro sexual whiners, you are not alone. There is a hater in all of us. I think anyone who is consciously listening to music, will advocate rockist standards like writing your own music, bringing electric energy to your live shows, or not being afraid to be weird and rebellious in your own way. When you stop caring about things like this all noise can arguable be good music. I feel that people who listen to whatever is on TRL’s top ten songs of the day are not masters of music like all humans should be. They don’t like music that interestingly portrays their own ideas, but adopt the ideas of the mainstream music. This strips music of its individuality and significance.
ReplyDeleteMusic is all about pushing the social envelope of the culture. Everyone enjoys the classics with a sense of mysticism, but an edgy new style always captivates listeners because we are in the midst of the same social struggle as the new artist. Some one my age listening to Led Zepplin’s Stairway to Heaven or Jimi Hendrix’s all along the Watchtower might ask themselves, “ How in the world can someone make something so perfect and awesome.” The classics are a bit foreign to us. However, when I listen to Pretty Light’s Cold Feeling or Eminems’s Cleaning Out my Closet, its as if exponentially more talented than myself took my own thoughts are rhythm and created that which I refer to as the championed “my music.” Although, everyone will have their preferences, we could all benefit from venturing out of our musical comfort zone; to embrace new styles and messages. Since music ties our individual and collective thoughts and feelings, finding the good in all types of music is like finding the good in all people which is very instrumental in finding peace with the world.
I love rock-n-roll, but I am definitely not a rockist. A rockist is someone who has a love for the classic 70s bands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Who, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, but also has a complete disregard for all of the other great music that has been produced in the past couple of decades. A typical rockist is a middle-aged man who is stuck in the “glory days” of his high school years. They jammed to “Free Bird” and “Kashmir” every night when they were living in a carefree society that worshiped rock-n-roll. I understand that it was great music, but there are innumerable amounts of great music in today’s day in age as well. I am not saying that Luke Bryan’s “Drunk On You” is going to top Skynyrd’s “Simple Man”, but they are both great songs and there is nothing wrong with enjoying both of them. There is great music everywhere, you just need to be willing to spend the time and listen to it. I spend most of my free time during the school week listening to music and searching for new songs and artists that I have not heard before. I never fail to find a new song that I can enjoy singing while I am driving to school, sitting in the shower, or laying on my bed.
ReplyDeleteI am a fan of country, rap, classic rock, pop, and folk, not because I am trying to like what everyone else likes, but because there are many great songs in each of the categories that all people should enjoy. Limiting yourself to a 10-year period of song producing limits you to experience the great songs that hundreds of new artists have written. Some singers do not participate at all in the process of writing songs that make them millions. I do not consider those people to be real artists. For example, Lil Wayne makes millions because of his scratchy voice that people enjoy listening to. He doesn’t write the music, play the music, or choreograph the videos, all he does is sing the lyrics he is handed and wave a blunt in the air. If you write, play, and sing your own music then I will give up my time and listen to your songs. Whether it’s good or bad is my decision, and I believe that is how people should view music.
I completely disagree with the idea of rockism. In today's world, saturated with an innumerable amount of different musical genre, rockism has become a shield for those who refuse to accept that their youth has passed. The classic example being my parents, who spent the 80s listening to Bon Jovi and Metallica on a set of 8-tracks tapes, refusing to even consider Dubstep or Hip-Hop a form of music. They've deflected each attempt that I've made to gain their interest in a more modern genre of music with cliché stereotypes that evoke images of hippies and gangsters running amok and ruining our generation. However, we all display some form of rockism one way another. Almost every member of a particular generation will come to hate every other generation's music. You grow up listening to your parents favorite music, then as you begin the struggle for self-identity, the music you listened to as a child becomes a symbol of the great oppressors, who proclaimed a curfew, who forced you to toil in the mid-day sun of your suburban lawn, who dropped you off in front of your friends while wearing a bathrobe and curlers. The same will happen with your children, and their children, and so on and so forth. And like our parents, we will fight a seemingly losing battle to protect one of the few links we still have to the days of our youth. Music will always be despised by one group or another. Back when rockism's namesake first popped up, it was considered to the work of the devil. And now rock is a cornerstone of American culture. What the adherents of rock do not understand is that they need to make way for another music to rise to the top and take the spot rock has held for so very long. Whether it be Pop, Techno, or just a recording of Vuvuzelas during the World Cup, rockist need to stand down.
ReplyDeleteRockism seems as if it was created to stay superior to all other genres. I feel like rockists don't want their favorite artists to be looked down upon or put in competition with today's new music. It's impossible for me to consider myself a rockist because I would have to call myself a hypocrite. I have almost every genre in my iTunes library whether it be R&B, Oldies, Gangsta Rap, Native American, Grunge, Rock, Alternative, or Punk. This shows no close-mindedness. I obviously don't agree with some of the actions these music stars partake in like drug use and violence but I listen to their music for the emotions that it brings out in me by listening to either the steady beat that makes your head wobble or the lyrics that in some way relate to your life or experiences. My culture has changed the outlook on music.
ReplyDeleteSo am I a rockist? No. However, I do agree with parts of the idea. How old is Led Zeppelin, the Who, Lynard Skynard, or Pink Floyd? Most likely older than you but I'm sure you have knowledge of who they are and know at least a song or two. On the other hand, I ask how old Chamillionaire is? That's right, I'm sure you forgot all about him and his "riding dirty" even though it was only a few years ago you were thumping his songs in your car. This shows the longevity of rock n' roll. Good music can be your favorite tunes in the car for a year if that, but great music never goes away. You may stop listening to it for the new hip hop song but you always return to the great music.
Do I support Rock and Roll? Yes who wouldn't? However am I rockist? No, not in the least. Rockists are middle aged men stuck in "the good ole days". Rockists only believe the music that they listened to and liked when they were in high school and anything else that other people may listen to ... doesn't exist. Rockists deny the fact that bands such as The Who, The Beatles, and The Eagles all were very popular and made exceptional music. If they liked a band, they acknowledged their existence, but if not then oh well one more head banger that's not going to buy their album. I disagree with rockism because in society today it's impossible not to get you feet wet in the vast ocean of a musical genre we have today. My music ranges from native american to The Eagles to Wiz Khalifa. None of those relate in any way and that's the beauty of it, there's a genre of music for every feeling you have : chill is Wiz Khalifa, pissed is Lil boosie, heartbroken is John Mayer and when you're feeling tired there's Black mill, a softcore dubstep group that is amazing at calming the nerves.Rockists need to relax and learn to embrace other music genres just like racists need to embrace new cultures as their own. Music is a way of life, and you can't go through life being a narcissistic prick looking down upon others.
ReplyDeleteRockism is simple a reason for rock and roll lovers to feel superior to anyone who isn't in love with rock. For someone to believe they are superior because of the genre of music they listen to is unreasonable in many respects. I do listen to and enjoy rock and roll, but I do not believe I am superior to others because of this. Also, those who would call themselves a rockist would probably act disgusted towards those who listen to what they think are “horrible bands with terrible music.” Bands that often fall into this category are Green Day and Nickelback. I often hear comments from the typical music nut basically saying “Ew you listen to Green Day? What’s wrong with you?” To this I want to ask “Who are you to judge my taste in music?” Regardless, the band has to have quite a few fans to become as popular as they are. The point is, a person’s taste in music has nothing to do with inferiority and doesn’t need to be used to fuel a rockists superiority complex. Music should remain what it is, entertainment. You don’t go around making fun of people because they didn’t watch the basketball game last night, or because they didn’t go out for the football team. Why should it be any different for music lovers? If athleticism is or lack thereof can’t be controlled, then neither can taste in music. Therefore, belittling another for taste in music is no different than doing the same to one of another race, size, ability, or intelligence.
ReplyDeleteRockist is just termed coined by middle aged men to remiss about their glory days and down play the later generations. The music we have today is more evolved than the music 30 years ago, spanning from Toby Keith to little Wayne to Adel. Each brings something different to the table. I would listen to lil Wyane if I was mad at the world, I would listen to Toby Keith is I was trying to unwind after a long day or maybe Adel if I just want to sing along. Just because the writers don’t necessarily write their lyrics doesn’t make them less of an icon the Beatles or Eagles. Where the element in the 60 was lyrics the element today would have to be beats. Take a look in iTunes 100 most popular songs, 95% of them has one thing in common a sick beat. A sound that causes a forced reaction of nodding your head will destroy a song that just makes you think. The songs of this generations aren’t meant to be listened to with a bunch of drunk, high friends of the 80s yet are meant to be enjoyed with everyone, these song are meant for the people with 300 aps sub woofer that shakes the wind shield and thumps your muscles as you cruse down the street. It’s almost impossible to be a rockist given the wide vast of music we have today. If someone can’t find a type of music they listen to then they need to look harder.
ReplyDeleteLiving your life as a rockist is like living under a rock. Its thought to be impossible and yet people somehow find a way to do it. Simply put, ignoring all other forms of music other than classic rock and roll, on the bias that all new music is only made to bolster an image or product, is complete insanity. Most bands in this day and age, sound so different from the classics because that is the whole point of advancement into a modern age. Why would a band want to sound exactly like The Rolling Stones? If I wanted to hear something Rolling Stones sounding, I would probably turn on The Rolling Stones rather than their modern cover band. Bands have moved on from the classic age of rock and have tried to form their own sound and uniqueness that will last them throughout the ages. Take Radiohead for instance. Their sound is mostly described as a “Pink Floyd type rhythm that’s dark and yet fun.” In a rockists perspective, they’re just another Pink Floyd rip-off trying to make money. The truth here is that, yeah, they sound similar, but Radiohead merely just took notes from the legends themselves to form their own type of dark/fun sound (and they nailed it!). Rockists seem to hate the idea of classics being used as a purpose of popularity but they also claim that if a band has any sort of unique-pop aspect, “they should have taken notes.”
ReplyDeleteThough I love rock n’ roll, I am in no way a rockist. I believe having many different types of music is a very good thing and that we should accept them. Of course some things won’t appeal to us, but that’s not to say that its horrible music because someone obviously had to like how it sounded in order to make it. Music is a form of enjoyment where certain sounds and noises ignite something within a person giving them a feeling of enjoyment. It really doesn’t matter which noises are used or what they sound like, as long as it is enjoyed by one person it has done its purpose.
ReplyDeleteI like many forms of music and open to whatever is recommended to me, not necessarily meaning I will like it, but I will at the very least give it a shot. My tastes range, in order from bested liked to least, from Reggae to Rock to Hip Hop to Dubstep and at last country.
Not only do I think it is stupid to exclude all music that is not in a certain category, but the arguments of a rockist are flawed. A rockist compares all music to a standard of Rock n’ Roll. They will say a band or artist “is not Rock n’ Roll enough.” What exactly is Rock n’ Roll? To what measure are they comparing these bands too? The Rolling Stones? Then how does one measure the Stones to be “Rocky” enough? It just simply doesn’t make sense. It seems to me that a rockist is just someone who compares all music to their own specific musical interests, which might differ from another rockist’s tastes, and if it does not measure up to speed then they discard it as terrible music.
To call myself a rockist would be an overstatement. Yes, I do love rock and roll and it is the musical genre which can be titled “the root” of most music I listen to but it’s not the only thing I listen to and I certainly don’t fallow the genres 60 year old “legends” while they desperately try to keep up with the intense stage life they had 30 years before. The idea of being a rockist is comparable to any other genre of music. Anyone can be loyal to their favorite types of music, so it doesn’t really matter if you are a rockist or a rap addict or even a disco queen. People are generally going to listen to and enjoy the music that is relevant to their lives today. Personally, I’ve already been to at least 25 big concerts in my life and the best shows were not forms of rock. Rock and roll is a good musical genre but not the best, as most rockist obviously view it. The genres’ people should be devoted to are more of the likes of blues, jazz, funk, ambient, soul, and classical, but truthfully who can’t love rock and roll? Whether you are a rockist or not, no person can sect of a whole genre is say it is good or bad. That is the great thing about music, it is far too vast for everyone to enjoy or hate. People are going to be leaving their families to fallow certain bands on tour, while others couldn’t stand to waste three minutes of their time by listening to the song on the radio. I would never consider being an extremist for any category of music, but that may just be my position or knowledge in many different genres. Luckily, today with the internet and vast sharing and illegal music download sites like frostwire, mediafire, and the pirate bay, or even YouTube, at a click of a button you can find millions of songs which can all be different. No one should be forced to listen or choose one type, all genre’s are good and bad, it just depends on preference.
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