Justin Hawkins has doubled down on his criticism of Yungblud, warning that rock music could be “in trouble” if it continues moving in the direction he believes the genre is heading.
The The Darkness frontman sparked backlash earlier this year after criticizing Yungblud’s performance at the MTV Video Music Awards — a tribute honoring the late Ozzy Osbourne. While Hawkins says he doesn’t view the situation as a personal feud, he made it clear he stands by his concerns, particularly regarding the use of autotune in the performance.
“I don’t see it as a spat,” Hawkins told Classic Rock magazine. “We said everything we want to say about the VMAs, and in some ways it was cynical and nauseating.”
Hawkins said his biggest issue wasn’t the tribute itself, but how it was delivered. “The ‘nauseating’ bit comes from the auto-tune that was being run in real time,” he explained. “If the future of rock needs auto-tune to carry a song, then we are in trouble.”
He went on to argue that stylistic influences matter just as much as technology. “If the future of rock comes from musical theatre and Disney — if this is Ozzy’s heir — we’re in trouble,” Hawkins added, questioning whether the genre is drifting too far from its roots.
Hawkins also pushed back against claims that his comments stem from bitterness or jealousy. “The only reason this has become an ongoing thing is because they’ve come back and said we’re bitter and jealous,” he said. “They know we’re right. It’s sad, really.”
Yungblud has previously addressed criticism of his VMAs performance, where he joined Nuno Bettencourt, Steven Tyler, and Joe Perry on stage to honor Osbourne, who died in July at age 76.
Speaking on Jack Osbourne’s Trying Not To Die podcast, Yungblud said the backlash missed the point entirely. “All I was trying to do was my best for your old man,” he said. “He gave me such a gift.”
He criticized what he described as over-analysis of a heartfelt moment. “When people try to intellectualize the spirit of six musicians on a stage going, ‘f***ing love you, man,’ it just feels bitter and jealous,” Yungblud said.
The singer also accused his critics of chasing relevance. “They’re doing the things they say we’re doing — inserting themselves into a conversation to gain relevancy off the back of us honoring one of the greatest rock stars who ever lived,” he added. “And then they talk about authenticity.”
The exchange highlights a broader, ongoing debate within rock music — one that pits tradition against evolution, and raises questions about what authenticity looks like in a genre constantly being reshaped by new voices and technology.
SOURCE: Music News