Now, as a rule, I’m not one to bite the hand that feeds me but I also believe that the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world, so let’s rock that cradle!
I gots me some beef with the media right now and it involves the backlash of artists in the music industry. I find it really annoying that when an artist becomes successful, critically acclaimed and so forth, the backlash (usually led by the media) starts. Maybe I’m being too harsh and should blame this trend on being British, after all, we do seem to love beating someone down (not literally) as quick as we raise them up (be honest, who sang Westlife in their heads there?!). Once the media starts the ball rolling, sure as night follows day, the ‘cool kids’ get involved. You know the sort, people who think they are they are their own person and too individual to be influenced by something as ‘trivial as the media’. These people are in fact the worst ones. They spend all their time insuring that people know they like ‘indie bands’, it somehow escapes their notice they are in fact the most mainstream group in society. Lemmings, you might say, if you were the judgmental sort, which obviously, I’m not.
Among the artists who have fallen victim to this are singers borne of The X-Factor and winners of the Brits Critic Choice Award. Who didn’t love Leona Lewis during The X-Factor? The same ones who are now calling her Aslan, that’s who. What of the likes of Jessie J, Flo’ and The Machine and Ellie Goulding? Their day in the sun didn’t last long before the knives were out, while it would seem the only other winner of the Brits Critics Choice award, Adele could sell 20 million copies of an album featuring her reciting the names of the seven dwarves! For some reason, I just googled the names of the seven dwarves while proof-reading this, why do I even care?! Time will tell how this year’s recipient, Emeli Sande (real name Adele which could be an omen) will fare.
Other new artists who have enjoyed critical acclaim after seemingly coming from nowhere are Lana Del Rey and Ed Sheeran. However, once again, Ed, in particular has drawn much criticism, mainly from people in his home county of Suffolk. Sounds very much like a case of sour grapes to me!
The media and public seem convinced that if your rise to success is quick then you haven’t worked for it but what about what they’ve been doing in the years when we hadn’t heard of them? Playing in pubs to 4 drunk middle-aged men, writing songs and generally ‘paying their dues’. Give these people a break, I say, they’re just trying to make a living from something they love doing. Don’t be jel!
If you have any thoughts, please feel free to share. I will naturally listen, rubbish everything you say and soldier on regardless!
