Totally true. Even the independent labels out there are either owned by the big name record companies or at least use their distribution networks, so you're still putting money in the mainstream music industry's pockets every time you buy an alternative, metal, punk, jazz, etc album. Unless you steal all of your music then you're still a part of the "problem".

"Why does the mainstream music industry only want a select few?"

Because having to many is not mainstream enough, duh.

ehhh I guess but that's a very thinly veiled message.

Unless they just so happen to like mainstream artists that you deem unworthy yeah?

It's also because those artists are the most accessible to them. Not everyone takes the time to really search for what they like. They pick music artists they come across which are usually ones commonly heared through the most accessible and displayed outlets like the radio, and thus those popstars become more popular.

I also think people forget there is a strong social aspect to liking popular things, and this does include music.

I still can't believe the grammys snubbed Kendrick just to give those grammys to him. He really did not deserve them especially for best new artist.

This is very true. I actually think it plays a huge part in why people like popular things. I think for the majority, people like popular things because they want to be accepted socially and they want to feel like they have something in common with others.

Not really nowadays. It's more acceptable to like obscure things and to shun popular things to make yourself cool and be part of the hipster crowd that also doesn't want to admit to liking popular things.

I think the hipster crowd is more accepted in our generation but is the hipster crowd bigger than the popular crowd?

Not by a long shot.

You 2 are both right but you also have ppl like who are right in the middle of both those demographics..

it's hard to define ppl just by their taste cause sometimes you can be wrong, it is possible to like 2 completely different bands like One direction and Slpiknot..

i mean i myself usually like Noise bands but 'Alejandro' by gaga is my jam! so even the majority mingles with the minority as we should cause in the end our taste in music doesn't have to define who we are.

I would say I am in the middle as well. I don't think people should be defined by their tastes but I think to an extent their musical selections can tell you a little bit about their personality. It obviously is not a itched in stone type of thing but I think it can be revealing.