Photo Credit: Serkan Turaç – freeimages.com
Rock n’ Roll is dead. Every few years we hear another musician or band wailing those words or some variation. In 1972, The Who Told us Rock is Dead and in 75’ it was on the “B” side of Lenny Kravitz’s “Confused.” A search on Lyrics.net returns: We’ve found 64,504 lyrics, 132 artists, and 50 albums matching rock is dead. It seems the reports of Rock’s demise were premature.
In what can only be described as the strangest year in memory; Rock, in all its forms, is not only surviving it’s thriving. Bands and artists have had to abandon traditional models, i.e., Make music, play clubs/venues and sell music and merchandise.
On demand streaming (Spotify, Apple) single handedly killed album sales years earlier, and as if that wasn’t enough, add lockdowns and quarantines to the list of drama for Musicians.
Hey we’re still alive out here!
In the beginning, when clubs and venues began closing, I started noticing more Facebook Live sessions. Musicians typically have some conversation with their fans, most often centered around live shows.
Bands like Texas rockers Downfall2012 and Papa Roach had long since started conversations away from direct interaction and onto the internet where they hold weekly Facebook Live chats. More and more bands are letting their fans peek in on the creative process too with bands livestreaming practice and writing sessions. Sometimes they just open the camera for impromptu jam sessions.
Leveraging the internet for fan engagement isn’t new or revolutionary anymore. Some bands naturally flow comfortably between shows and internet chats. Perhaps opening up new engagement channels is something Millennial bands are better at, having come up in that world, or maybe it’s just some bands are more hungry? One thing seems apparent, some bands were better than others at keeping in constant contact with their loyal fans.
In the age of Stay at Home orders, many bands found themselves unprepared to take their show to the internet. Begin the age of innovation in Rock music.
Live from New York it’s Saturday Night
Ok, it’s not Saturday Night Live but it could just as easily be Saturday night and your favorite band could be live on Facebook, Periscope or YouTube. Livestreams aren’t new; what’s new is the need for every artist to leverage the technology or lose any momentum they’ve worked so hard for in the careers.
On April 18th many or the world’s best known musicians joined in on what was probably the most ambitious livestream event this year: “One World: Together At Home.” Artist’s like: Annie Lennox, Sheryl Crow and the Killers streamed live from their homes/studios in support of the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization. The event was carried widely across media platforms: ABC, NBC, Viacom, the CW and many internet sites.
In an April 21st, 2020 article on Variety’s webzine, Variety reported “the One World: Together At Home Live stream concert raised $127.9 million for health care workers and Covd-19 relief, according to Global Citizen.”
GAMING – It’s not just for your mother’s basement anymore.
The long held image of gamers as lone wolves hanging out in their mom’s basement playing games all day was shed in big way in 2020.
This year the world woke up to the news that one the largest acts in Rap, Travis Scott, streamed live from Twitch. Long considered a Gamers’ platform Twitch has grown exponentially this year. In a May 13th, 2020 article: “The lockdown live-streaming numbers are out, and they’re huge” Webzine The Verge, reported “hours watched jumping 50 percent between March and April and a full 101 percent year over year. It’s now up to 1.645 billion hours watched per month.” The Gaming Sector is still the largest user of Twitch with musicians beginning to utilize the platform for virtual concerts this year.
Show Me The Money!
Will that movie quote ever grow old? NO! Just like in the 1996 movie “Jerry Maguire”, if you’re not getting paid what’s the point.
On July 10th, the band Trivium pulled off one of the biggest coups this year in Rock by charging for a livestream event. Trivium’s “A Light Or A Distant Mirror” livestream purportedly sold over 12,000 tickets raking in and estimated 108K.
Trivium’s success got other bands thinking and now it’s not uncommon to see livestream concert events advertised as available for a small ticket fee. For my part, I’m still not ready to pay money to watch bands perform on my computer screen but that’s just a personal preference thing. If venues continue to remain closed well into 2021, livestreams may remain the primary source to get your Rock fix.
Pass Me the Popcorn
One of the most interesting innovations occurring this year is Drive-In Concerts.
For some years now, Drive-In Movie Theaters have been dying a slow death. This could be the beginning of a comeback for the Drive-In Theater business.
Thanks to the need to open up alternate revenue streams, mega bands like Metallica are streaming concerts to Drive-In Theaters now. A per car fee is charged for fans to watch their concert livestreamed to a Drive-In near home.
Live Nation, the concert company, has now started promoting an entire series of Drive-In Concerts on its page: https://www.livenation.com/drivein/
Will fans be willing to continue paying to watch a drive in screen once the pandemic passes…only time will tell? My guess: The irresistible urge to sneak your friends and beer into the drive-in in your trunk will be found and embraced by a new generation.
So You’re Not Metallica Yet
National and international acts have big muscle behind them in the form of big labels. Bands don’t produce; Labels don’t make money. There’s no surprise in this equation that big names pushed into the virtual space in such a big way. It’s been said many times, where there’s a will there’s a way. Among the innovations, in this crazy year, are Virtual Venues. Technically, Virtual Venues are not virtual at all. Virtual Venues are studios and spaces that are set up with lighting, special effects, and of course, camera’s cameras and more cameras.
Virtual venues give smaller bands the opportunity to create live like productions to stream to their fans. One such venue is Southern California’s, “The Den.” The Dens’ advert came across my Facebook feed sometime back and I was curious how it worked. On their about blurb on Facebook the company says, “The only virtual venue that pays YOU to play!” Posts on The Den’s page state they are looking to fill up their 2021 schedule. The Den’s website:
https://www.socalden.com/?fbclid=IwAR3PGaGdrfANzmVVhjjuqbYDZEkBlGrjtXfMZ3PpE7yLoYKiZS8Ba5mXevQ
appears to be under construction and offers no real clues as to their model. From what I can gather they are just getting off the ground with this concept.
We should expect more and more of these startups to appear in the coming months then disappear if the revenue model fails to materialize for new and smaller profile bands.
What Time Does The Store Close?
In the music world, store means Merch (Merchandise) store. Those of us addicted to live music are all too familiar with the Merch Table at every show. The Merch Table and “Merch Girl” are ubiquitous fixtures at live shows and a great way for bands to offset or pay for expenses on the road. (or locally most times) Items from CD’s, T-shirts, Hats, Stickers and Vape Cartridges (yes I said Vape cartridges) are sold with the bands logo emblazoned on them.
One of the things I noticed earlier in the year was that every band was pushing their Merch in ways I’d never noticed before. Bigger names have fully fledged ecommerce presences while the smaller-less well known bands are still doing it themselves taking orders via phone or instant message and shipping it out themselves. These days, what time does the store close…NEVER!
Queue That Beautiful Bean Footage
…goes the Bush’s Baked Beans Commercial. (Can you guess I watch way too much TV?)
Lots of bands have been using old concerts and recorded live performances as a way to remind their loyal fans of what they are missing. Queue up last year’s concert in Denver and start a watch party…BAM mission accomplished. This is a great way to get your Rock fix when you don’t want to spend the night at the drive-in or shell out $12.95 for your favorite bands live-stream.
Let The Games Begin.
I’ve read post’s from several bands advertising club/venue performances in this calendar year (December 2020). Based on the situation across the country, and considering the reemergence of the virus in a big way, I’m not sure live performances will be possible this year. Is it wishful thinking that someone in Texas or Pennsylvania will be able to attend a live show anytime soon?
Good question.
Rock is Alive and Kicking!
So, this article was titled: Rock Music 2020 – A Report Card. Looking critically at the industry as a whole, the musicians I am personally associated with and just plain old reading, I’d have to grade Rock Music with an A+. A+ for making music when making music was harder than ever. A+ for reaching out to the fans and keeping us engaged when we needed it most.
A+ for continuing to give us a small distraction in a world gone mad.
by Thorne Schreiber 
Thorne Schreiber is a Staff Writer for BackStage 360, A DJ and Uber Music Fan Living in the Los Angeles Area.