Disturbed Frontman Says Rock is ‘Far From’ Dead

Once the top-selling genre, rock music has been methodically overthrown over time, losing its dominance to pop and hip-hop. The downfall has prompted countless pundits to declare, “Rock is dead.” But David Draiman isn’t one of them.
The Disturbed frontman says not only is rock alive and well, but it still rules the musical roost on a global level. He says, “in most territories, we eclipse the other genres. The rock acts that are doing what they’re doing well are continuing to grow and are continuing to develop, and the fanbase has always been there.”
Draiman says critics have been quick to declare the genre dead because it makes for a good headline. He adds, “They’re gonna keep on singing that song and dance because it’s a headline that, for whatever reason, every once in a while sells. And people click on it and they wanna read about it, and they’re always so quick to proclaim rock dead. And it’s absolutely the opposite.”
Do you agree with Draiman? When hip hop first went mainstream, did you expect it to last as long as it has?