For those that are unaware of this, Gene Simmons said the similar comments back in 2012 on the Henry Rollins show but back then when Gene said it, you didn’t see it all over the headlines.
I think the only reason that so many people are shitting on Gene for his opinion on “Rock is dead” is because fans today know that he’s telling the truth. The truth may hurt but sometimes it needs to be said.
I mean, think about this, when was the last time you saw a rock or a metal band make a no. 1 album on the Billboard charts??? Black Sabbath made no. 1 with their latest record “13” but that’s about it. You don’t see too many rock or metal bands making no. 1 albums these days. Rock and metal bands try to make it high on the billboard but the billboard charts is always dominated by pop, rap, and country.
Sure, metal may be a strong genre today. Metal maybe selling out arenas all over the world but you don’t see any Metal albums making the Billboard Top 200 do ya??? Metal is still a struggling industry.
In the early 90’s Grunge and Metal was all over the mainstream, we’ll never get that again… simply because pop, rap, and country is a dominating force.
I do disagree with Gene on one thing, however, I disagree with him that the death of rock was because of piracy and illegal downloading. I blame the death of rock on MTV and maybe Itunes as well. Mainstream media is also the blame.
Sure, there are still rock bands in the mainstream industry but they are still “pop” bands like Nickelback, Linkin’ Park, Avenged Sevenfold, etc.
What Gene is simply saying is that he wants to see the next Led Zeppelin or Jimi Hendrix. Not Justin Bieber or Beyonce. He wants real musicians and real songwriters getting fame and success. Not manufactured pop stars.
I totally get what Gene is saying. It’s not that hard to understand at all.
Kev
K'Brocking 
Rock is not dead. I live in a very small and isolated area, and the rock stations are going strong here. On Oahu, most of the live music is rock, except the resorts catering to tourists.
And I don’t see this all over the headlines. FB is the only place I’ve seen it, and not even in my newsfeed.
I listen to live radio on the web, and the rock stations are thriving.
So I geuss it’s all just a matter of perspective.
Yes, there are still radio stations playing rock music; however, I think a lot of people are taking Gene’s comments way out of context. There are tons of new rock bands out there in major labels today, it’s just none of them will make the mainstream. They’ll never become huge mainstream stars like Kiss were back in the day but in today’s industry pop stars like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Kanye, Miley, Justin Bieber, Beyonce, are all over the mainstream. That’s the whole point Gene is trying to make from the way I’m seeing it. That’s what he meant when he said rock music is dead. There’s no chance for fame and fortune for rock bands anymore. Rock n’ roll is pretty much a dead industry.
When was the last rock and metal band that headlined the big festivals like Lollapalooza, Coachella or Bamboozle? It was mostly rap artists that headlined those festivals these days.
He’s just saying that rock n’ roll is dead in the mainstream of music. It can’t be that hard to understand is it????
Kev
Yeah, this story is all over the headlines… at least all over the music headlines that is. Rollingstone is all over it.
Kev
Rolling Stone is a joke. They haven’t been relevant since 1975.
I know they are. I stopped reading them myself years ago but the simple point that Gene is trying to make is that he wants more rock bands to become huge and iconic. You know how back in the old days we had huge bands like Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers, The Who, Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones, etc. taking over the mainstream? Well those days are dead. I think that’s what he means when he says “rock” is dead. With the way today’s industry is going, rock bands will never reach the legendary status.
Kev
I actually took a quick look at the Billboard 200 but as expected it’s dominated by pop, rap and country like always. I don’t see too many rock & metal acts on the list at all… I think I’ve seen bands like Opeth is somewhere in the top 50. Avenge Sevenfold is in there too and Tom Petty and the Heart Breakers. Ace Frehley’s new album is in the top 50 too.
I’m interested in hearing the new Opeth album too, btw. I’ve been wanting to get into that band for a while.
Kev