How Did the ‘Rock Is Dead’ Conversation Start?

During their conversation on Dec. 15, Stern said that he feels like “rock is dead” lately and that he’s sad about it.

“Rock music is so brilliant in it gets its flowers in hindsight because it’s such a sacred genre,” Yungblud responded.

“Rock music is coming back at the minute. People always put so much pressure on one person bringing it back — ‘Who’s going to save rock ‘n’ roll?’ And that’s a load of bullshit.”

Which Bands Does Yungblud Think Prove Rock Isn’t Dead?

The rocker then named six bands he thinks are proving the genre isn’t at a standstill.

“In hardcore you’ve got Knocked Loose and Turnstile, in punk you’ve got Amyl and the Sniffers and Lambrini Girls, in indie you’ve got Fontaines [D.C.] and Geese and Wunderhorse,” he asserted.

READ MORE: <span style="text-decoration: underline">The 'Big 4' Rock + Metal Artists of 2025</span>

Yungblud went on to explain how his latest album Idols, which came out in June, was a big risk creatively because of the length of some of the songs and how theatrical some of the material is.

“We were in a place where we have a community, we have a culture, we have a fanbase that will go with us,” he added. “It was mad to do but to see the amount of people that have got behind it and loved it has been fucked up.”

Check out the full clip from the interview below.

Yungblud has a big tour planned for 2026 in support of Idols — see all the dates and get tickets on his website.

Yungblud Names 6 Bands That Prove Rock Isn’t Dead