Who are today's rock stars? Are there any?

[yogachik]

And this is meant to be current -- seriously, do we have any true rock stars anymore? I'd venture to say maybe Thom Yorke, but would anyone recognize him on the street? Anyway, he's too well behaved. And no RHCP votes, they're too last decade.

A discussion on another board (music industry) posed this question and it's had me thinking for days. I think it will be a better discussion over here.

[rideit]

Chris Gephard?

[Steven S. Dallas]

I'd venture to say maybe Thom Yorke, but would anyone recognize him on the street?

Sure, he's the little dude with a creepy eye. Of course, that also describes my janitor... There are lots of people who act like rock stars, but maybe aren't big enough to deserve the label. Is Jeff Tweedy a rock star? He's a great musician and a total dickhead, so he's 75% of the way there at least.

[Danno]

who is Thom Yorke?

[orlowskij]

who is Thom Yorke?

Seconded

[stump832]

How about Ryan Adams? Too unknown?

Eddie Vedder is still a rock star, I guess Bono is too. But both of those guys are too socially concious and not douchey enough.

The dudes from Metallica are just completely irrelevant now.

Good question, though.

[Tippster]

I'm too old for this question. I'm sure there's a whole group of people out there who idolize the guys from Franz Ferdinand or some other BS band like that. Isn't there some really "hot" Swedish band whose lead singer insists he's bigger than Mick Jagger?

The guy with the holster in Interpol is trying (and failing) to be a "star." Good, because they're pretty good IMHO. The singer of Bloc Party is the same.

Edit: I'd recognize Jack Black on the street....

[Buster Highmen]

Dweezil Zappa.
Bucket Head.

Les Claypool.

[scoober]

It's ironic because I can't remember his name, but what about Chris Whatshisface from Coldplay? He did marry Gweneth Paltrow.

I'd recognize Thom Yorke on the street, but I don't think a lot of people would. Not the amount of people that would recognize Bono or David Lee Roth or something.

Since all suggestions so far prove invalid, I suggest: Ted Nugent.

[mc_roon]

who is Thom Yorke?

Radiohead

[MakersTeleMark]

Tech Talk?

[BLOOD SWEAT STEEL]

Rock is dead.

[Buster Highmen]

Eddie Vedder.
Mike McCready.
Moby

[El Chupacabra]

William Hung.

[DisArray]

Eddie Vedder was a rock star 15 years ago. The question is asking about current rock stars.

I don't think anyone with a receding hair line can qualify.

I would say that tarditional rock stars don't exist anymore because of the way popular music has changed in the last decade with iPods and internet downloading etc. Rather you have many lesser known, but famous to their own circle, type of rock stars.

[yogachik]

Jack Black is kind of a good one, Tipp. And I like the Interpol guy. What about Courtney Taylor Taylor (or is it Taylor Courtney Courtney?) from Dandy Warhols? Or the guy from BJM? Anyone see Dig? Rock is not dead, methinks.

All other suggestions are too old - has to be someone in this millenium. Chris Martin from Coldplay? I think of him as a family man, not a rock star.

[tigerstripe40]

Beck is sort of out doing his own thing.
Which I think is more respectable than many of what alot of the other 'stars' are doing. I've been listening to more and more of his stuff. Bloody amazing music.

Radio Head is awesome as well. MANY layers to their music. It's so fascinating.

I still love to watch Pete Townshend do his thing.
RIP Keith Moon and John Entwistle.

Modern stuff?
With the exception of The Information (beck) and ENdless Wire (The Who) I have not purchased any CD's made after 1999. Almost all of it sounds the same these days...

[Buster Highmen]

What's the most interersting thing about music threads is it readily displays who's an asshole and who's just musing.

[bisnibble]

Liam Gallagher

[WhiteLight]

What's the most interersting thing about music threads is it readily displays who's an asshole and who's just musing.

It's interesting to me how people can be very caught up in identifying themselves with the au courant bands. The whole cooler-than-thou thing. Boring!

Considering the other arts: Do we preoccupy ourselves with which sculptors we'd recognize on the street? Which authors?

I welcome the anonymity that the new distribution methods bring to the music scene. I don't need an established label to package and promote an artist to rock-star status. Nor do I need rock stars in my life. I like that the smaller players are now given a larger voice, outside the public eye. And that they can walk to the local coffee shop without being beseiged by fans. Perfect~

Don't get me wrong. I love music as an art form. I just think it's silly to fixate on who's cool and recognizable, vs. who is not. Who cares?

So much great music, so little time to enjoy it all. For those prepared to rock (anonymously): I salute you!

[mc_roon]

for recognizable, i would say Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson, and the Foo Fighters are all fairly well known.

[yogachik]

Thinking about this more... Britney Spears has been acting like a rock star, lately.

[birdman829]

I'd say Bono. Just a different kind of rock star than those of yore.

[tuffy109]

blondie

[StuntCok]

Rap is the new rock. There aren't that many obvious rock stars but hip hop and rap have lots.