Many people would argue that rock bands no longer dominate mainstream music in the way they once did. I would tend to agree. Even though there are massive bands like Maroon 5 and Coldplay, they probably wouldn’t be considered traditionally rock-based, at least anymore.

However, as I’ve mentioned before on the page, I believe it has not diminished in the UK & Ireland to the extent it has in America, for example. I think there will be always a market for rock over here, mainly in the indie rock style.

While there aren’t as many of these bands gaining massive success, there have been a few bands and singers that have filled this niche in the 2010s and 2020s, and experienced Top 40 success. One of those was Welsh band Catfish and the Bottlemen for the 2010s. They have experienced a lot of hype in the UK, and even had a top 40 single with “Longshot” in 2019.

The band released three studio albums from 2014 to 2019, and most songs sound nearly identical! Right down to the artwork style, the one or two acoustic tracks and abrupt ending on the final songs. However, the one I would listen to out of these is the second album, 2016’s The Ride.

Even though it has a similar sound to their debut album The Balcony, I much prefer the chord progressions on The Ride. The former has a lot of pop-style chord progressions which I don’t like as much. The first song on the debut, “Homesick” starts off with a verse of Am (minor) G F C, going into a chorus of Am G F. The second chorus shifts to C-G-F, giving the song a brighter and more anthemic feel.

The second song on The Balcony, “Kathleen,” has poppier chord progressions which I usually dislike but manages to work. It starts off with a verse of Em D Bm A and pre-chorus of E D A Bm. The track then finishes with a refrain of D Bm A which I love, as it starts on that major root chord, giving it a more quirky/groovy vibe, just like with “Homesick.” The rest of The Balcony continues with this formula. The chord progressions on a song like “Kathleen” manage to work for me. Maybe it’s the progressions on the root chords that come in or the general upbeat rock n roll sound.

However, I do believe The Ride has much more classic chord progressions. This second album just has a more freewheeling and Beatles-inspired sound that I enjoy. For example, the chord progressions on the choruses of “Oxygen” and “Soundcheck.” I believe this could also be due to the production by Dave Sardy – I really enjoy some of his work with Oasis and Noel Gallagher among others. The only song I would skip on this album is “Red.”

Catfish do seem to be in a bit of a shambles these days. Multiple members have left, and shows have been cancelled, including Dublin fifteen minutes before gates opened. They haven’t released an album since 2019 – although they did manage to play massive football stadiums in the last year which is impressive.

Once again, Catfish and the Bottlemen prove that there will always be an appetite for guitar music throughout the decades. They are not the most original band, nor a favourite of mine. They have shown little experimentation or growth within their sound. However, I do find it interesting how every decade a band or singer comes along that carries the mantle for this type of British rock – showcasing it to new generations and finding a way into the charts. Catfish were one of the few bands to do this for the 2010s.