Allow me to reference Spike Lee for a second, “Wake Up!” Wake UP, please! Ask yourselves why tabloids and blogs are on a high right now while albums and tours are in the dump. Ask yourselves why talented artists can’t rebound after a personal mistake made public. Ask yourselves why artists are being heralded for everything BUT the music, which is their profession. Is there any chance that we can put the focus back on the music?
I mean as fans/stans/whatever it’s natural to be curious about an artist beyond the music, but at this point it’s getting ridiculous. These people don’t owe us anything besides good music. Whatever information about their lives they decide to give is great, but understand that we aren’t entitled to it. We don’t know them. Would you tell a stranger your intimate details? Would you want a stranger to dictate what you should do with your life? It’s unfortunate, but we life in a society where we put these celebrities on such a high pedestal forgetting that they are human just like us. They eat, shit and are shady just like us. You cannot demand perfection from someone when you aren’t perfect either. Love an artist for their music not what’s going on in their personal life.
These record companies are scratching their heads trying to figure out why albums aren’t selling when they’re part of the answer. They have the public focusing on everything, but the music. Self-branding is apart of the business, but I don’t want to see an artist plastered in every magazine and billboard with NO album to their name. Are you trying to sell me your awful smelling perfume or your album? The artists that don’t put the main focus on their music shouldn’t wonder why their albums and tours aren’t selling. I honestly don’t need to know who you’re sleeping with just give me the album and save the rest. Put the focus where it belongs, which is your music. Sometimes I feel like I know too much about an artist to the point where it starts to overshadow the music (see: John Mayer). I like the mystery because part of it makes me search for the answers in their music. I want to relate to the artists I like, but I don’t want to know everything about them. The music comes first and foremost. The artist has little to no chance at being successful if they don’t keep music the number one priority.
