Why do we consider a band "sell-out", if they don't necessarily change..?

Question

.. but mass market taste's changes and said band suddenly becomes popular?

Are we being disingenuous and / or perhaps being as shallow and superficial as we claim the "sell-out" band and their new fans claim to be?

- yeah - I'm specifically thinking about bands that haven't really changed their sound - but have become wildly popular. I was specifically thinking of Green Day - who sound pretty much the same as when I first heard them 15 years ago.. I didn't know about the label politics someone else mentioned but the powerful message they have delivered in a recent album like "American Idiot" to a large and mainstream audience is NOT in my opinion a "sell-out" (I mean if they started doing "new Generation Pepsi ads - that'd be another story!.. : P )

Answer 1

I absolutely agree with you.
I've always found it wierd that people call all bands that make it big on radio stations or MTV are sell-outs.
If they have the same style and still rock it out, then nothing's changed.
We should be happy that their music is actually getting appreciated by the general public.
Honestly, it's as though Nine Inch Nails gets on the radio all the time and all of a sudden they're sellouts. Same with Metallica, Guns N Roses, Talib Kweli, Tupac, Three Days Grace, Hinder,ect...
All these great bands get recognized and they're suddenly sellouts.
I'm sorry but isn't that the point?
To make great music and get paid to make great music.
I mean seriously, it's like getting mad a doctor who's become a world-renowned surgeoun. You get mad because you think he's just in it for the money and recognition.

Ridiculous.

It really upsets me.

Sellouts are those that actually definitively change their style to adapt to the general public. Like they purposely make music not out of originality but just to appeal to the record companies.

Answer 2

Uh, because they sell out? You do know what the term means right?

When a band, lets say KoRn for example, receives an offer for a company - like Puma, for example - and they agree to a Contract - were

A) they will always wear the clothing
B) not do anything that would demean the name Puma
C) bunch of other business things here.

So, then KoRN suddenly gets "sponsored." While they made two really good CDs, the Third CD - and all the crap afterwards - was sponsored by a Company that wanted them to be "hip" to the crowd they marketed to.

It's how some mediocre bands survive.

In other words, they didn't make enough money from the first two CDs to release a third profesional CD - so they went to a company "sold out their name;" and from then on the company had some say on what they could or could not release - the "marketing" aspect of the band was no longer under their desire, and instead, it was the choice of the company.

So, they must write songs FOR that marketing type, instead of writting the songs they want.


Thats why bands that "sell out" are viewed as bad. They arn't doing it for the MUSIC and the 'spirit of music.' They're singing because that's what they're getting paid to do.

Answer 3

Well I view sell-outs to be bands that become stale because it sells. You know, like bands who focus more on money than their fans *cough*Metallica*cough*.

Anyways, I hate people who dis bands they used to like just because they got popular, which seems to happen a lot with metal fans. They ***** and moan about how metal bands don't get the recognition they deserve but as soon as they do they call them a sell-out. Take Lamb of God for example. I love them, they create great music and stay true to their roots. Of course most metal fans loved them too until they hit it big with their latest albums and all of a sudden they're not even metal. Wtf is that about?

Answer 4

the idea of being a sell out is a lesson of irony. If a basnd becomes popular and sells millions of records and then continues to pander the the crowd that they sold the million records to they are called sell outs. Well of course they are sell outs and everyone of us wish we could sell out like that as well. Personally, I think the label is put there by Record labels and Radio DJ's to try and to generate dollars for other artist and their pockets.

Answer 5

If a band doesn't change, but the market does, that doesn't make them a sell out. A band is only a sell out if they change their music to appeal to popularity. You have it mixed up.

Answer 6

A perfect example of a sell-out is Metallica.

They changed their style of music when they cut their hair. They didn't have that hard edge to them anymore. Their anthems of songs got cut to a standard four minutes so that they could get more radio air time.

I used to like them back before the black album came out. Even the black album which got them out there to a wider group of people was still hard.

Their ish now...Boring to commercialized...

Answer 7

Case in point:: Green Day When they went Warner Brs. and left Lookout (indie) they were called sell outs. I'ts almost like people don't want to see them get ahead? It is a selfish attitude. Any band who is that talented and works that hard deserves it!

Answer 8

they say bands are sell outs if they do advertisments and new fans start liking them, i think it is because #1, the band started making money and they arent cool anymore because they got rich, and #2, people want to have something everyone else doesnt have and if that means disliking a band they used to like for a stupid reason, then thats what they do. its all stupid childish highschool BS.

Answer 9

They sold out when you heard about them. Originality is just that. Brazenly different. Not ' different '. With a label. I think they slap that on anything when it's had it's run and want to see it graciouly bow out before it chapter elevens.

We are all dishonest. We have to excercise the virtue of honesty. Nothing good comes easily.

Answer 10

Its not that they dont change its when they do change. Metallica for example. after the black album the music sucked. load and reload were a waste of time they should have stayed with the hard rock like Ride the Lightning, Master of puppets, And justice for All.