Should Artists Change?

oscillate · 02-28-2016, 10:08 PM

I'm sure this topic has been raised in some context before, but I would be interested in getting a more recent take from MB users.

With Bowie's recent passing, many have praised, or gawked, at the chameleonic nature of his music, image, and artistic sensibility. To some he was a genius, to others bizarre. I spent a fair amount of time reading archived articles, interviews, and reviews and his artistic need to change, mature, and progress as an artist was not always well-received.

On the other end of the spectrum, you have bands like AC/DC that have an established sound and don't really change it much at all. Every record largely follows a similar formula and you know what you're going to get and a lot of people like that.

The Internet and mediums such as this forum have allowed fans to be much more vocal when it comes to responding to an artist's music and creative direction. Many bands choose to focus on tried-and-true methods and formulas, and interestingly, that seems to be more and more accepted in certain genres today. Whether that's a conscious effort to please fans or simply the furthest that band or artist can go, no one can really know.

Is the role of an artist to challenge listeners? Or is it to purely be an entertainer? Is it genre specific? Do artists reach a certain level of popularity, success, or age where they can no longer change? What do you think?

02-28-2016, 10:08 PM	#1 (permalink)
oscillate Groupie Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 27	Should Artists Change? I'm sure this topic has been raised in some context before, but I would be interested in getting a more recent take from MB users. With Bowie's recent passing, many have praised, or gawked, at the chameleonic nature of his music, image, and artistic sensibility. To some he was a genius, to others bizarre. I spent a fair amount of time reading archived articles, interviews, and reviews and his artistic need to change, mature, and progress as an artist was not always well-received. On the other end of the spectrum, you have bands like AC/DC that have an established sound and don't really change it much at all. Every record largely follows a similar formula and you know what you're going to get and a lot of people like that. The Internet and mediums such as this forum have allowed fans to be much more vocal when it comes to responding to an artist's music and creative direction. Many bands choose to focus on tried-and-true methods and formulas, and interestingly, that seems to be more and more accepted in certain genres today. Whether that's a conscious effort to please fans or simply the furthest that band or artist can go, no one can really know. Is the role of an artist to challenge listeners? Or is it to purely be an entertainer? Is it genre specific? Do artists reach a certain level of popularity, success, or age where they can no longer change? What do you think?