Parents' Guide to The Rock Life

TV VH1 Reality TV 2007
The Rock Life Poster Image

Common Sense Media Review

Melissa Camacho By Melissa Camacho , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 15+

Rockers' lives are rowdy, but still dull viewing.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 15+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

What's the Story?

THE ROCK LIFE follows the members of Whitestarr -- a marginally successful rock and roll band from Malibu -- as they strive for large-scale rock stardom. The group's colorful cast of characters includes lead singer/producer Cisco Adler (son of music producer mogul Lou Adler), drummer Alex "Orbi" Orbison (son of the late Roy Orbison), and bass player Damon Webb. New to the band is tall, afro-sporting lead guitarist Rainbow Jeramy; former Los Angeles attorney Tony Potato performs as the band's official back-up dancer. After seven years of failing to get a song on the Billboard charts, the band members move into Adler's posh mansion and commit themselves to recording and promoting what they hope will be the one smash hit they need to catapult the band into true rock and roll fame. VH1's cameras are on duty as they try to get along and work with each other during long recording sessions and subsequent weeks on tour.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say : Not yet rated

Perhaps all too predictably, the guys' constant bickering, partying with female groupies and drunken performances take center stage, making the show less about their hard road to success than their rowdy lifestyle. (Big surprise.)

And even though these rockers' lives may not be dull, there are times when the show definitely is. Aside from the aging performers' outrageous antics, which lose their charm rather quickly, The Rock Life provides little insight into what it's really like to be a rock musician -- or what really takes to succeed in the music industry.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what it's like be in a rock band. What are some of the challenges that musicians face when they're trying to get their big break? How long do you think it took many now-famous bands to reach their current level of stardom? (And how could you find out for sure if you wanted to know?) How many bands never get famous? Why? Families can also discuss the lifestyle typically associated with being in a rock band. Does it have to be about drugs and sex? Do you think Whitestarr would have a TV show if the band members didn't behave the way they do?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

The Rock Life Poster Image

What to Watch Next

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate