In the past couple of decades, the mainstream music corporation has taken a course of dramatic decline. As a result, modern artists within the mainstream culture have declined in artistic value and have become more commercialized in the music industry. So called “artists” are becoming nothing more than moneymakers for large corporations. The value of one’s music becomes the decision of the corporations that owns him rather than the decision of the fans that listen. People are beginning to come into the music industry with motives of making money, not music. Unlike the true artists that have passed with time, this new wave of emerging artists is willing to conform to anything to make big careers. Cort Smith, a producer at Global television in Vancouver, Canada, said, “The music industry is ruled by suits now, and you have to play by their rules. The renegade rocker is gone, and if he does exist, you can bet he’s been told to act that way. After all, it’s image that sells records” (McMartin, 2005).
Many corporate sellouts have emerged and become very successful over the past few years. One prime example is the band U2. In 2004 U2 sold their song “Vertigo” to Apple to create an iPod commercial. The airing of the commercial was to help promote U2’s album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. Soon after, their affiliation with Apple gave way to a signature iPod model and a digital box set of 400-plus tracks only available on the iTunes online music store (Lepage, 2007). U2 claims that their deal with Apple was not a sell out because “it was good for everyone.” In the very same statement, however, U2 says that they were working with Apple in order to make money. They also say Apple did not pay them, but Apple did air the band’s song “Vertigo” on national television and Apple gave them a royalty check for every U2 iPod that was sold. Apple also found a way to sell legal downloads on the Internet, providing U2 with yet another source of corporate income (Gundersen, 2004; Lepage, 2007).
U2 has not only partnered with Apple, but with Best Buy as well. Best Buy spent $10 million in a campaign to promote Elevation 2001: Live From Boston, a double-disc DVD of the band. Best Buy was also linked with Direct TV, VH1, and Clear Channel to help promote the video as the three broadcasted the show. One enterprise refused to stock the DVD or feature their latest album. Glen Ward, president of Virgin Entertainment Group’s Northern American Operations, stated, “I always thought they were about helping the little guy and promoting world peace and things like that, but it turns out they are just another corporate sellout [that] doesn’t care who they hurt in making money” (Christman, 2001).
8 Comments
so do you think that every new artist or group that comes out is a coporate sellout? i feel that there are still people out there that just love singing and inspiring others.
No, I do not believe that every new artist is a corporate sellout. However, most artists are coming into the music industry for the purpose of becoming “famous” or making a lot of money. A lot of these “artists” aren’t entering with the intent of inspiring others or with the passion of music.
Casey…I do agree that many new artists are not as into their music are they are into their money…I do, however, think that just because a band sells a song to a business does not mean that the band is only in the business for money…:)
Wow, if I think about it, alot of artists ARE just doing things just for money and they’re not thinking about their fans and it makes me dislike major corporations even more for pressuring them into doing songs that they themselves like, not we as the people/fans. Besides, what happened to following your dream and doing what you want to do and inspiring people? I don’t know when money won’t become the center of everything anymore, but great post Casey.
Casey I totally agree. I don’t believe that everyone is a sellout nowadays but I do agree that for the most part music is becoming a business not a lifestyle. I have movie documentary/biography of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. In the documentary it tells of the struggles that Petty went through with his music company and how he persevered to maintain his ownership of what is rightfully is. I have come to respect him and his band more after watching it, you can borrow it sometime if you so desire. It all comes back to money, everything comes back to the love of money I suppose. Good post I enjoyed it
rileyd: True. Just because a song is played on a commerical doesn’t automatically make them a corporate sellout. It’s hard to really define who and who isn’t a corporate sellout. I feel that if you become popular off of a commercial or get rich by partnering with a corporation, then you have made money by selling your song to that commercial/corporation. In that case, you would have made money from a business rather than by true talent.
pioneerlinh: One very good reason that I despise Disney…
zachgrgry: I’ve never listened to Tom Petty’s music. What style does he mainly play? A lot of these genuine artists deserve much more respect than the mainstream artists in my opinion.
Good post. I agree with you and agree that when an artist does something like that, it takes away from their originality and overall lessens the true quality of their music. I know a people that only like bands that no one has ever heard of because of that. I enjoyed reading this.
So Case…you know I agree with you in most aspects of this paper. But you also know that I disagree with your statement that U2 is among these sellout bands. A previous comment stated “just because a band sells their song to a business does not mean the band is only in the business for money.” So true! Especially if the band is doing something great for the world like U2 did with their One campaign.