Real Rock Isn’t Dead. It’s Just Headed South And Smart Music Marketers Are Following.
Remember how we all scratched our heads as Shania Twain had huge hits on country radio that sounded a whole like rock songs? She was even produced and essentially re-invented by the king of arena rock Mutt Lange. That appears to have been the start of a trend. An article in the New York Times chronicles the trend and starts by asking, "What ever happened to arena rock?"
"…It went South. These days, if you want slick rock ‘n’ roll sing-alongs and triumphal power ballads, your best bet is probably country music"
"Maybe Bon Jovi has already figured that out. Because as aol.com broadcasts the Nokia Theater concert online, the country-music cable network CMT is running a different Bon Jovi concert. This week fans can watch Bon Jovi in the latest installment of the CMT concert series "Crossroads," which matches rock stars with like-minded country stars. "Crossroads" is one of CMT’s cleverest shows, a smart way to acknowledge the increasing overlap between old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll and new-fangled country."
For its "Crossroads," Bon Jovi has been paired with the country trio Sugarland, and the two acts perform onstage together, trading vocals on songs from two not-very-different repertories….This alliance between Bon Jovi and CMT is a clever marketing idea. It’s also an acknowledgement of the current rock ‘n’ roll reality…"
"It’s been almost 15 years since people first started talking – semi-accurately – about the rise of melancholy grunge and the fall of exuberant hair-metal…"
"…Meanwhile, in Nashville, there has been an unexpected resurrection. Garth Brooks taught a generation of country stars how to rock arenas, and acts ranging from Toby Keith (he did a "Crossroads" show with Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, plus others) to Brooks & Dunn ("Crossroads" with ZZ Top) have perfected their own bombastic, rock-influenced live shows. Kenny Chesney ("Crossroads" with John Mellencamp)…is essentially a cowboy-hatted arena-rock star, unafraid of oversized gestures. And then there’s Keith Urban ("Crossroads" with John Fogerty)…"
"…There’s no reason, after all, why a pop song can’t crunch and twang at the same time…"
Read the full New York Times article here. Free registraion may be required.
