Rock Of Ages
Posted by meredith on 08-13-2009
In yesterday’s Ypulse Essentials I cited a recent study from the Pew Research Center that found the historical gap in generational music tastes was shrinking. Funny coincidence, as it so happens, next week for the first time ever I have plans to go see a rock concert with my parents: Elvis Costello at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles.
Granted, preference was just one reason why this momentous occasion didn’t happen when I was younger (hooray for older siblings and friends who drove), but still, it was always a given. It was also a point of contention whenever it came to settling on what to listen to on the radio. Mirroring the audio tug of war of teens and parents in cars everywhere, my sister and I fought for the alternative station, Mom wanted easy listening and Dad’s vote went to talk radio or classical music. The only way to make everyone happy (or at least tolerant) was usually to put on the “oldies” and call it a day. Turns out this is still the case, albeit with an increasingly broad definition of “oldies” (no offense to Elvis Costello). From the Pew study:
In the four decades since Woodstock, rock and roll has made the journey from the defiant soundtrack of the counterculture to the most popular music in the land, according to a nationwide telephone survey by the Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends.
Two-thirds of respondents say they listen to rock often (35%) or sometimes (30%), placing it ahead of the six other musical genres tested in the survey: country, rhythm and blues, hip-hop, classical, jazz and salsa.
Sure, on both sides of the table there are still artists and bands that make the other’s ears’ bleed, but with classic rock icons continuing to stay relevant to teens and twentysomethings — whether because they’re being rediscovered, still cranking out albums/touring or being reinvented via video games (more on that) or TV (Journey on “Glee”) — it makes sense to see this “rock” segment overlap on the Gen Y meets Boomers Venn Diagram. Among the other acts I can recall inspiring intergenerational concert-going for my friends and their parents: Bob Dylan, The Who, Paul McCartney and Elton John. It’s not too far a leap from artists named by the USA Today coverage of the Pew research:
Performers including the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix are among favorites of Gen Y — even those who haven’t performed in their lifetimes, such as Elvis, who 24% of 16- to 29-year-olds said they like “a lot.”
The larger point here — and in the study — of course, is the more general willingness to listen to one another, but, from a marketing perspective, this olive branch extended over rock & roll clearly has potential. Potential that’s just starting to be realized in forms beyond concert tickets (which frankly might not be considered without Mom and Dad’s help), and with the much anticipated “The Beatles: Rock Band” hitting stores next month. A game, that if Viacom’s dreams come true, will convince young players to keep loving the Beatles (not sure I believe they would have stopped) and Beatles fans who have never picked up a video game to start playing (for an interesting dive down, check out this lengthy feature from The New York Times magazine, reg. required).
Not surprisingly, thinking about all this has led me to wonder which, if any, of the bands that I love from my generation will become acts I bring my own teens or twentysomethings to go see. I’m still working on the greatest hits list, but ask me again in 20 years?
Categorized under: Movies & Music