The recent post we did on Steve Aoki sucking major balls was actually quite a popular post, it received by the majority, a positive response. We would like to thank those who sent us nice emails. Some of those emails and comments brought up a certain issues, one that has always interested me. “The commercialization” of what is typically called “Electro” music, it is an interesting debate. Are the likes of Crystal Castles, Steve Aoki, Justice and various others making smart moves in promoting their music by featuring it in adverts, having product placements in their videos, being sponsored by trendy clothes companies?
I’d argue no. It’s seems many artists justify this of being a modern,” 2.0” way of promoting their music and staying in the black. Is it working? Umm.. no, it’s quite obvious it isn’t. People like Justice, Cut Copy, Van She, Soulwax, LCD Soundsystem (the list is fucking endless). Have all had singles on their albums which maybe ten years ago would’ve have been sure fire top-twenty hits. Now they barely scrape the top 50 the majority of the time.
TEH INTERNET IS TO BLAME.
No, it isn’t. This is a lazy argument, used by the artists themselves and their piss-poor management. Millions more download some half-assed Britney track and that’s still guaranteed to sell well. People will pirate the fuck out of Coldplay and it still hits the top spot. Blah blah :-P.
What is your point? Case in point! - Justice’s “Dance”!
Love it or hate it. There is no denying this should have been a huge monster hit, like a “One More Time” or “Music Sounds Better” and should have kick started a new big wave of electro fans, you should’ve been sick of this song. Indeed, if you use the internet as a source for music, you probably were. But if you were like the many millions who don’t use the internet and rely on the radio, mtv, ringtone charts for their sources of music, you then would have failed to notice this songs existence at all. It was played mildly on a few radio stations for a few days. Whoop-de-do! Not played on any annoying adverts for ringtones, not played on shitty music video channels, despite having a massively eye catching video and again, only mildly mentioned in the press (the press which you pay for, papers, magazines e.t.c).
So, smartass, what should artists do?
Whore themselves, not to kickers, not to converse, not to a shitty lifestyle-music magazine which costs £20 and will be around for about 7 issues, not to a lifestyle of trendy parties full of people who get music for free anyway and want to be “alternative cool dudes” and keep a “scene” for themselves. They should be whoring themselves to the awful ringtone companies, the shitty ad-fuelled music channels, tricking the NME into thinking they are a edgy and have heavy cocaine habits and are really “tortured souls” (guaranteed you’ll be in it for the next 80 issues!) and be wearing Adidas, not converse ;-). This is how to sell music these days.
WAAAAHHH! YOU SUCK!!! THATS SELLING OUT!
And being adverts for Samsung (Crystal Castles), Coca-Cola (Justice), Steve Aoki (Anybody who will pay him, SRSLY) isn’t?
DOUBLE WAAAHH!! I DONT WANT THESE BANDS TO BE KNOWN. I WONT BE COOL ANYMORZ!!
Then look forward to not getting many albums from your favourite bands in the future and this whole scene of Ed Banger, Kitsune, Dim Mak, Institubes, Turbo recordings releasing quality music on a semi-regular basis fucking off and eventually dying or moving to and then probably failing in other markets (100% Bet that Dim Mak goes hippidity-hoppidity at some point) go on forums claiming that piracy was to blame (you, yourself haven’t bought a CD in 7 years, and no, samplers do not count :-P) and spend the rest of your life hunting down unreleased demos of whoever you liked :-(!!!
In summary!
I typed lots of words and forgot the whole point of this rant about half-way through! It was meant in a good hearted way though...
以前に投稿したSteve Aokiの件で沢山の意見を頂きました。それに関しての私たちなりの考えというか。興味のある方は英語を読んでください（笑）ポイントとしてはエレクトロというジャンルでは売り方としてファッションなんかに絡めて宣伝していくパターンがとても多いと思います。それにつられてわ～っとファンになる人もとても多いでしょう。実際そうやってファンを獲得するケースもあるとは思いますが、本当に音楽が好きな人ならばそうはならないはずっていうか、見た目がきれいでも中身がクソなら意味がないっていうか。最近はそういった手法で出てくる人も多いなーと思うわけですが。まぁ、そんな事を語ってます↑。
What everybody who reads music blogs really wants! (Uber essential tracks!)
♫ Together - I've Got So Much Love To Give
♫ Crydajam - If You Give Me The Love That I Want
♫ Daft Punk - The New Wave (Full Length Version)
♫ Fred Falke - The Last Wave (Original Mix)
♫ The KLF - 3A.M Eternal (The White Room Version)
11 comments:
I agree that Steve Aoki does a good job of cheapening the scene. When the video for long-awaited Beetroots single 'Warp' came out, I admit, it was actually a little embarassing to see him there.
I think they (the beetroots and aoki) are trying too hard now to appeal to the 'hipster' brand, I liked them better when it was just understood, not said.
Yup
LOVE this post. I think you just verbalised what I've been thinking for an age! Think it mainly came to prominence when Of Montreal had that song in that advert. Who gives a fuck if they do that eh. They deserve a bit of recognition!
Keep it up!
I really like your argument, except I think you underestimate the deleterious effects "selling out" can have on young bands/acts. Groups that make it big are in danger of losing much artistic freedom, and come under fire if they become too experimental/cutting edge/original/whatever by the powers that be and the public in general. This in turn takes away what made their fans love them to begin with. Obviously this isn't always the case...
But yes, I agree, people need to stop hating on great bands that commercialize themselves for their financial well-being, just because said commercialization endangers their scene from keepings its 'cred.'
It's different in Australia, as much as people might argue it isn't. Electro is massive here and songs like D.A.N.C.E were at the top of our countdown and constantly played on the radio for quite a while, so that's one part of your argument that is slightly flawed.
Otherwise your right. In the end artists are either producing music because they love it, or because they want lots of money and good on them, to be honest. Our economy is down the shithole and the music industry is a little bit harder to break into then it used to be. Sell out goddamn it! Make lots of money! And keep releasing songs! :)
i agree although sometimes i wonder where all of your anger comes from. Is it the song or the video for warp thats getting everyone pissed off because I rather enjoy the simplistic beastliness of the track itself. The video is unimaginative but I can't really think of a good way to make a video for a banger.
as for calling things in the future (hippity hoppity) i'm calling that royksopp forever is going to be in some trailer or espn/nfl intro where the announcer is screaming over the chord change.
popularizing electro would be great. It makes me smile when I hear a familiar beat coming from a strangers car.
o btw the "bag raiders remix" thats number 1 right now is a mash up i made a while back
A good video would be Capsule's Jumper or Don Diablo's Hooligans Never Surrender, even go look at the D.A.N.C.E video or any of Vitalic's videos.
I agree with Anthony, in LA you heard D.A.N.C.E. everywhere. In fact I was surprised when I met people my age from New York who didn't know the song. Otherwise I basically agree with you. In my opinion, let's take the example everybody is using, Aoki is ruining the Bloody Beetroots. I just saw the Bloody Beetroots twice at Ultra Music Festival. I liked them, but I definitely expected a lot more. And though I liked their Saturday set better then their Friday set, they still played Warp twice in like a 20 minute set Saturday (once at the beginning and once at the end, for god sakes play another one of your songs or something). It was also funny to see some transitions from Friday redone backwards on Saturday (if I'm not mistaken). It's just lazy and extremely commercial.
It really comes down to the fact that the fame gets to a lot of these guys' heads. Definitely see that with the case of Justice who just think they can do whatever the fuck they want.
Woah, lots of comments. Comments make me happy! I guess I should address some?
@ Kerri
Exactly! ^_^
@Get A Hud & Not Kayla.
Personally, I have never been one to care about an artist "selling out", as long as the music is good, I really don't care. What I was suggesting is that some artists "sell out" to the wrong brands. Obviously an artist might loose some creative control, but that is usually down to their label, see the recent Klaxons snipe at their bosses at Parlophone (we are a "pop" band), I have no sympathy. You sign with a major, get succesful with an album that is really commericial and was invested in heavily by your label and they reject your "psychedelic" attempts. Diddums. Release that album as a solo thing or under another name, hey, leak it and prove your bosses wrong. But don't act surprised. FFS.
@ Anthony.
I am coming from a UK perspective, it would make sense that it did well in Australia, I heard that even their remix of Skitzo Dancer did well in Aus, it's obvious that things are run much better in Australia. FFS, you have JJJ I would KILL to have a radio station that fun.
@Jospeh & Bastille.
Again glad to see in got alot of play in the big cities of America, which is half the battle, but did it equate to sales and people buying the the album? I couldn't find any reliable stats in regards to this. It's not entirely hate for the Bloody Beetroots either, I am sensing they have the skills to do much better, but if people go crazy for the mediocre, I don't think they will reach their potential. Working with Aoki, of course, is just asking for aids.
As Bastille points out, alot of current electro artists are getting a bit big for their boots. It just *MIGHT* have something to do with sycophants telling them everything they do is amazing.
(Congrats on Chrome Raiders doing so well on Hype machine, had no idea you were behind that mash-up!)
An extra point!
Consider all the awesome music you have heard in the last 3 years, and how spoilt we've been. How the fuck isn't this music ruling the world!!!!!?
after going back and listening to Dimmakmmunication i realized that they have more potential. anyways check out this pic i think you'll laugh
http://tinyurl.com/c63udu
love the post+putting my 2cents[cuz that's what it really worth].
never understood what the deal w/ steve aoki was & you making fun of him was great. Bloody beetroots w/ choo choo/mis-communication sound was the best. Now they are trying to rip off the chewy chocolate cookies style but not as aggressive sounding..so losing interest in them. Was amped to see the beetroots come to toronto but extremely disappointed in mix as they played to the crowd ie who wants to listen to beastie boys when you pay $20. I wanted to hear their songs/remixes at that price.
I think there has been a lot of great electro-banger music come out in 3 years[as stated] but people dont seem to be 'in the mood'. I say this as I went to see felix cartal & 90% of crowd didnt seem to know who he was or into the music. So I think the record companies are suggesting a shift to more friendly sound. So that may explain the beetroots shift...
PS. please check out the following producers who I saw in only 1-2 blogs but deserve more:
1) trumpdisco from OZ. simply amazing
2) dilemn from france
3) the deficient aka nickY: his RER D remix of mustard pimps is best techno-metal merger ever
4) techjio from canada/montreal.
5) george lenton & nightbreaker from UK. lenton's remix of yelle is the best. I wish he would remove his annoying name being mentioned at end of track... thx.
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