Who defined that term? The radio stations. Artists and labels typically do not use that label, it’s primarily the radio stations.
When classic rock stations started to appear in the '80s, they played popular hits from the '60s–'80s. So it included newly released hits. But when grunge came into the scene in the '90s, it had a different audience than the classic rock stations so they stopped including new hits. For about two decades there, it was fairly unambiguous that classic rock meant popular rock from the '60s–'80s.
After enough time though, grunge was no longer alienating to the classic rock stations listeners. The opposite became true and the stations could increase their audience by including hits from the '90s.
This raises the question: Did those '90s songs become classic rock or is the term fixed and anything not considered classic rock now never going to be considered classic rock? Who gets to define it? The radio stations who originally defined it or the public perception that developed during the period of time when classic rock stopped evolving?
Personally, I prefer to think of classic rock as a radio format rather than a genre, because it doesn’t really behave like a normal genre. If I start a band that sounds like metal then my band is metal, but if I start a band that sounds like classic rock it’s still not classic rock? Why? That feels out of the spirit of music genres to me. There are music movements that are tied to a specific time period—my band could never be part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal—but it could be in the same genre as those bands.
In terms of music style, how are AC/DC and Billy Joel considered the same genre? They’re wildly different. The Who and The Doors? Very different.
The reason those bands are considered classic rock is not because they sound similar, it’s because they target similar audiences. As a radio format, it makes way more sense why some bands are considered classic rock and some aren’t.
None of those artists called their music “classic” rock…. It is basically older styles of something, there is no defined time, but 30 years sounds about right.
Right, well they couldn’t have. Just like it wasn’t called World War One until the second one happened. But after rock as a genre was founded, the classic version of it should always be just that. So are you saying that that A) Led Zeppelin is no longer classic rock or B) Led Zeppelin and Pearl Jam are the same genre?
Just like it wasn’t called World War One until the second one happened.
The world war was still the world war, that’s not even a parallel example……
I’m saying that it’s arbitrary and in 10 years another decade will be added since it used to mean the 60s, then it meant 60s-70s, then it went the 60-80s. It now includes the 90s and has shifted away from 60s.
It’s entirely stupid to define what has always been an arbitrary genre, since no one calls their own music classic.
You are totally correct. Keep in mind that punk rock, progressive rock, and other genres were also present at that same time. Classic rock is very much a genre and style.
The police are on a bunch of “classic rock” lists, and they are punk/pop rock.
It’s almost like the specific “rock” genre means nothing to this arbitrary genre…. And trying to define it will just point out all the flaws in trying to define it….
There are still artists making “Classic Rock” today. Its a sound and a style. Look at Tash Sultana. Look at Nick Perri. Look at the Underground Thieves. These are modern artists making classic rock. Johnny Cash. Older than the classic rock genre. Is he classic rock? No he’s rockabilly. How about the Beatles. Also predating classic rock. Also not classic rock. Joy Division, Unknown pleasures, 1979. Effectively the birth of Indie rock. Five years before Van Halens “Hot for Teacher”.
Just because you are ignorant to music history, where and how styles emerge and evolve, and want to lump everything into a definition that’s convenient for you, that doesn’t make it so.
Classic rock isn’t a retirement home for a song that happened X years ago. Its a musical movement that was so dominant when it was at its peak it held the crown of just being “Rock”, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t or isn’t a style with its own sound. There were and are styles of music that came before (and are still being made), styles that were happening during (and are still being made), and styles that came after (and guess what, are still being made). Classic rock probably is the most popular style of rock, but it wasn’t even the only style of rock being made when it was at its peak.
None of those artists are classic rock…. they make music in the same style as classic rock bands. But none of their marketing says they perform “classic” music. And that just more or less proves my point, they do t even call themselves classic, since it literally means older music, and isn’t defined by genres…. And they make modern music in that style, but it’s not “classic rock” and no one calls that.
As I said, older music gets phased out as newer music gets phased in, that’s why Cash is considered by some to be no longer classic.
If classic rock is this defined genre, why is every list different, and why does every list include artists from a wide swath of genres? Not just 2-3 like you’ve claimed?
The only people who would still be considered to make new “classic” rock, would be a heritage band coming back and putting new music out. But even then, they don’t call it classic rock or anything like that.
Popularity+time. It is a fairly simple equation. They didn’t call Led Zeppelin, The Who etc. classic rock when they first came out either, it only happened with time.
Every piece of popular rock music will become classic rock with time.
I thought Classic Rock was a defined genre including Led Zeplin, The Who, The Doors, etc. Not just “popular rock from 30 years ago”
Who defined that term? The radio stations. Artists and labels typically do not use that label, it’s primarily the radio stations.
When classic rock stations started to appear in the '80s, they played popular hits from the '60s–'80s. So it included newly released hits. But when grunge came into the scene in the '90s, it had a different audience than the classic rock stations so they stopped including new hits. For about two decades there, it was fairly unambiguous that classic rock meant popular rock from the '60s–'80s.
After enough time though, grunge was no longer alienating to the classic rock stations listeners. The opposite became true and the stations could increase their audience by including hits from the '90s.
This raises the question: Did those '90s songs become classic rock or is the term fixed and anything not considered classic rock now never going to be considered classic rock? Who gets to define it? The radio stations who originally defined it or the public perception that developed during the period of time when classic rock stopped evolving?
Personally, I prefer to think of classic rock as a radio format rather than a genre, because it doesn’t really behave like a normal genre. If I start a band that sounds like metal then my band is metal, but if I start a band that sounds like classic rock it’s still not classic rock? Why? That feels out of the spirit of music genres to me. There are music movements that are tied to a specific time period—my band could never be part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal—but it could be in the same genre as those bands.
In terms of music style, how are AC/DC and Billy Joel considered the same genre? They’re wildly different. The Who and The Doors? Very different.
The reason those bands are considered classic rock is not because they sound similar, it’s because they target similar audiences. As a radio format, it makes way more sense why some bands are considered classic rock and some aren’t.
Wikipedia also refers to it as a radio format
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_rock
None of those artists called their music “classic” rock…. It is basically older styles of something, there is no defined time, but 30 years sounds about right.
Right, well they couldn’t have. Just like it wasn’t called World War One until the second one happened. But after rock as a genre was founded, the classic version of it should always be just that. So are you saying that that A) Led Zeppelin is no longer classic rock or B) Led Zeppelin and Pearl Jam are the same genre?
Except by people who were either psychic or extremely pessimistic.
The world war was still the world war, that’s not even a parallel example……
I’m saying that it’s arbitrary and in 10 years another decade will be added since it used to mean the 60s, then it meant 60s-70s, then it went the 60-80s. It now includes the 90s and has shifted away from 60s.
It’s entirely stupid to define what has always been an arbitrary genre, since no one calls their own music classic.
“Classic rock” encompasses all types of rock. The only factor that defines it is popularity and time.
You are totally correct. Keep in mind that punk rock, progressive rock, and other genres were also present at that same time. Classic rock is very much a genre and style.
You just labeled 2 specific genres that include artists that are considered “classic”.
Classic is an arbitrary genre that has changed every decade to account for newer music becoming classic and older music being phased out.
No.
The police are on a bunch of “classic rock” lists, and they are punk/pop rock.
It’s almost like the specific “rock” genre means nothing to this arbitrary genre…. And trying to define it will just point out all the flaws in trying to define it….
There are still artists making “Classic Rock” today. Its a sound and a style. Look at Tash Sultana. Look at Nick Perri. Look at the Underground Thieves. These are modern artists making classic rock. Johnny Cash. Older than the classic rock genre. Is he classic rock? No he’s rockabilly. How about the Beatles. Also predating classic rock. Also not classic rock. Joy Division, Unknown pleasures, 1979. Effectively the birth of Indie rock. Five years before Van Halens “Hot for Teacher”.
Just because you are ignorant to music history, where and how styles emerge and evolve, and want to lump everything into a definition that’s convenient for you, that doesn’t make it so.
Classic rock isn’t a retirement home for a song that happened X years ago. Its a musical movement that was so dominant when it was at its peak it held the crown of just being “Rock”, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t or isn’t a style with its own sound. There were and are styles of music that came before (and are still being made), styles that were happening during (and are still being made), and styles that came after (and guess what, are still being made). Classic rock probably is the most popular style of rock, but it wasn’t even the only style of rock being made when it was at its peak.
Multiple things can be true in life, and usually are IME.
None of those artists are classic rock…. they make music in the same style as classic rock bands. But none of their marketing says they perform “classic” music. And that just more or less proves my point, they do t even call themselves classic, since it literally means older music, and isn’t defined by genres…. And they make modern music in that style, but it’s not “classic rock” and no one calls that.
As I said, older music gets phased out as newer music gets phased in, that’s why Cash is considered by some to be no longer classic.
If classic rock is this defined genre, why is every list different, and why does every list include artists from a wide swath of genres? Not just 2-3 like you’ve claimed?
The only people who would still be considered to make new “classic” rock, would be a heritage band coming back and putting new music out. But even then, they don’t call it classic rock or anything like that.
Genres are a social construct.
Yes, and how are we choosing to construct this one? That’s the whole conversation
Popularity+time. It is a fairly simple equation. They didn’t call Led Zeppelin, The Who etc. classic rock when they first came out either, it only happened with time.
Every piece of popular rock music will become classic rock with time.
We don’t have to. If one social group defines it differently then another social group it’s not really a big deal.