Sharp, edgy guitar riffs. Heartbroken lyrics proclaimed in a raspy voice. A drum thrumming to the beat of your heart. A crowd of devoted fans screams along as the musicians, totally immersed in the sound of their voices and instruments, echo across the stadium.
Music is an emotional language that shapes human identity and fosters connection. Each generation has a genre it holds close to its heart, including rock. The genre has dominated the past since the 1950s with legendary bands like Radiohead, Oasis, AC/DC and so many more.
For years, rock has been treated as a genre of the past. But it never actually left.
AC/DC is on tour until September in celebration of over 50 years of music. Oasis held its much anticipated North American tour last year, and Radiohead just performed 20 concerts across Europe. Weezer even released a brand new album this August.
Their continued presence proves rock never disappeared — but keeping old bands alive isn’t enough. The culture of rock can’t survive on bands from the past. So, if we want to sustain it, our generation needs to actually take it somewhere.
But why is rock important?
Rock is representative of our history as humans. It’s gone through numerous obstacles to make its presence known. Starting with R&B and soul and spreading all the way to British punk rock and beyond, the genre has thrived on change for decades. When the BBC famously censored rock music in the ‘60s for songs perceived as inappropriate, it only jumpstarted decades of rebellious rock bands.
Rock has long been a form of communication and expression, particularly in activism. In 1983, U2 released “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” an anti-war protest song that criticized the Bloody Sunday massacre in Londonderry, Ireland, when British troops killed 14 unarmed protesters. In 1971, former Beatle John Lennon released “Imagine” to express his desire for world peace.
This genre boasts an extensive history of rebellious and influential moments. I believe it’s important for my generation to continue this legacy.
We should think of the rock genre as an endangered species. Like any species, rock needs to adapt to survive. It’s important to remember the history of rock and continue to listen to the bands that shaped our culture, but we need to let the genre evolve for future generations.
We’re already seeing mainstream artists do this by incorporating hints of rock in music of other genres.
Olivia Rodrigo has made one of the most visible attempts at aligning her music with elements of rock. She made her rock debut with the 2023 album “GUTS,” which displayed dynamic guitar riffs, chaotic productions and grunge-inspired lyrics.
Her album gives rock a new voice by blending it with pop. Instead of copying aspects of famous bands like the psychedelic rhythms of Pink Floyd and the moody, gothic tones of The Cure, she brings her own original style of rock. Rodrigo’s lyrics are vulnerable, but she delivers them with an effortlessly cool edge. Rock legends like Avril Lavigne have praised her for reviving the genre.
While Rodrigo’s pop rock is a sound of its own, the artist doesn’t hesitate to share her inspirations, which include The Cure, whose lead singer Robert Smith has performed with her on stage and is featured on the song “what’s wrong with me” on her new album, “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love.”
Rodrigo shows what happens when we create something new instead of trying to replicate the past.
We need to be willing to let rock evolve. Rodrigo blends our generation’s love of pop with traditional rock elements, creating her own form of the genre to fit Gen Z’s voice.
Rock has always been present in pop culture, and we've just been looking for it in the wrong places. It’s all around us, hidden in aesthetics, fashion, lyrics and attitude. Instead of searching through the records bin for old bands to bring back, we need to create our own rock music to inspire future generations.
Rock can’t end with us. We need to continue its legacy of vulnerable self-expression — by giving it a new identity.
Contact Ella Finkelstein at efinkelstein@alligator.org. Follow her on X @Ellamfink.
