Sure mediocre artists become popular with hit songs that are slick and polished sounding, but that's because the real talent is working behind the scenes. There are an army of gifted songwriters, musicians, engineers and producers making sure that what you hear will stick in your head on repeat until you want to bite your own ears off. It's usually the person performing the pop music who is vapid. (e.g. Britney Spears)
Even though she's a bonehead, I am able to recognize that the songwriting doesn't totally suck. There is something going on, when it comes to the structure and execution of her music. People gravitate to her songs because of the well crafted design, whether they know it or not. Britney, thankfully, has nothing to do with that aspect of her career. She's too busy staying famous for all the wrong reasons.
There often isn't enough credit given to music that is readily accessible. I say to you, dear readers, that quality and mass appeal are mutually exclusive. You can have one without the other, and yes, sometimes you can even have both!
The Beatles were the poppiest of pop bands back in the day, yet they always had a level of quality that they upheld. I'm not sure anyone would argue that a song like Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, is anything but a musical triumph. That very song was able to climb the charts 2 times in a span of 15 years because of its ability to capture the listener.
Frank Zappa never enjoyed popular success, but churned out quality while staying under the radar. Artists like Pitbull release dog shit by the heap, yet remain at the top of the charts.
There often isn't enough credit given to music that is readily accessible. I say to you, dear readers, that quality and mass appeal are mutually exclusive. You can have one without the other, and yes, sometimes you can even have both!
The Beatles were the poppiest of pop bands back in the day, yet they always had a level of quality that they upheld. I'm not sure anyone would argue that a song like Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, is anything but a musical triumph. That very song was able to climb the charts 2 times in a span of 15 years because of its ability to capture the listener.
Frank Zappa never enjoyed popular success, but churned out quality while staying under the radar. Artists like Pitbull release dog shit by the heap, yet remain at the top of the charts.
I am a fan of good music, regardless of genre. I will always give a song a chance, no matter how popular or obscure. There are some songs that slay me on an emotional level, and there are some songs that challenge my intellect lyrically/musically. There will always be songs that are just there for fun and amusement.
Having been a professional musician for some time now, I've run into this issue on the creative side. I like to write every song that comes to mind. The process is like fishing, some days you cast out your line and get nothing. Other days, you get a few nibbles, you start to reel it in, but then it falls off your line. Then there are those days where you catch a whopper, despite a huge drawn out fight.
Once you've caught this musical fish, you say to yourself "do I want to record this song and put it out for people to purchase and support my career?" This is an important question for every artist to ask if you want to continue making music for a living. All bands have to make concessions at some point and realize that it's not an entirely self indulgent endeavor. If you've done good, you've created a song that you like, and think others will like too.
I often have arguments with musicians who say that they aren't in a band to make music that sells. To them I say, have fun with your hobby band, because the longer you remain an elitist, the less likely you'll gather an audience. Music is an inclusive artform. It is the immediate, visceral translation of a sound into emotion, and vice versa. Anything that is published must first go through a process of editing. Unless you're Jack Kerouac - whom you are not.
Being a music snob must be exhausting. The equivalent would be like eating filet mignon every single night. Sure it's totally yummers, but every now and then, it's nice to have In 'N' Out Burger.
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