*BUMP* We've been discussing this in various news threads. I think that we should take it back here, just to keep things ordered. So Lorde won "top rock song" with "Royals" at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards. This is an extreme case, in my opinion, but it still somewhat highlights the issues which inspired (and continue to inspire) Shinoda's comments.
Wow. I like Lorde, but that's just not right. At least Fallout Boy and Imagine Dragons can be considered Rock to an extent (they were nominees). Only a couple of songs by Lorde can be considered Alternative Rock, and Royals is definitely not one of them.
I was really thinking about posting something like this. The thing that got me was she stood up on stage after winning the award and was all "Yeah, you don't get the best rock song without your label. Those guys work really hard at what they do." That upset me. It wasn't right. The song is a catchy popesque song. Does that mean it is Rock? absolutely not. This makes it more apparent that Mike is right. Who also knew that Lana Del Ray did rock music?
For me, this example provides a fresh angle from which to examine things. Here is a song which, you'd think, no sane, self-respecting music fan would ever mistake for "rock" ... and, yet, it has happened, in a very visible and obvious way. We've only noticed this because it is well and truly extreme. The contrast between how "Royals" sounds and what what my perception of "rock" is (even as fluid and mercurial as it might be today) simply can't be put into words. In comparison, Coldplay's "A Sky Full Of Stars" winning "best rock song" at some awards ceremony next year probably wouldn't be as shocking.