Music is getting worse and worse..the music industry is all about image, not quality..MTV has destroyed music?

Question

How do people with no talent like Paris Hilton and Britney Spears make big money and get to be on TV?

Because they're attractive and stupid/popular, and their music reeks, but it stills gets more publicity than another artist out there who is much better, but doesn't look good in a music video. It's at the point now where all the popular artists are supermodels. If you don't look good, you sure as hell can't be on MTV. Just look at all the people on MTV these days. They're either profanity-obsessed gangstas, crazy punks, or hot chicks. Some examples are 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Eminem, Sum 41, Billy Talent, Panic at the Disco, Rihana, Hillary Duff, Kelly Clarkson, etc etc etc. All of these people (and I'd throw Brit and Paris into the mix) appeal to people these days and are shown on MTV all the time. God only knows why people like them. To me, it's as clear as day that their music isn't even close what was popular before the whole music video era.

They simply can't compare to ACDC, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, R.E.M., Metallica, U2, Guns N' Roses, Aerosmith, Coldplay, Foo Fighters, Nirvana, etc. My point is that either peoples' tastes have become incredibly shallow or MTV is just refusing to play good music. I think it's fair to say it's a bit of both. MTV thinks that sex sells and people have become just too darn shallow to judge anything beyond image. Just this year, the Arcade Fire released a great new album called "Neon Bible" but no one knows about it, because they don't look good enough for MTV.
By the way, I'm 19 years old, so I'm not an old timer or anything; I'm just able to see things beyond the superficial surface that MTV is so intent on shoving down out throats.

Mike- Yes, the bands I named are classic bands, but my point is where are all the good bands now? Yes, some of them become popular like Greenday, because they created such a powerful album. However, it doesn't change the fact that bad artists are overshadowing some good ones just because they're good looking. For example, bands like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Arcade Fire, like I mentioned earlier, deserve a hell of a lot more attention than they get. Their music is 10 times better than Paris Hilton or Britney Spears, yet MTV still shows them because they're hot.

Answer 1

Just turn on Amercian Idol & you'll have your answer.

I do think MTV helped bring things to where they are now, but it's no longer the driving force it once was. Idol is it now. Churning out one vapid, forgettable pop act afte rthe next. Something just doesn't sit right w/ me having to *Vote* for our next "musical hero". It's like fast food....only with music. (eg: Where's Clay Aiken now??)

What I don't get are the people who actually SEE 'talent' in acts like Paris, the Pussycat Dolls & Hillary Duff. I can put them down all the live-long day, til the cows come home & there will still be some clueless dreg who'll come to their defense & call them 'good'.

Having the right look isn't new, but I do think appearance is more important more than ever before, & MTV sure did help with *That*.

I'm sure glad your rant is coming from a 19 yo mind. Gives the whole arguement much more credibility in the eyes of your peers. (& I'm not even a baby boomer myself, but older than 19) Hats off to you!

Answer 2

I'm with you, man. My friend "stayed" with music, so she's into all that American Idol, Justin Timberlake, Avril Lavigne, Hillary Duff, Pink stuff. But not me.

I started losing interest in what had been my "prefered genre", which was like indusrial\metal in the mid nineties, in about 2000. Then it was all Korn and Limp Biscuit, Papa Roach, Rob Zombie, Lincoln Park, Kid Rock...it all seemed kind-of the same, and produced by way of a formula that would guarantee an audience, with none of the spirit or creativity to which I'd become acustomed, such as White Zombie or the first Korn album. I then became more interested in techno.

There is still some music today that I like, such as Aiden or System of a Down.

Answer 3

I think too many bands are all about dancing and image not the sound so yeah I agree. Still, I read that some of the bands you named were among the most popular ever tho, so it's not just popularity is bad. It's the image and other things not the sound that's bad. Beatles, Zeppelin, Stones, Floyd, U2, REM and others had great sales numbers and talent. I think American Idol and MTV have some blame for the flash and trash over talent problem.

mh

Answer 4

So true (sadly) on MTV it really isn't about the music anymore, just pure image. People would rather watch a song that took 20 minutes on a computer to generate the tracks and lyrics wrote by a susposedly 'ghetto' rapper about shooting people. What the hell is wrong with people today. In my oppinion the good music is where bands have to sit down and put alot of time into learning to play their instruments etc, taking months to produce songs, e.g. Dream theatre

Answer 5

I know. Mtv is just filled with crap all those bands you mentioned are great but nobody cares about them because there two old. Some of the greatest band s ever are from the 80s 70s 90s and 60s. The whole music industry today is in flop.

Answer 6

i don't blame MTV entirely, I blame this on the industry. Sure MTV showed the image side (I prefer humorous videos and videos that shows the bands playing like Mark Trimonti in "Open your eyes" video that was killer), but the industry as well as the talentless hacks decide they want quick fame, it sells fast, makes the suits money no matter how bad the product is.


So they stick with it. they'll stop once they see no one is buying (no one is, and their reason is far off, it's because it all sucks)

Answer 7

For free billboards featuring indie artists try

http://www.newmusicbillboard.com

Answer 8

I agree with you 100% all good music is unpopular.

Answer 9

i couldn't agree anymore
mtv is all main steam and any music that was good
like paramore gets over played and annoying.
i hate that.

Answer 10

Remember video killed the radio star.