Cyber
Active Member
Like many of my peers I was caught up in the craze in my teens of having favourite bands/musicians. It defined my identity and I would buy albums and go to concerts By the time I was 21 I realised while I still liked listening to music, I actually wasn't invested in the musicians anymore. I found having a "favourite" band or musician quite fake. I actually only got into certain music because of friends. But actually If I was being honest I liked all music types and genres.
I got the concept that music was an artform. Buying albums and going to concerts was like patronising an artist. But what are people listening to? Aren't literally all popular music basically created by teams of industry writers and music studios nowadays?
From the days of Elvis Presley and the Beatles weren't popular musicians and their music basically curated by image stylists, writers, marketing people and Studios? Aren't music fans just supporting giant industries and is becoming a "fan" healthy? given many become obsessed with musicians as celebrity icons rather than artists? Do they just like being part of a fandom screaming brainlessly at country, pop or metal concerts sand not care if the music is authentic or not, or just a joint effort by an industry studio team designed to appeal to fans?
One example is Taylor Swift, she has millions of young female fans around the world who form what is known as "Swifties". Since her new album "Diary of a Showgirl" accusations have been levelled her music is quite toxic and her fans have been known to attack anyone online and people in the media who say anything negative about Taylor. But she and her music are largely industry driven, infact her father who is in banking largely bankrolled her.
My question, is it healthy to be so invested in a popular musician if their music is not "authentic" and they might just be industry creations tapping into a particular genre to access pockets of a fandom who spend money, not only on music but also merchandise. Does it matter our culture and music is being created for us in corporate boardrooms?
I got the concept that music was an artform. Buying albums and going to concerts was like patronising an artist. But what are people listening to? Aren't literally all popular music basically created by teams of industry writers and music studios nowadays?
From the days of Elvis Presley and the Beatles weren't popular musicians and their music basically curated by image stylists, writers, marketing people and Studios? Aren't music fans just supporting giant industries and is becoming a "fan" healthy? given many become obsessed with musicians as celebrity icons rather than artists? Do they just like being part of a fandom screaming brainlessly at country, pop or metal concerts sand not care if the music is authentic or not, or just a joint effort by an industry studio team designed to appeal to fans?
One example is Taylor Swift, she has millions of young female fans around the world who form what is known as "Swifties". Since her new album "Diary of a Showgirl" accusations have been levelled her music is quite toxic and her fans have been known to attack anyone online and people in the media who say anything negative about Taylor. But she and her music are largely industry driven, infact her father who is in banking largely bankrolled her.
My question, is it healthy to be so invested in a popular musician if their music is not "authentic" and they might just be industry creations tapping into a particular genre to access pockets of a fandom who spend money, not only on music but also merchandise. Does it matter our culture and music is being created for us in corporate boardrooms?
