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Rock never goes out of style. There was a time when every song on the radio was a rock song, but as music tends to do, the genres shifted and more \u201ctraditional\u201d rock songs became less frequent on mainstream radio. It\u2019s not like there has been a shortage of incredible bands making music, the genre just started to be kept locked away for a niche audience, especially in the last ten years or so. But rock still lingered beneath the surface, in the swag of stadium-sized country shows or the leather-and-lace aesthetic of pop arena shows. Charli xcx is making it her goal to show us all that rock life is alive and well as she releases her new single \u201cRock Music\u201d. Call it the Gen-Z version of rock music because it hardly is what one would typically consider to be a rock song, but between the dark eyeliner in the music video and the all-around \u201cf-ck you\u201d attitude, she\u2019s rocking to the beat of her own drum. This week with songs that feature rock influences or interpretation by current pop artists like Charli xcx to classic bands like The Rolling Stones, there\u2019s something for the rocker in everyone.<\/p>\n
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Charli has had a wild couple of years ever since the release of Brat <\/em>in June 2024. She has said that when she was recording that album, she felt free to create whatever sound she wanted since she hadn\u2019t been experiencing commercial success anyway. With low expectations came a completely blank canvas to fill as she pleased. Things are different now and there are a lot more eyeballs on any music she puts out. She insists, though, that she isn\u2019t letting that hinder her creative process. And if you think about it, Charli is something of a modern day rockstar, including on the surface, since she definitely smokes<\/a> and parties<\/a> like a throwback to the 80s. This new music feels like a purposeful attempt to weed out any of the casual listeners who were only around for her viral moments with Brat, <\/em>and bring it back to the OG fans that kept her going for more than a decade beforehand. Rock but make it electro? In Charli\u2019s world, anything goes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n But we can\u2019t talk about rock influences in popular music without mentioning Beyonc\u00e9 whose long-rumoured rock-inspired project has become one of music\u2019s fascinating \u201cwhat ifs\u201d and \u201cwhen???\u201d, even though at this point we, as a society, have collectively decided that the rock album is happening, right?<\/p>\n Next week is one for the Canadians because we have new music from both Drake and Shania Twain. Drake of course off the heels of his ice installation in downtown Toronto is releasing his newest album ICE MAN. <\/em>I can\u2019t promise I\u2019ll enjoy it, but I can promise that I\u2019ll listen to it and report back to you so that you don\u2019t have to. Shania on the other hand is releasing a new single \u201cDirty Rosie\u201d, just in time for her spot opening for Harry Styles in London this summer. This week, along with the rocking sounds of Charli xcx and The Rolling Stones, we have music from Calvin Harris, Lykke Li and Bruno Mars. Plus, a viral pick straight out of 2007.<\/p>\n Listen on\u2026<\/p>\n MC\u2019s PICKS OF THE WEEK<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cRock Music\u201d by Charli xcx<\/strong><\/p>\n As if it wasn\u2019t obvious at the time, Charli\u2019s recent British Vogue<\/a> article where she declared that \u201cthe dancefloor is dead\u201d was nothing but a promotional tactic for her new track, as the statement is a direct lyric from the song. They say there\u2019s no such thing as bad publicity, so while she may have pissed off John Summit and a few other dance music snobs, she kept her name in the conversation. The song is a departure from the hyper-pop style that Charli has made her signature over the last decade or so, however there are some nods to her previous works. For one, the way the chorus is structured is very similar to \u201cClub classics\u201d<\/a> at least melodically. \u201cRock Music\u201d is meant for a gritty, down dirty dance party \u2013 it wouldn\u2019t be Charli if that was not a factor. The initial reaction online to the song is mixed, but for those of us who remember back in 2024, Brat <\/em>had a similar initial reaction and the album didn\u2019t pop off until a few months after the fact. Charli may not ever replicate that success and why should she have to? The alluring part of Charli as an artist has always been her toeing the line between experimental artist and commercial pop darling. This new \u201crock\u201d era could very well be her returning to those experimental roots. I like the song and I can enjoy it for what it is, but I also recognize how it could very well not be everyone\u2019s cup of tea. The thing about Charli is that to me, it\u2019s still true to the type of artist she has always been. Charli isn\u2019t like Taylor Swift or Sabrina Carpenter type of artist making music for all music listeners. If anything, intentionally going forward with this musical departure is the most authentically \u201cCharli\u201d piece of art she could have released.<\/p>\n