alright just a rant here. im tired of people saying certain bands "sell out" when they change their sound. i admit, ive done it a bunch of times. but people change. bands change. tastes change. just because bands become more poppy and more accessible, doesn't necessarily mean theyre selling out. maybe that's what theyre into now. if they were to keep pretending theyre into the old school stuff, then theyll be selling themselves out.
judge bands for their music, and not based on how many other people like them.
I would need some examples of bands who signed with a big record label and they started to lean more to pop because they just felt like , rather then being told, look we are investing a lot of money into you so your going more main stream because if you don't we are going to drop your ass.
I would also like to hear unzos definition of selling out vs. buying in
selling out = the money changing you buying in = you changing the money
It's a matter of whether or not you maintain your originality, or if you try to sound like someone else that's more popular than you in order to sell records and get on mtv. If you do that, you've sold out. If you change what's popular, and become popular just by doing what you do, and they put your face on mtv, you've bought in.
im not actually referring to mtv when i say mtv, mtv is the easiest way to refer to music in the media, but this includes radio stations, etc. People only say bands or musicians have sold out after they're popular. And so, by becoming popular, you are faced with a dilemma, how will you keep your audience? Will they all think you've just sold out? No, not if you maintain originality. A lot of it is due to record labels, they wont release albums that they dont believe will do well. So they may persuade the artist to "try something new" when in fact they're just trying something that's been done a million times and sold records, so hey, if the record executives are happy with it, screw everyone else. At least that's how they feel about it.
Okay, this is getting complicated, lets start a band. The Killers. That is our band. So The Killers started off right, in a dirty garage somewhere playing hardcore punk rock, they got some gigs at some bars, and sooner or later they were discovered by the wrong record label, but getting signed can't be bad, right? Right? Wrong! So Record Company "X" signs The Killers, and all is well. Then when it's time for The Killers to cut a new album, so that Record Company "X" can keep sitting on their fat wallets, Record Company "X" says "Hey, Killers, this stuff you brought us is pretty good, but bring us something that sounds like Blink182 or Good Charlotte, or we're not going to release it." That's not a direct quote, they'd use all sorts of fany words and persuasions so that the poor Killers will never know what hit them, until they're pelted with rocks at their next show. That's selling out.
Now, let's rewind...
The Killers have been playing bars and clubs for quite sometime, and finally a fine young gentleman from Record Company "Z" comes along and says, "Hey Killers, really dig your style man, you should sign with us and release some albums!" The Killers were very excited and agreed. Record Company "Z" does not give a sh!t about mtv, or the billboard top 40. This is the record label where The Killers can live happily ever after. So they cut a few albums. Then suddenly, this sh!t starts catching on. "Holy sh!t! This sh!t is catching on!" says the rich morons at Record Company "X." "We need some more bands like The Killers, get Good Charlotte, Sum41 and Blink 182 in here immediately! There's changes to be made!" And then these bands, erm, these fictitious bands, start adapting to The Killers new style. And since these bands are already on mtv, they'll take credit for this. But then watch out! Here comes The KIllers, b!tches! with their brand new shiny single that gets played like moonmans mother! Takes over the airwaves, WOW THESE GUYS ARE GREAT! All the cool kids think so, even Carson Daly! So yeah, The Killers, with their ORIGINAL sound have managed to make it big on televisions and airwaves nationwide. That's buying in.
Yes there are many instances in which a copycat band will do better than the original band, and for that i offer you this simple explanation: People don't know what's good, they just know what they're supposed to think is good because it's what's on the radio, and it's what's on tv. (i.e. people are stupid.) Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups!
And so there you have it, the difference between selling out, and buying in. If that's half as clear as it is in my head, I have no idea how it happened. Good day.
