It’s one of the most celebrated personas in our culture. But in the end, the fabled ‘rock star’ was probably fueled by a completely different music industry.  And, all the debaucherous excess associated with rock stardom may simply be dying away, thanks to an industry that can no longer afford the hotel rooms, much less the clean-up bills.

“Rock stardom will die because nobody will make enough money any more to be rock stars.  Everybody will be jobbing musicians. It’s unbelievable. The music industry has changed beyond allrecognition. The music business we signed in to does not exist any more.”– Noel Gallagher, in comments to the UK-based Sunday Times.

A look at the current state of rock stardom supports this.  Most of the over-the-top, outlandish rock stars of our time are now much older, and bred in a completely different era.  These guys aren’t in their twenties anymore: Ozzy Osbourne, Gene Simmons, Axl Rose, Tommy Lee, Bono…

Perhaps the more interesting discussion is why the music industry enjoyed this level of luxury in the first place.  It wasn’t obvious at the time, though elements like physical, bundled albums, a lack of media saturation, content scarcity, and a growing economy all set the stage for ultra excess.  Indeed, Gallagher is among the observers that view this largely as a protracted bubble – and not a state that will ever return.

“What is fascinating is that there was a way of making money and selling records that got happened upon in the Sixties and it worked for 30-odd years then all of a sudden, in under a decade, it’s gone, never to return.” [Digital Music News]