Elvis Presley has been called the King of Rock for decades and is yet to be really challenged for the title. The genre of Rock, or “Rock and Roll”, has been around since the mid-fifties and was set off by the King himself. Although there were many contributing factors to the creation of the genre Presley is credited with fully bringing Rock together, mixing cultures and other genres together to create it.  

     Since the genre’s creation there have been many branches of Rock. From alternative rock to punk rock one can find many variations. Whereas Presley took the rock genre by storm on his lonesome, it is much more popular today to be in a band. Some popular rock artists of today include The Strokes, Weezer, Cage the Elephant, Foo Fighters, and Arctic Monkeys. So, naturally, it is very difficult to classify a new or current ‘King of Rock’ when the genre has grown and changed so much over time.  

     The King of Rock and roll and the Kings of Modern Rock have very different musical backgrounds but they both have affected the new generation of music. If the new king of rock is crowned based on popularity and modern age, then the kings of modern-day rock would have to be the Arctic Monkeys.  

     Arctic Monkeys are a four-member band who have been creating music since 2005, but are still current artists, with their most recent album being released in 2022. Arctic Monkeys have 40 million monthly listeners on Spotify as of February 2023 and are known for their unique sound. The band uses a combination of vocals, guitar, bass, keyboard, and drums to make their music, each member contributing a large amount to their songs. Arctic Monkeys’ impact on the new generation has proven their new importance. Almost everyone has heard an Arctic Monkeys song from the radio to TikTok.  

     When comparing the two ‘Kings of Rock’ there is not much that you notice that is similar between the two. Most often, Elvis sings with rhythm and blues, which surprisingly, some Arctic Monkeys songs can relate to, but the majority of their songs stick to their rock sound. Elvis was talked about often and is still much more famous than the Arctic Monkeys, but when looking to a rock leader of our new generation Arctic Monkey’s success shows they deserve the title.