is selling out really a bad thing?

[Wunderkind]

Selling out. Kurt Cobain killed himself over it. Metallica welcomed it with open arms. It all depends on the person(s) and how wealth effects them.

I don't see older bands selling their songs as selling out. Zepplin, Seger, the Who, legends of rock do not sell out. They live on.

 

[tenfeetofganja]

Selling out. Kurt Cobain killed himself over it.

kobain killd Hiself caus He was insane, read His writings. drugs only perpetuated it. guy Had alot of troubles. at least Hes in peace now.

 

[TBug]

What is selling out and how do you measure it? If a band accepts royalties for their song being used in a film or tv show, is it selling out? Or is it only selling out if the band allows their songs to be used in commercials? I think it's more of a scale and to some extent everyone sells out, just some more than others.

High Sammy! You make an intersting point on many levels. Its really a question of what you are selling and to who. "A mans gotta eat"...well thats true, but what...eat caviar? would one sell their soul for caviar, just so an already oversexed population could have their 4-hour hard on?
Im just saying that these are drugs that a doctor can provide if the needs arise. do you see comercials for thyroid imbalances or insulin? Most people are too stupid to know what they need or why. they see a commercial and say .."hey let me try that". Most docs will let them try, and why not? they get paid either way, knowing full well that particular drug was not necessary.
To me its a waste and a drain on an aready stuggling system. we dont need comercials for drugs(or anti drugs) and the rock groups they choose are picked according to the fans they wish to target.
Its a huge MONEY scam and it deteriates society IMO. So I say yes, selling out is "that bad".
Peace all, bugout

 

[med_breeder]

hey I didn't think any less of Dethklok when they did that jingle
for Duncan Hills coffee

 

[Fatt Daddy]

Music is a key communicator because it speaks directly to people. For a long time, Bob Seger's "Like a Rock" was the rallying cry for Chevy trucks and kept many people working at GM in Detriot in the 1990's.

The list of classic rock bands whose songs are tied to automotive brands includes Led Zeppelin (Cadillac), the Clash (Pontiac) and the Who (Saab).

A great question with a subjective answer.
BB

can't forget Aerosmith.

 

[Youareborg]

can't forget Aerosmith.

Right you are... I can't forget them no matter how hard I try. lol

 

[Don Cotyle]

I figure it's their music they can do what the hell they want to do with it!

The 60's and 70's musc will be twisted into elevater music, that really sucks!!!

What I can't stand is when an "artist...and I use that term loosely here" like Puff Daddy makes a career out of other peoples music!!!

 

[Wunderkind]

kobain killd Hiself caus He was insane, read His writings. drugs only perpetuated it. guy Had alot of troubles. at least Hes in peace now.

I see it a bit differently. Insane? I don't think so, but no doubt was deep into depression. His excessive fame and notariety exaggervated his depression and drug usage. When he reached his low he hated what he was. He didn't want to be him.

 

[iLLperception]

as soon as you compromise the art for the money you have sold out. as soon as you think "it's good enough" because you just want to meet a deadline you have sold out...

but nobody dreams of being a broke, unknown, indie rock star right? They WANT to be RICH and FAMOUS. For that you pretty much have to "sell out" unless you are the lucky 1% who made it purely on talent/genius combined with right-place/right-time.

Most of us are sellouts. Anyone who accepts money in trade for their time to make someone else's dream a reality (i.e. if you have a boss) then you are a sellout!!!

The only way you aren't a sellout is if you have no boss and you do what you do the way YOU want to do it regardless of how much or how little money arrives in your pocket. 99.9% of us can't afford to live that way unfortunately! Someday....

 

[gramsci.antonio]

Artist would pay in order to being able to sell out...

 

[med_breeder]

I don't think the term "Sell out" means
receiving funds for services rendered.
I am a capitalist, I don't think getting paid for producing a good or a service is selling out.
I think selling out is when an "Artist's" art and reality don't match up.

i.e if you turned on the TV and saw an ipod ad staring Rage against the machine.

if an artist that portrayed themselves as anti big business, suddenly showed up doing ads for vitamin water,ipod,dish tv etc.


I don't remember Twisted sister too vividly but they portrayed themselves as hardcore,so for one of their songs being used for a birth control ad is a little out of character.

if I see an ad for viagra with a Wu-Tang track banging in the background...

 

[varriform]

as soon as you compromise the art for the money you have sold out. as soon as you think "it's good enough" because you just want to meet a deadline you have sold out...

but nobody dreams of being a broke, unknown, indie rock star right? They WANT to be RICH and FAMOUS. For that you pretty much have to "sell out" unless you are the lucky 1% who made it purely on talent/genius combined with right-place/right-time.

Most of us are sellouts. Anyone who accepts money in trade for their time to make someone else's dream a reality (i.e. if you have a boss) then you are a sellout!!!

The only way you aren't a sellout is if you have no boss and you do what you do the way YOU want to do it regardless of how much or how little money arrives in your pocket. 99.9% of us can't afford to live that way unfortunately! Someday....

I Agree that compromising your music is selling out and I agree that most artists do sell out, atleast the ones we hear abot. But I absolutely disagree with the statement "but nobody dreams of being a broke, unknown, indie rock star right? They WANT to be RICH and FAMOUS. For that you pretty much have to "sell out" unless you are the lucky 1% who made it purely on talent/genius combined with right-place/right-time. " I for one, as well as many people I know, have no intention of being "rich and famous". If your goal is to be rich and famous than you are already a sell out. Alot of musicians never sell out nor do they have the intention. I know of lots of dedicated musicians who have never "sold out" but still make enough to survive, usually by working normal daytime jobs. I would personally prefer to work a day job for the rest of my life and not have to rely on music to make a living. That life seems better than having to depend on my art and creativity to survive
peace

 

[varriform]

Artist would pay in order to being able to sell out...

I don't think so, but i would pay to crush the capitalist institutions that people sell out to.
peace

 

[bingobongo]

Selling Records or Selling Out? A great moral debate of our time!

The Beatles don't control their music publishing, but they have sued to stop advertisers from licensing their songs. John was already dead by the time this became a big issue, but Paul, George and Ringo felt they had to preserve the group's legacy by not allowing the music to be cheapened by association with, say, running shoes.

A lot of boomer musicians feel the same way. Tom Petty, John Fogerty, Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello have refused all kinds of huge offers to license their songs to commercials. Neil Young even wrote a song called "This Note?s for You" that mocked musicians who sold out.

Two of the surviving Doors sued the third, drummer John Densmore, for blocking their attempts to sell Doors songs to commercials. Densmore said it was counter to everything the band had stood for, and added that if Jim Morrison were really dead he'd turn over in his grave. Well, actually I made up that last part but you get the idea. Densmore believes the Doors stood for something bigger than making the most bucks off the old songs, and they should preserve their dignity.

And here a new wrinkle comes into the debate:

You no longer hear "Maggie May" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" every time you turn the radio dial, and so some musicians have begun to look at commercials as a substitute for the radio play they no longer get.

The turning point came in 2000 when Sting released a new song called "Desert Rose" and radio refused to play it. The radio programmers showed Sting research that supposedly proved that listeners did not want to hear this song. So Sting went over the radio experts' heads. He licensed "Desert Rose" to Jaguar for a TV commercial.

And on it goes.....
BB