Dave Mustaine Thinks There Are No Great New Rock Bands That Exist
Dave Mustaine in an interview with uDiscover Music - Youtube
Legendary Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has fired another shot, this time taking aim at the current state of rock music.
In a recent interview with Lucía Sapena of Paraguay’s Trece channel, Mustaine expressed his disappointment at the lack of innovation and excitement in today’s rock scene.
His comments highlight a question that’s been simmering for a while now: are there truly any new rock bands that can capture the magic and energy of the genre’s golden age? Mustaine seems to think not, suggesting that the well of great rock music may have run dry.
Mustaine on His Favorite Megadeth Album
Choosing a favorite Megadeth album proved a difficult task for Mustaine when asked in the interview. He likened the request to picking a favorite child, highlighting the emotional connection he has to the band’s entire discography.
Mustaine went on to acknowledge the influence of specific albums. Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? was a clear standout, but he also reserved praise for Killing Is My Business… And Business Is Good! for its groundbreaking nature.
“I think Killing Is My Business was so ahead of its time that people didn’t really understand it. And that’s when art is at its best when you get something new that you’ve never heard before,” the rock icon remarked.
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Dave Mustaine Laments the State of Rock
Mustaine isn’t holding back his opinions on the state of rock music. He voiced his frustration with the lack of originality in today’s scene. The frontman argues that audiences crave something fresh, not just rehashed versions of old formulas.
He emphasizes his point by referencing legendary bands. “New Iron Maiden, new AC/DC, new Megadeth, new Guns N’ Roses,” Mustaine lists. These groups, he implies, all brought something exciting and innovative to the table when they emerged.
The problem, as Mustaine sees it, is that there haven’t been any new bands that have sparked the same level of awe and excitement in listeners.
Dave Takes Aim at Metal Subgenres
Dave Mustaine has a history of voicing strong opinions about music genres. In addition to his recent comments on the lack of innovation in rock, Mustaine has previously taken aim at certain bands he feels have been mislabeled.
Last year, speaking to Heavy Consequence, he challenged the classification of bands like Pearl Jam, Green Day, and Blink-182 as metal. Mustaine argues that “metal” has become a generic term applied to any music with heaviness, regardless of its true origins.
He finds it nonsensical to categorize bands like Blink-182, known for their pop-punk sound, or Green Day, with their brand of alternative rock, as metal. According to him, these bands are simply pop, and their metal label is a misnomer.
More Musings on Pop vs Rock
Mustaine didn’t stop at criticizing metal’s categorization. In the later portion of his interview, he tackled the terms “pop” and “rock” themselves. Mustaine pointed out the origin of “pop” being short for “popular,” suggesting it simply reflects an album’s mainstream appeal.
He used Megadeth’s commercially successful Countdown to Extinction as an example, implying that under his definition, it could be considered a “pop album” based on its popularity.
This perspective challenges the traditional way we categorize music. Mustaine seems to suggest that labels like “pop” and “rock” might be limiting, focusing more on popularity than the actual sound of the music itself.
