The ClassIc Rock music genre had a decent year in 2025. Even though the music is fifty years old, there was enough interest out there. Just enough to draw a few of our favorites out on the road. I like to call them the “Retirement Plan Tours”. Some groups are lucky enough to still have originals playing. Sadly, many do not. Even more sad some of them should not. Let’s take a look back at 2025 and the Classic Rock music scene. Starting on the road:
Classic Road Trips
In 2025, touring a band is expensive. In the 1970’s, when these classic bands started out, the record company would pay for a tour with album sales. So much money was made off album sales, a tour could be financed. Labels were happy to promote a band and radio airplay was FREE advertising! Well, in 2025, it’s a totally different story.
Today, all bands (Classic or not) make most of their money on the road. Streaming music killed any real record sale profits for the artists. For the artists that are popular with younger, streaming service subscribers, lots of money can be made. But for our classic rock heroes, without any new music, the only money out there is scattered on stages all over the country.
First off, the BIG guys. These bands toured in 2025, playing stadiums. These are legacy bands whose influence crosses generations.
2025 Stadium & Global Tours (≈50,000 seats)
2025 Arena-Level Tours (≈15,000 seats)
2025 Theaters & Amphitheaters (≈5,000 seats)
Gone Too Soon
No retrospective is complete without a list of people the industry lost. Here are some of the Classic Rock artists that who passed in 2025. R.I.P. and thank you for the all the joy. Of these rockers who passed, Ace Frehley is the one who affected me the most. I was a young teenager when KISS hit it big and Ace wove his way into my heart. Ace introduced me to the power of metal guitar! I’m slightly embarrassed to say this. When I first heard Eddie Van Halen play, I thought he was stealing his guitar style from Ace. Ace’s death came as a shock (me) moment.
Old Artist – New Music
Some Classic Rockers even released new material in 2025. Not live albums, not greatest hits or re-issues but actual fresh material. Check out the Spotify list below to hear some track off these new records
