Rex Features
The Hold Steady frontman said the rockers were letting the industry down when compared to other acts.
He told Xfm: "You have artists like Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young that have aged very well and then you have a thousand other examples that have aged poorly.
"Anything that's part of a trend or a group hasn't aged well, like hair metal. Motley Crue didn't age very well and even Red Hot Chili Peppers are terrible now. That doesn't even sound like rock'n'roll to me. It's kinda like bland, elevator [music]."
He also revealed that the group had finished recording their follow-up to 2006 album Boys & Girls In America.
The Hold Steady will play the O2 Wireless Festival in London in July.
