Why does the mainstream industry only want a select few to be popular?

~~Soulflower~~ · 08-03-2014, 12:19 AM

OMG!

I JUST GOT BACK FROM THE JANELLE MONAE SHOW AND IT WAS FANTASTIC! PHENOMENAL PHENOMENAL.... JANELLE needs to be in a stadium. She is so talented. She is better than all those overrated hacks.

RTRp · 09-06-2014, 06:00 PM

It does seem lately especially in rock/metal it's who already comes with a fan base and can be pushed to do what is wanted.

wedoitfortheloveofmusic · 09-20-2014, 07:40 AM

Plain and simple, it's because we buy their bullsh*t! The consumer has gotten lazy and accustomed to flashy, beautiful, mainstream, and whatever comes out of the radio. In addition and I say this generally speaking what I've seen with artists now a days is they are lazy. In the past there used to be a "barrier of entry," if you wanted to get into the music industry. You had to invest all this money into a professional studio, print a bunch of cds/tapes, book a bunch of shows, grease some wheels to get on the radio station. Now a days it's as simple as creating a social network page, a sound cloud page, and maybe a youtube channel and bam...you have a shot at the big leagues. Now a days, again generally speaking from what I've seen in the industry, artist complain about "hooking" up a recording session, "hooking" up instrumentals, "hooking" up a gig, but when it comes down to pay ah man can you work with me? 10 minutes later there at the strip club, popping bottles, showering women with dollar bills, and smoking on planet earth's finest greenery. So hopefully the point you're seeing through my somewhat confusing post is:

1) We are too lazy and unwilling to step out of our comfort zones as viewers and listeners(generally speaking)
2) The Barrier of Entry is so non existent that any and everyone thinks they're the next biggest thing making the industry so flooded with bs that it's much more difficult to find that jewel.
3) Artist are lazy and unwilling to invest in their craft (generally speaking)

Ninetales · 09-20-2014, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wedoitfortheloveofmusic

In the past there used to be a "barrier of entry," if you wanted to get into the music industry. You had to invest all this money into a professional studio, print a bunch of cds/tapes, book a bunch of shows, grease some wheels to get on the radio station. Now a days it's as simple as creating a social network page, a sound cloud page, and maybe a youtube channel and bam...you have a shot at the big leagues.

yeah wow theres no barriers to entry in an industry that has an extremely high amount of entrants. uhhh

**Janszoon** · 09-20-2014, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wedoitfortheloveofmusic

Plain and simple, it's because we buy their bullsh*t! The consumer has gotten lazy and accustomed to flashy, beautiful, mainstream, and whatever comes out of the radio.

Gotten lazy? You say this like radio wasn't more dominant in the past than it is now.

DwnWthVwls · 09-20-2014, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soulflower

OMG!

I JUST GOT BACK FROM THE JANELLE MONAE SHOW AND IT WAS FANTASTIC! PHENOMENAL PHENOMENAL.... JANELLE needs to be in a stadium. She is so talented. She is better than all those overrated hacks.

I really like her too. It's good to know she can sing in real life. Glad you had fun.

~~Soulflower~~ · 09-20-2014, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wedoitfortheloveofmusic

Plain and simple, it's because we buy their bullsh*t! The consumer has gotten lazy and accustomed to flashy, beautiful, mainstream, and whatever comes out of the radio. In addition and I say this generally speaking what I've seen with artists now a days is they are lazy. In the past there used to be a "barrier of entry," if you wanted to get into the music industry. You had to invest all this money into a professional studio, print a bunch of cds/tapes, book a bunch of shows, grease some wheels to get on the radio station. Now a days it's as simple as creating a social network page, a sound cloud page, and maybe a youtube channel and bam...you have a shot at the big leagues. Now a days, again generally speaking from what I've seen in the industry, artist complain about "hooking" up a recording session, "hooking" up instrumentals, "hooking" up a gig, but when it comes down to pay ah man can you work with me? 10 minutes later there at the strip club, popping bottles, showering women with dollar bills, and smoking on planet earth's finest greenery. So hopefully the point you're seeing through my somewhat confusing post is:

1) We are too lazy and unwilling to step out of our comfort zones as viewers and listeners(generally speaking)
2) The Barrier of Entry is so non existent that any and everyone thinks they're the next biggest thing making the industry so flooded with bs that it's much more difficult to find that jewel.
3) Artist are lazy and unwilling to invest in their craft (generally speaking)

Great points.

The industry forces people to accept these pop stars. The public is forced to accept these pop stars, not because the general public necessarily likes them but because these are the only pop stars the industry will market.

If this was the 80's or 90's a lot of these so called big pop stars would not even be as popular and that is the truth.

It is some type of industry agenda going on and I would like to know why because there are more interesting acts out there if the industry would market them.

DwnWthVwls · 09-20-2014, 05:20 PM

Meh.. People need to take responsibility for their own decisions. This forum is filled with normal people who don't follow mainstream music. It's the same ****ty argument about people use to blame McDonalds for being fat.

Just because something is easily accessible doesn't mean you have to be a glutton for it.

Urban Hat€monger ? · 09-20-2014, 05:31 PM

I don't know why people think this is some big conspiracy, it isn't.

Record companies have a limited advertising budget, it makes much more sense to use it on the most marketable artists with a more mainstream appeal from people who don't usually listen to music outside the charts.

Let's say you're running the record company that Miley Cyrus is signed to. Do you put your money into putting her record out while she's all over the media or do you put it to some obscure indie band you just signed who might sell 50,000 copies if you're lucky, mostly to people who would have already bought the album regardless of if you promoted it or not anyway.

I remember reading some interview with this high up at EMI records, he said that they were only able to sign the Sex Pistols because they'd hit big with a Shirley Bassey album earlier that year and used the profits from that to fund them. I remember hearing the same thing at CBS when Judas Priest were signed.

The big mainstream stars have been bankrolling the lesser more niche and less commercial bands on record company rosters for years but people want to ignore that side of it.

~~Soulflower~~ · 09-20-2014, 05:40 PM

The issue is not about mainstream music specifically and more so the lack of variety among the mainstream pop stars.

There is an obvious lack in diversity among them compared to past decades that I don't believe is simply by "coincidence". The industry is very different from the past so it is null and void to use how the industry operated in the past as an example.

09-20-2014, 07:40 AM	#143 (permalink)
wedoitfortheloveofmusic Groupie Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Miami Posts: 17	*We buy their bullsht!** Plain and simple, it's because we buy their bullsh*t! The consumer has gotten lazy and accustomed to flashy, beautiful, mainstream, and whatever comes out of the radio. In addition and I say this generally speaking what I've seen with artists now a days is they are lazy. In the past there used to be a "barrier of entry," if you wanted to get into the music industry. You had to invest all this money into a professional studio, print a bunch of cds/tapes, book a bunch of shows, grease some wheels to get on the radio station. Now a days it's as simple as creating a social network page, a sound cloud page, and maybe a youtube channel and bam...you have a shot at the big leagues. Now a days, again generally speaking from what I've seen in the industry, artist complain about "hooking" up a recording session, "hooking" up instrumentals, "hooking" up a gig, but when it comes down to pay ah man can you work with me? 10 minutes later there at the strip club, popping bottles, showering women with dollar bills, and smoking on planet earth's finest greenery. So hopefully the point you're seeing through my somewhat confusing post is: 1) We are too lazy and unwilling to step out of our comfort zones as viewers and listeners(generally speaking) 2) The Barrier of Entry is so non existent that any and everyone thinks they're the next biggest thing making the industry so flooded with bs that it's much more difficult to find that jewel. 3) Artist are lazy and unwilling to invest in their craft (generally speaking)

09-20-2014, 05:31 PM	#149 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	I don't know why people think this is some big conspiracy, it isn't. Record companies have a limited advertising budget, it makes much more sense to use it on the most marketable artists with a more mainstream appeal from people who don't usually listen to music outside the charts. Let's say you're running the record company that Miley Cyrus is signed to. Do you put your money into putting her record out while she's all over the media or do you put it to some obscure indie band you just signed who might sell 50,000 copies if you're lucky, mostly to people who would have already bought the album regardless of if you promoted it or not anyway. I remember reading some interview with this high up at EMI records, he said that they were only able to sign the Sex Pistols because they'd hit big with a Shirley Bassey album earlier that year and used the profits from that to fund them. I remember hearing the same thing at CBS when Judas Priest were signed. The big mainstream stars have been bankrolling the lesser more niche and less commercial bands on record company rosters for years but people want to ignore that side of it. __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

08-03-2014, 12:19 AM	#141 (permalink)
~~Soulflower~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,304	OMG! I JUST GOT BACK FROM THE JANELLE MONAE SHOW AND IT WAS FANTASTIC! PHENOMENAL PHENOMENAL.... JANELLE needs to be in a stadium. She is so talented. She is better than all those overrated hacks.

09-06-2014, 06:00 PM	#142 (permalink)
RTRp Groupie Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 8	It does seem lately especially in rock/metal it's who already comes with a fan base and can be pushed to do what is wanted.

09-20-2014, 05:40 PM	#150 (permalink)
~~Soulflower~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,304	The issue is not about mainstream music specifically and more so the lack of variety among the mainstream pop stars. There is an obvious lack in diversity among them compared to past decades that I don't believe is simply by "coincidence". The industry is very different from the past so it is null and void to use how the industry operated in the past as an example.