England vs. USA
Why is it that it seems almost all of the good, new rock bands are coming out of Europe and not America? The Kooks, Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, and Muse are just a few of the amazing new bands coming out of England. It is hard to name very many good American rock bands that don’t sound like some sort of corporate creation. Seether, Puddle of Mud, Theory of a Deadman, Nickleback (Canadians count) are all chart-leading bands in America.
Why is America not producing bands with substance anymore? There are few good bands coming out. The Killers, Kings of Leon and The Strokes are all great, but even they haven’t realized the success that some of these lame “corporate rock” bands have. These new American bands all sound like they have Scott Stap singing for them. They are as cookie cutter as the boy bands that unfortunately ruled the 90s. I believe there are a few reasons for this. One reason is the proven payola scandals plaguing American radio. Record promoters and radio execs have been caught exchanging money for airtime. This is a sad, but true fact. For a lot of bands, getting airplay on the radio is impossible for the simple fact that they don’t have the money to get on air and they don’t have money because they can’t get on air. It is a shame. People are naturally going listen to what’s on the radio, especially those who want to fit in.
Most Americans are simply not going to actively look for music. I am not saying that it is impossible for some people to enjoy these bands, but it is possible that some people just take what is given them. Because of this, many bands are being neglected and overlooked. This is why it seems like you can catch better music at some hole-in-the-wall bar in Austin, than on the radio or MTV.
I am not sure how England’s music scene is structured, but whatever they are doing is working, and for the most part, has always worked. Maybe it is just a way of life for better rock to come out of England. The Beatles, Led Zepplin, Rolling Stones, The Who and the list could go on forever. I just wish that if there are good American bands out there, they would have a fighting chance. Maybe the new electronic age will help remedy this problem.