Guitar-Based Mainstream Rock Music is Basically Dormant

[stringsncords]

The Grammy Nominees for the 2017 show were announced today:

BEYONCE - 9 Nominations

DRAKE, RHIANNA, KANYE WEST - 8 Nominations each

Not many guitars in sight....only in Country music is the guitar being prominently used.

I'm sure guitars will come around again, but this is pretty sad.

[sloop_john_b]

I think Beyoncé is going to win for "Lemonade", and quite deservedly so.

For Best Rap Album, i'm holding out hope for Chance the Rapper's "Coloring Book" (absolutely fantastic debut album) but with Drake and Kanye on the ticket, that would be a major upset. I wouldn't be disappointed if Kanye wins for "The Life of Pablo", which is another absolute artistic achievement in a long line of them for him.

[collin]

Not many guitars in sight....only in Country music is the guitar being prominently used.

I'm sure guitars will come around again, but this is pretty sad.

I'm not bothered. Before Guitars it was Accordions and lap steels. What makes you think the guitar deserves an indefinite shelf life? The tide turns and music changes.

My issue with threads like this is when they turn into old man "kids these days" type discussions lamenting the music of young people like it doesn't have merit because it doesn't fit some Classic Rock 4-piece guitar-driven formula.


I'm with you JB on Chance's "Coloring Book," but have to disagree on Kaye's latest. I think he peaked at "Graduation," although I can appreciate his recent efforts.

[Badanovski]

Guitars are still strong in Japan's mainstream.

[jdogric12]

The guitar hasn't diminshed, only award shows have. There is more great music of all kinds available now than ever before.

[squirebass]

I'm telling ya, the next BIG THING is gonna be oboe music. All of today's kids are dancing to it....

[indianation65]

I see the intent of this topic, which is simply to inform, but we all have known this for a while.
Regardless, thanks Mr. Stringncords...

...wisdom

[jps]

I'm telling ya, the next BIG THING is gonna be oboe music. All of today's kids are dancing to it....

[DriftSpace]

The guitar hasn't diminished, only award shows have. There is more great music of all kinds available now than ever before.

This statement is spot-on. Those award shows are basically the corporate music industry celebrating itself.

I once met with someone from the Recording Academy (of which I was a member) several years ago at SxSW, and she was basically out there to tell lesser-known bands (like mine) that the Recording Academy has too much representation from corporate music entities; she wanted all working musicians to know that The Grammys are accessible to any working musician. i guess the hope was that if enough "independent" musicians became members: the awards would become a very different event.

I agree that representation at the awards ceremony does not indicate the presence or absence of certain music; it's a (well-funded and promoted) niche, and it only represents a small fraction of actual music happening around the world. Let's not confuse fame and fortune with musical validity or viability.

[squirebass]

I'm telling ya, the next BIG THING is gonna be oboe music. All of today's kids are dancing to it....

Just see to it, JPS, that you kids stay the heck off of my lawn, with your oboe and accordian rave-ups!

[Kiddwad57]

What tics me off is the way Oboe Center moves in, undercuts all the mom and pops, then raises their prices once the competition has been eliminated. I only go there to pickup reeds.

[jdogric12]

And there is always some teenager playing that damn Telemann riff.

[Rubsoul]

What tics me off is the way Oboe Center moves in, undercuts all the mom and pops, then raises their prices once the competition has been eliminated. I only go there to pickup reeds.

LOL.... That's a good one!

[Clint]

What tics me off is the way Oboe Center moves in, undercuts all the mom and pops, then raises their prices once the competition has been eliminated. I only go there to pickup reeds.

Now that's funny!

[scoobster28]

Guitars are still strong in Japan's mainstream.

Guitars are still strong in Japan's mainstream.

I can confirm this. My wife watches a lot of Japanese music videos online (and in Japanese... which she doesn't speak... don't ask me why) and in my ignorant opinion it divides pretty cleanly into synth-driven and guitar-driven music. And frequently a Rickenbacker is in the mix, as they are popular in Japan.