Up until recently, the Rock charts have been dominated by the same bands and sounds for ten years. Nickelback, Theory of a Dead Man, Staind, Breaking Benjamin, Bush, Three Days Grace, Foo Fighters, Creed, ect, ect. Occasionally, you had a few alternatives such as the Killers, the White Stripes, and obviously the Emo bands break into the charts, but for the most part, Rock was stuck in the post-Grunge sound. Some people, even some on inthe00s, said that Rock was dying due to the same bands racking up the same sounding hits. I felt this way too at one point, but after last year and continuing on to 2013, I believe Rock music is progressing for the first time in years.

Let's take a look at the #1 songs on the Billboard Rock Songs chart in 2010:
Three Days Grace - Break (#73 on Billboard Hot 100)
Alice in Chains - Your Decision (#109 on Billboard Hot 100)
Stone Temple Pilots - Between the Lines (#103 on Billboard Hot 100)
Three Days Grace - The Good Life (#101 on Billboard Hot 100)
Shinedown - The Crow & the Butterfly (#97 on Billboard Hot 100)
The Dirty Heads - Lay Me Down (#93 on Billboard Hot 100)
Linkin Park - The Catalyst (#27 on Billboard Hot 100)
Disturbed - Another Way to Die (#81 on Billboard Hot 100)
Stone Sour - Say You'll Haunt Me (#111 on Billboard Hot 100)
The Black Keys - Tighten Up (#87 on Billboard Hot 100)
Besides The Dirty Heads and The Black Keys, all of the bands that reached #1 were post-Grunge or nu-Metal. Only one song, Linkin Park's The Catalyst made the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. The next highest charting song was Three Days Grace's Break, which only peaked at #73. Not one song, including The Catalyst, made the Billboard Hot 100 Year-End list.

Now let's take a look at the #1 songs on the Billboard Rock Songs chart in 2012/2013:
Gotye - Somebody That I Used to Know (#1 on Billboard Hot 100/#1 on Billboard 2012 Year-End chart)
fun. - We Are Young (#1 on Billboard Hot 100/#3 on Billboard 2012 Year-End chart)
Linkin Park - Burn It Down (#30 on Billboard Hot 100/#100 on Billboard 2012 Year-End chart)
Green Day - Oh Love (#97 on Billboard Hot 100)
The Lumineers - Ho Hey (#3 on Billboard Hot 100/#68 on Billboard 2012 Year-End chart)
Mumford and Sons - I Will Wait (#23 on Billboard Hot 100 - this week)
fun. - Some Nights (#3 on Billboard Hot 100/#14 on Billboard 2012 Year-End chart)
Five rock songs that hit #1 also reached the Top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Mumford and Sons' I Will Wait is still climbing. The two songs that reached #1 on the Rock charts that charted the lowest on the Billboard Hot 100 were Green Day's Oh Love and Linkin Park's Burn It Down. They are the two oldest bands, and the two non-Indie bands on the list. Unlike 2010 or even 2011, Indie dominated the Rock charts, and even crossed over to pop. Post-Grunge couldn't even peak above #73 in 2010. Gotye had the #1 song of the year, and fun. had the #3 and #14 songs of the year.

Perhaps this is just a flash in the pan? Maybe 2013 would bring back Post-Grunge/Nu-Metal/Pop Punk, and end the Indie dominance and crossover appeal? Let's take a look at the current Rock charts, along with where those songs are currently charting on the Billboard Hot 100:
1.) The Lumineers - Ho Hey (#4 on Billboard Hot 100/Peaked at #3)
2.) Phillip Phillips - Home (#15 on Billboard Hot 100/Peaked at #6)
3.) Imagine Dragons - It's Time (#16 on Billboard Hot 100/Peaked at #15)
4.) Of Monster and Men - Little Talks (#20 on Billboard Hot 100/Still climbing)
5.) Ed Sheeran - The A-Team (#23 on Billboard Hot 100/Peaked at #16)
6.) fun. - Some Nights (#24 on Billboard Hot 100/Peaked at #3)
7.) Mumford and Sons - I Will Wait (#26 on Billboard Hot 100/Still climbing)
8.) Imagine Dragons - Radioactive (#33 on Billboard Hot 100/Still climbing)
9.) Alex Clare - Too Close (#86 on Billboard Hot 100/Peaked at #7)
10.) Muse - Madness (#56 on Billboard Hot 100/Still climbing)
11.) AWOLNATION - Sail (#61 on Billboard Hot 100/Still climbing)
12.) fun. - Carry On (#65 on Billboard Hot 100/Still climbing)
13.) The Lumineers - Stubborn Love (#71 on Billboard Hot 100/Peaked at #70)
14.) Passion Pit - Take A Walk (#86 on Billboard Hot 100/Peaked at #84)
15.) Imagine Dragons - Demons (#89 on Billboard Hot 100/Still climbing)
Not one post-Grunge band. Not one nu-Metal band. Not one Pop Punk. Not one Emo. All Indie. This is the Rock charts, not the Alternative charts. All of these songs are in the Billboard Hot 100 as of now. It was a miracle if two Rock songs were in the Hot 100 three years ago. Now, it is common place. This isn't a flash in the pan, this is a trend. Rock is progressing whether you like the Indie sound or not.

Very solid thread,  there was a change in 2011 which led  to 2012 being indie dominated. Emo is pretty much dead and will never comeback.  Im so glad nu metal is dead tho. Mumford had a solid year as well.

I remember being amazed looking at the Rock charts in 2010 and seeing bands like Shinedown and Disturbed getting #1 when I couldn't think of a single person in my university, including the Rock fans, who listened to them.  It made me wonder how they were getting #1 in the first place.  I guess older fans were to blame?

The new chart is a lot more accurate these days it seems.  Another noticeable thing is the music on the new charts is a lot lighter than hard-edged (and, personally, quite generic) Hard Rock that seemed to stick on the charts way past its due date.

I remember being amazed looking at the Rock charts in 2010 and seeing bands like Shinedown and Disturbed getting #1 when I couldn't think of a single person in my university, including the Rock fans, who listened to them.  It made me wonder how they were getting #1 in the first place.  I guess older fans were to blame?

The new chart is a lot more accurate these days it seems.  Another noticeable thing is the music on the new charts is a lot lighter than hard-edged (and, personally, quite generic) Hard Rock that seemed to stick on the charts way past its due date.


it was so generic esp blue october

I remember being amazed looking at the Rock charts in 2010 and seeing bands like Shinedown and Disturbed getting #1 when I couldn't think of a single person in my university, including the Rock fans, who listened to them.  It made me wonder how they were getting #1 in the first place.  I guess older fans were to blame?

The new chart is a lot more accurate these days it seems.  Another noticeable thing is the music on the new charts is a lot lighter than hard-edged (and, personally, quite generic) Hard Rock that seemed to stick on the charts way past its due date.



don't forget emo how it was on its last legs in 2010, there has  been a dramatic shift  from emo  to indie

don't forget emo how it was on its last legs in 2010, there has  been a dramatic shift  from emo  to indie


Was Emo on it's last legs in 2010?  I thought it had already disappeared by that point.  The last year I recall Emo having some popularity was around 2008.  I thought it was already gone by 2010.  According to my little brother, most of the emo kids at my old high school had vanished by 2009.

Was Emo on it's last legs in 2010?  I thought it had already disappeared by that point.  The last year I recall Emo having some popularity was around 2008.  I thought it was already gone by 2010.  According to my little brother, most of the emo kids at my old high school had vanished by 2009.



late 2009 then

late 2009 then


The song So Alone by Anna Blue - a very emo-ish song - was released in early 2010.

The song So Alone by Anna Blue - a very emo-ish song - was released in early 2010.



well im glad its over,  it really played itself out

OMG, I so agree with you. What happened to the music from Foo Fighters, Green Day, the old Linkin Park, Weezer, Staind, Fall Out Boy, 3 Doors Down, etc. All the got now is indie electronic hipster music which doesn't classify as real rock to me. I guess that rock really is dead this time...:(

OMG, I so agree with you. What happened to the music from Foo Fighters, Green Day, the old Linkin Park, Weezer, Staind, Fall Out Boy, 3 Doors Down, etc. All the got now is indie electronic hipster music which doesn't classify as real rock to me. I guess that rock really is dead this time...:(


Fall out boy is  back and  #2 on the itunes charts

OMG, I so agree with you. What happened to the music from The Rolling Stones, The Who, the old Rod Stewart, CCR, Pink Floyd, KISS, Bob Dylan, etc. All the got now is stupid synthy New Wave music which doesn't classify as real rock to me. I guess that rock really is dead this time...:(
Things can't last forever.

Things can't last forever.


At least during the New Wave era, there was still some real rock on the charts from the likes of Metallica, Van Halen, Aerosmith, etc. Now there REALLY isn't any rock on the charts. We were lucky that Green Day made a comeback and got airplay with the song "Oh Love".

At least during the New Wave era, there was still some real rock on the charts from the likes of Metallica, Van Halen, Aerosmith, etc. Now there REALLY isn't any rock on the charts. We were lucky that Green Day made a comeback and got airplay with the song "Oh Love".
Metallica was not on the charts back then, and just because you don't like it, doesn't mean it isn't rock. How is Imagine Dragons not rock? How is Passion Pit not rock? How is Of Monster and Mean not rock? Because they aren't "hard" enough. Is Fleetwood Mac rock?

Metallica was not on the charts back then, and just because you don't like it, doesn't mean it isn't rock. How is Imagine Dragons not rock? How is Passion Pit not rock? How is Of Monster and Mean not rock? Because they aren't "hard" enough. Is Fleetwood Mac rock?


I didn't say I didn't like it, I just said that it's different. And I don't consider Imagine Dragons, Passion Pit, and Of Monsters and Men real rock. It's not because they aren't hard enough, it's because they focus more on electronic sounds and not the guitar, drums, and bass kind of rock. There are some songs that aren't hard rock, but I consider rock. Like the one you said, Fleetwood Mac is real rock to me. Another example of soft rock is Maroon 5 (well, before they turned pop). That is real rock to me, but it's not hard rock.

Is Fleetwood Mac rock?

Yes I believe Fleetwood Mac is classic rock.

I didn't say I didn't like it, I just said that it's different. And I don't consider Imagine Dragons, Passion Pit, and Of Monsters and Men real rock. It's not because they aren't hard enough, it's because they focus more on electronic sounds and not the guitar, drums, and bass kind of rock. There are some songs that aren't hard rock, but I consider rock. Like the one you said, Fleetwood Mac is real rock to me. Another example of soft rock is Maroon 5 (well, before they turned pop). That is real rock to me, but it's not hard rock.
fun., Of Monster and Men, Lumineers, Imagine Dragons (besides Radioactive), Phillip Phillips, Ed Sheeren, M&S don't use electric. They are at the top of the Rock charts and are doing great on Pop too. How can you say Rock is dying when it accounts for 20% of the Top 40 on Pop. That's a hell of a lot better than it has done the last decade.

fun., Of Monster and Men, Lumineers, Imagine Dragons (besides Radioactive), Phillip Phillips, Ed Sheeren, M&S don't use electric. They are at the top of the Rock charts and are doing great on Pop too. How can you say Rock is dying when it accounts for 20% of the Top 40 on Pop. That's a hell of a lot better than it has done the last decade.


Okay, maybe they are rock, but they're not the kind of rock I'm used to. Hard rock is dead though, bands like Linkin Park, Foo Fighters, and Red Hot Chili Peppers were alternative rock with a hard edge to them. Nowadays that has been replaced on the charts for the softer indie rock music. Rock music that emphasizes the band and the guitar/drums is gone.

I hope that post-grunge is finished for good, but I have my doubts. I'm afraid that this latest surge of indie hits will be like what seemingly happened once a year back when I was in high school where a new band that was supposed to cause a seismic change in the rock landscape (from Coldplay to The Strokes to The White Stripes) had their moment in the spotlight, but ultimately failed to take rock music in an interesting new direction.

2012 was actually one of my favorite years in rock in quite some time. I'm tired of the same old bands that have been churning out the same old recycled songs since the late 90's.

I love post-grunge, but times change... This change in rock had to happen, I can still listen to my favorite bands from the 80s, 90s and 00s, but we needed a new era in rock to bring it back to the mainstream.

I like a lot of post-grunge too but I can see where people might think it has grown stagnant. I still think there's a sizable audience for loud, fast, aggressive hard rock and it's just due for a re-boot.

I like some of the newer "indie rock" groups (Mumford & Sons is probably my favorite) but a lot of it is just "meh" to me.  :-\\

I like a lot of post-grunge too but I can see where people might think it has grown stagnant. I still think there's a sizable audience for loud, fast, aggressive hard rock and it's just due for a re-boot.

I like some of the newer "indie rock" groups (Mumford & Sons is probably my favorite) but a lot of it is just "meh" to me.  :-\\


I actually think some of the harder electronic music like "brostep" has kind of took the place for aggressive music, the brostep version of dubstep has been compared to heavy metal.

It all has to do with the hipster fad.  I don't think the hipster craze has peaked yet and its seeping into all genres of music, including now hip-hop.

I actually think some of the harder electronic music like "brostep" has kind of took the place for aggressive music, the brostep version of dubstep has been compared to heavy metal.


It really has when you think of that audience that has migrated to that type.