The Song Remains The Same

“Isn’t the state of the charts at the moment shit?” “Isn’t guitar music dead?” These are the sort of accusations that are flying around at the moment from most music based publications i.e. NME and The Guardian and I personally have to say, “Well, no, not really”.

I think it’s some sort of myth that’s has been circulated and we’ve all been somehow brain-washed into thinking this sort of thing has never happened in the past. If I look at the iTunes singles chart right now eight out of the top ten are pop songs in one way or another. In my opinion that’s what the charts are for. I don’t think The Sex Pistols ever did that well in the charts however they are still looked at as icons.

Guitar music isn’t dead. Fact. I’m sure this point has been put across many times recently but I’ll say it again, The Maccabees latest album got to number four last week and as far as I’m aware they play guitars. The Black Keys’ latest album, which is fantastic, did reach a very disappointing 29 in the album charts but still their live shows have all sold out and one of them plays guitar. Guitar music, be it rock, metal, even pop a la Ed Sheeran, will not die, ever.

I think it was Tony Wilson who said that music is like a double helix, two waves that intertwine. Whilst one musical movement is in the descendant another is in the ascendant (I can’t be sure if it definitely is Tony Wilson, but definitely Steve Coogan playing Tony Wilson in 24 Hour Party People says that). I don’t think that sort of analogy applies more than at the moment in music. Whilst Rock and pop is having a bit of a stinker, there is some fantastic stuff being made elsewhere. Dance music is brilliant at the moment and I’m not talking about that god awful but black-magically addictive David Guetta tripe either.

I’ve also so seen people who are in rock bands say, “Well the charts don’t matter” and unfortunately they do. The charts in this day and age, represent people who are actually willing to pay for the music they like even though they know that they could get it for free elsewhere. The charts show that people like your music that much that they are actually willing to spend money on the stuff that’s come from your imagination. Of course the charts matter.

Another point is that the subject matter of most of the songs that occupy the charts at the moment has been around pretty much forever. The subject of love is always there. The Beatles, who in my opinion are the godfathers of the pop song, made about three albums solely on this emotion.

The charts aren’t that bad, at least they’re credible in the sense that at least Bob the Builder, The Teletubbies or Crazy Frog isn’t occupying the number 1 for the time being.

You may not like the way it is at the moment and I’m not sure I really do either but as the late George Harrison once said ‘All Things Must Pass’ and this era of piss poor pop will do just that as it has done countless times before.

Keep the faith.