Rock opera...

[Linksys120n]

Simple 2 simple questions...

 

1. Does an album count as a rock opera if instead of all the songs telling a single story all the songs on the album just sorta fit a single theme example given is that The BloodHound Gang's album Hooray for Boobies doesn't exactly tell a story but it does portray the singer of the band as a perverted self centered asshole (but in a good entertaining kind of way) so is that album a rock opera?

 

2. Does it necessarily have to be rock music or can it be rap like The Streets A Grand Don't Come for Free or can it be electronica/dance like Daft Punk's Discovery?

 

 

Are those 3 albums rock operas or just really fucking good albums?

 

More examples please...

[Zusafek]

I don't consider those rock operas. Good albums but not rock operas. 

 

Meatloaf Bat out of Hell is a rock opera. Most of Meatloafs albums are. 

[Volbet]

Question 1 is difficult to answer. If we go by the classic definition of an opera, then every story set to music is an opera.

This would mean that Tommy by the Who is an opera, while Hooray for Boobies wouldn't.

Hooray for Boobies could instead be considerd a concept album. The concept being Jimmy Pop's depravity. 

 

However, we run into a problem with the artist's defintions and categorizations.

For example, the members of Pink Floyd has denied that The Wall is a rock opera on several occasions. Instead opting to call it a concept album. 

 

For question 2, then I would say no. Daft Punk's Discovery isn't a rock opera, since it's not rock. 

It can still be an opera, however. If Discovery has a cohesive narative then it could be considered an opera.  

As for The Streets A Grand Don't Come for Free there are rap operas. The most famous example probably being A Prince Among Thieves by Prince Paul.

[Misanthrope]

Most artists prefer the term "concept album" to represent how all songs are tied together cohesively but yeah, they're definitively rock operas.

 

Some even take it as far as to repeat the same musical themes (a.k.a. very similar melodies) throughout the album like Dream Theater's Metropolis pt. II that's basically just a prog metal opera. 

[Linksys120n]

Yeah I guess concept album really fits the description for the 1st one.

 

As for The Streets album I guess the term would be rap opera. 

 

I kinda cheated with Daft Punk's Discovery though as it was used as the audio to a movie so therefore it falls under the category of soundtrack.