&quot;I am a fan of rock and heavy metal, and it is clear that rock stardom is literally dying off. &quot;<p>I would claim all you need to rock is a guitar. Good electric guitars have never been as cheap or accessible, nor have pedagogical offerings as advanced.<p>Exceptional ability really does not create huge artists nowadays as much as marketing does.<p>Outside of big bucks marketing I would claim all sorts of music is thriving.