The Internet Era I MUSC-21600: The Art of Rock Music Prof. Freeze 5 December 2016 Music Industry in the Internet Era • Rock’s marginalization within popular music • Breakdown of artistic/economic approach • Internet (MP3, Napster, p2p) • Eliminates industry control over distribution • New platforms (iPod, iTunes, streaming) • Re-prioritizes tracks • Pro Tools further empowers DIY-ers • Industry’s responses (so far) • Court cases, focus on baby boomers • Product placement, 360-degree deals, touring Rock in the Internet Era • Many forms of mainstream rock in the 2000s • The rest of the listening list: a non-representative sampling of directions • Nickelback • Traditional approach to music and business lives [7,000,000 albums sold] • “Photograph” (Nickelback, 2005) • Hard rock + Country + Pop • Check out “How You Remind Me of Somewhere” • Linkin Park • Reflects new demographics: Asian-American band members • Exemplifies growing irrelevance of generic boundaries • Enabled by new technology, distribution platforms • “In the End” (Linkin Park, 2000) • Nu metal ( = alt metal = metal + ______ ) • Creed • Breaks down commercial boundaries: Contemporary Christian Music vs. mainstream rock • “Higher” (Creed, 1999) • Grunge (cf. post-grunge) Rock in the Internet Era • Radiohead • Alternative rock as vehicle for musical, economic experimentation • In Rainbows (2007): lavish album and digital download • “Bodysnatchers” (Radiohead, 2007) • Nihilistic punk sensibility, rhythmic drive • Heavy metal guitar orientation (often highly distorted) • Exotic scale and hypnotic repetition • Lyrics seem to link individual helplessness, rock industry • Arcade Fire • The Suburbs (2011): Grammy Award for Best Album of the Year • Is there mainstream and alternative anymore? • Stylistically eclectic • Deals with experience of post-recession suburbs (cf. hip-hop) • “The Suburbs” (Arcade Fire, 2011) • Retro bouncing beat • Gradually thickening of texture, becomes more menacing.