Are DJs the new rock stars?

[Leonis]

I've been reading an article claiming this. I think it's a bit missplaced but what do you think?

Also interested in favourite music genre. The genres are intentionally broad as I'd like to get a general feeling as opposed to specific sub-sub-categories.

[Melusine]

Well Leonis, I haven't voted as I could never pick a fave genre (probably Western Classical though), but moreover as you only included Yes or No as an answer. Mine would be To Some Extent

I think it's definitely true that DJs are as much stars in the sense that Rock Stars (in the widest possible definition, so including Rap stars, RnB stars) are.
They sure get paid astonishing amounts for a night of playing, are equally popular and tour as much as any rock star could wish.
Still, I don't think DJs are the new rockstars, mostly because the type of music they play is very senstive to trends. Of course the same is true of most kinds of music, but there are always peaks and valleys, and I think DJs are just at a peak now that could equally simply disappear. There will always be people listening to house or a variety of it, but not always in the same mass-trend that we seem to having now and had before in the nineties.

[Beaumanoir]

As For Dj's, I Bloody Well Hope Not. I Hate All This Dance Music. It Sucks.
Oh, And My Fav Music Is Ska

[philip]

I voted no and rock. There are little cool dance "songs", and if you heard a couple of them you've nearly heard them all. There's little to no change in different songs (not surprising with only keyboards/computer and a drum machine as instruments).

[johnny]

Guys like Jean and Tiesto are making big bucks at the moment, they're wanted all over the world. If some club or dancing advertises with their names the joint will be loaded. A few years ago that was completely different. I think this is the right time for them, but eventually all the attention will fade away. The two guys i named will be loaded with money by that time though, so i don't think they'll have a big problem with it. after all, it's a hobby, not a profession.

[Melusine]

Originally posted by philip: I voted no and rock. There are little cool dance "songs", and if you heard a couple of them you've nearly heard them all. There's little to no change in different songs (not surprising with only keyboards/computer and a drum machine as instruments).

The question wasn't whether you like their music or whether there's merit in it, just if you think they're the new rock stars.
So even if YOU don't think there's anything of worth in their music (I mostly agree with that), you can't deny that there's a hell of a lot of people who seem to love it. Isn't that what being a star is about?
So I agree with Johnny mostly - they seem to be immensely popular now, attracting huge crowds and getting paid very very well.... but it will fade, I guess. Just like with rock stars.

[philip]

[quote]Originally posted by Melusine:

So even if YOU don't think there's anything of worth in their music (I mostly agree with that), you can't deny that there's a hell of a lot of people who seem to love it. Isn't that what being a star is about? So I agree with Johnny mostly - they seem to be immensely popular now, attracting huge crowds and getting paid very very well.... but it will fade, I guess.

They're are stars but they're sure not the new stars. It's already fading, many people I know switched to other genres. And when you look at hit lists there are more and more other genres in compared to last year when you only saw dance and occasionally some hiphop.

[Leonis]

All very interesting. The poll might be a little misleading as I guess I was thinking along two related but distinct lines and thought I'd kill two birds.

I've been wondering where music is heading - are we still actually at the begining of 'a phase' in popular music? Theoretically, considering how long what we now call classical music prevailed in the west, and taking the common starting point for 'modern music' as the mid fifties, we could be...

Or are those who are saying it's all over right? And something new is developing underneath? Now I know my music history and I feel it's truer to see it as interweaving lines of development rather than 'rock was born in 1955' etc...

But this last century has seen some very fast developments due in part to communication, preservation, performance and composition tools and techniques.

The emergence of the piano would be a similar example of how quickly music can evolve with a few technological advancements.

Looking at styles such as classical, jazz and blues; these are still very popular; they have never been 'over'. It's just that the benchmark has unfortunately become almost entirely based on commercial sales.

So will rock, pop, hip hop, dance, ska et al go the same way soon - commercially unimpressive compared to whatever is 'most popular' but with large bases of appreciation?

Incedentally the majority of western charts are currently filled with styles that can be traced directly to African folk musics - with major intersections of numerous cultural styles - from the UK and Ireland, Asia, India and Pakistan, Eastern Europe, Mediteranean Europe, Middle East and so on...(I hope no one takes offence at my categories and groupings here, I'm 'streaming' and my fingers can't keep up with my brain [img]smile.gif[/img] )

How far can musical development go? This could be akin to asking how much smaller can technology get? or How much faster can humans run/swim etc...? Only time will tell. (I know about the mathematical limitations on musical variations too but what will be interesting is what gets kept and what gets discarded)

I hope I'm making some sense here...

[Melusine]

Great topic Leonis, I've wondered about that a LOT myself!
You summed it up nicely though... not sure what I can add.
I've wondered about the same things... compared to classical music, 'modern' music is still so young! There must be whole new genres and styles, instruments and techniques yet to be discovered. On the other hand I can't really imagine what they would be like and whether I would still call them music - we've so many different sounds already, what more could we do?
It's a great thing to think about. [img]smile.gif[/img]