The late 1990s saw the comeback of many rock-n-roll bands that had enjoyed great fame in the 1960s and 1970s, but had fallen into relative obscurity in the 1980s and early 1990s. Bands such as Santana and Aero smith released new albums at the end of the millennium and embarked on worldwide tours to sold-out audiences.

From above, in 1980s and early 1990s it is low and the in late 1990 it regained....that means there is a gap of info regarding late 1990....so concentrate on that req info in the options...

B. These bands were able to blend elements of classic rock with the new sound of the late 1990s to appeal to a wide audience.......justifies that gap

Answer B
A-The lack of good music (choice A) may help account for older bands making a comeback, but this is not thebest explanation.
B) people who enjoyed their older music and people who enjoy thesounds of contemporary music. This would help explain their renewed popularity, because they still have acore of older fans as well as a large contingent of newer fans (younger listeners who were not necessarilyfamiliar with their older music).
C) incorrect because a nostalgia for the 1960s and 1970s wouldmean the bands' older music would be in demand, not their new music. D) incorrect because this doesn't consider the lapse of relative obscurity.
E) same reason as c

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the paradox is "bands had fallen into relative obscurity in the 1980s and early 1990s".

but "Bands such as Santana and Aero smith sold-out audiences at the end of the millenium."

i'm down to the two options:
B)These bands were able to blend elements of classic rock with the new sound of the late 1990s to appeal to a wide audience.
E. A new generation of listeners discovered classic rock.

B--- explain how those two band stood out from the rest and the reason why they gained huge popularity as they appeals to a wide audience
E----- explains why suddenly there is a rise in the number of listeners however it doesn't explain tickets being sold out as we don't know which genre of rock the two bands belong to

I think B is the correct answer
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Argument says that many famous 1960s and 1970s bands, which went down in popularity in 1980s and early 1990s, made a comeback in late 1990s. The bands could found life again and released new albums and toured across the world. The tickets of these tours sold out suggesting that people liked these old rock-n-roll bands.

A. Not much good rock-n-roll was produced in the late 1990s. – WRONG. Quality of rock-n-roll is not discussed. It goes the in the opposite direction to that of argument which mentioned worldwide tours were sold-out showing that the bands albums were liked by people.
B. These bands were able to blend elements of classic rock with the new sound of the late 1990s to appeal to a wide audience. – CORRECT. Definitely the bands left a mark in their return in 1990s and since they were 1960s rock-n-roll band blending classic rock of 1960s with new sound of 1990s brought audience together such that their tours were sold out.
C. The late 1990s saw an increasing nostalgia for the peace-loving era of the 1960s and early 1970s. – WRONG. It might be possible that nostalgia is associated with the bands but nothing as such about the eras of 1960s and 1970s is mentioned. Irrelevant.
D. The bands simply got better with age. – WRONG. True it might be but in this argument it can’t be concluded. A relative absence in 1980s of these bands does not support the option.
E. A new generation of listeners discovered classic rock. – WRONG. Similar to option D this is also true in reality by fails to conclude the argument.

Answer (B).
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I didn't understand the answer.