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.
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.
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