The Evolution of the Frontman

    Since the inception of rock music, media and fan focus has generally centered on the singers of bands. With bands like the Beatles, where everyone had a singing role and shared equal importance, this was not the case. However, classic acts such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience and AC/DC were groups where the focus was on the lead guitarist and singer. For pop punk bands, this is also the case, as singers Billie Joe Armstrong, Hayley Williams, and others are considered the leaders of their respective bands and are the favorites of media and fans.
    The concept of the frontman began around the time of blues and the birth of rock. Legendary artists such as B.B. King and Elvis Presley used their mastery of the voice and guitar to become musical icons. As rock and punk became more energized in the 1970's, singers like Jimi Hendrix (also a guitar legend) and Iggy Pop (of the Stooges) seemed to assume control over their bands while not necessarily declaring themselves solo artists. When the earliest pop punk bands began and became popular, this was not necessarily the case, as they remained local and were in it for the group as a whole. Mainstream popularity, however, changed this.
    A singer that underwent significant change after assuming popularity is Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day. In the 1990's, he was known for throwing mud at Woodstock crowds and slipping into drug-induced rants on stage while looking like a true punk rocker along with his band. Around the time that American Idiot came out, however, Armstrong dyed his hair black and began to wear eyeliner and skinny jeans. This, as you may expect, made him a large fan club with the girls. The band dressed similarly and assimilated into the modern pop punk culture based on female appeal (with modern singers such as Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance). This made Armstrong the focus of media attention and music video airtime, which actually caused the band to conflict while recording 21st Century Breakdown. Paramore's split in 2010 was similar, as the Farro brothers quit due to the media focus on Hayley Williams and her open response to mainstream popularity. Dual vocal teams such as the men in blink-182 avoid these conflicts (especially considering Travis Barker is a drumming legend), but the frontman has evolved into the center of pop punk culture under the new wave of bands, led by Way, Williams, and the new Armstrong. 


REFLECTION: Imagine you were Billie Joe. What would you do if faced with the loss of success (this was during their period of commercial decline)? Would you stay the way you are or change your style to attract a larger audience?


CITATION:
Grierson, T. (n.d.). Rock Music History - What Is Rock Music - History of Rock Music. Mainstream Rock Music - Hard Rock Music - Rock Music Reviews. Retrieved May 5, 2012, from http://rock.about.com/od/rockmusic101


Billie Joe Armstrong - GeekStinkBreath.net. (n.d.). Green Day fan site - GeekStinkBreath.net. Retrieved May 5, 2012, from http://www.geekstinkbreath.net/greenday/billie-joe-armstrong/