Is rock dead? DJ Earworm releases his annual United State of Pop mashup

 

Here's a track that'll make your Shazam iPhone app explode: DJ Earworm's annual collection of the year's biggest hits, mashed up into one catchy (synthetic, faux-rave) hit. Since 2007, the San Francisco based producer and DJ has collected Billboard's top 25 songs of the year and blended them together into one song. This year he tweezes out selected melodies, rhythms, synth-washes and choruses from Katy Perry, Kesha, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, B.o.B. and a few dozen others and carefully weaves them into something resembling a hit song. The end result offers a snapshot moment of 2010, one that will either torture or tease you. Question for the rock fans: Is there any guitar in this thing? Any rockers other than, um, Train make the cut? Is rock dead?

-- Randall Roberts

Comments

[Regend]

Rock isn't dead, it's just bubbling underground at the moment. The electro house pop tunes will eventually fade and new forms and styles will emerge. I think the problem with mainstream rock is the particular style that corporate distributors are catering too is just not interesting. The American Idol style of singing over distorted guitars and huge drums just isn't appealing to the youth right now. When everyone sounds the same, it's time to smash the machine and let innovative artists come from beneath the rubble.

[Ruskinite]

That was a compilation of different songs? Could've fooled me. They all sounded like the same canned, syntho/drum-machine crap that pushes outrageous fashion rather than MUSIC as far as I could tell.

[Methodman]

Rock Music is dead. It originally involved taking your own objectivity into things. But the special TV people got loaded with posturing idiots who have created such a wide gap between people who seek an education and the mainstream blessings poured upon those who refuse to adjust.

Music is about developing feelings to yourself first than finding a form that communicates by short and long phrases. Many small minded people have learned how to copy the original energy but haven't put in the time to develop the visions that are hard to share. Until most people decide that education is where it is at to develop a heart and brains Rock will continue to be dead.