A. Where do we go from here?
The New York Times reports Fender is struggling to stay in business citing a decrease in interest in rock music as part of the problem
I would also speculate that the current trend in acoustic music would drive down their sales. Fender does make acoustic guitars, so it would stand to reason that people buy them, but I never see anybody playing one.
Gibson recently posted on their Facebook that they intend to increase the price on their instruments to make up for their own sales slump.
The death of Rock N Roll has consistently been a discussion and predicted since approximately the year 2000 or so. People often point out how there are fewer radio stations with a Rock format, and several record labels no longer have a Rock department. Studies have shown when asked what kind of music do you listen to, few people say Rock, but after monitoring the playlists of same peoples, it turns out they have a very Rock oriented preference.
Perhaps the problem isn’t that people don’t like Rock music. Perhaps the problem is that people don’t like the watered down crap that record labels try to convince them is rock music. Rock is supposed to be raw and rebellious. Today bands generally reduce cussing on an album because Wal-Mart won’t sell it if they say the fuck word. Rock music isn’t supposed to be written according to marketing trends. Why would a kid want to grow up to be a Rock musician if Nickelback is the only Rock N Roll exposure they get?
Did you see this Green Day performance?
He says “I’m not Justin Bieber” Yeah, Justin probably would have behaved less like a diva. But look at the audience. Most of them are sitting and texting, waiting for this “Punk” band to get off the stage. Why would he want to play for people that don’t want to hear him, and I guarantee you he got paid the same either way. So he rebelliously tears up his guitar like Kurt Cobain would often do when he was mimicking Pete Townshend. Only, when Billy Joel Armstrong does it, he looks like a bitch throwing a fit. On the bright side, Fender enjoyed a small increase in sales when Armstrong had to buy a replacement instrument.
You know why Green Day sells enough CDs to be allowed to stay on their label? It’s not because they write good music. It’s because people want Rock music.
B. Nicki Minaj Endorses Mitt Romney
Speaking of rebellion in music. Remember when people worried about the kids because their idols were worshiping Satan? Well nothing has changed.
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