How do you feel about mainstream against underground music? punk, hip hop, rock, etc?

Question

Do you feel the music industry destroys independant music or helps it? What artist do you know that was independent and sucked after becoming mainstream?

Answer 1

Well the thing that's always bothered me the most is how most independent artists start off carrying a tone that opposes the mainstream movement in the US, but when they hit it big, they become involved in mainstream music. Usually, the greatest artists/bands start off mainstream and develop an independent style, which leads them to leave their labels once executives don't let them do what they want. One great example of this is Amel Larrieux (you should check her out). One hip-hop example is the band Slum Village. These artists started out with major labels and had to conform to mainstream-like music, but once they left them, they produced some of the greatest work ever done in the music industry. The thing about record companies is that people are putting they're money down on artists hoping to get a profit out of it, so to be safe, label executives set limits on how the music must be for artists. So you can imagine why artists tend to suck after they go mainstream... they don't even really like the music they perform.

Answer 2

There really are some talented underground musicians out there that don't get any recognition at all. You can go on Myspace and find hundreds of bands that are good at what style they bring. The mainstream scene is good, you have some real talent there but they usually start to get worse as the albums start coming. Sure certain bands make it over time, but they are the bands that can handle the pressure of stardome, and keep a fine line of there music and the type of music that the industry wants them to play. I do think that the music industy destroys independant music, they know what sells, and that is cheesy pop music.
The underground musicians that make it big usually get pushed into doing music that sells, not music that they want to do. I don't blame them, you have to get paid.

The biggest sell out ever Sugar Ray
I like Pepper, they are going on tour with 311 and the Wailers, so we shall see what happens if they get big
Matisyahu is an unbelievable artist, but I think there lastest album in definatly not as good as there first.
Pretty much all of your jam bands can be considered underground, but with all the hippies buying up the music and selling out shows, they almost never have to sell-out to make money.

Answer 3

the music industry will overplay anything to death nowadays, and almost anything gets destroyed. I still can't listen to a whole U2 song right now, from any of their eras, because all I hear the DJs talk about is Bono Bono Bono.

I love underground music, especially stuff from the UK which has never made it big over here. I can listen to that as much as I want and I never grow bored of it. Because I don't hear it on the radio 20 times a day.

Answer 4

I stated i'm extra of an underground type of dude, yet i'm nonetheless down with some mainstreaming artists like those i have indexed. 4 minutes in the past Oh truly? call your 3 admired underground artists.

Answer 5

Music would be dead if it wasn't for mainstream.... it provides the "mainstreamness" (my own word) that is needed for all those unsigned bands to be considered "underground"... you know... the old, without evil there is no good and so on.....

Answer 6

If you like trite, pre-packaged, no-thought-involved, mainstream music, then go ahead and listen to it.

Give me underground and punk any day of the week!

Answer 7

i feel that music is art and should be treated as such. If people like it cool but most mainstream musicians are trying to make music that they think will sell and make them rich. **** them

Answer 8

i definately think industry destroys bands. this is just for bands that want money, obviously they are not so much in love with just music. one band im thinking of is panic! at the disco. they're bad, to me, now.

Answer 9

Underground music sux! I'm sorry but it does. It is destroying independent music. I luv hiphop and rock but I hate underground versions.

Answer 10

well I'm not sure if Blink 182 was ever "independent", but after they hit it big they started to suck big time.