The guitar has, up until recently, been accepted as the primary beloved instrument of popular music. The staple item of every aspiring rock star’s bedroom, the instrument has become even somewhat fetishized, and the ubiquitous sound of the recent past. In the words of Radiohead, “anyone can play guitar.” However, as we get continually deeper into the 21st century, there have been multiple proclamations of ‘the end of guitar music’ as electronic sounds are becoming ever more favoured among new musicians, and a growing number of aspiring artists choose to create their music on a laptop. This is not surprising considering the availability of technology and the relatively cheap cost of it.
However, I find statements proclaiming ‘the end of guitar music’ to be sweeping and somewhat sensationalist. Admittedly, the increase in electronic music is undeniable: sub-genres and divisions created by it seem to be growing exponentially and the mainstream seems to be embracing this wholeheartedly. Artists such as Factory Floor, Caribou and Four Tet are pushing the boundaries with what can be done with electronic music. For example, Caribou’s 2010 album ‘Swim’ was created by frontman Dan Snaith with the intention of creating a dance record that sounded like water. This was certainly achieved. Although bass undertones and certain guitar riffs are included in the record, the overall effect could not have been possible were the latest technology in electronic music not around. To imply that this will incur the end of music created with the humble guitar is, however in my opinion, specious.
The number of new bands choosing to use guitars in their production processes is still high. One just has to look at recent Mercury Prize winners Alt-J to see that. The sounds they are creating with guitars and how they are being used is, of course, different to the sounds which came out of the 1990s. In my opinion, this can only be a good thing. Carbon copies of old bands would undoubtedly seem stale and archaic in today’s musical climate.
What we must all remember is that the guitar music of the recent past will not be lost. Classic bands such as Nirvana, Sonic Youth and Blur (to name but a few) will remain in our record collections for decades to come, and will be attempted to be played by teenagers the world over. It is simply inane to bury ourselves in nostalgia when there is a new and exciting musical environment continually evolving right in front of our eyes. The fact that budding musicians are turning to laptops to create their sounds is certainly no bad thing. It is more accessible than the humble guitar, and should be welcomed.