Everything Is The Future Of Rock And Alternative

A few weeks ago, I URL’d over to Rolling Stone and came across their “Future of Music” piece. 

As expected, it was broad-based and multi-genre. While there was some Rock/Alternative representation, we can’t burden a few relatively unknown artists with shouldering the genre’s future. We need to dig deeper to see the future.

Let’s first agree it’s human nature to seek simple answers to complex questions.

How long will it take me to drive to work? The simple answer is 20 minutes, but it’s a more complex question than that. What if there’s bad weather, an accident, construction, or a detour? There are variables that can lead to different answers. 

How do I make Fettuccine Alfredo? Again, variables. It can be made from scratch, pre-cooked and microwavable, al dente or soft, low-fat or all-in, with or without chicken, shrimp, veggies, spices.

You get it.

But in trying to keep this simple, let’s start with some basic predictions to the complex question, “What’s the future of Rock?”

‘70s is the Future: Has a ‘70s sounding, AOR revolution with an emphasis on albums been in the making for years? Many think so. This theory may have legs, considering the younger generation’s affinity with Classic Rock, along with the collective rise of bands like Greta Van Fleet, who are less focused on writing formulaic hits, and more about the journey of their songs.

If you’ve seen the new documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin, you know Zepp never wanted to release “singles,” they preferred full albums with songs that complimented each other.

‘80s is the Future: Many Magic 8-Balls predict a return to the decade of decadence, full of Rock guitar solos, Alt emotions, and a general party vibe cranked to the max. With some recent stadium tours featuring ‘80s mega-stars, this isn’t crazy talk. Music triggers emotional recall, and the ‘80s mostly evokes memories of good times and an era far less complicated or polarizing. And we can’t discount what tomorrow’s legends are covering in bars and on socials, much of it being ‘80s.

‘90s is the Future: Rolling Stone’s piece spotlighted Wunderhorse, a U.K. outfit being compared to Nirvana and Radiohead. This resonates, too. ‘90s Rock is beloved, oddly nostalgic, and the decade was stylistically very diverse. And with the current state of affairs here at home, a new, rebellious music movement may be coming. Side note: Is it a coincidence or just good research that, only weeks ago, Heritage Classic Rocker KQRS/Minneapolis fired up its reboot machine and woke up smelling more like the ‘90s than ever before?

Genre-Blending is the Future: Some call it Genre-Fusion, but it’s long been a thing (ex, Rockabilly, Aerosmith/RUN DMC, Linkin Park/Jay Z), but today’s blending is more prevalent than any time in history.

All walks of life and business see evolutionary blending when boundaries are challenged, blurred, or thrown out altogether. In music, it’s not just artists morphing genres into songs; blending has hit the road (Five Finger Death Punch and Brantley Gilbert toured together; every weekend, there’s another Collision of Genres festival happening somewhere). Is more blending on the way? Violin Rock? Accordion Alt?

AI is the Future: There’s an influential, tech-savvy crowd, which includes Super Producer Timbaland, that’s all-in on AI, believing new technology will be a key leader in shaping tomorrow’s songwriting and beat-making. While this has its detractors, Tech has been an integral part of music recording since the very beginning. We’re only in the early innings of what’s to come as the bond between music and super technology strengthens.

Complicating this future of Rock talk is that the genre has more lanes than the PBA Tour, and everyone has an opinion. However, giving a simple answer to the complex question—“What’s the Future of Rock?”—may not be difficult at all. 

What if the answer is Everything – what if Everything is the future of Rock and Alternative? 

It’s challenging to pinpoint exactly who the next RHCP or GNR will be, thanks to several uncontrollable variables like our collective ADHD, and an endless stream of consumption channels that water everything down but also provide an outlet for everything. The simplest answer is that Everything will have a seat at the table.

Why?

All futures will have some degree of past influence, so we’ll hear remnants of the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s.  History proves we should expect new and unique genres or sub-genres to emerge. And AI will contribute to music-making in ways that were previously and currently unimaginable. 

There will always be stuff we don’t know until we know: kids in the mid-’50s didn’t see The Beatles coming; the big hair crowd didn’t see Nirvana and Metallica roaring down the freeway in a tank.

The future is unlimited, and it will include Everything. It’s all just sitting inside the souls and minds of creators, waiting to be unleashed.

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Keith Cunningham

Keith Cunningham is a music industry and Rock/Alternative columnist for Barrett Media and the founder of Black Box Group, a modern-modeled creative & strategic consultancy built for brands that need strategies with teeth. He’s the former Master of Mayhem at 95.5 KLOS-FM in Los Angeles for over a decade, a nationwide consultant, and has been repeatedly voted one of America’s top Program Directors and strategic thinkers. Keith has built his career by taking multi-million-dollar brands from worst to first and leading Marconi & Gracie award winners along the way. A data nerd with a rock-and-roll heart, he is an advisory council member for St. Jude fundraising, a fantasy football champion, and lover of his daughters & dogs. Reach him at keithblackboxgroup@gmail.com or on LinkedIn or X.