Why don't the current mainstream pop stars care about social issues?

~~Soulflower~~ · 03-04-2015, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

Beginning to see that. World class goal post mover.

Not to mention Clear Channel. You put out too controversial a song and they won't touch it. Which means you miss out on airplay throughout most of the US.

But they put out more controversial songs in the 70s that still got played that discussed social issues.

Black Francis · 03-04-2015, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soulflower

Why can't music also be used as a tool to influence others or bring awareness to an issue?

I know social issues is talked about but why can't it be talked about in music anymore?

How great would it be to see one of these with current pop stars

I get what you're asking for Soulflower but times have changed.

Chula Vista · 03-04-2015, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soulflower

But they put out more controversial songs in the 70s that still got played that discussed social issues.

In the 70s radio stations were individually owned and didn't have to answer to huge corporations.

Clear Channel (iHeart radio) was founded in 2008 and has revenues in the billions based on advertising dollars. They currently own over 850 of the major stations in the US and aren't going to tolerate anything that their advertisers might find "uncomfortable" - like a song about the Ferguson shooting.

~~Soulflower~~ · 03-04-2015, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black Francis

How great would it be to see one of these with current pop stars

I get what you're asking for Soulflower but times have changed.

Yea I know everyone can not be as great as my baby daddy...sigh.

~~Soulflower~~ · 03-04-2015, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

In the 70s radio stations were individually owned and didn't have to answer to huge corporations.

Clear Channel (iHeart radio) was founded in 2008 and has revenues in the billions based on advertising dollars. They currently own over 850 of the major stations in the US and aren't going to tolerate anything that their advertisers might find "uncomfortable" - like a song about the Ferguson shooting.

Good point

Surell · 03-04-2015, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

You keep saying they don't care. We don't know that. And to be honest, comparing the civil rights movement with the Ferguson thing is whacked.

And don't forget that the grand jury in Ferguson spent 3 months going over all of the evidence and interviewed over 60 people before they decided not to indict that cop. So it might not be the best case for an artist to take a stand on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chula Vista

Who said they are not in touch with problems going on in the world. You keep going there and I don't know why.

And no, they have zero responsibility just becasue they are successful.

Again the civil rights movement was a HUGE thing. Ferguson is a blip by comparison.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

It might be because we aren't having a civil rights movement right now. I would've seen something about that on TV.

I don't want to be off topic but where in the fuck are you getting these ideas from? Despite your stance on the matter, the fact that the events in Ferguson have made an impact on American racial consciousness at large is kinda not up for debate. Despite how recent it is, despite how it may have turned out in its verdict, it (along with several other occurrences) renewed the liveliness of the discourse on race in America. Perhaps the movement isn't as monumentally established as it was 40-50 years ago but that doesn't mean civil rights debate (and not just racial) has vanished.

Anyway, Lil B is mainstream enough for me (on Gucci and Wayne mixtapes, was in The Pack, is an internet sensation which is almost enough to be famous now) and put out this gem; Radiohead are a fairly popular (last album debuted at #6) and almost always concern themselves with philosophical/political/social concerns; and OG Maco, the "U Guessed It" man put out the EP "Breathe" after being enraged by the events in Ferguson. Besides that, we just had that slew of self-esteem jams back around "Born This Way" from Lady Gaga, and "New Slaves", despite what you think about Kanye, was enormously political.

**Frownland** · 03-04-2015, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surell

I don't want to be off topic but where in the fuck are you getting these ideas from? Despite your stance on the matter, the fact that the events in Ferguson have made an impact on American racial consciousness at large is kinda not up for debate. Despite how recent it is, despite how it may have turned out in its verdict, it (along with several other occurrences) renewed the liveliness of the discourse on race in America. Perhaps the movement isn't as monumentally established as it was 40-50 years ago but that doesn't mean civil rights debate (and not just racial) has vanished.

I wouldn't call Ferguson and the ensuing riots/protests a civil rights movement mostly because it's a singular event, but hey that's just me.

Chula Vista · 03-04-2015, 05:40 PM

Civil Rights Movement was a nationwide movement over the course of 14-15 years.

Ferguson was a singular event that was major blown up because of the mass media vultures that swooped in on the town and fanned the flames.

~~Soulflower~~ · 03-04-2015, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Surell

I don't want to be off topic but where in the fuck are you getting these ideas from? Despite your stance on the matter, the fact that the events in Ferguson have made an impact on American racial consciousness at large is kinda not up for debate. Despite how recent it is, despite how it may have turned out in its verdict, it (along with several other occurrences) renewed the liveliness of the discourse on race in America. Perhaps the movement isn't as monumentally established as it was 40-50 years ago but that doesn't mean civil rights debate (and not just racial) has vanished.

Anyway, Lil B is mainstream enough for me (on Gucci and Wayne mixtapes, was in The Pack, is an internet sensation which is almost enough to be famous now) and put out this gem; Radiohead are a fairly popular (last album debuted at #6) and almost always concern themselves with philosophical/political/social concerns; and OG Maco, the "U Guessed It" man put out the EP "Breathe" after being enraged by the events in Ferguson. Besides that, we just had that slew of self-esteem jams back around "Born This Way" from Lady Gaga, and "New Slaves", despite what you think about Kanye, was enormously political.

Standing Ovation

~~Soulflower~~ · 03-04-2015, 05:58 PM

Travyon was gunned down in 2012, and there were three other young boys that were gunned down by police after Michael Brown murdered.

I would hardly call the Ferguson protests, a "singular" event

03-04-2015, 05:40 PM	#78 (permalink)
Chula Vista Toasted Poster Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: SoCal by way of Boston Posts: 11,332	Civil Rights Movement was a nationwide movement over the course of 14-15 years. Ferguson was a singular event that was major blown up because of the mass media vultures that swooped in on the town and fanned the flames. __________________ “The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.”

03-04-2015, 05:58 PM	#80 (permalink)
~~Soulflower~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2,304	Travyon was gunned down in 2012, and there were three other young boys that were gunned down by police after Michael Brown murdered. I would hardly call the Ferguson protests, a "singular" event