Is Rock ’n’ Roll Dying with the Boomers? + The One-Hit Wonders Hall of Fame

Let me ask you this: Were any of our parents still seeing guys like Glen Miller, Count Basie or Tommy Dorsey touring in their 80’s like Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Moody Blues, Chicago, Supertramp, etc? Still filling stadiums with the gray haired crowd. I don’t think so. So much for rock being a fad!

Most guys my age live on classic rock playlists and stations built on a simple truth: a Les Paul through a loud amp can still cure most bad moods. Creedence to Zeppelin, Doors to SRV—those records rewired our brains. But is rock going to die when the Boomers do? Will it come back like vinyl? And are there any new bands worth a Marine’s time?

First, a salute to the Canon

• Creedence Clearwater Revival — “Fortunate Son,” “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?”
• The Doors — “Light My Fire,” “Riders on the Storm”
• Jimi Hendrix — “All Along the Watchtower,” “Purple Haze”
• ELO — “Mr. Blue Sky,” “Evil Woman”
• Chicago — “25 or 6 to 4,” “Saturday in the Park”
• Stevie Ray Vaughan — “Pride and Joy,” “Texas Flood”
• Led Zeppelin — “Whole Lotta Love,” “Stairway to Heaven”
• Amboy Dukes — “Journey to the Center of the Mind”
• Robin Trower — “Bridge of Sighs”
• Allman Brothers Band — “Whipping Post,” “Ramblin’ Man”
• The Animals — “House of the Rising Sun,” “We Gotta Get Out of This Place”
• Bachman-Turner Overdrive — “Takin’ Care of Business,” “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”
• Bad Company — “Bad Company,” “Feel Like Makin’ Love”
• Rush – Freewill

One-Hit Wonders Hall of Fame (US-centric; your mileage may vary)

1. Norman Greenbaum — Spirit in the Sky
2. King Crimson – Court of the Crimson King
3. Bloodrock – DOA
4. Ace – How Long
5. Iron Butterfly – In A Gadda Da Vida
6. Billy Thorpe – Children of the Sun
7. Air Supply – Making Love Out of Nothing at All
8. ? And The Mysterians – 96 Tears
9. The Kingsmen – Louie Louie
10. The Music Machine – Talk Talk
11. Autograph – Turn Up The Radio
12. The Babies – Every Time I Think of You
13. Big Country – In A Big Country
14. Blue Cheer – Summertime Blues
15. Blues Image – Ride Captain Ride
16. The Blues Magoos – We Aint Got Nothin Yet
17. Brewer & Shipley – One Toke Over the Line
18. America- A Horse With No Name
19. Twisted Sister – We’re Not Going To Take It
20. Ram Jam — Black Betty
21. Molly Hatchet – Dreams I’ll Never See
22. Mott The Hoople – All the Young Dudes
23. Canned Heat – Going Up The Country
24. Grand Funk Railroad – Heartbreaker
25. Cheap Trick – Surrender
26. Commander Cody – Hot Rod Lincoln
27. Count Five – Psychotic Reaction
28. David Essex – Rock On
29. Electric Prunes – I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night
30. Five Man Electrical Band – Signs
31. Foghat – Slow Ride
32. Gary Glitter – Rock n Roll
33. Golden Earring – Twilight Zone
34. The Hollies – Bus Stop
35. Ian Gomm – Hold On
36. Ides of March – Vehicle
37. Kingdom Come – Get It On
38. Loverboy – Lovin Every Minute of It
39. Mountain – Mississippi Queen
40. Nazareth – Love Hurts
41. Orleans – Still The One
42. R.E.M. – Losing My Religion
43. Rainbow – Since Youve Been Gone
44. Right Said Fred – I’m Too Sexy
45. Sniff ‘N’ Tears – Drivers Seat
46. Stampeders – Sweet City Woman
47. Stories – Brother Louie
48. The Sweet – Ballroom Blitz
49. T Rex – Bang A Gong
50. Thin Lizzy – The Boys Are Back In Town
51. Triumph – Hold On
52. The Troggs – Wild Thing
53. Vanilla Fudge – Season of the Witch
54. The Velvet Underground – Rock and Roll
55. Zager And Evans – In the Year 2525
56. The Zombies – She’s Not There

And many more…

So… is Rock Dead?

Rock never died—it just lost the algorithm. Labels chased quick clicks; radio went safe; gatekeepers crowned pop darlings and autotune. Meanwhile, guitar kids moved to garages, YouTube, and small rooms that smell like tube amps. Vinyl came back. Guitars will, too. Because electric joy isn’t a fad. 

New Blood Worth Your Ears (Rock still lives here)

• Greta Van Fleet — young lungs, big riffs, old-soul swagger.
• Rival Sons — blues-rock with a freight-train frontman.
• Dirty Honey — LA bar-band spirit, arena hooks.
• The Struts — glam, grins, and crowd-command.
• Royal Blood — two-man fuzz quake (bass + drums).
• The Black Keys — garage grit polished just enough.
• The War on Drugs — heartland pulse with widescreen guitars.
• Mammoth WVH — Wolfgang carries the Van Halen DNA with class.
• The Warning — power-trio sisters with serious chops.
• Marcus King — southern-soul guitar fire.
• Blackberry Smoke — modern southern rock done right.
• Joe Bonamassa — blues-rock lifer with tone for days.

My Verdict

Rock didn’t die with the Boomers; it went to the garage, then to the internet. It’s harder to find in the mainstream—sure. But when a drummer counts four and a band hits a chorus that rattles your chest, you remember: the patient is alive.

FAQ

Q: Will rock return to radio?
A: Radio follows money. If fans show up (streams, tickets, vinyl), radio follows fast.

Q: Where do I find new rock?
A: Start with live venues, festival lineups, and “related artists” under the bands above.

Your turn: what’s the one riff that still makes you drive 10 mph over the limit?