An Educated Rant: Why we really dont care how long you've been at the disco
So with the out-of-nowhere emergence [or increasing popularity] of bands such as PANIC! at the Disco, My Chemical Romance, Fall out Boy,etc.. more and more teenagers tend to be less focused on the actual music and image these bands make, and are more worried about weeding out the "fans" who found out about them on mtv [take for example the P!atd posers].
Now, this is where the whole educated rant towards something so incredibly Uneducated begins: Music is now not about just loving it, you now have to be a fan for so long or you will be discouraged to listen to it. The biggest contradiction - Lets blame Evil MTV
We all have heard someone talk about an obscure band and the phrase "they are SO underrated" comes out of their mouth. These are the exact same people who will complain once the band gets are sort of recognition. This is the part I don't get most about the "phase" teenagers are going through with music. You cannot complain about how a band is so unpopular, and then complain about how MTV "ruined your band". Success is a good thing people, and most bands shockingly, want this exposure. Unknown bands, for this reason, tour years on end, make Myspaces, and will do anything else to spread their name. Television/Radio = Increase in concert and CD sales -- hence, where The "evil" MTV comes in ruining your band and letting them make something called a Living [I actually am not a fan of MTV - only b/c it doesn't play music]. I remember the lead singer of Modest Mouse [whose name escapes me at the moment], said when someone said they sold out that he tended to like his bills paid You cant blame Rap this time
As much as people want to bad talk rap anytime music is mentioned -- this isn't really seen in rap. Why? Call me crazy but I think it lies in labels. Labels that are almost invisible in Rap. The "Myspace-endorsed" Scene and _____xcore phase [yes it is a phase], constantly uses music choice as a criteria to be labelled as such. When you are considered as a "fake" -- the first thing that makes the "real" scenesters want to weed you out is that your not a real fan of the bands that got you this title. Music is to bring us together - Right?
Once in a while my mom will be listening to some bands from the 80's and she'll tell me about how their songs were great or they were the in thing. She never once told me about wars of the old and new fans. Sadly, we wont be able to say that. Music will be more of an [anti] popularity contest, instead of bringing together by the music that expresses our views on politics, love, our enviroment, struggles, and our lives. Congratulations, while preaching how "dedicated" you are to the music you listen to, you have made us all lose the true purpose of music. Thanks