Is the USA bored of hard rock?

[thiswaythatway]

Just watch the crowd in these 2 videos and you can see for yourself the difference. The crowd in the USA looks like they're waiting to be impressed while the crowd in Argentina is going BERZERK. Yes, I know the concert in the USA is someone's camera and the video in Argentina is professional but you can get a good sense of the crowd. There's cheering at the END of the song in the USA and some fist pumping throughout, but in Argentina they almost have a mosh pit........FOR AC/DC! Yes, you gotta love my Youtube comment.

 

[snowdog]

This is the reason most concert DVD's are filmed from shows in other countries.

 

[benduncan]

id say that it has to do with the cultural differences, look at how they celebrate holidays in south america. I have a behemoth dvd where everyone is literally standing there motionless. that doesnt mean youre wrong though. i think that a better comparison would be a video from the bands heyday and one from now. i did a quick search but there were almost no crowd shots in the older videos that i was looking at, lol.

 

[stephen sawall]

Yes ... I believe this happened about 1979.

 

[Skrapmetal]

Well... AC/DC has certainly lost some luster here. Especially when you can turn on any rock radio station and hear them once an hour every single day, all day long.

 

[Red_Label]

The music scene in the U.S. has become stale and unimaginative. Many/most "fans" are only responding to the crap they've been conditioned to like and been fed. They don't look outside what's popular or what'll get them admittance to whatever little clique they're trying to break into or be a part of.

Seriously... most American hard rock/metal bands bore the complete hell out of me any more. I MUCH prefer European bands (Kamelot, Nightwish, Nocturnal Rites, Marillion, etc) and the liveliness of European crowds. There are also kickass bands from all over the world (Angra, etc).

I'm going to say this as a VERY patriotic American... Americans are bored with hard rock and metal because they're boring, lazy, and unimaginative... and they choose to listen to pedestrian cookie-cutter music brought to them by the commercial music establishment in America.

 

[rokket2005]

The music scene in the U.S. has become stale and unimaginative. Many/most "fans" are only responding to the crap they've been conditioned to like and been fed. They don't look outside what's popular or what'll get them admittance to whatever little clique they're trying to break into or be a part of.

Seriously... most American hard rock/metal bands bore the complete hell out of me any more. I MUCH prefer European bands (Kamelot, Nightwish, Nocturnal Rites, Marillion, etc) and the liveliness of European crowds. There are also kickass bands from all over the world (Angra, etc).

I'm going to say this as a VERY patriotic American... Americans are bored with hard rock and metal because they're boring and they choose to listen to pedestrian cookie-cutter music brought to them by the commercial music establishment in America.

There is good music coming out of everywhere in the world, but most of it is overshadowed by the awful music. I'd wager to say that if I were an omniscient being, I'd like a larger percentage of music coming out of the us vs. any other country, it's just that the music industry has little interest in pushing innovative bands, and people in general in the US aren't interested in music, as such we don't hear a lot of great bands. It's tough as an original band, especially if you aren't doing generic radio friendly stuff to get people to listen to your music. I'm guilty of this as well, where I'll listen to a song or two of a band and decide whether I like them or not. The other side of the coin is that there is so much music out there, that this type of judgement isn't completely unwarranted IMO. If I don't like something, or they do nothing to grab me, I find little reason to dig deeper to see if there is something that will. There are plenty of other bands and new music that I haven't heard that may well be worth my time and I'll pursue that instead of trying to like something that doesn't deserve it. There is also a cultural phenomenon going on as well, especially with in the prog/power scene as you seem to be in. I enjoy bands like Serenity, but I'd be delirious if I were to go to a show and expect to see more than 40 people there. Compare that with that same show in Europe? Well, you get the point.

 

[Red_Label]

There is good music coming out of everywhere in the world, but most of it is overshadowed by the awful music. I'd wager to say that if I were an omniscient being, I'd like a larger percentage of music coming out of the us vs. any other country, it's just that the music industry has little interest in pushing innovative bands, and people in general in the US aren't interested in music, as such we don't hear a lot of great bands. It's tough as an original band, especially if you aren't doing generic radio friendly stuff to get people to listen to your music. I'm guilty of this as well, where I'll listen to a song or two of a band and decide whether I like them or not. The other side of the coin is that there is so much music out there, that this type of judgement isn't completely unwarranted IMO. If I don't like something, or they do nothing to grab me, I find little reason to dig deeper to see if there is something that will. There are plenty of other bands and new music that I haven't heard that may well be worth my time and I'll pursue that instead of trying to like something that doesn't deserve it. There is also a cultural phenomenon going on as well, especially with in the prog/power scene as you seem to be in. I enjoy bands like Serenity, but I'd be delirious if I were to go to a show and expect to see more than 40 people there. Compare that with that same show in Europe? Well, you get the point.

I agree with you 100%. And yeah... there is good music being put-out in America. But it's damn hard to find it because the BUSINESS that is the American music "scene" isn't interested in GOOD music... just stuff they can get mind-numbed teens and young adults to listen to. Which of course goes along with your point that even when great bands do play over here... no one shows up. It's sad and I don't foresee anything that's going to change it much in the near future. Thank God for DVDs of live performances and the internet.

And I also admit to making quick judgements on bands because I don't have the time to listen to their entire catalogs to find the gems. Most of the bands that I really like and respect grabbed me from the get-go. I didn't have to go searching. In fact... I get really frustrated when bands that I've liked and respected for many years start to fade and I have trouble finding gems in their later works. Rush is a prime example of that for me. They've always been my favorite band (since the late 70s). But they've been coasting on that status for many years now because for me, the gems in their later works are few and far between. Some of my former favorites (Queensryche comes immediately to mind) have long since gone past the point that I've completely stopped buying their albums. (Rubbish!)

 

[D-Rock]

There is a definite sense of entitlement and desensitization with American audiences. It's sad and insulting to the artist.

 

[ConcreteVampire]

I was born in Argentina and I can safely say there's a HUGE audience and fan base for hard rock and metal there. As stated, alot of these "Check out where we are most loved" videos are shot down south. (See most Maiden! concert vids)

Last visit, right in a open air market shopping for Metal t-shirts for my band mates, (I had a Maiden Tribute at the time) I found my bass player a Steve Harris "Team Maiden" Jersey?! where the fuckin world would I run int othat but maybe UK? (It's purple and blue, with the Maiden 1 Ed stitched in front!

(Maiden BTW has a team made up of the band members and some crew that regularily play againstthe national and City teams of the cities they are playing in, during any tour they do "For shit's and giggles"

Lots of metal swag stores everywhere. Lots of kids and adults sportin metal band t-shirts every where...

Weird, like LA in the 80's... (Not a bad thing!)

 

[d1469d]

I don't think they are bored. They just appreciate it more in other countries because it is expensive to travel and perhaps bands can't afford to hit every country. Maybe I am wrong. I know bands do not make much money off of selling records any more so they have to tour more which is a good thing if you like to go see live bands. I am from a small town in Iowa and if any bands come around here at all, the touring band is surprised at how good the crowd gets into it. I think it is because a national touring band doesn't come through town very often and every one goes ape shit when they do. Who knows maybe they didn't sell beer at the concert. I went go see a band one time where they didn't sell beer at all. I noticed a big difference in crowd reaction. It kind of took away the vibe of the show.

 

[threadkiller]

Rock is dead. The guitar is grandpa's instrument. Hip-hop/rap is what we've got now.

 

[Shiny_Surface]

and people in general in the US aren't interested in music

I agree, music has been reduced to a small subset of (young) people's overall entertainment experience now. Music alone has a lot of competition these days competing for a plethora of entertainment options available right at their fingertips, much of which has music in the background stacked with other mediums. Most don't care to "dig deeper" than the top layer of muso-tainment streaming to their digital devices.

On top of that (just my personal opinion) guitar isn't as cool as it once was. Doesn't stop me from enjoying it though but I'm an older guy on a gear forum, not the majority.

 

[gibson08]

Rock is dead. The guitar is grandpa's instrument. Hip-hop/rap is what we've got now.

UUUHHH,,just shoot me now.

 

[Sierra Voodoo]

Rock is dead. The guitar is grandpa's instrument. Hip-hop/rap is what we've got now.

This!

The American music scene seems dominated by teenie bopper acts and bullshit hip hop this and hip hop that. Just watch any of the music award shows (which I refuse to do). Not too mention the fascination and love affair with all these talent search shows like American Idol, The Voice and the X-Factor. All the stuff I and many of you grew up listening to or found themselves influenced by is disappearing. Each time we lose another rock and roll icon (Ronnie James Dio for example) it seems like for those of us that still want to carry the flame of rock and roll, we get one step closer to the end of the run.

 

[glassjaw7]

There is a definite sense of entitlement and desensitization with American audiences. It's sad and insulting to the artist.

This.

 

[Heritage Softail]

Too many feminized men here. They have been influenced by years of being told to be sensitive, gns are bad, water a set of body armor to get on your bicycle, watching men be made to look like fools and smacked in the nuts for humor. We even came up with a type of music to bitch about our vaginas hurting....Emo.

Now we are wondering why rock is dying? At least we still have some rock and metal going. But it is sad to see a guy that once listened to rock, listening to rap or techno.... or Coldplay.

 

[squank]

I blame porn.

 

[glip22]

I thought its been good for Rock here lately. Some great acts coming around and selling out shows the past few years. I don't think its a fair comparison with some other countries, especially South America as far as crowd involvement. I'm not sure but I don't think they get any where close to the amount of shows we have gotten here. Not many in Argentina can say they have seen RUSH 10x. They have been doing the Tango down there long after we were into Rock. ACDC is another.

 

[hellaboogie]

everyone has a cell phone in their hands too busy texting or emailing at concerts