Ongoing History of New Music: The 100 Greatest Rock Moments of the Millennium So Far - Part 3 (80-71)
Host: Alan Cross
Release Date: February 5, 2025

Overview

In Part 3 of the "100 Greatest Rock Moments of the Millennium So Far," host Alan Cross delves into a diverse array of pivotal events, controversies, and milestones that have shaped the rock music landscape over the past quarter-century. This episode, rich with insights and anecdotes, explores topics ranging from legal battles over copyright infringement to groundbreaking technological advancements in live performances. Below is a detailed summary of the key moments discussed, structured for clarity and enriched with notable quotes from the episode.

Rock Moment 80: The Surge in Copyright Infringement Lawsuits

Timestamp: [00:37] - [07:38]

Alan Cross opens the discussion by addressing the dramatic increase in copyright infringement cases within the music industry. He defines copyright infringement as the unauthorized use of substantial elements from previously released music, often occurring unintentionally due to the finite nature of musical notes and compositions.

Key Points:

• Definition and Complexity: Cross emphasizes the complexity of copyright laws, noting that while song titles, chord progressions, and beats cannot be copyrighted, the replication of "feel" or "vibe" can lead to legal challenges.

• Notable Case - Blurred Lines vs. Marvin Gaye: The most egregious example cited is the lawsuit against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for their song "Blurred Lines," which was deemed to infringe upon Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up." Despite minimal direct melodic similarities, the jury found the overall feel to be too similar, resulting in a $5.3 million award to Gaye's estate.

  Alan Cross: "Blurred Lines was conceived as an homage to 'Got to Give It Up,' no problem. Because you can't copyright a feel, can you? Well, it turns out that you can."
  [06:30]

• Ripple Effects: This ruling sent shockwaves through the songwriting community, leading to a surge in lawsuits as lawyers sought to capitalize on perceived similarities across decades of music. Cases involving Radiohead and Lana Del Rey's "Get Free" highlight the tangled web of songwriting credits and royalties affected by these lawsuits.

  Alan Cross: "Some of the lawsuits are frivolous and nutty, yet if a copyright lawyer sees an opportunity, you can bet that they're gonna go for it."
  [07:00]

Rock Moment 79: Tool's Long-Awaited Album Release

Timestamp: [07:38] - [15:42]

Next, Cross recounts the tumultuous 13-year wait for Tool's album "Fear Inoculum," released on August 30, 2019. The delay was primarily due to legal disputes with record labels, which resulted in numerous lawsuits and countersuits that hindered the band's progress.

Key Points:

• Release and Reception: "Fear Inoculum" debuted at number one in multiple countries, including the US and Canada, and sold a million copies in the US within a month. It garnered two Grammy nominations, winning for the track "Tempest."

  Alan Cross: "Tool delivered 'Fear Inoculum,' a 7-song, 79-minute CD that immediately rocketed to number one in multiple countries."
  [08:10]

• Band's Integrity: Tool's insistence on not rushing the creative process is highlighted as a testament to their commitment to artistic integrity.

Rock Moment 78: The Launch of Apple Music

Timestamp: [15:42] - [24:41]

Cross examines Apple's strategic entry into the streaming music arena with the launch of Apple Music on June 30, 2015. Despite streaming being an established market dominated by Spotify, Apple leveraged its ecosystem to make a significant impact.

Key Points:

• Service Features: Apple Music offers around 202 million songs across 167 countries, higher payout rates per stream compared to Spotify, and exclusive features like lossless streaming and spatial audio.

  Alan Cross: "The bitrate on Apple Music can be set to offer lossless streams, which means higher quality audio. And Apple Music has something called spatial audio which can provide an interesting immersive musical experience."
  [17:00]

• Subscriber Base vs. Free Users: While Spotify retains a larger number of monthly users, Apple Music's focus on a paid subscription model has attracted a dedicated user base that prefers ad-free, high-quality listening experiences.

• Popular Artists: Top artists on Apple Music include Drake, Ed Sheeran, and Taylor Swift, with Imagine Dragons being the leading alt-rock artist.

Rock Moment 77: The Rise of Playlists and the Decline of the Album

Timestamp: [24:41] - [30:08]

The conversation shifts to the evolving landscape of music consumption, where playlists have overshadowed traditional albums. Cross discusses how this shift mirrors broader societal trends towards immediacy and selective consumption.

Key Points:

• Playlist Dominance: Audiences now prefer curated playlists featuring singles from various artists over full albums, disrupting the deliberate sequencing and thematic continuity that albums traditionally offer.

  Alan Cross: "Playlists allow us to mess with sequencing. This is especially disruptive when it comes to concept albums where songs are designed to be listened to in a very specific order."
  [11:00]

• Impact on Artists: While this trend offers emerging artists a platform to gain visibility through individual hits, it challenges established norms around album production and artistic expression.

• Vinyl Resilience: Despite the digital shift, vinyl records have seen a resurgence, allowing collectors to maintain their appreciation for full albums alongside modern streaming habits.

  Alan Cross: "The vinyl resurrection has ensured that people keep buying albums. Collectors want physical manifestations of music and albums."
  [13:30]

Rock Moment 76: The Assassination of Dimebag Darrell

Timestamp: [30:08] - [18:21]

One of the most tragic moments highlighted is the onstage assassination of Dimebag Darrell, former guitarist of Pantera, during a Damageplan concert in Columbus, Ohio, on December 8, 2004.

Key Points:

• The Incident: Nathan Gale, an ex-Marine with diagnosed schizophrenia, rushed the stage and fatally shot Darrell multiple times. The attack resulted in additional casualties, including the band’s security and a fan attempting to intervene.

  Alan Cross: "Dimebag Darrell was shot in the head three times at point-blank range. He never had a chance."
  [16:13]

• Aftermath and Legacy: This tragic event remains the only American mass shooting linked to a rock show, leading to enhanced security protocols at concerts. Darrell's legacy endures, with his contributions to metal history from albums like "A Vulgar Display of Power" still celebrated.

Rock Moment 75: Dave Grohl's Stage Accident

Timestamp: [18:21] - [24:54]

Cross recounts a less tragic but memorable incident involving Foo Fighters' frontman Dave Grohl, who suffered a broken leg during a concert in Gothenburg, Sweden, on June 12, 2015.

Key Points:

• The Accident: While performing, Grohl fell approximately 10 feet onto a hard surface, severely injuring his leg. Remarkably, he continued the performance seated and eventually returned to the stage with a specialized throne.

  Alan Cross: "Dave Grohl just fell off the stage. He dropped at least 10 feet onto a hard concrete surface."
  [19:00]

• Tour Implications: The injury necessitated surgery and the cancellation of subsequent tour dates, yet the Foo Fighters' resilience and Grohl's dedication turned a potential disaster into an iconic moment of perseverance.

Rock Moment 74: Trent Reznor and Lil Nas X's Old Town Road

Timestamp: [24:54] - [29:52]

A surprising intersection between Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor and pop star Lil Nas X is explored through the phenomenon of "Old Town Road." Cross explains how Reznor became inadvertently linked to one of the most streamed songs of all time.

Key Points:

• Origins of Old Town Road: Montero Lamar Hill (Lil Nas X) independently created "Old Town Road" using a manipulated sample from Nine Inch Nails' "34 Ghosts IV." As the song gained viral popularity, Reznor was credited post-hoc after granting permission for the sample.

  Alan Cross: "Trent Reznor and his songwriting partner Atticus Ross were added as credited songwriters for 'Old Town Road.'”
  [26:00]

• Commercial Success: The song achieved unprecedented numbers, including 3 billion streams and over a billion YouTube views, showcasing the unexpected longevity and cross-genre influence in modern music.

Rock Moment 73: The Live 8 Concert

Timestamp: [29:52] - [31:55]

Cross reflects on the global impact of the Live 8 concert event held on July 2, 2005, which aimed to raise awareness about global poverty and famine, particularly in Africa.

Key Points:

• Event Scale: Live 8 spanned 11 cities worldwide, featuring an array of artists and celebrities, including U2, Green Day, Madonna, and a rare Pink Floyd reunion.

  Alan Cross: "Dozens and dozens of artists and celebrities appeared, including a reunion of Pink Floyd, only something that Bob Geldof could have engineered."
  [30:50]

• Cultural Significance: Serving as a sequel to the iconic Live Aid concert of 1985, Live 8 successfully mobilized global attention through synchronized performances and philanthropic messaging.

Rock Moment 72: The Death of Sinead O'Connor

Timestamp: [31:55] - [39:52]

The episode solemnly covers the passing of Sinead O'Connor on July 26, 2023. O'Connor, renowned for her powerful voice and unapologetic persona, left an indelible mark on the music world.

Key Points:

• Career Highlights: O'Connor's early albums, "The Lion and the Cobra" (1987) and "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" (1990), are celebrated as classics, showcasing her unique vocal prowess and emotional depth.

  Alan Cross: "No one had a voice and perspective like the young Sinead O'Connor."
  [33:00]

• Personal Struggles: Her life was marred by personal challenges, including mental health issues, tumultuous relationships, and public controversies, which often overshadowed her musical achievements.

• Legacy and Tributes: O'Connor's death was met with global mourning, with tributes from prominent figures like Bono and the President of Ireland, underscoring her influence and the void her absence creates in the music community.

Rock Moment 71: U2 Opens The Sphere in Las Vegas

Timestamp: [39:52] - [30:08]

Concluding the episode, Cross highlights the groundbreaking opening of The Sphere in Las Vegas by U2, marking a monumental advancement in live performance technology.

Key Points:

• Architectural Marvel: The Sphere, costing approximately $2.3 billion, is the largest spherical structure globally, featuring an exterior of 1.2 million LED pucks and an interior dominated by a 16K x 16K video display.

  Alan Cross: "The Sphere is the most extraordinary live performance venue ever built. It's covered with about 1.2 million LED pucks, each containing 48 diodes that can reproduce millions of colors."
  [40:30]

• Technological Innovations: Equipped with 163,000 speakers and haptic seating, The Sphere offers an immersive audio-visual experience unparalleled in the industry. Features like spatial audio and Dolby Atmos enhance the sensory engagement for attendees.

• First Performance and Future Prospects: U2's inaugural show, "U2UV," drew 663,000 attendees and grossed $245 million. Plans for additional spheres in Abu Dhabi and potential world capitals suggest a new era of live performances.

  Alan Cross: "The Sphere is inevitably going to redefine the idea of an artist residency."
  [42:00]

Episode Recap

Alan Cross summarizes the key moments discussed in this segment of the series:

1. 80: Rise in copyright infringement lawsuits.
2. 79: Tool's "Fear Inoculum" album release.
3. 78: Launch of Apple Music.
4. 77: Emergence of playlists over albums.
5. 76: Dimebag Darrell's tragic assassination.
6. 75: Dave Grohl's stage accident.
7. 74: Trent Reznor's unexpected connection to Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road."
8. 73: The global impact of Live 8.
9. 72: The passing of Sinead O'Connor.
10. 71: U2's launch of The Sphere in Las Vegas.

Cross teases the next episode, which will explore themes such as online fame, the decline of chain record stores, the revival of heritage bands, and the challenges faced by CDs due to technical missteps.

Notable Quotes

• "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." – Alan Cross

  [00:37]

• "If you were to compile your own list, you might come up with a bunch of different things in a completely different order. But that's part of the fun." – Alan Cross

  [03:00]

• "Blurred Lines was conceived as an homage to 'Got to Give It Up,' no problem. Because you can't copyright a feel, can you? Well, it turns out that you can." – Alan Cross

  [06:30]

• "Some of the lawsuits are frivolous and nutty, yet if a copyright lawyer sees an opportunity, you can bet that they're gonna go for it." – Alan Cross

  [07:00]

• "Playlists allow us to mess with sequencing. This is especially disruptive when it comes to concept albums where songs are designed to be listened to in a very specific order." – Alan Cross

  [11:00]

• "Dave Grohl just fell off the stage. He dropped at least 10 feet onto a hard concrete surface." – Alan Cross

  [19:00]

• "The Sphere is the most extraordinary live performance venue ever built." – Alan Cross

  [40:30]

Conclusion

This episode of "Ongoing History of New Music" offers a comprehensive exploration of significant rock moments from 71 to 80, blending historical analysis with personal anecdotes and expert commentary. Whether discussing legal battles that shape the creative process, technological innovations redefining live performances, or commemorating the legacies of iconic artists, Alan Cross provides listeners with an engaging and informative narrative that underscores the dynamic evolution of rock music in the 21st century.

For those who haven't tuned in yet, this summary encapsulates the essence of the episode, offering a glimpse into the intricate tapestry of events that continue to influence and inspire the world of rock music.

You Can Learn More

To explore further, listen to the full episode available on Amazon Music, included with Prime. Additionally, the "Ongoing History of New Music" podcast series offers a wealth of information for music enthusiasts eager to delve deeper into the stories behind their favorite genres and artists.