While “ROCKMAN” by Mk.gee came out last year, it’s only recently gotten on my radar through a medium that most think is dead or dying — and has been for decades. I’m talking about radio. As I reassess my listening habits, I’ve been playing music radio in the morning while I get dressed for work. And since I’m a fan of alternative rock, I’ve been tuning into the only alternative rock station in my neck of the woods (Live 105). Mostly, the station plays tried and true songs that are roughly 15 to 40 years old, but they spike in some current titles now and then.
A case in point is the current single by Mk.gee, “ROCKMAN.” MK.gee is 28-year-old New Jersey musician Mike Gordon who played this song in November 2024 on SNL. I missed that performance, but the song has been played on Live 105 for a few weeks now and, well, it seems designed to appeal to my tastes (i.e., an old Gen X’er). Chart positions don’t seem to matter anymore — at least to those who stream their music. So, I looked at the streaming numbers on Spotify, and the song has been played over 10 million times. Now, let’s be honest here. What counts as a “play” on Spotify? If someone comes to my blog and bounces out in a few seconds, I still get the “view” credit on my metrics. Did that person bother to read anything? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. The same could go for streaming. People could play 10 or 15 seconds of a song and click on something else, yet the artist gets credit for it as a “play.” Radio, on the other hand, does report to music publishing companies how many times an entire song gets played on the air (i.e., spins), and that determines how much the station has to pay to play the music. Yes, radio is free for the listener, but it’s a business that has costs that are much steeper than streaming services.
But that’s the business side of things. What about this song? Well, if you don’t hear The Police or The Police-like references in the music, I can’t help you. But, if you’re like me, your ear perked up when you first heard this song — because it sounds so familiar.
See what I mean? Sting, Andy, and Stewart of The Police would be proud of what this Gen Z’er is doing. I rather like the song as well. Sure it’s derivative, but what music isn’t? I mean, if you’re a fan of Olivia Rodrigo’s “Brutal,” and you’re an old like me, you clearly hear “Pump It Up” by Elvis Costello on the guitar riff. But even Costello admitted that Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues” was his inspiration for the vocal melody of “Pump It Up.” I guess my point is that people rip each other off all the time, and even though “ROCKMAN” doesn’t directly rip off a Police song, it sounds very much like that style The Police made tons of money off of. So, good for Mk.gee. Find inspiration in the carcass of dead bands. You never know where that’ll lead you. Well, in the case of Mk.gee, it led him straight to SNL and getting radio airplay.
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