In 2010, Lemmy named the two “shit” bands Lemmy who had ruined rock
In a 2010 interview, Motörhead frontman Lemmy argued that Radiohead and Coldplay were not rock bands, calling their music “sub-emo” and saying they were “not very good”. His comments reflected his view that rock had become too soft and sanitised, though he believed loud, energetic music would eventually regain popularity.
Lemmy said rock music moves in cycles and cannot be killed because audiences will always want raucous music. He praised Metallica as an excellent band carrying rock into the 21st century, while suggesting their success had led some people to overlook them. The article also notes that Radiohead and Coldplay later pursued different musical identities and enjoyed major success.
In short
- Lemmy dismissed Radiohead and Coldplay as rock bands.
- He said rock music would always return.
- He praised Metallica despite their huge success.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Lemmy’s criticism can be understood as a defence of rock’s loud, direct and rebellious traditions. From that perspective, Radiohead and Coldplay’s softer or more polished sounds did not embody the energy he valued, and their prominence risked making rock seem less challenging; his confidence that audiences would eventually seek out raucous music reflected a belief that musical tastes move in cycles.
The case against
Rock has never had a single fixed sound, and experimentation, restraint and polished production can all be part of its evolution. Radiohead and Coldplay developed distinct musical identities and attracted large audiences, suggesting that listeners may value qualities beyond volume and aggression; dismissing them as not really rock can therefore seem too narrow a definition of the genre.
Explained simply
Lemmy was the frontman of Motörhead, a British band known for loud, fast music that drew on heavy metal and punk. He was outspoken about what he thought rock should sound like, favouring raw energy over polished production.
Radiohead and Coldplay are British bands that became widely successful from the 1990s onwards, with styles that changed over time. Metallica, an American heavy metal band, had already become one of the best-known rock acts of its generation. The disagreement reflects wider debate about where rock’s boundaries lie and how its sound changes over time.
Lemmy saw rock’s popularity as cyclical: quieter or more polished styles might dominate for a while, but audiences would continue to seek louder music. His comments offer one musician’s view of those shifts and of what should count as rock.