Rock music peaked in 1971

[Al Krow]

Roger Daltry thinks rock might have peaked with The Who’s fifth album "Who’s Next" in 1971. “Pete [Townshend] was so far ahead of his time, people are still catching up.”

If 1971 was the year when things started going down hill for rock music then that means that there were more great bands playing and great albums written before 1971 than after.

Do you agree with him?

[scalpy]

Pretty sure there’s been plenty of good rock music since then, Songs for the Deaf springs to mind, but it officially died the day Andrew Lloyd Webber released the School of Rock musical. Even if John Bonham could do CPR it’s way too late now.

[Guest Briton]

?

Edited June 23, 2018 by Briton

[Lozz196]

I can`t see this myself, how can AC/DC not have been taking rock uphill, or Guns N Roses, both quality bands imo.

[joeystrange]

Well the Ramones didn’t form until ‘74 so...

[Cat Burrito]

Most people will have their favourite era, usually according to what age they are. So no, I don't agree with Roger Daltry.

[Leonard Smalls]

Roger's just looking for publicity for his new album... And he's probably right that his rock music peaked in 1971. 

Just means he's stuck in his own past and hasn't noticed the world moving on.

[Happy Jack]

The biggest albums of 1971 in the USA were Tapestry (Carole King), Pearl (Janis Joplin) and All Things Must Pass (George Harrison). As peaks go, I've seen bigger.

On t'other hand, in the UK you're looking at Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon & Garfunkel), Every Picture Tells A Story (Rod Stewart) and Sticky Fingers (Rolling Stones). That's taking us a bit higher.

Dig a bit deeper into those charts and you'll find some truly great rock music IMHO, but then given my age (I was 15 in 1971) that's hardly surprising; this is the stuff I grew up listening to.

Who's Next is my favourite album by The Who and it did reach No.1 in the charts ... for just a single week. At the time, it was a well-received album but not considered in any way ground-shattering. Most of the reviews note that it was actually a step back towards 'normal' rock music after the excesses of Tommy.

*****************************

The Top Ten singles included Knock Three Times (Dawn), Pushbike Song (The Mixtures), Never Ending Song Of Love (New Seekers) and either Grandad (Clive Dunn) or Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep (Middle Of The Road) depending on which charts you believe.

I think we can safely say that 1971 was probably more of a valley than a peak for popular (as opposed to rock) music.

[EssentialTension]

Overlooking 1971, some people have claimed February 3, 1959 as the turning point.

[SH73]

Of course he will say that but the statement is subjective. Did The Who peaked in 1971 and is rock music a general term for other music genres where the guitars, bass and drums are the staple instruments?

Now me being biased. How about Iron Maiden ( new wave of British heavy metal). They peaked in 1984-1985 during the World Slavery Tour. Still going strong 34 years later with sold out venues. I don't think we can say when rock music generally peaked. Bands yes. There since have been different genres of rock music.

Edited June 1, 2018 by SH73
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[Japhet]

He's never been one to under-estimate his own importance. 1971 is probably about the time that The Who started to run out of steam and others who had undoubtedly been influenced by them kicked them to the curb and disappeared into the distance.

[Barking Spiders]

Soz Rog I dont agree. My taste in rock leans more towards British post punk of the 80s and US alt rock of the late 80s mid 90s so the peak is probably somewhere around 1984-86 in Blighty and  90-93 in the US.  Never  a great fan of the Who meself. Some good singles but the albums seem a bit patchy.

[Happy Jack]

2 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said:

Some good singles but the albums seem a bit patchy.

But arguably the greatest 'Best Of' in history!

[PaulWarning]

 I liked some of the brit pop stuff, that was rock wasn't it? that was probably the last time Rock Bands were really big, and then there's Green Day and grunge

Edited June 1, 2018 by PaulWarning

[Barking Spiders]

1 minute ago, Happy Jack said:

But arguably the greatest 'Best Of' in history!

probably one of them yep, no argument there. Possibly the best singles rock band of the 60s. Better than The Beatles and Stones IMO

[vantagepointrocks]

It maybe peaked for him in 1971, but certainly not for me, I only have two or three albums released up to and including 1971, but have hundreds released after in my collection.

[Al Krow]

7 minutes ago, vantagepointrocks said:

It maybe peaked for him in 1971, but certainly not for me, I only have two or three albums released up to and including 1971, but have hundreds released after in my collection.

I had to do a double take when I read that! I initially thought who is this fellow BCer who has released hundreds of albums after 1971? 

Edited June 1, 2018 by Al Krow

[EliasMooseblaster]

Now come on, Rog, at least give your own band until '73, and Quadrophenia. For me, there's a stretch between '67 (The Who Sell Out) and '73 where they can do no wrong. They came off the boil a bit after that period, but plenty of other bands started peaking then. Waters-era Pink Floyd probably hit their peak between '73 and '77, for example.

[chris_b]

Daltry's definition of Rock probably doesn't include Brit Pop or the Ramones.

The bands who started Rock in the late 60's and early 70's were special and unique.

Al Krow asks a question that is different to what Daltry said or probably intended so don't think Daltry said there was no good music after 1971.

[Leonard Smalls]

3 minutes ago, chris_b said:

Daltry's definition of Rock probably doesn't include Brit Pop or the Ramones.

The bands who started Rock in the late 60's and early 70's were special and unique.

Al Krow asks a question that is different to what Daltry said or probably intended so don't think Daltry said there was no good music after 1971.

A peak implies "the best". As it's entirely subjective, and he's basically saying that The 1971 Who album was that peak, all we can infer from his comments is that he misplaced his rose tinted specs up his own backside.

[chris_b]

6 minutes ago, Leonard Smalls said:

A peak implies "the best". As it's entirely subjective,

Yep. Totally subjective which is why I don't understand the level of ire being expressed.

I wonder how many have actually read the interview or are just reacting to the question posed afterwards.

[Al Krow]

20 minutes ago, chris_b said:

Al Krow asks a question that is different to what Daltry said or probably intended so don't think Daltry said there was no good music after 1971.

Hah! Not sure I said anywhere that Daltry thought there was no good music after 1971, that would be just plain silly even for a rock god like Daltry. 

Edited June 1, 2018 by Al Krow

[Leonard Smalls]

2 minutes ago, chris_b said:

wonder how many have actually read the interview or are just reacting to the question posed afterwards.

Since when would anyone on the internet look for context in a quote before mouthing off?

[mikel]

Nah. Rock was just getting up a head of stem in 71.  The Who's best stuff was their early singles in the 60s. Cant Explain, My generation, I'm a Boy etc. Great stuff. All the Rock opera stuff was a load of tosh.

[Skol303]

I admittedly haven't read the interview, but it sounds like another ageing proponent of rock music doing the genre no favours at all.

Like some kind of ailing Egyptian king, wanting all of the riches to be buried along with him.

If rock music really did peak in the 1970s then it truly deserves to die off. But I doubt any young bands starting out in the genre would give a flying **** about Daltry's opinion on the matter. In spite of his achievements, I personally have always thought him to be a monumental...