‘Now That’s What I Call Dad Rock’ Is A Thing & I Have Questions

Author Erica Banas // Rock Music Reporter

January 26th, 2021 6:08 PM

As someone who spends their time combing through the day’s rock news to report on the stories that you will care most about, I will be the first to admit that sometimes stories fall through the cracks. I’m not perfect, even though I really do try to be.

However, there are days where the news cycle is slower than usual and a story resurfaces that not only stops you in your tracks but makes you ponder so…many…questions! Today is one of those days. The story? There’s a Now compilation set called Now That’s What I Call Dad Rock.

While the set was first released in 2018, its existence was brought to light today thanks to the watchful eyes over at Loudwire. The compilation is made up of 59 tracks and contains songs from the likes of Queen, The Rolling Stones, U2, Nickelback, The Clash, Hozier, Spin Doctors, The Beastie Boys, Iggy & The Stooges, Sum 41 and plenty more. Its collection of tracks is both comforting and confusing but with the latter winning out in the madness constantly swirling in my head and has led to the following very, very important questions:

• Is there a universally known definition of “Dad Rock”?

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  Urban Dictionary defines "Dad Rock" as "Classic rock you first heard from your Dad's old record collection." In other words: any rock music that's not new that your Dad listens to can be considered "Dad Rock." Truthfully, I personally always thought of "Dad Rock" to be super mainstream and "safe" for the general masses. So, seeing Motorhead's "Ace of Spades" and Iggy & The Stooges "Search And Destroy" - two songs that are still incredibly badass today -  included on this set was surprising to say the least.

• Related, but this set appears to have a lot of British influence. Do the Brits have a different definition for “Dad Rock” compared to Americans?

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  A brief history lesson: The Now compilation series actually originated in the U.K. and Ireland in 1983 and is a partnership between Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group. The United States saw its first 'Now' release in 1998. With that in mind, it might explain the inclusion of the likes of Stereophonics, The Jam and The Stone Roses all of whom are very British and don't really register to the average American male rock music fan. (The set's trailer being narrated by someone with a British accent is also an obvious clue.) However, with this in mind, this leads me to...

• How old was the person or persons that curated this compilation?

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  While 'Now That's What I Call Dad Rock' has some obvious choices, like Eric Clapton's "I Shot The Sheriff" and Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild," there are some more current songs like Bastille's 2013 single "Pompeii" and The Lumineers' 2012 single "Ho Hey." Usually, the age of a song helps determine whether it falls under the "Dad" label, so you'd think anything less than 10 or maybe even 20 years old would be disqualified.
• Where the f— is Steely Dan?!

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  Sure, as previously stated, this compilation appears to have been curated with British sensibilities. But Steely Dan might just be the act most synonymous with the phrase "Dad Rock." If you're looking for proof, check out Lindsay Zoladz's June 2020 New York Times piece titled "I'm Not a Dad, but I Rock Like One" where she describes going through a Steely Dan phase at age 32. (Side note: I'd argue a close second behind Steely Dan would be George Thorogood and the Destroyers, who somehow didn't make the compilation either.)

• I am a 34-year-old woman that enjoys most of the songs on ‘Now That’s What I Call Dad Rock.’ Am I a Dad?

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  Perhaps the biggest question I had in all of this was the most personal of them all: With my strong attachment to many of the songs on Now That's What I Call Dad Rock, does this make me a "Dad"? If I am, how long have I been one? Did my "Dad years" officially start when I got a Joshua Tree tattoo when I was 18? Was it when I caught the Journey/Styx/REO Speedwagon tour in the early 2000's? Perhaps it was when I figured out how much I enjoy scotch?! If I am a "Dad," is that necessarily a bad thing? After all, many of the songs on Now That's What I Call Dad Rock would be considered timeless or the building blocks for acts that would later follow. Perhaps the problem isn't with the term "Dad Rock" itself, but with the fact it has developed negative connotations. There's nothing wrong with liking most of the acts represented on this set. (I say "most" because I never got into Boston or Hozier, but those are rants for another day.) If I am a "Dad," so be it. I'll wear that label with honor like a sensible sweater at a nice family function. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go. The bathtub won't regrout itself!

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Author Erica Banas // Rock Music Reporter

Category:

• Music
• Rat Rock News

Tags:

Op-Eds,Steely Dan