2011 was forecast to be a successful year for guitar bands within the music industry. Many experts and even rock bands themselves believed that the recent decline in guitar based music was sure to be on the up after almost complete dominance in the charts from acts like Lady Ga Ga, Justin Bieber and Adele. Surely it was time for rock and roll and indie bands to re-emerge and claim their place in the charts?
Return of the Big Names
Since January 2011 a host of well known and well established bands such as The Strokes, Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys and R.E.M have returned to the spotlight with new albums, but not long after they are released they soon disappear out of the charts without a trace. There are also bands who earned moderate success around 5 years ago such as the Kooks and Hard Fi and even the newly formed Beady Eye have failed to see their album’s reach the UK top 10 albums. Although these bands continue to sell out venues, the same cannot be said for their singles and albums which have had little impact on the charts. You would have to search high and low to find a radio station that places these bands on their top play lists.
So why are guitar bands being perceived as a dying breed? There are for all, thousands of rock bands looking to break their way into this tough market. Record companies appear resistant in signing these bands as the album charts are dominated by acts like Adele and singer-song writers such as Ed Sheeran and James Morrison. Even artists such as Pixie Lott and Plan B are proving they have what it takes to remain fresh and a big hit amongst the record buying public, However the results could have been different if these artist were looking to crack the market 5 to 10 years ago when indie bands dominated the charts.
Confidence within the Industry
The concerns appear to stem from artists that have long been established. Bands such as Manic Street Preachers and Kaiser Chiefs have enjoyed moderate to major success but have publicly gone on record to state their concerns over how guitar bands are on the wane. Every band or solo artist knows their time in the musical spotlight is limited unless they re-invent themselves over and over depending on the interest of the general public. There comes a time when a band has to accept their past glories are behind them and to recapture their successful years will be a challenge to keep up.
Coldplay admitted their latest album, Mylo Xyloto could be their last as they do not have the energy to compete with acts like Adele and Justin Bieber. This admittance is from a band who have enjoyed consistent success both in sales and awards but are fully aware that one day the spotlight on them could fade. In order to keep up with times it appears re-invention could be the answer. Radiohead, a band who consistently re-invent their sound with each album have teamed up with top producers to remix their recent King of Limbs album which helps breathe new life into the release as well as see them attract a new fan base.
The next Wave
Guitar based bands maybe on the decline at present, but in a few years a new lease of life will be given to this genre. All it takes is for one new trend setter and the public embrace it. Adele is a clear example of this. Millions tuned in to watch her performance on the Brit Awards 2011, an ideal spotlight for the rest of the world to tune in. The next day Adele’s single was number 1 in the ITunes chart. Four days later she was celebrating a UK number 1 single. Soon after the rest of the world followed. Now it appears the United Kingdom are celebrating singer songwriters. Noel Gallagher’s new album is already being tipped for huge sales, which is ironic considering Oasis’s album sales were on the decline for years before that.
With imminent releases from global bands like Coldplay and U2, which will perform well in sales leading up to Christmas, the market will continue to be ruled by solo artists for some time to come. The music industry will continue to exploit this until the public become ultimately bored until the next big craze comes along.
Adam Rivett - Adam works full time for a charity Bank as a qualified PRINCE2 accredited Project Manager where he has lead and implemented a number of ...
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