It's pretty well-acknowledged at this point that 2016 has been a mess of a year all around, but it's been particularly bad for music fans. Even if you disregard the shitstorm that was the recent American election, 2016 would still be in the running for the worst year ever, as we lost Bowie and Prince earlier in the year, and more recently, the great Leonard Cohen and Sharon Jones. At the end of the day, what can you do but write a song about it?
Chuck Prophet's new tune, "A Bad Year for Rock and Roll" pays tribute to the fallen stars of 2016. The song opens with a eulogy for Bowie, “The Thin White Duke took a final bow/ There’s one more star in the heavens now.” Though the song mourns over what truly has been a bad year for rock-and-roll, the catchy chorus and guitar riffs are classic echoes of the rock greats, both living and dead. The single comes off Prophet's upcoming album, Bobby Fuller Died For Your Sins, which comes out next year on February 10.
With only a month left to go in 2016, turn this one up and pay tribute to Prince, Bowie, and the rest of rock-and-roll's dearly departed. It's been a bad year for rock-and-roll, but don't worry, it's almost over, and with songs like this, 2017 bodes to be a better one.