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Former Bon Jovi and Mötley Crüe manager Doc McGhee says the current music industry would never allow a band like Bon Jovi to succeed today. Speaking at the Kiss Kruise: Land-Locked event in Las Vegas last weekend, McGhee argued that streaming-era pressure for instant success has wiped out the development time artists once needed.
McGhee explained that Bon Jovi took several years and multiple albums before reaching mainstream success with Slippery When Wet in 1986. Today, he said, artists get “one single” instead of multi-album deals, while more than 180,000 new tracks are uploaded to Spotify daily, with the number expected to climb to 300,000 — leaving new artists buried in noise.
He criticized the industry’s shift from a supportive “ecosystem” to a corporate-driven environment that prioritizes profit over artist growth. In the past, he said, managers, publishers, and labels all made money without destroying the system. Now, that balance is gone.
McGhee warned that emerging musicians feel overwhelmed by touring costs, streaming competition, and pay models that don’t support a career. As a result, he believes we risk losing future legends — “the next Bob Dylan, the next AC/DC, the next Led Zeppelin” — because young artists no longer see a path to survive in music.
Despite his bleak outlook, McGhee named one modern artist he believes may break through: Yungblud, whom he credits for forming a genuine connection with fans.
SOURCE: Ultimate Classic Rock