In a new interview with Rolling Stone, U2's frontman Bono issued harsh comments about the state of music today.
“I think music has gotten very girly,” Bono said in the interview, which was published Wednesday. “And there are some good things about that, but hip-hop is the only place for young male anger at the moment — and that’s not good.”
According to the 57-year-old icon, the state of contemporary rock and roll was not nearly as angry as it once was.
“When I was 16, I had a lot of anger in me,” he continued. “You need to find a place for guitars, whether it is with a drum machine — I don’t care. The moment something becomes preserved, it is (expletive) over. You might as well put it in formaldehyde.
“In the end, what is rock & roll? Rage is at the heart of it. Some great rock & roll tends to have that, which is why the Who were such a great band. Or Pearl Jam. Eddie has that rage.”
Bono shared that his 18-year-old son, Elijah,believed that a “rock and roll revolution is around the corner,” and he himself agreed that the genre would return.
Bono faced his own critics in 2014 when his band's album "Songs of Innocence" was automatically uploaded for free on all Apple devices, sparking backlash from people who didn't appreciate having the music on their devices without permission. It turned into a $100 million PR nightmare for the brand and the band.
Bono's comments were not without criticism. Some implied the remark was sexist.
wow!! starting off 2018 by cancelling bono!! I’m glad you think labeling something as “girly” is an insult. bc the “young male anger” which you miss so much has obviously gotten us so far this year?? right??? https://t.co/s25o6l0N15
— elise jacqueline🔮💫 (@elisesoutar) December 27, 2017
1) Why are we using “girly” as an insult
— Bryce Kepner (@BryceKepner) December 29, 2017
2) So much high quality music out there today is put out by female artists. Bono’s missing out https://t.co/08eGC98ie8
Bono: Music is too "girly" and there's not enough rage in that sound.
— Charlotte Clymer🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) December 28, 2017
Me: *plays Jagged Little Pill in full*
Bono: Okay, but that's not a kind of rage that makes my fragile masculinity comfortable.
Bono thinks music is too girly and there's not enough anger? I'm a girl and I was really angry when he put a U2 album on my phone without asking me
— Jessie Thompson (@jessiecath) December 28, 2017
Bono shared that his 18-year-old son, Elijah, believed that a “rock and roll revolution is around the corner,” and he himself agreed that the genre would return.