The American Music Awards refuses to rock

KISS & TELL

Rock is far from dead, but watching the American Music Awards (AMAs) telecast earlier this week, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it's six feet under.

Hell, why not 600 feet under, like dinosaur bones?

There wasn't one real rocker anywhere to be seen or heard at this year's predictably bland ceremony held in Los Angeles.

Male nominees for the Pop/Rock categories included the likes of Bruno Mars, Robin Thicke and Justin Timberlake.

For the girls, there were Pink, Rihanna and Taylor Swift.

As for bands, there were Imagine Dragons, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and finally One Direction.

They definitely got the pop side of "Pop/Rock" covered, but there's basically no rock at all.

A joke is what it is.

The AMAs also gave out one award for Favourite "Alternative Rock" artist, and it's equally depressing. The Lumineers? Mumford & Sons? Imagine Dragons?

The first two acts play radio-friendly roots-rock.

Imagine Dragons, who ended up winning the award, aren't remotely "Alternative" (whatever that means).

I mean, we play them during my morning radio show - Maddy, Jason and Arnold in the Morning - on Kiss92.

If you happen to listen to Kiss92 - and you should! - you will know that we are the farthest thing imaginable from "alternative".

Now don't get me wrong, I like a lot of these acts. I'm not hatin' on anyone here.

It's just that as a lover of rock - REAL ROCK - I feel it's necessary to speak out.

Rock remains incredibly popular in the US and around the world, but it's practically invisible in the mainstream media.

ROCKING GOOD CONCERTS

Bon Jovi's Because We Can Tour was the biggest in the world over the past year.

In fact, if you look at the top concert draws since the year 2000, the vast majority have been rockers - U2, The Police, Springsteen, AC/DC, Genesis, Eagles, Metallica, and of course The Rolling Stones.

We'll include Coldplay in there because they're ALMOST rock.

A lot of the music I listen to on my own time away from the radio tends to be very old, but I do try to keep up with current acts, and this year Queens of the Stone Age released an incredible album with ...Like Clockwork.

Reviews were extraordinary and it reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

Why wasn't it nominated?

It wasn't nominated because it's simply TOO MUCH ROCK for today's pathetically timid media monkeys.

jjohnson@sph.com.sg

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