I was having a discussion with a co-worker the other day and I said something to the effect of "rock star, Paul McCartney". She said, "Paul McCartney is NOT a rock star!" After I lifted my jaw off the floor, I asked her what a rock star was... Her reply was that it was someone who plays loud music, was wild, trashed hotel rooms, like that sort of rock star debauchery thing, ala Van Halen or The Rolling Stones.

So, what IS a rock star? Were The Beatles "rock stars"? And at what point do you lose that status? Is some guy who was a one-hit wonder in the Seventies (say, David Essex, of "Rock On" fame) still a "rock star" today? The phrase gets thrown about alot... I remember headlines about the "rock star arrested for child porn" a few years back, and it was a dude who had very briefly played with John Mellencamp's band in the early '80's. (That does not make him a rock star in my book, but it was enough for the local news to call him one.) And, there was only one "rock star" in INXS, and he's dead, but that show was still called "Rock Star: INXS."

Anyway, what's your definition? Do they have to play "rock" music? Do they have to be first name famous, like "Mick Jagger"? Or at least semi-well known, like "ya know, that singer dude from Styx"? (Sorry, Dennis, I know your name, but I'm trying to make a point.) Is Jerry Lee Lewis still a rock star even though he hasn't had a hit record in 40 years? (I say yes to that one, and no to David Essex.) Is the drummer from Foghat still a rock star? Was he ever?

Discuss.

My definition is simple:

Do you play rock music?

Is your music aired on rock music stations?

Are you popular and well-known?

If you can answer "yes" to all three questions, you are a rock star! (Destroying beautiful guitars is not required.)

By my definition, Paul McCartney is a rock star.

Interesting, I think that people like Jerry lee Lewis are enduring rock stars, and of course Paul McCartney.
Its a quality along with a gift. Aside from airplay videos are a strong marketing tool. But are you memorable? Are you charismatic? Will people remember your song(s).
There are one hit wonders who are rock stars, and musicians with a large body of work who are not.
One's conduct in a hotel room does not make a rock star.
I am a bassist and singer on a hit single from '72 and did live the life for a while but I am no rock star.
Should I be?

Has one toured as a rock performer in venues seating more than 500?
Did the tour span more than 20 cities?

Earned a gold or platnium record? Made the top ten more than once? Won a Grammy or Bammie?

Has one had to register under fake names at hotels to avoid groupies and reporters?
Did that ruse fail?

Have you ever called home mid-tour, had your "Gal Friday" ask "Where are you?" and had to reply "^%$#, Baby, I don't know, what date is it?" (I had that exact conversation with a former employer)

Has your name (or that of your band) appeared in a major music magazine (trade rags count).

Have you had a dispute with your label or manager? How public and messy did it get?

Does your name appear in the lyrics of other rock bands songs?

When you perform now, do you see members of the audience that are wearing shirts from tours more than ten years past?


I would say that answering "yes" to more than three of these qualifies one as a "Rock Star"

Sometimes I find it hard enough to define "rock", much less "rock star". I think that the movie Almost Famous did an excellent job parodying the legend of how a rock star behaves.

The Beatles were among the first rock stars... seeing the plane land in America the first time, the way that the fans (i.e. fainting females) reacted was a new level of insanity. Elvis the same... he took performance beyond standing in front of a microphone and singing. I am not sure that what Paul McCartney has done since Wings is really rock. Oh well.

It seems odd that the people who did the most to define "rock star" were seldom the flashy frontmen. Brian Jones and Bonzo and others like them seemed to be the ones who wrote the book on all the hotel trashing stuff that became the behavior all stars were expected to have (and that they were supposed to burn out, not fade away).

I think that Axl Rose came as close to defining rock star as anyone of the last 20 years. To jump off a stage and cause a riot because security did not grab a camera fast enough ! Now that's a rock star.

And what about the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" in Cleveland? Look at some of the names inducted in there, and it gets really iffy what "rock" is. Not to say they're not deserving, but to put Johnny Cash and the Police and Ray Charles in the RARHOF transcends lines......IMO, they WERE rock stars, but the argument could go on forever.

But to answer your ? more directly - a rock star IMO is ANYONE who ever had a hit record on hard rock, mainstream rock, and/or borderline-rock radio. Yeah, so that would include bands like America, Dan Fogelberg, Neil Diamond, and other historical light-weighters - it was all rock.

And criminey yes, the Beatles were rock stars.

I agree with Zufrieden--many, many rock stars over the years--When you try and pick just a handful, it gets too political and picky--Just chill and enjoy the music, folks...