Rororonome Vol. 19: Is Rock Dead? — Rock as a 'Metaphor' and the 'Curse' Plaguing Japanese Listeners and Media
Is Rock Dead? — Rock as a 'Metaphor' and the 'Curse' Plaguing Japanese Listeners and Media
Introduction: Why Re-examine 'Rock' Now?
The definition of rock in the past was built upon unshakable elements such as electric guitars, band formations, a spirit of rebellion, and counterculture. However, in the streaming era and the SNS-driven music scene, where is this genre called 'rock' heading? While whispers of 'rock is dead' circulate, global hit charts are filled with songs that boldly incorporate guitar sounds. In this article, through the success of contemporary pop artists such as Sombr, Olivia Rodrigo, and Chappell Roan, I will examine the current situation where rock is transforming from a 'genre' into a 'metaphor for expression'. Furthermore, I will cut sharply into the challenges faced by Japanese music listeners and media, who have fallen behind this global shift and remain trapped by the 'curse' of 'rock supremacy'.
Chapter 1: Sombr Embodies 'Pop with a Rock Sound'
The American male singer from New York, Sombr, was completely unknown just half a year ago. However, starting from TikTok and Reels, his music quickly gained popularity across borders and achieved a breakthrough. His sound certainly evokes guitar riffs and band ensembles. However, why is he not just a 'rock singer'? It is because he is not bound by the musical constraints or social messages that traditional rock had, but is instead created purely as 'pop music that fits the current mood.' His music, which does not assume genre categorization, is accepted with empathy by Gen Z, who have diverse cultural backgrounds. His music is accepted flatly by listeners who listen to all genres, including hip-hop, electronic, and R&B. The fact that it resonates with audiences who are not traditional 'rock fans' is proof of this. His success symbolizes the modern trend where the meaning of genre frameworks is fading, and 'comfort' and 'empathy' have become the primary values of music.
Chapter 2: The 'Soul of Rock' Spun by the Queens of Pop
Olivia Rodrigo took the world by storm with her debut song 'drivers license' and swept the Grammy Awards. Her music shows strong influences from punk and alternative rock, and 'Good 4 U' is a perfect symbol of this. In particular, her stance of expressing the frustration and heartache felt by teenage girls straight through a rock-like sound is a modern update to the elements of 'rebellion' and 'emotional explosion' that rock once possessed. She released the explosive energy inherent in rock within a pop format and gained mass empathy.
Chappell Roan attracts attention with her flashy visuals and intense personality. Her music evokes influences from 80s rock and glam rock. Her songs, which have themes of sexuality and self-affirmation, vividly present the role of 'liberation from oppression' that rock once played in a pop format. Her music has become an anthem for people with diverse identities to shine as themselves, creating a movement that transcends existing genre concepts. They are not categorized as 'rock singers.' However, their expressions and sounds undoubtedly harbor the 'soul of rock' or 'rock symbols.'
It no longer refers to a specific genre, but functions as a powerful 'metaphor' for conveying emotions and messages. They have reconstructed the spirit of 'freedom' and 'self-expression' that rock once possessed into the modern pop scene and are delivering it to a new fan base.
Chapter 3: The 'Cage' Called 'Rock' — The Galapagos Syndrome of the Japanese Music Scene
In Japan, the genre of 'rock' tends to be deeply entrenched and viewed with a certain special status compared to overseas. This is likely due to past success stories and a music culture where communities are established based on specific genres. Among Western music listeners, there is no shortage of those who hold the strong belief that “Rock is the only authentic path.” This framework of 'rock' creates a problem where the true value of talent widely accepted as pop music overseas cannot be correctly conveyed in Japan.
For example,
Juice WRLD and XXXTentacion, who sublimated elements of emo and punk into rap and gained immense support from young people, contained many elements in their sound and expression that should have resonated with Japanese rock fans. However, they did not fit into the 'rock' context, making it difficult for them to reach the ears of Japanese rock lovers.Just as Billie Eilish collaborated with Juice WRLD on 'Die For Love,' their music resonates across boundaries, yet this shows just how much the 'cage' of genre narrows the listener's perspective.
Måneskin, who electrified Marine Stadium at Summer Sonic 2024 and successfully completed an arena tour in Japan, is a good example of this. While they are a rock band, globally they are accepted not as a 'resurgence of rock,' but as 'pop stars' in the same vein as Justin Bieber or Ed Sheeran. In fact, many of the audience members who came to Måneskin's first Japan tour had only ever been to concerts by Justin Bieber or Ed Sheeran, and for them, it was their first time at an all-standing live show. The vast majority of their audience listens to them as pop, not as rock.
However, Japanese music media often covered this success of Måneskin only within the narrow context of “the resurgence of rock.” This reporting stance, which ignores reality, deprives Japanese listeners of the opportunity to correctly recognize global music trends and further promotes the Galapagos syndrome.
What is being asked of Japanese listeners and the music industry now is perhaps a shift toward a way of listening that is freed from the fixed idea of genre, prioritizing the essential appeal of the music right in front of them—that is, the visceral feeling of 'does this fit my current mood?' The era of talking about music by 'genre name' has come to an end, and an era of choosing by 'mood' or 'empathy' has arrived.
Chapter 4: Billie Eilish as a New Rock Star and Artists Who Transcend Genres
Billie Eilish is not just a pop star. She has redefined the spirit of rebellion and self-expression that rock once embodied, using modern sensibilities and sounds to establish her status as a new generation 'rock star'. Her dark, introspective worldview and her free-thinking approach that refuses to be confined by the existing music industry framework truly inherit the innovative nature of rock.
What is interesting is that Billie Eilish has publicly declared herself a huge fan of Justin Bieber. This shows that the wall of genre does not exist in the artist's own sensibilities. She loves Justin Bieber, a pop icon, while simultaneously resonating with emo-rap artists like Juice WRLD. It is this open sensibility of artists that is the driving force leading the modern music scene.
Furthermore, contemporary artists are actively crossing genre boundaries and engaging in diverse collaborations.
Charli XCX collaborated with Vernon of the popular K-pop group SEVENTEEN and also provided songs for TWICE's album.
LE SSERAFIM expressed a strong desire to collaborate with Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter, publicly stating, '‘Short n’ Sweet’ is so good, we have it on repeat.'
From Billie Eilish interacting with NewJeans to aespa performing with 2HOLLIS, there is no end to the chemical reactions occurring across borders and genres.
These examples demonstrate the reality that artists themselves have already been liberated from the concept of genre and are seeking purely creative exchanges. For them, music is no longer something to be confined to a specific genre, but something that holds infinite potential to incorporate all elements and create new expressions.
Conclusion: The Walls of Genre Are Broken, Toward a New Era of Pop
The walls of genre have been broken, and we are now in the midst of a new era of pop. The rigid genre definitions of the past no longer make sense, and as diverse musical elements blend seamlessly, new expressions are being born one after another. Accepting and adapting to this reality is the key to enjoying music more freely.
We should step out of our own rooms—our 'comfortable sound bubbles'—and listen to the diverse sounds echoing around the world. In this era where the walls of those rooms have been broken and we have become free, the spirit indicated by the metaphor of 'rock' lives on in the form of new pop. Let us not fear this change, but rather maintain a perspective on diverse musical cultures and enjoy music more freely.
