The state of rock and roll in 2025

The state of rock and roll in 2025 

- Ben Hughey

"Rock 'n roll is not dead"... If you follow rock music at all you have probably seen bands promoting their music in this way where they will show them playing along to one of their songs, captioned, "rock is not dead in 2025". Now just off the top, I agree, but I'm not necessarily discussing this from a point of agree or disagree. 

I don't think rock ever really 'died'. So I want to figure out what I DO think about the matter. 

First. Let me give you the context of my view on the flavors of rock n, decade by decade. 

1960's - The Beatles

1970's - Zeppelin/Ozzy

1980's - Van Halen/Bon Jovi

1990's Nirvana/Alice In Chains

2000s and after - Creed/Nickelback

Many times when we reference the death of rock and roll, we go to the early 90's. Grunge. Nirvana. Sad guys in sweatshirts and hardly any guitar solos... right? But do you feel the same way about that music today? I don't. Then you get into the 2000's and you get into Creed, Nickelback... Of course THAT'S where it all went down the drain... right? 

Well, in early 2025, Creed is back in the news, playing shows, and the memes are amazing. But they are not bad memes, now they are a good meme. I remember a time where it was mostly making fun of Scott Stapps voice (you're probably doing the impression right now) and you kind of kept your liking for Creed under wraps... 

Perhaps Creed is not the best example, as, frankly, they were always pretty badass... but I believe we are going to see the same thing happen with Nickelback. The culture is going to shift and it will be cool to listen to Nickelback. 

I've gone off track, but to tie this together and not have such a long winded first blog here... 

I think the life of rock and roll is dictated in some ratio of the music to the culture. 

There is some balance of 'cool' that is required to keep rock and roll in harmony. 

The quote I always go to is from David Lee Roth, "We aren't this way because we play rock and roll. We play rock and roll because we are this way." 

Some people HAVE to play rock and roll. It is an art form, just as much as classical music, or hip hop etc... for some people, rock and roll is the best connection they have to consciousness, and as long as that is the case. 

Rock & roll is never dead.