Hope I Get Old Before I Die: Why Rock Stars Never Retire

Rock ’n’ roll has been transformed from the wild music of youth into a genre dominated by elder statesmen who traffick in nostalgia, according to this fine-grained history. Music journalist Hepworth (Never a Dull Moment) traces the start of rock’s “third act” to the 1985 Live Aid concert held at London’s Wembley stadium, where such bands as Queen drew a massive transatlantic TV audience, whetting appetites for “large spectacle” concerts that allowed fans to feel they were part of “something bigger.” That set the stage for a wave of older rockers (including the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney) to embark on seemingly endless world tours, capitalizing on nostalgia to make money off rereleases and cement their legacies in the newly established Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The author skillfully breaks down how such changes have turned rock into “the very thing it was supposed to be an alternative to,” as aging musicians try to fulfill a desire for something that’s beyond music—“a sense of connection that was established at a young age” for older fans, and for younger ones a window into a mythical scene that “they couldn’t help but feel they’d missed out on.” The result is a revealing and richly detailed look at rock’s ongoing evolution. (Mar.)