Why Are Bands Mysteriously Disappearing?

[@busyworksbeats]

It’s hard to split $0.003 between 5 members

[@jameshisself7375]

Came here to say this

[@bctwitty]

Spot on

[@0dium.]

idea : lets limit bands to 3 members ;)

[@lessismore8533]

lol this exaggeration😂..

[@MacDiggity]

So touring and selling merch is out of the question. As is critical thinking these days...shame.

[@allanv7661]

In America they have removed music from general education curriculum. Kids now are growing up listening to drum machines, sound effects and cursing.

[@pickles224]

Yeah dude because it’s not like those things didn’t exist in the 80’s 🙄

[@JoePearsonGuitarist]

I’m in a uk band. We got signed to an indie label. We did tours of the U.K. and Europe - we did roughly 200 shows in the last 2.5 years. We have great Spotify numbers. There is a level you can get to, and then you can’t go any further. We’ve had people tell us, at every single gig, that we are one of the best live bands they have ever seen - we’ve had die hard Motörhead fans tell us that we were as good as their favourite band of all time. We attracted interest from major record labels all around the world. I’m an EMG endorsed guitarist and have had many other endorsement deals. We’ve basically quit. There is a block, at a certain level, and it’s almost impossible to go further. The venues aren’t there any more, and certainly in the U.K., the music industry has become so blinkered, and the labels are so unwilling to take a risk on a group of edgy forward thinking guys, with lots of gear and all the work it takes to produce a band of independent thinking musicians. Much easier to have a singer songwriter, put them in the room with all the labels trusted writers, write the same song that you’ve heard a thousand times, then put them and their acoustic on a festival stage. We are making our musical world smaller. That’s what happens when you don’t take risks with art - you pander to the masses. But you know what, the biggest achievement of my life was having an idea for what a band should be, according to all the great rock bands of the past, and writing music, releasing it and playing it live on stage…. And seeing fans lose their mind over it. THE PUBLIC LOVE GREAT BANDS AND ARE DESPERATE TO HEAR AND SEE THEM LIVE, the industry has done this, not the public. Cheap, repetitive fast food music. I’d take the Eagles over that any day.

[@TheMusicalElitist]

Not to mention it's more difficult to tour for up and coming bands now, cos of things like Brexit.

[@JoePearsonGuitarist]

@@TheMusicalElitist luckily we have a reciprocal agreement for the arts which allows 12 weeks of touring, but yes it’s still expensive and a bureaucratic nightmare now

[@petercaron3799]

Five Point Gang? Just giving you a listen. Awesome so far 👏

[@jonescrusher1]

It's a familiar tale, will be interesting to see if this is a cyclical thing , at some point i'd expect tastes to change. Maybe Oasis will get things rolling again lol

[@JoePearsonGuitarist]

@@petercaron3799 thank you! We do have more new material being released soon (series of Spotify singles)

[@christoz77]

Debt has consumed the world, debt multiplies.

[@hotace9595]

I have worked in the music industry as an audio engineer for a decade with a few big artists in the rap community. What a lot of people do not understand, including people commenting here, is that the product of a music artist is not music anymore. Music is not the end product. Period. Full stop. The music is now only a form of marketing for bands and artists to monetize themselves with shows, merchandise, or whatever else they can do to monetize it. The truth is that this takes a ton of work and money and very few are cut out for that life of manually monetizing a fan base in todays world. When you as a musician add your music to spotify, guess what? Everyone with a spotify subscription has already bought your music. And you didnt see a penny yet.

[@PaulieTheDude]

Good point. I'd add that its either an art or a product.

[@FloridaManMatty]

Conspiracy theory time: Most people are well aware that the entertainment industry worldwide is a very carefully orchestrated and planned endeavor. Has been for decades and will continue to be so. I personally think that the gradual shift from “group” to “individual” musical acts, along with the shift to isolated electronic contact in place of face to face interpersonal interactions all plays into the ultimate goal of further isolating the individual and making them (you, me…US) all more inclined to seek solace in our screens and devices. We are far easier to influence and control as individuals. We have seen the same gradual shift in sports and advertising where enormous entities seem to intentionally alienate their biggest fans and supporters for one reason or another. I think we are being intentionally isolated and that once society reaches a tipping point, we will be introduced to THE most unbelievably perfect person or product who seems tailor-made to solve all of our individual and collective woes. Weaker as individuals and better in every way as a collective. Sort of like a quasi-socialist Borg hive mind.

[@JeffKain]

EXACTLY! A move toward the false prophet from the anti-christ. It's all by design. There are no coincidences. This is global manipulation, and it's sadly achieving its end goal. Scary crap!

[@thewaronu8842]

I think it's mostly what Rick says in the video, but all that stuff you say is in the mix certainly, culture is steered.

[@StuTheDon17]

I've been having these same thoughts for over 5 years now and even predicted the collapse of live music. I'm from Australia, and in the last 18 months, nearly every major festival has been cancelled. The kids who usually attend these gigs say tickets are too expensive and are blaming the cost of living crisis and greed from event companies. But what they don't know is every generation before them experienced the same thing. Being young and broke. The difference is that we would do anything to get to these festivals because there were bands and proper live music and performances. We were ok with being broke for a while if it meant we had that amazing weekend. Kids now don't want to do that because todays music suck ass and it simply is not worth the $180 ticket to see someone stand behind a laptop for an hour long set. So it isn't greed and the local economy to blame. It is the quality and standards of the art. And technology is to blame.

[@kylewilson6497]

Garbage in Garbage out.

[@mateusbez2669]

There are no local scenes anymore. No bars/clubs where a local band can play live and get bigger and better. So the bands are dying, and the talented artists just become a solo act. This is a huge problem for instrumentalists - they don't have anywhere to make money anymore.

[@TJKoch91]

Yep. I live in Milwaukee, WI and with a very small set of exceptions, all bars and clubs only want DJs, cover bands, or solo singer/acoustic guitarists. Even in a cover band its like pulling teeth to get gigs unless you are already well-established from years ago.

[@Psalmist6693]

Absolutely right

[@holderrrrname]

Texas still has a big alternative scene. Teethe being one of the bands.

[@Vay72]

tulsa ok has a very very big music scene, ^ it’s out there

[@michaelscerbo35]

This is also a major part of the problem. No one goes to gigs, so bands don’t get hired, or bars that try to market bands, will close fairly quickly. Baltimore is showing it post Covid with the crown and Sidebar both closing which were huge for hardcore scene

[@thegray5730]

We are in the middle of a creative dark age...music, TV, graphic novels, movies, videogames all empty corporate vessels.

[@darby_hudson]

well said... this is also a silver lining... it's easier than ever to cut through and be 'real' or even great because of this

[@sm0k1nggnu_]

Just the big ones. There is so much good music being made, so, so many great and creative indie games, so many good movies that don't get shown in the big cinemas. It's all there, it's just not mainstream anymore because investing in something like this has become too risky for big corporations.

[@whirlingrazors]

The parasite will diminish the value of everything that has any worth to us. We'll be left solely with our dreams, in hope for some meaning. The monopoly will rise from within our slumber. Maybe, maybe not... Tell me about the bright future.

[@jaydee9086]

Why "dark" cuz everything be black?

[@PolarbearYGT]

Exactly

[@nickmaganini4416]

Its not just the music industry. People aren't learning how to play instruments anymore. I play drums for a few churches in my area and......seriously, no one plays instuments like they used to. Its sad. I have a small music room in my house to ensure my kids will ALWAYS have access to musical instruments.

[@matthewvelazquez2013]

You are teaching them?

[@puppude]

churches 😂

[@nickmaganini4416]

@@matthewvelazquez2013 yep or if they want to take lessons. I suck at piano so my son has a teacher for that.

[@nickmaganini4416]

@@puppude Yeah man. I bring in an extra 200+ a weekend just sitting behind a drum set. I guess thats laughable? Dont hate, some of the best voices/muscians are in a church.

[@pickles224]

I say this as someone who teaches guitar lessons for a living… this is absolutely false.

[@dantefekete7617]

It seems that we are in an inflection point where loneliness infected every aspect of our lives.

[@treborsevlad2treborsevlad271]

American Idol. It changed a generation of kid's idea of how music should be presented and that's by a singer not a band focus. Solo singers in bedrooms everywhere started blossoming and going on KZbin, Instgram, TikTok.....

[@dathorndike4908]

Good point

[@iedermensisanders]

This is a solid explanation indeed

[@sneetchw]

Thats a good theory

[@bobarctor2063]

Absolutely! I definitely sensed a sea change in the way popular music was perceived when American Idol became the touchstone of the industry. Originality and creativity were no longer part of the equation. Band dynamics were no longer part of the equation. It was essentially a glorified karaoke competition and while the singers who rose to the top were undoubtedly fantastic singers, nothing else mattered but the vocalist and if they could sing a well-known known song at a high level of skill. With the massive success of American Idol there seemed to be a great contraction in the variation and originality of popular music. I am not saying it was totally their fault but they were a big part of it. And when you consider the stratospheric success that program had for years and years, It is very sad to realize how very little it contributed to any lasting or memorable music. The vast majority of it pretty much disposable garbage.

[@-______-______-]

Pop idol and X factor ruined music.

[@GardenDaydreamMan]

The world sure has changed. I'm 54 and play in my own originals band and see live bands and don't really listen to Spotify, Tik Tok or Apple Music, much as I always have done since I was a teenager. I do however love KZbin, particularly channels like this one. I'm fortunate that there's a thriving local live band scene where I live. My experience of music is predominantly in local live venues or playing my CDs (once again , much as I always have), and rehearsing playing with my band. I find the Internet quite overwhelming somewhat like a ceaseless tsunami so I tend to follow only handful of bands I like (old and new) which heightens my appreciation of them because I'm not spreading myself too thin and have to the time to really savour them. I like nothing more than hunting up new CDs from those bands and/or buying them from gigs. I feel like I've fallen into a bit of a generational niche as the new music landscape/generation tears into the future, leaving me behind a bit, but that's fine by me. :)

[@rapidfirerob4]

Heavy sigh. I feel so lucky to have grown up in the 60s and 70s with so much great music. We went outside to play sports, games, hung out, played music. We had three tv channels and we were the remotes. Thank goodness technology was so primitive. I'm in two bands. Old guy rant over.

[@sandrajune1871]

Yes, More bands then than all the stars in heaven 60s, 70s then centralization and technocracy = the end.

[@eaglesandowls]

Every generation has great music. Just like every generation has bad music, even the 60s and 70s. The bad music has just been forgotten.

[@mario10zeus]

​@@eaglesandowlsnope, the 70s and 80s were golden periods

[@SearchIndex]

@@mario10zeusDavid Bowie Golden Years 😂

[@weirdscience6820]

"we were the remote" 😅

[@ronin4713]

Funny how the metal scene is very conspicuously under represented in this discussion... 🤔🤭

[@getit9066]

Because bands require talent.

[@jakemore2024]

Bingo

[@ivanpiva4415]

Ed Sheeran made it because he saw a gap in the market called looping and married that with catchy tunes

[@jakemore2024]

@@ivanpiva4415 catchy lol

[@mead-wf1xu]

I’ve been playing in a band for ten years. We write songs and do covers. It’s just hard to find gigs and most venues don’t want to hear original music. It doesn’t stop us though. It’s very rewarding to have someone tell us we sound great and I like your song. It’s what keeps us going!

[@LaplacianDalembertian]

+, the absence of bands basically equals absence of musical creativity, because music is a social construct. Music does not exist apart from social structure.

[@lansingdoesbusiness9356]

Keep plugging away and performing, the soul of humanity needs folks like you.

[@unduloid]

@@LaplacianDalembertian It's true. There are no solo artists making great music.... Oh, wait....

[@rogerjohnson7001]

What is the name of your band, songs? Where is it located?

[@themadmallard]

respect to the grind

[@latristessdurera8763]

I’d also say there is a lack of music tv now. Top of the pops, old grey whistle test, cduk have all gone from the uk TV landscape. Which was a great way of introducing new bands to the mainstream public.

[@coldloner7453]

Hate to break it to ya but generation Z and alpha are not even watching tv anymore, sure the occasional Netflix or Hulu but a lot of us are watching everything on KZbin.

[@RogerCaplan]

@@coldloner7453 That's another part of it - I'm Gen X and I haven't watched TV in years. It's another reason why we don't have the shared experience of music that crossed ages groups and subcultures in the way that those old TV shows did. You could bring them back of course, but it's wouldn't have much effect because the TV world is far more fragmented and TV viewership is declining rapidly, especially among younger people.

[@westleyanson]

“There is nothing new under the Sun”

[@OurnameisLegion66]

There's a lot of kids today who don't believe that you don't know a a singleTaylor swift song..still wouldn't recognise any of her songs,or any other song from nearly all "popular " groups/singers in the last 10,20 years.

[@rustinpieces]

I have never heard any song by Taylor Swift. I just ignore all these hyped-up nonsense artists who will all be forgotten in perhaps not 5 years, but who will listen to Taylor Swift in 50 years? That's what I mean. Playing Jimi Hendrix on original vinyl as I'm typing. Man, that is music.

[@alpakafantasy5134]

Its really sad but there's also good things still happening. If I play rock tracks to the kids at the kindergarten where I work (they like to run around and dance in our small gym room listening to music) you can see that rock music is like a force of nature and brings out good energy no matter the age, the kids love it. Seeing them laughing, running, enjoying themselves to the music I also love makes me happy and I won't give up any time and keep rocking ❤😂

[@NenjiAvero]

Another reason is that the industry (Marketing, Music etc) is pushing deadbrain pop music through all possible channels since the second half of the 90s. They've been promoting Rock as "dead" for so long, because they want people to basically only listen to the music that is the easiest to create and easiest to sell.

[@EndTikTokandTwitter]

True, but pop-rock exists because is pretty easy to mass produce as a lower grade quality version of rock

[@carpediemearth]

Is rock automatically better music than pop? Cause there's plenty of shltty rock music, and plenty of corporate rock music. Pop is a massive umbrella and countless quality artists, including some of the best artists of all time, have written great pop records.

[@mikepalmer1971]

Yep.

[@vampiresquid]

Nobody is “promoting rock as dead” ffs. What does that even mean?

[@mikepalmer1971]

@@vampiresquid It has been said for years not sure why you never heard it.

[@CM-jn7ef]

Interesting topic! I grew up mainly in the ‘00s and early 10’s, and while most of the pop and rap charts were dominated by solo artists, the alt rock/emo/punk scene were dominated by bands (paramore, boys like girls, mcr, a day to remember, evanescence, blink-182, sleeping with sirens, I could go on and on). I think when that scene died, that’s when bands REALLY became rare.

[@trubleSum1]

This is the way the "Industry' likes it. Always has been.

[@susanmikesell8685]

The Killers, Arctic Monkeys, Muse, Cage The Elephant…Alternative and Indie Rock are still going strong. Btw, my Gen Z kids LOVE old 80s rock and Alternative Rock. They also love the old crooners like Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Andy Williams, etc. These kids go thrift shops and buy old vinyl records and listen to this stuff all day long. They are always telling me that the Boomers and Gen Xers had the best music.

[@itsallgoodman4108]

Those bands are derivative and painfully commercial. Laughable that you consider them real tock. Shows your youth and lack of insight

[@susanmikesell8685]

@@itsallgoodman4108 I’m 54 years old! Haha. I grew up in the 70s, 80s, 90s listening to everything being played on the radio. I’ve also played in a rock cover band for 20 years playing everything from Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, Journey, Foreigner, Def Leppard, Stones, Doobie Brothers, etc. Yeah, I guess I’m not qualified to have a music opinion.

[@aldomacias361]

​@itsallgoodman4108 What about Muse's origin of symmetry and showbiz album is commercial? Please tell me

[@RogerCaplan]

Those bands are also 20+ years old and that was the point of the video. We're not seeing new bands breaking out and having mainstream success in the way that those older bands did. Older rock music is still hugely popular but the genre is in danger of stagnating and become almost a museum piece because new artists aren't making it big anymore.

[@kelleyforeman]

I think it's a symptom of a greater problem today: people don't hang out any more, especially kids. If you want to be in bands, you've got to meet like-minded musicians and hang out. Most of the great band members started doing this as teenagers, even if that wasn't the band made them famous. Kids today don't want to leave their houses. Of course, neither do their parents.

[@Arkansya]

also, most promotion goes from social media which is tailored for persona, not groups

[@Porcuspine360]

Ok boomer

[@caseyjones3522]

this just isnt true. granted its anecdotal but kids at my apartment complex are always hanging together. maybe thats just unique to apartments though

[@notcontentwithlosing]

there's plenty of bands. just not on the charts.

[@skyen85]

To me, your comment is precise and grounded in reality.

[@balldice374]

Spot on Rick. Regarding Spotify a 2015 report indicated that major labels kept 73% of Spotify Premium payouts, with artists receiving only 11% and writers/publishers.

[@subplzorideleteurchannel7193]

I, as a guitarist, was recently invited by my friend’s cousin, who is a drummer, to start a band. I’m 18, he’s 15, both have music taste that isn’t the most popular at our high school. Both of us never had the opportunities to play our instruments with other like-minded people. Then again, I realize that being in a band, especially if you play hard rock, punk, or metal, isn’t going to make you some ultra-millionaire. I can vaguely remember when bands were big, like when I was little in the late 2000’s/early 2010’s, and I definitely noticed a shift even at that age. Plus, mainstream music died as soon as COVID hit, all the good new stuff is with the online underground/indie scene. It’s sad that kids born just 5 years after me can’t remember the era of bands. I’ve even met middle schoolers who don’t even know what a guitar is, and everyone knew what a guitar and a rock band were when I was in middle school, and that was only about 5 or so years ago.

[@Osmium192]

As a now 35 year old who was in high school from 2004-2008, this is an amazing sentence to read. Absolutely shocking. I’m thinking of trying to get my 16 year old niece into playing guitar but I wonder if it’s even worth the effort? I feel bad for Gen Z. You guys missed out on the last hurrah of pretty much everything.

[@enigmaticallis3110]

Bring back rock and roll!!!!🎸🎶🎵🤘🤘

[@wolfiethedog76]

​@@Osmium192The 90's were the true end of the good music....

[@Paul-zu2hf]

The 90s was the best decade we've ever had. It was perfect.

[@Red-yx5yo]

bands may not be climbing the charts but they are out there touring all over the place. There are tons of new talent. I support live music and attend at least 30 to 40 shows a year. That is pretty good for an old man.

[@marshallsokoloff]

But many/most of the touring bands end up with next to nothing once production costs and venue costs take their slice. Recently, may bands lament that the only place they can make money is at the merch table, bit now venues want part of that too.

[@Red-yx5yo]

@@marshallsokoloff Context context contest. My comment was based off what Rick said are not charting. They are certainly not making as much as previous eras but there are many great bands still out there working.

[@williamb3323]

Sweet! I do the same thing. loads of talented musicians out there. I love it when they say "here is a song we just wrote" love it.

[@Red-yx5yo]

@@williamb3323 i went to see the Steelwoods last night. They were on fire last night and the sound was dialed in perfect.

[@WowJustWow37]

I just went to see Tems, going to see Thee Sacred Souls in December. Been going to shows since I was 14, and I don’t ever plan to stop!! ❤

[@TSGEnt]

The music industry is ruined. I've been in the business since the 80's. I've seen it change radically.

[@ArenHill]

The music industry is thriving. It's art that is struggling.

[@zulu5157]

For me not only the industry is ruined. Tiktok smashes music into pieces. Even a radiosong with 3:30 minutes is to long for the kids.

[@DMurdock]

@@zulu5157Nah, there has never been a better time for indie artists. You just have to dig for them like people used to dig through shelves of vinyl.

[@massapower]

​@@ArenHillStrongly Disagree 😏🙄

[@SM-qe4wd]

The industry was already ruined by the 80s. You're just too young to remember the eras before

[@jonasplaysguitar81]

The Empire took over a long time ago.

[@quailstudios]

This is one reason why guitar lessons aren't as popular anymore. There are no guitar players that kids are looking up to as teenagers. I teach more piano lessons now than guitar lessons. It used to be 50-50 but now it's more like 90-10.

[@orlock20]

Those female singers need somebody to play those Beth Hart songs. She plays keyboards, acoustic guitar and acoustic bass guitar, but also works with traditional bands and big bands. Yes, a Wah-Wah pedal and rock screams can be used on a jazz song and she has proven (that's an Adele dig that Tim Pierce brought up). Guitarists she has worked with include Slash, Tim Pierce, Joe Bonamassa, Jeff Beck, Eric Gales, Walter Trout, Buddy Guy and Neal Schon.

[@jonathanolson1185]

SOME kids. There are tons who are aspiring musicians. Especially in the metal scene. My son loves metal but listens to literally everything. Hip hop, classic Rock, metal.

[@Hellenicheavymetal]

@@jonathanolson1185 you are right. Metal even these days has some really good guitarists but of course it's not a popular genre so many get overlooked.

[@TokyoBlue587]

Wow that’s sad

[@rmoz2729]

Just saw Iron Maiden in Sydney the other night. Packed, and not just full of us old blokes. Young blokes everywhere, including my 18 year old son. The charts have never reflected what’s going on, except for The Beatles.

[@jonfleck8687]

Better question-why does music suck now

[@wilsoncavalcante3417]

That's why I'm totally in love with bands like The Warning, Bandmaid and Lovebites. They make me feel alive again! Gosh! They are so damn good!

[@OrdenJust]

That's three excellent bands you mentioned.

[@nwerd7584]

AIs going to change it more than ever before.

[@charleslanphier8094]

Maybe there's just too much music these days. We're drowning in it. Music overload.

[@londonroulette]

Yeah what’s that I heard 70,000 new Spotify releases A WEEK! Wtf

[@moxieoxenfree2872]

People just don't spend time together anymore. Folls used to jam because it was a fun outlet but now everybody's just glued to a telephone

[@applea.m.h.3560]

Says the person on their telephone

[@Person0fColor]

@@applea.m.h.3560you posted this 6 days after that initial comment. I’d hate to think it took you that long to come up with that but in all reality it probably did

[@applea.m.h.3560]

@@Person0fColor you think I saw the comment the day it was posted?

[@arglebargle5531]

​@@applea.m.h.3560how do you not realize the difference between using a phone and being glued to one.

[@BillClinton228]

I don't agree, I just don't think there are any good reasons to be a band anymore... everyone grows up eventually and has to pay bills and raise a family and you can't pay bills with passion and hope that you might some day be paid for your art. Talent isn't everything, connections and networking is mostly what its all about and thats just not what most musicians are interested in doing.

[@thegregoutdoors7632]

So many young music enthusiasts are reacting to music of the 70s and are blown away by how great it is, I think music is long overdue to.a revisit of true creativity and musicianship that once existed .

[@orlock20]

Few people want to hear it. People that want real singing, real instruments and guitar solos should be listening to modern blues which makes up about 1% of U.S. album sales.

[@marco31]

That's the problem... they react to it, instead of playing.

[@mauron8389]

70's were mid

[@GuyCybershy]

There's no way to recreate the culture that produced all that amazing talent. Young people have far more entertainment choices and most would rather play video games and are willing to pay for them.

[@darthseagraves]

what a shame.

[@robw3000]

The charts doesn't represent nice new music. First new band I think of is Greta van Fleet.

[@ms.krinkle9222]

exactly and they never have!! i wish rick would pay attention to young artists like billy strings, sierra ferrell, sturgill simpson, mountain grass unit, void, herakleion, dirty honey, king gizzard & the lizard wizard etc etc there’s so many great artists and bands nowadays keeping the art of music alive and well

[@jrrm3]

Another factor is mass media's focus on singers, not bands or other musicians. E.g The Voice. I'm a working drummer and this focus filters all the way down to local acts.

[@Pandamasque]

The horrid influence of TV talent shows on how the public perceives music are a whole separate subject.

[@TheDoctor394]

Is that a terribly new thing though? I'm speaking generally, but I think it's been a thing throughout rock history that when a band has one main singer, that singer tends to get much of the focus in the public eye.

[@jrrm3]

@@TheDoctor394 I know what you mean, and that's true to a degree, but the focus now seems 100% on singers. Rick's point is that's become the commercial reality as well.

[@TheDoctor394]

@@jrrm3 Yeah, that's true. I'm in Australia and work in Outside School Hours Care and, as someone who's very out of touch with today's music, there's one act from whom I cannot escape. Taylor Swift. I could hardly name another singer, and certainly no band that any pre-teen seems interested in, but kids here certainly adore Taylor. I go back to "my" period in the 80s, and I find it hard to believe that if I was an old fuddy duddy back then that I would only be hearing about, say, Michael Jackson. Maybe I'm wrong, but I would think I'd have been exposed to Jackson, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Duran Duran and many others, both soloists and bands. So my thinking has been that it's not only bands that are disappearing, but it's almost like there are fewer "big" musical acts in general.

[@AGuitarNinja]

Music to non musicians is just background noise for vibez you could play the most complex opus and after you’re done they’ll ask you to play something stupid every time

[@KyleJon]

It all comes down to MONEY or lack of it!!! They have taken away songwriters ability to make millions from songwriting, instead “paying them” .003 CENTS A STREAM. They have taken away the ability for bands to make a living in the bars, paying them in 1963 wages. So what do people do? 1) Give up (Mutt Lange, Mike Shipley, Desmond Child, Music Row Nashville) 2) Get a real job and get married and have kids 3) Wear 16 “hats” trying to do EVERYTHING yourself ( lyrics, music, arrangements, drums, bass, guitar, vocals, harmonies, mix, master, produce engineer etc) That’s why there are no bands around, and mediocre music

[@nealkriesterer]

Who is "they" All the money left the music industry with the start of piracy. I remember how Lars Ulrich was treated like some kind of monster when he tried to fight Napster. But here we are 25 years later, the music is terrible, and yet people still can't admit that piracy is a huge problem.

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

Great post! It's now the American way. Greed rules all.

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

@@nealkriesterer A lot of "they" are people who can no longer afford to buy music, and haven't been able to for years. The greatest demographic in the US are the working poor. The RIAA has no one but themselves to blame for not seeing the future of streaming, even sharing, before they finally did long after the horse had left the barn. It was all a big money grab for them, protecting what they had, refusing to adapt or change, as everyone else moved forward.

[@ASTROMEGA]

I identify with all 3. I don't care about Spotify 0.003 scraps. If I am happy with the final track and I have couple of likes and a comment. It's bliss.

[@noeldelcourt]

100% right...

[@pipestone67]

The monopolized gate keeping is coming to an end.

[@hjermsted22]

My favorite bands from the past ten years are from outside of the USA: Jinjer (Ukraine), The Warning (Mexico), Otyken (Siberia)... these aren't chart-toppers but they are creative and organic acts that don't sound like music from off of the assembly line.

[@robertaxel]

The Warning are awesome..

[@YAMISOOLD2009]

I love the Warning and was hoping they were in that top 400 on Spotify. Alas not yet!

[@blutey]

They need to bring back programmes like Top of the Pops and American Bandstand etc. People watched their favourite bands and aspired to be like them by learning instruments and forming bands.

[@Pandamasque]

That's because bands tend to be an organic phenomenon. A bunch of kids get together to make music, get discovered by A&R of a record company, boom (or poof). Modern day entertainment industry DOESN'T DO ORGANIC. Around the break of the century the industry has figured out that taking the "middle man" i.e. the artist out of the equation makes their business less risky and more predictable. So instead of making money searching for artists who want to make music, they took charge and began making "artists" and putting them together from the ground up like a business venture where everything is accounted for and risks are carefully managed.

[@Leo-qe3gl]

But then why is the "middle man" not making good music?

[@johnnyguitar6639]

Think you my be on to something here. Spice girls was created,same goes for many other at the time N'sync backstreet boys etc.

[@caseyjones3522]

@@Leo-qe3gl because the zoomers and other normies are just lapping up the garbage that the major labels feed them because they dont search for music themselves. the majors also have control over playlists on Spotify.

[@JJDon5150]

Those are good points, but you also have to consider that with the rise of DAWs, home studios and home recording equipment, and streaming platforms, bands don't actually need record labels to help them produce and release songs or albums anymore. This was already happening in the late 90s/early 00s. If I'm a 4 piece band, which is already splitting up the money 4 ways, why would I want to get a record deal and let the A&R Rep and the record company take all the profits from my band? That's not even including money spent on using a recording studio or renting gear. Financially for a lot of bands, it makes way more sense to do it all yourself.

[@Smith-wk6pb]

It is a business venture no matter how you slice it.

[@Seamonkey292]

There are bands but they not being pushed by the mainstream

[@igaltalianski1976]

1. Who needs charts 2. support your local venues 3. buy records on Bandcamp

[@travis43]

Are you me? Exactly what I would say.

[@DeKempster]

Buy directly from the artist, even beter.

[@unintendedinfo2239]

@@DeKempster bandcamp is directly from the artist p much

[@AlamoMelt]

Exactly! The Billboard Top 100 has not been an indicator of quality in my lifetime.

[@dathorndike4908]

I have bought lot of cds and lps on Bandcamp. Discogs, too. There are really great bands who cannot even get Amazon to sell thier music today. It's pathetic.

[@verrucaavocado9461]

I’m 16 and I rock to Led Zeppelin. I wish I could’ve grown up to led zeppelin 2 or 4. I was inspired by Jimmy page and learnt to play electric guitar and was lucky enough to talk to him for 10mins. Unfortunately no one can play drums, sing or is willing to create a band near me. I just have to play on my own and occasionally jam with my dad.

[@trinkettrance9361]

Keep at it! I hope you find like-minded ambitious musicians to rock out with!

[@jamesbough4752]

One word for you youngster .... Megadeth. Your welcome

[@stewartbone4236]

I was a kid in the 70’s but Zeppelin appeared quite early…. even I missed a lot of it. It was book dominated, social, music oriented and a great period 1970-2000. All gone now, just phones and games.

[@tts626]

"occasionally jam with my dad" ...that's really awesome!

[@lessismore8533]

How did you meet Jimmy page?..

[@jefftaylor5884]

Session/live musician here in Nashville. In a 35 year career in this town, I’ve seen the changes you are talking about here and elsewhere. All your reasons at the end are spot on. However, as difficult as it is to be in a band and promote one nowadays, my greatest joy in this business has come from bands that I have been a part of. There is something so wonderful about an actual community of creative people working to bring beauty into a broken world in a live surrounding. At this stage in my career, I still enjoy recording for various artists, but playing in a half dozen bands across genres in a town that loves live music is the most satisfying…None of it will garner 100 million views or followers, but that matters little here. Watching people moved in real time does. Long live bands!

[@Hyperion9997]

thank you for being a musician and bringing joy to people!

[@robertgraham70]

Well said Jeff. I have always loved being in bands.....and still am!

[@slimofpgh]

I'm an avocational drummer and lived in Nashville for about ten years. I played in an all-original punk band and really loved being part of a community of encouraging and supportive musicians. We'd play on a four-band bill on a Wednesday night at Springwater or The 5 Spot and we'd all hang around for each other's sets and often the cumulative number of performers was larger than the patrons. The joys of being in a band are many -- collaborating on music, becoming friends beyond the band (my wife had to have serious surgery while I was sick with COVID; the bass player and his wife visited her in hospital), performing even when nobody is listening. And I'm really grateful to have had the Nashville experience where new and original music is valued and sought out. And yes, Nashville has a vibrant and varied punk community!

[@scottyflamingo1413]

Young people do not know about leaving their house to go see a band and hear live music. If not on tiktok then it doesn't exist. No wonder the whole live concert scene is mostly filled up with nostalgia acts. Venues will eventually dry up, leaving less room for anyone to perform except for talent contests.

[@GoodBaleada]

You nailed how local relevance is only important. Thats music. Worry about this in Nashville. People will then always look to Nashville.

[@sanji1259]

media is a huge problem, they don´t promote bands at all. every movie, commercial, it´s alwasy the same identical "trash"

[@pickles224]

It’s easier to promote individuals on social media than it is a group of people. Artists have a better chance going solo because social media outlets can humanize the artist and so their fans can sympathize with them. It’s harder to do that for bands, especially if you’re a casual listener. My question is, why is that making music worse?

[@justinysmith8194]

The following comments are from a former professional musician who watched the de-evolution of society in real time over the past 30 years. People have lost interest in going out altogether. We don't go to movies anymore. No more high school dances. No more roller skating rinks. No more drive-ins. No more socializing or courting in general... Unless you count hook-up culture or friends with benefits. Young people dont even get married anymore. Its too expensive for them, and social media has the sexes not even trusting or seeing the value in the opposite sex. People order food in. People watch movies on demand. We go online to see what others are doing with no real skin in the game. Young folks don't care about bands because they can't relate to them. Besides, the music industry today is a smoldering wreckage. Clubs don't hire bands anymore, and when they do, bands are paid the same as they were in the 80's. If there is a crowd, they ask for songs that are over 50 years old. Outside of that, life is peachy!

[@thespecial]

Called it you literally named this generation Spot on ! Will be glad to have a conversation with a person like you!

[@_not_sure_]

Who goes to high school dances?

[@TedTedness]

I care about "The Liliac Band" Bigtime!!

[@DonaldRickert]

Rock is the new jazz. It's not the cultural Zeitgeist it once was. It's quickly becoming old hat.

[@DonaldRickert]

​@@_not_sure_Steven Tyler. That's where he took a chance.

[@Thrower-Band]

Yeah it’s so hard for young rock bands like us to grow a fanbase… there’s maybe a few lucky ones but it’s strange. We believe in our sound and are still like 21-22 but it’s tough. There’s a lot of young rock bands out there like us yet no sign of them anywhere. Either overshadowed by the glory of the greats or today’s current pop/rap/country trends. It feels like the matrix believing that “the one” aka some band will come and save rock from the ashes like Neo haha.

[@soundgrips]

I played in bands from 2004 - 2020. I was never famous but opened for a lot of well known rock bands. There were live shows in multiple places in pretty much every city just about every night. I knew people who would watch live shows every friday and saturday night. That all ended when covid hit and things have never been the same.

[@SuperStrik9]

Covid really screwed things especially for smaller and mid size venues (not to mention the artists/bands). They haven't been able to return to the same profit margins they were making even in 2019. Bands are now seeing their merch sales being cut into by venues which is bullshit. Ticketmaster and Live Nation are a big part of it. That duopoly (really a monopoly imo) needs to be stopped/broken up or at least heavily regulated for the survival of the live music industry. As a musician and fan myself like you this is a topic I am greatly passionate about.

[@6ch6ris6]

yeah i heard most bands cant even get a rehearsal room these days after covid. so sad

[@soundgrips]

@@6ch6ris6 We were paying something like $200 - $250 CAD per month for our space. I'd hate to see what the price is now. I wouldn't be surprised if it was made into something else to get more rent money, but it's attached to a mechanic shop and the setup would make it hard to convert to something else.

[@pensivepenguin3000]

I completely disagree, as somebody who also was active in bands around that same time. I think whatever hit live music took because of Covid has since come roaring back. I think the loss of smaller venues has been a more slow and gradual thing for the past 20 years

[@pensivepenguin3000]

@@6ch6ris6 what are you talking about? It’s not 2020. We aren’t social distancing anymore lol. That’s nonsense

[@dariuseisenbeis357]

It is always the profit....

[@mcgrawmike]

Very sad to see what’s happening. I was born in 55 and so glad I got to live in an era of Bands. I feel so bad for my adult children and grandchildren that they won’t ever experience the depth and breath of music that we did. From the day people started stealing the music on the internet (1985) and sharing it everywhere with no consequences, the end result was inevitable. It changed music forever …..

[@Fastvoice]

Another reason: Less and less rehearsal spaces. Which is of course also due to the skyrocketing rents and house prices.

[@andrewneale3266]

The decline of bands is a sad reflection of how fragmented the music industry has become. It's not just about making music anymore-it's about solo fame, fast hits, and viral moments. Bands used to be about unity, creativity, and the energy of a group that created something larger than themselves. Now, with digital production, individualism is prioritized, leaving behind the soul and camaraderie that bands brought to the stage. It's a sorry state when the art of working together is replaced by one-hit wonders and fleeting online trends, stripping music of its depth and emotional connection.

[@sensorycircuits1338]

The fragmentation alone is enough to do damage. Back in the day when a popular song came on you knew that millions of people were all listening to it & having the same feelings at the exact same time. It became part of the social/historical tapestry.

[@Randomjackass135]

But the opposite of fragmentation is what happened. Literally centralizing the industry to streamline profit. There’s a certain economic system that does that, but we’re not going to talk about that.

[@andrewneale3266]

@@sensorycircuits1338 Absolutely, that shared experience was powerful. When a popular song hit the airwaves, it was like a unifying force-people across the world were tuned in, feeling the same emotions and connecting through the music. It became part of our collective memory, shaping social and historical moments in a way that’s hard to replicate now. With today's fragmented music landscape, everyone's in their own bubble, listening to personalized playlists, and that communal feeling is lost. It’s sad to think we’ve traded those universal, culture-defining moments for fleeting, isolated experiences.

[@sensorycircuits1338]

@@andrewneale3266 Yes, the years from 1939 (age of radio) to 2001(first iPod) were special and may never be replicated. We should consider ourselves lucky to have been a part of it.

[@sensorycircuits1338]

@@andrewneale3266 The years between 1939 (advent of radio) & 2001 (first iPod) were special & may never be replicated. We should feel fortunate to have been a part of it.

[@bryguy306]

Bands and music are a reflection of the culture. If the culture is ailing, it will manifest in the art.

[@TheFunkybert]

Another punch in the gut for Gen X who grew up pre internet, cell phone, and with actual bands to idolize. And we are not even that old.. yet.

[@enmitygauged44]

Hang on to & support who is still rocking. I've always gone to a few concerts every year. I'm 57, so that adds up to a lot of shows. And I'm going to see Iron Maiden in November!

[@r3cy]

well we are old, but we're not ready to admit it yet.

[@rathelmmc3194]

Mid 40s to late 50s isn't old? Nah we're old now.

[@richarddietz2659]

Video games too, we grew up with the rise and fall of the greatest videogames

[@samuelluria4744]

​@rathelmmc3194 - Early 50's and I feel OLD AS HELL!!😜

[@disconisco1]

The bands are not dissapearing, they are just not in the mainstream. I have had this conversation with my colleagues at work, musicians, producers, and i'm a sound engineer . The Parcels , Mother's Cake, Wet Leg, Jungle, Black Pumas , Arctic Monkeys... just to name a few off the top of my head. Some of them are duos but still play band music. I know it's not in the "mainstream" and they are not in the top 100 spotify , but who listens to algorithms anyways. They are trying to take the fun out of finding new music for yourself. We are being served , spoonfed if you will, with crap.

[@giri.goyo_yt]

Agreed. So many great bands out there now, killing it.

[@langowski007]

Currently, looking at what is happening in music, I will repeat the words of a certain Polish artist: Nowadays, music is no longer composed, but produced.

[@vitorfilhorini]

It's amazing, this kind of content. I live in Brazil, and here we are suffering from musical impoverishment, and this is really sad! There are no more bands, just some singers singing horrible music... It's sad!

[@bassadelica]

Was signed to Interscope early 00’s when the transition started. You hit the nail on the head with the labels stepping in.. The movement was 100% driven by the labels not the consumer. Lazy marketing departments decided it was easier to market an individual persona

[@walkingdeadlands]

Congrats on getting that far though.

[@vidpie]

These days it's easier for individuals to market themselves and labels look for artists who have already built a following or have a song that is blowing up rather than putting effort into making that happen for artists they believe in.

[@bassadelica]

@@vidpie 100%

[@alasdaircosnett5502]

As a musician friend once said to me "the band's the thing" Whether it makes top ten or not, the experience of being in and watching/hearing a live band play is a close to magic as I've ever felt. 😎🎶💙

[@goodmusemusic]

There are so many bands out there. One of the upsides of tech and social media is access to search out bands. My most recent finds are Crown Lands, Fly in Formation, and Haken.

[@sarcasmo57]

It's a real shame. Modern music blows.

[@toddjosue2512]

I tell high school students all the time to start bands ...hopefully it comes back around ..lot of live shows everywhere but they are just not in the mainstream

[@easter_sunday]

It won't. The publishing companies have made it too expensive for local venues to host bands.

[@FunsongsMusicByPeterRahill]

Of course - that's what Garages are for!

[@NecramoniumVideo]

I have seen a slow return of bands though, one excellent band is Greta Van Fleet who have this great late 1960's, early 1970's rock sound.

[@matturner6890]

@@NecramoniumVideo Just stop with them. Great, a bunch of industry (Robert) plants playing at being Led Zeppelin. Yuck.

[@morganqorishchi8181]

@@matturner6890 I feel like this comment sums it up. If you don't play in a band, people will say it's a sign of the end of an era. If you do play in a band, you're an industry plant and it's the end of an era. A lot of people are deadset on "if it's new, it sucks" to the point where any option proposed is bad to them.

[@BoosterGauche]

And the labels aren’t even supporting their solo artists anymore! I heard a quote just yesterday: “The good news is you can do it all by yourself. The bad news is you have to do it all by yourself.”

[@steeleye11]

I don't think this necessarily means help from labels but rather help creating songs as this one person has to do all the instruments and the result is purely based on his own creativity instead of the input from different people with their ideas and experiences.

[@steeleye11]

of course you could still hire musicians to help out... then maybe help from labels comes in

[@wolfeflambe]

While we steal your voice to teach AI to steal your listeners.

[@joetrent4753]

@@steeleye11That sounds expensive.

[@TV_Schleuderprogramm]

How a foreigner sees the US: Hardly any-one of you could ventilate all his views without getting entangled. So with the bands.

[@jamesgalway8814]

Imagine being in an all original fusion band at this day and age ? 30 years of basement fun !!

[@PaulieTheDude]

soloist + producer is safe music. Copy of a copy but its a safe, expected and straight out of Excel spreadsheet music. It ticks all the boxes to max the income. The same thing can be observed in cinema or any other domain of comercialized art. Its either art or a product. Its that simple.

[@chere100]

Huh. I feel like I see lots of bands. But I ain't paying any attention to charts.

[@trevorholland5032]

Yeah perhaps that is the actual takeaway... charts are garbage

[@RogerCaplan]

Charts may be garbage, but I think the video is right in suggesting that it's far more difficult for bands to break through to any kind of large scale success, especially mainstream success where they become known outside of a niche music scene.

[@JohnShields-xx1yk]

I'm an old man now, for me the bands I listen to these days are the bands I loved from 1960's, 70's, 80's, a few from the 90's, I'm sure there's been some good music since then, but I'm stubborn and like what I like.

[@hooverphonicfan]

Check out the Warning!

[@JohnShields-xx1yk]

@@hooverphonicfan Thank you Very much

[@Incandescentiron]

"Video killed the radio star." About a decade after MTV came along, a friend of mine pointed out that band members were now expected to be visually attractive. This narrowed the field of performers, evolving into soloists with cover model looks.

[@danweston6109]

Kids these days still wanna be rockstars. But their rockstars = influencers, not musicians. TikTok may have killed the video star.

[@michaelwashere]

The popularity of shows like American Idol showed that people didn't care about bands no matter how they looked. It was all about the singer/performance.

[@n.oneimportant5]

So glad you said this. Prince said this same thing 20 years ago. Paraphrasing: "You started to see the industry change not long after MTV took off. Not blaming them because if you do that, you may as well blame me as well as I was all over that channel back then. It's just when things slowly started to change." Again, paraphrasing, but that was the gist of his argument.

[@darryldouglas6004]

I think it’s because like you said technology has made it much easier to produce music. The editing is easy. The mixing and arrangement are simplified. Many producers are actually multi instrumentalists and writers. With a DAW you can go from concept to full song in a day. Forming, building maintaining and organizing a band for sessions is difficult.😃

[@4444-LV]

I have to disagree, I mean look at Billy Eilish and Post Malone, they're hardly attractive!

[@93greenstrat]

This has been the case in R&B/funk for quite a while now. Even before hip-hop dominated, there was a surge in the popularity of solo vocalists.

[@Stockholm.sweden]

I was in a rock band until recently. We recorded two albums with a well established rock producer. Mastered everything at WestWestSide in New York. Got great reviews in several UK rock magazines. Tried to promote the album our selves but had good distribution of the CDs and vinyls we printed. But it is so hard to break through all the noise on distribution platforms like Spotify, Tidal and Apple Music. All the work we put in and so little in return. It's just HARD to be in a band these days. We are to old for TikTok and none of us are keen on being a KZbinr. How can we gain audience? It's bloody impossible as It's not about music any more.

[@raufmeister]

i will tell you something you need consistence, over time it will go up, many gave up once they see one song not going a hit, spotify recommends songs randomly when you heard the same genre, 2 popular songs, 1 unpopular thats how it works

[@inakidelbarrio5747]

​@@raufmeisterWhat make you think that over time it will go up? Nothing seems to indicate that.

[@MetalDeathHead]

whats the name of your band?

[@rwefree9469]

Kind of silly to watch a video and post on it here and not see the value of promoting yourself without needing a record company. If people like your music on YT, word will spread. Learn how to promote on YT. There is much info regarding that.

[@MetalDeathHead]

@@rwefree9469 yeah, if the music is good enough it will spread

[@oneword3491]

You should do another video... "Where have all the male vocalists gone?" There are still a few, mostly in what is now called Country.

[@markgallagher1621]

Past 10- 20 years so many female singers. I been wondering that for a long time

[@zenwhirlpool]

Uh buddy, I don't know if you've heard of the human population being very close to 50/50 in male to female ratio. I think it'd make sense for the amount of vocalists to have a similar ratio. Different genres are dominated by one or the other and certain female dominated genres are more popular right now is all.

[@mmumambientsounds-timers]

True and the solo male artists out there are such flakes. Always complaining about being hurt by a woman, loving a woman, coming to terms with the loss of a woman, trying to keep a woman etc… it’s so pathetic, especially if you compare them to female musicians, who are strong and quite often very talentd

[@coolbugfacts1234]

This is probably the most boomer complaint of all time. Boomers are infamous for overusing ellipsis, a holdover from a bygone era of writing postcards in the early 1900s. Ellipsis were used to separate thoughts, as a way to save space. Younger generations having used things like AIM, MSN, and IRC starting in the late 1900s, will simply start a new line to separate thoughts.

[@oneword3491]

@@coolbugfacts1234 LOL. Low T much?

[@TimBitten]

Hey, I’m just happy punk and metal can go back to being DIY, underground scenes with actual fun, small shows!

[@steveec9704]

5 egos don't connect successful bands you have 1 ego and the other 4 are followers

[@rhodridavies9426]

If you want bands, then please go check out your local rock and metal scenes, wherever you are! South Wales, where I am, has a thriving scene with loads of bands, including my own, trying to make our mark, but the shows are regularly half full at best and the venues are so close to shutting down it's scary! So if you are one of those people that keep asking where are all the bands, but rarely can be bothered to go down your local music venue to check out the new guys, then frankly, you are part of the problem. We are out there, there is loads of great music to be discovered. Go support your local bands and venues, help bring the next generation of music makers to the fore!

[@nathanclark4674]

A HUGE amen to this! Long Live Live Music!!

[@irishspagetti6565]

Most people don't wanna even leave their house anymore unless to go to work or shop and maybe occasionally go out to eat, it's just too expensive to plan a night out these days for alot of folks

[@doberman_hund]

good comment

[@Hellenicheavymetal]

I think a better way is to look at rating/review sites like Metalstorm (& rateyourmusic) and youtube channels like The Metal Meltdown and Thrails of Metal. Some of the best modern bands are covered there.

[@glen1555]

South Wales that's where Sassafras, Man and Budgie originated

[@BarbecueFitness]

Im in a rockband! Im 46 and were going nowhere. I love it!

[@WithmeVerissimusWhostoned]

_'There's nothing wrong with going nowhere, baby... but we should be going nowhere fast!'_ \o/

[@devolve42]

I'm 50 and I have no idea why I own guitars. I mean, I love playing them, but my only audience is my dog. He's there for every show, though.

[@KellySKline]

@@devolve42 - Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something. Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country

[@eyesuckle]

@@devolve42 But how much merch is he buying?

[@CheerfullyCynical829]

That should be your band name, Going Nowhere

[@armsamelia]

It makes me sad. I'm a college student but prefer old school rock from the 50's to about 2007. I know I'm an old soul. I welcome it, but it is hard for me to relate to others my age sometimes lol. Thank goodness for this channel!

[@CatholicTraditional]

And sadly, Boston singer Brad Delp died in 2007. This turned out to be the beginning of the end. 😢

[@cptnoremac]

*'50s

[@DrummerJacob]

well rock was invented in the 50s so you wont really find any rock before that haha

[@drno87]

@@DrummerJacob Back in those days, they called it Rock & Roll.

[@InventorZahran]

⁠@@DrummerJacobThere was rockabilly and jump blues in the 40s, but those didn't fully evolve into the rock we're familiar with until the early 50s.

[@Yukosan13]

Whats funny is Billy ellish should be labeled a band because her brother plays the instrument in the background.. like the white stripes but poor dude never gets any credit and he barely gets put into the music videos

[@theblackharleyquinn7]

Another reason for the disappearance of bands is a shift in how we consume music. I think this shift has drastically changed how artists and bands gain exposure. We Millennials had platforms like MTV, BET, and VH1 where music videos were central to how we discovered new music, especially for bands. The visual aspect helped build connections with the artists and the story behind their songs. Now, with platforms like TikTok, the focus is more on short, catchy “sounds” that are easily shared, and often disconnected from the full artistic experience that albums or music videos used to provide. TikTok places more of an emphasis on trends, viral moments, and short clips and tends to favor songs with hooks or beats that fit with dance routines or challenges, which can make it harder for bands, especially those whose music doesn’t fit that formula, to break through in the same way they once did. The music industry is a whole different world from what it once was, even since the mid 2000s, and now the pressure to create something viral can overshadow the artistry behind making a cohesive album or having a unique sound.

[@jurgen951]

Another contributing factor; kids growing up the past two decades have a lot of alternatives to entertain themselves with, specially spending time alone staring at screens. This removes the urge to “hang out and just do stuff”, which is usually the recipe for band creations.

[@JoshuaKA02]

This is true. Of course 'entertain' has to be used loosely here if I were to say this, as I've never seen much value in what's usually on those screens. I quit TV when MTV gave up real music, and I finally gave up on most social media when I noticed it had little value either.

[@larsinthewoods]

Spot on. The record industry really didn't have any competition for our attention back in the previous century. Neither did we have all the modern comforts like streaming. Or the Internet in any meaningful sense for that matter. The record industry had by far a monopoly on kids' time. It's not like that anymore. Modern kids are bombarded from all directions by industries that want to sell them stuff. And they're buying.

[@Mialamorena1]

@@larsinthewoods It’s interesting you called streaming a “ modern comfort”

[@acerimmer8338]

Absolutely. We have become an isolated society. Fewer and fewer kids just 'hang out'. Internet and phones have completely changed social dynamics.

[@gamesmaster1060]

I'm not sure about that, it's not that bands arnt being made, there's loads of good bands out there, they just arnt in the mainstream charts

[@alexjenner1108]

There were two venues I used to go to and see live rock bands. One was closed because developers built some apartments close to the bar where the bands played. Then the apartment owners who apparently moved into the city to be close to dinning and entertainment, decided that the entertainment was too loud, so they complained and had it shut down. The other was a larger bar where a lot of rock bands played. They sold the venue to a developer who built a huge multi-level business and apartment block. I'm not sure which came first, bands declining, or venues closing.

[@mattjns]

One great thing here in Melbourne Victoria Australia is the “Agent Of Change” law we’ve had for about a decade now. A lot of apartment complexes started to be built near live music venues as gentrification of once uninhabited areas took place. Then the noise complaints started with the new residents. The Agent Of Change laws passed in 2014. Basically if YOU are the “agent of change” ie; you weren’t there first, it’s up to YOU (builders developers etc) to build in appropriate levels of soundproofing, entrances not near venue entrances etc. on your new apartments.

[@sensorycircuits1338]

Back when land was cheap, the music was plentiful.

[@zanzone7133]

From The Kinks "Come Dancing": They put a parking lot on a piece of land Where the supermarket used to stand Before that they put up a bowling alley On the site that used to be the local palais That's where the big bands used to come and play My sister went there on a Saturday... Come Dancing... Now I'm grown up and playing in a band And there's a car park where the palais used to stand My sister's married and she lives on an estate Her daughters go out, now it's her turn to wait She knows they get away with things she never could But if I asked her, I wonder if she would... Come dancing.... Joni M. - "They paved paradise, put up a parking lot"

[@RogerCaplan]

The extreme level of real estate price inflation means that it's harder and harder for any commercial property to justify its existence and this hits live music venues particularly hard. Business rates and property taxes increase massively along with general inflation in food, drink, utilities and other costs to the business so the only way to keep going is to put up prices and hope that doesn't scare off all your customers. Meanwhile the property or the land it's built on has increased in value massively making it a far more attractive proposition to close the venue entirely and sell the plot for redevelopment into new apartments that'll generate far more profit than it ever could.

[@krissydiggs]

There's not a lot of money in it... but there's so much value in it. It's so sad to see bands become outdated.

[@glennhopkins2643]

The main reason for this is because most of the music being produced today is rubbish.

[@CountryMouseCityCrimes]

The concept of bands is certainly cycling through the underground again amongst younger folks.

[@mikaelhaggard8031]

Nothing I listen to is ever going to be in the charts, or appeal to the masses , so I don't care. Listen to bands all day.

[@elisawinter4520]

I’m on the relentless Radiohead + Sigur Ròs + Rolling Stones playlist. Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough!

[@capnceltblood5347]

I think you will find a correlation between the rise of Karaoke in bars and the demise of bands. It became much cheaper to get a karaoke DJ in with his machine and let the patrons entertain themselves than it was go get bands in and play. Less and less venues available supported less and less new bands. And as you mentioned it was more cost effective to promote solo artists and have pros write and play the music.

[@MW-dd8vk]

Bands are still out there. They’re just not in the mainstream charts which are heavily gate kept by the industry. There’s still great music coming out if you look outside of the charts then you’ll find plenty

[@KirbysBelt]

Yes! Screw the charts. I fee like it’s rigged anyway. I’m now taylor swift was intentionally moved up some occasionally, but I’m sure others too.

[@jcreature11]

Lmao no u can’t, name 5 bands that’s come out in last 5 yrs that have music just as good as let’s just say soundgarden, korn, tool, Led Zeppelin. I’ll gladly check em out

[@Danjoker.]

I'm baffled by how many people don't get this.

[@MW-dd8vk]

@@KirbysBeltI agree, the billboard charts don’t represent the majority of popular music genre’s. We’re not really getting the full perspective on modern music since the charts is only playing Pop, Hip Hop and Country. There’s 0 representation for Rock, RnB, Soul, Funk, Metal, Reggae etc. which is a shame because there’s great music now from all genres.

[@playdory3179]

Exactly. Name these bands who put out good music. I’ll listen to them.

[@WordDustNYC]

No money, No Dreams of Recording contracts, No Bands. RIP Reunion Tours

[@JokersNtheOddball]

I'm still holding out until the world proves itself guilty of ignoring real music when it was there.

[@whois3581]

@@JokersNtheOddball There is still some real music there, but it's spread out far and thin, you have to dig for it through the over saturated mess, and it's very much overshadowed by shallow pop for way too many years.

[@Moyzesh.mp3]

Fuck reunion tours, I want more new stuff!!!!!

[@JokersNtheOddball]

@whois3581 yeah I'm just joking anyway. It's horribly depressing for this world to have missed all that music. Living lives listening to bad music.or no music or less... I don't know. What can you do?

[@travisspaulding2222]

There's some truth to this. I think young kids have more social media aspirations than record contracts. 360 deals have killed any kind of romanticizing the record contract because bands can barely scrape by. Instead, they see KZbinrs getting success without the need of a label, thus without the need of a band. And then when you do see a band able to make a decent living, they are a tribute band. Bands seem better off dressing up like a band and playing their music on tour than to get ripped off by labels and streaming services.

[@lummsmusik3219]

The last years I started following great dutch rock bands (but english lyrics) like DeWolff, Dawn Brothers, The Grand East, Mooon. Most people don’t know them but they are incredible musicians.

[@dannelson6980]

You have to love band that recorded an album on a Tascam Portstudio.

[@absurd0000]

Where have all the cowboys gone

[@ardyzink7928]

Word on the street has it that you don't like what's going on in Japan. Fair enough. But, there is a large migration of old rock fans here following the female bands over there. Like it or not, their talent is pretty deep in both Korea and Japan when it comes to bands and rock music. JMHO.

[@SO-ym3zs]

It saddens me that guitar-driven rock bands have all but disappeared from mainstream culture. Ditto all the funk, soul, and R&B groups that used to dominate. But I'll always have all the awesome music recorded from the 60's to early 90's to enjoy :) Ditto with other genres: I'm not overly worried that tastes changed and small-combo jazz was driven deep underground (in part by rock and pop) to become an obscure niche. Or that Classical music makes up only a tiny percentage of ticket and album sales.

[@caseyjones3522]

i dont enjoy listening to the same music over and over.

[@SO-ym3zs]

@@caseyjones3522 I do if it's good, and as someone who likes different styles and genres, I literally have centuries of existing music to fall back on. Which is not to say I don't enjoy new stuff, too, but I'm not going to get too worked up about inevitable changes in popular taste.

[@cptnoremac]

*'60s to early '90s

[@shaun5552]

There are still modern bands around with original music that would've fitted in just perfectly years ago had they been born a few decades earlier. Two obvious examples are Halestorm and The Warning but there's plenty more if you go looking.

[@dabidibup]

We’re all isolated. I’ve tried starting bands but every time “you listen to that?? r u gay?” Everyone wants to be a frontman, nobody wants to be creative

[@michaelbuckelew]

When I was in marching band, I always loved being part of the low brass supportive yet sometimes dominant sound. There is a lot of cool music with various sounds backing up the lead sound so well.

[@pkeelan56]

And a lot of frontmen shouldn’t be. Such narcissism. Why is it that everyone has to be the lead singer? And it’s usually the people that frankly aren’t that good at it.

[@RogerCaplan]

You should start a band called The Frontmen and your first album could be called "Everything We Listen To Is Gay"! It could be made up of a lead singer, a guitarist who's also a lead singer, a bassist who's also a lead singer, and a drummer who thinks he's Phil Collins.

[@joshninny]

Thrice is one of my favorite bands from the early 2000 that I never saw get the recognition they deserve