Pop music. noun. music of general appeal to the masses, utilising relatively simple but catchy songs.
As a 90s kid, I grew up in an era which gave us the likes of - you will probably remember or, even still listen to them - Five, B*Witched, Steps, the Vengaboys, Aqua, S Club, 'N Sync, to name a few. Although, these individuals may not have been the most talented musicians in the World, they knew this and instead took it upon themselves to put on the "funnest show ever"!!! Their fans would adore them, cutting the lyrics out of Smash Hits magazine and singing in to the hairbrush in front of the mirror while the parents stood by, just calling it a 'phase'.
Fast forward to today. The music industry has exploded in size, with every potential new band having very little room for manoeuvre and those coming off the X Factor/Brit School conveyor belt monopolise the top ten. If you listen to those who really 'know' the business, nobody's "gonna make it" and those who do will inevitably sell out, appearing in the tabloid newspapers or pleading for iTunes downloads in an effort to avoid bankruptcy. So how have we got to this point in time?
I believe that popular artists and their followers take themselves far too seriously, creating a cult-esque feel encompassing everything that they do (I'm looking at you Jared Leto and 30 Seconds to Mars). Only today, a story in the Mail said that followers of Lady Gaga (or 'monsters' as is their preference.... yes, exactly my point) have been attacking British soul sensation Adele on the social-networking site Twitter, so that Lady Gaga can win more awards than her. These are no music lovers. If they cannot see that Adele is a remarkably talented lady, whose voice and personality are both wonderful, they are exactly as it says on the tin... monsters.
And just for an award? I remember times when so-called 'pretentious' frontmen such as Oasis' Liam Gallagher have thrown awards away, as they are not important in the grand scheme of things. The whole ceremony is a self-congratulatory handshake to the music industry, not the geniuses it is built upon.
Music has become obsessed with its business interests, getting away from the roots of why people love it. If it's not going to gain you 100,000 downloads on iTunes, it ain't worth a jot. This rubs salt in to the wound for those journeymen musicians who have been striving for a platform, year upon year. Ed Sheeran is a brilliant example. In 2009, Mr. Ed played 312 gigs in total. In the same period, R&B princess Beyonce played a measly 86 concerts, but shipped 7 million copies of her album, I Am...Sasha Fierce. Where is the justice?!?!
Until the artists themselves become more humble, the music industry will continue to rile us all up. They don't know how good they've got it up there in their ivory tower, nor will they, until they've toured Scream pubs from Leamington Spa to Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
Love Chips x