Why Don't We Have Great Performers Anymore?

In the 1950s, with the rise of musicians like Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard.. the stage became a central pillar of the music industry (after a long time of being just a place where traditional singers like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, or Bing Crosby stood and sang) and with it: a new kind of star was born: someone who could completely own the stage and leave audiences mesmerized by an unforgettable live performance. And that concept reached its peak over the next three decades (even into parts of the '90s), with iconic artists like: James Brown, Mick Jagger, Jimi Hendrix, Roger Daltrey, Elton John, David Bowie, Robert Plant, Freddie Mercury, Axl Rose, David Lee Roth, Joan Jett, and Michael Jackson.. and many more. However, with the arrival of the 2000s, that era of legendary live performers slowly began to fade, giving way to massive, highly-produced spectacles. Yet, even then, artists were still expected to bring genuine stage presence to these mega-shows. But then, the internet completely disrupted the music industry, and everything changed. Today, the stage is often treated as just another visual backdrop to complement a show. An artist’s image (and even their success) is no longer strictly tied to how they perform live in front of a crowd. As a result, the art of the truly iconic live performance has almost vanished. In this video, I explore the historical, social, and musical reasons why live performance used to be such a defining part of a musician's identity and success, and why that dynamic shifted over time.. by using classic examples like: Elvis Presley, James Brown, Mick Jagger, Jim Morrison, Freddie Mercury, and Michael Jackson.. alongside modern stars like: Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Ed Sheeran, Shawn Mendes, Bruno Mars, Harry Styles, and Ariana Grande.. in a try to answer one fundamental question: Why Don't We Have Great Performers Anymore? Intro: 00:00 - 02:16 The Stage: 02:17 - 06:10 The Music: 06:11 - 09:38 The Character: 09:39 - 14:03 Success: 14:04 - 16:44 #freddiemercury #elvispresley #chuckberry #littlerichard #franksinatra #freddiemercury #jamesbrown #mickjagger #davidbowie #ledzeppelin #therollingstones #queen #michaeljackson #eltonjohn #bono #theweeknd #justinbieber #arianagrande #harrystyles #taylorswift #shawnmendes #brunomars #bensonboone