Ever see the 4th-season WKRP episode about the 'radio doctor" whose job was to sell his services as a programmer? EVERY station who was a customer would play the music HE picked, so they'd all sound the same, and there was no need for "real" DJs. That was the beginning of the end. Since then, the greedy old guys running the corporations have increased their STRANGLEHOLD until NOTHING gets played, NOTHING gets pushed-- and therefore, NOTHING sells-- unless THEY want it to, and only stuff they OWN and CONTROL completely is pushes. "Popular" is not because people like it-- "popular" is because that's ALL people ever get a chance to hear, and we all know, most people are lemmings who go along with the masses. (And they wonder why record sales continue to plummet, when all they put out is CRAP.)
"Real" rock-- the bands who can think for themselves, have actual talent, write, play & sing their own material, and are actually GOOD to listen to-- tend NOT to be signed / owned / controlled by the big labels. So the ONLY place to hear them is in BARS. I've been going to bars for almost 8 years now, and between them and online "specialty" music stores, have discovered HUNDREDS of bands doing stuff every bit as good as the best stuff I love from the 50's, 60's, 70's!!!
Just for my own tastes, check out...
THE BOOTY OLYMPICS
BEN VAUGHN
LOS STRAITJACKETS
MONDO TOPLESS
KENN KWEDER
SIT N' SPIN
THE BOSS MARTIANS
LONESOME BOB
STEREOPHONIC SPACE SOUND UNLIMITED
THE MEN FROM S.P.E.C.T.R.E.
CADILLAC HITMEN
THE SPACE COSSACKS
THE DIABOLIKS
CATFIGHT!
DASH RIP ROCK
JUMPIN' JUPITER
DANNY DEAN & THE HOMEWRECKERS
THE SICKIDZ
KEVIN JOHNSON & THE LINEMEN
THE CHAINS
THE KAISERS
THE NEANDERTHALS
DESTINATION: EARTH!
Oh yeah, and sometimes the "old guys" do manage to do stuff every bit as good or better than in the old days...
JOHN FOGERTY
BLUE OYSTER CULT
