Quote:
Originally Posted by edslunch
This whole notion of selling out is BS in my mind and reflects the fans' view of the band. The artists themselves change and grow, and may get tired of playing the same stuff. Good on them for trying something different, even if some of their fans don't like it.
Even if they deliberately go more commercial that's a valid career choice, like any of us moving to less challenging/enjoyable job to make more money. Or maybe they just like making pop music even though they started in death metal. They're the artists, who are we to judge?
I used to laugh at the old geezers touring until they drop but what else is a musician going to do? Their life is making music and if they can enjoy and/or make money performing into their eighties, why not?
There are definitely many instances of bands abandoning their ideals - i don't think Roger Daltrey actually wishes he had died before he grew old - but don't we all?
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People don't like change. I used Linkin Park as an example as I was a huge fan of their first handful of albums which were nu-metal but once they evolved into more of a pop band, I stopped listening to them. I never really held it against them because it's their life and profession. It's ridiculously selfish to expect a band to not venture into a different direction artistically or more mainstream to profit if that's what they want to do with their career as everyone should be free to pursue the career direction they wish. I will always find other bands/artists to listen to. A lot of metal fans rag on Metallica for the Black album but that's the album that paved the way for their immense success and massive fortune as they are estimated to be worth 1 billion dollars. Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax combined aren't worth $100 million. They never sold out. They succeeded and became the biggest metal band ever. If there's one thing that the internet has taught me is that catering to fanboys is how business go bankrupt and artists become poor.