Rock music was killed by file sharing

[Smokey]

Gene Simmons of Kiss said recently that not only thinks rock music is dead, it was "murdered" by the internet. The KISS bassist blames file sharing for the death of one of America's most beloved musical genres.

He blames white middle and upper-middle-class young people born in the United States for demise of music.

Some excerpts from the interview:

"The death of rock was not a natural death. Rock did not die of old age. It was murdered," the often outspoken 65-year-old musician and entrepreneur said. "The masses do not recognize file-sharing and downloading as stealing because there's a copy left behind for you — it's not that copy that's the problem, it's the other one that someone received but didn't pay for."

"The problem is that nobody will pay you for the 10,000 hours you put in to create what you created. I can only imagine the frustration of all that work, and having no one value it enough to pay you for it," Simmons continued. "It's very sad for new bands. My heart goes out to them. They just don't have a chance."S

immons further explained that he blames ", middle and upper-middle-class young people" born inwhite the United States for the widespread use of file sharing, a digital phenomenon that began in the late '90s with the invention of Napster.

Simmons may have a point, but it is also fair to add that rock music might be dead because there is not whole alot of good music out there.

Most music today may have one or two good song on the album, and poeple just download or buy those song instead of getting whole album. Just like Kiss albums

Gene Simmons says rock isn't just dead, 'it was murdered' by file sharing - MSN Music News

[Finch Platte]

I think there's plenty of good rock music out there. Case in point, the new Tom Petty hit the top of the charts a few weeks ago. Also in the Top 40, Godsmack, Gaslight Anthem, Linkin Park, Spoon, Weird Al, Eric Church and Arctic Monkeys.

Hmm. Ok, Gene may have a point.

[Feanor]

I haven't listened to rock music in 25 years so it's no loss for me.

Whether file sharing is the demise of Rock music I'm really not sure. For one thing, what about other forms of music?

I listen to mostly Classical music. People have been proclaiming it dead for decades yet there is more choice and and better sound quality than ever before -- granted, not so much from the major labels but plenty from smaller labels.

[ForeverAutumn]

Simmons may have a point, but it is also fair to add that rock music might be dead because there is not whole alot of good music out there.

I am SOOOOOO tired of hearing this. There is so much great new music out there. And the internet makes it easier to find than ever. No longer do I have to rely on what ends up on the local radio station playlist to form my listening choices. I can listen to any radio station in the world. I can go to YouTube. I can watch concert footage of bands that I would otherwise never get to see. I can order music from anywhere in the world. Not released in Canada? No problem order it from another country or from iTunes.

Bands don't have to rely on getting a deal with a record label for promotion anymore. They can promote themselves much more easily than ever before. And they can distribute their music easier than ever before. The expense of printing and distributing a CD is no longer a requirement. (I still prefer to buy CDs but from a young upcoming band's standpoint I see how this would be a huge plus).

Technology has changed the business models. The record companies and dinosaur moguls like Gene Simmons need to find ways to keep up.

I do agree with was said about it being harder to make money as an artist. Technology has made illegal downloads and theft so much more prevalent. Something needs to be done about that. But as for no new good music, I say PFFFFFFFT . If you can't find something new that you enjoy listening too, you aren't looking very hard.

[harley .guy07]

A lot of this has to do with the fact that artists aren't putting the money into promotion that they used to because simply they do not make as much off of albums like they used to partly due to file sharing. But in reality there is some really good bands out there and good alums it is just you have to look for them since most of these good artists stay underground and very simple to keep there music affordable to produce and distribute.

[Smokey]

I am SOOOOOO tired of hearing this. There is so much great new music out there. And the internet makes it easier to find than ever. No longer do I have to rely on what ends up on the local radio station playlist to form my listening choices. I can listen to any radio station in the world. I can go to YouTube. I can watch concert footage of bands that I would otherwise never get to see. I can order music from anywhere in the world. Not released in Canada? No problem order it from another country or from iTunes.

Growing up during 70 and 80s, I guess I am comparing today's music with what was going back then. But I agree with you that Youtube is great place for finding new music, or old music for that matter

[unleasHell]

I prefer to blame RAP music...

[bfalls]

Anyone care to comment on how video has contributed to the quality of music? I can't remember how many songs I've heard/viewed which seemed to drag on and on in TV versions to fill a spot or to gain more exposure during prime time. To say nothing about lip-syncing or sequencing. Rock seemed to be truer to the original versions than pop. Anyone have similar observations?

[TheHills44060]

I prefer to blame RAP music...

good call.

[Mr Peabody]

Simmons is the biggest jerk to walk the earth. Who would even listen to the opinion of some one who had to add extra audience noise to Kiss's live album to make people think they are more popular than they were. Plus he's behind the times, although I'm sure there are still file sharing more downloads are paid for today, LP's are making a come back and HD downloads are just in their infancy.

It's always been interesting to me how people cry about file sharing music when all of us in certain generations before had a cassette deck, before that reel-to-reel, there's really always been music sharing. I guess in terms of sharing from things like Napster it would be at a much higher volume..

[ForeverAutumn]

Simmons is the biggest jerk to walk the earth.

LOL! I'd say second biggest...following Donald Trump.

[Smokey]

It's always been interesting to me how people cry about file sharing music when all of us in certain generations before had a cassette deck, before that reel-to-reel, there's really always been music sharing.

That is true, but with analog tape sharing anytime a copy is made, the sound quality goes down a bit. And if over played, it will self destruct. So copying music was not a big issue back then with studios knowing that medium (tape) will not hold over time.

But with digital medium the quality stay the same no matter how many copies are made and its permenant. Thus all the commotions

[Swish]

Rap didn't kill rock because rock is still alive and well. Jack-holes like Simmons have no idea what is happening in the world of 'real' music because he wouldn't know good rock if it bit him on the ass. No, I never liked Kiss and don't care what he has to say.

[3LB]

Everyone says that music today isn't as good as it was back in the day, but that's because they haven't heard new music they like via the means they grew up with - radio or video (MTV for one). The only channels left around where I live are the half-dozen or so classic rock format and cookiecutter dance-pop. Rigid formatting of free radio has done its fair share of damage to the current state of rock. Really good music of all kinds is out there, but these days you have to go looking for it and most people would rather let someone else do that.

[Snowbunny]

It certainly hasn't helped any musicians. Why spend all that time and money creating an entire album that tells a story when you know most listeners will pick off the hits and completely miss the artist's intention.

And if file sharing has changed the way we listen to music, smart phones have ruined the experience of seeing a band live.

I can't imagine what it feels like for the artists to interact with a sea of blank screens and mistimed flashes.

And half the time instead of watching what is going on right in front of their faces, the fans are fiddling with their phones and posting to social sites.

Anyone remember the standard "no recording devices or cameras" warnings on tickets and at the door?

Well I wouldn't trade those concerts when I felt like the band and I were in it together for all the bootlegged video in the world. And besides most of us were too f'd up to operate electronics anyway.

Snow/rant

[Snowbunny]

Is this site behaving badly or is it just me.

[Smokey]

Is this site behaving badly or is it just me.

Welcome to the thunderdome

[Snowbunny]

Welcome to the thunderdome

It does feel a little post apocalyptic around here.

If the site was working a little better we could raise a little hell. Unfortunately, it's not worth the effort it takes to post a comment.

Snowie

[Snowbunny]

And speaking of file sharing, Smokey...

There was actually a kid on one of the court TV shows, suing a girl because she ripped him off by not paying $18 for the Drake bootleg CD he made for her.

The judge tried to explain that he was stealing money from the artist, to no avail.

When asked what he'd learned from the case, he said next time he would get the money before handing over the CD.

That's the thing. The kids think music is free and only suckers (and teen-age girls) pay for it.

Snowie

[Smokey]

And speaking of file sharing, Smokey...

There was actually a kid on one of the court TV shows, suing a girl because she ripped him off by not paying $18 for the Drake bootleg CD he made for her.

The judge tried to explain that he was stealing money from the artist, to no avail.

When asked what he'd learned from the case, he said next time he would get the money before handing over the CD.

That is funny

Judge Judy probably would let the teenager have it for bootleging CDs.