anti-pop

[Farlo]

Anti-Pop Manifesto

America is the indisputable music capitol of the world. Therefore, as citizens of this country, we need to unite against the pop-music industry for its crimes of marketing unesthetic, untalented and non-genuine music.

Through the timeline of history, the beginning of the 21st century marks the lowest decline of recorded music. Unbridled capitalism of America has corrupted the dignity of the music industry. Pop music lacks the talent and creativity of earlier musical eras. Music has undergone a transformation from an art-form to a commodity. As previous musical eras reflect the attitudes and opinions of people, modern music reflects the naivete and ignorance of people today. Music has always been focused on the younger generations.

Now, with a growing economy, money has become more accessible for teenagers. The market has directed itself towards teenagers with flashy ads and catchy slogans. Advertisements of colorful sorts have assaulted society with emphasis on young adults. Buses, stadiums, shop windows, radio and television promote banners and commercials that appeal to teenagers.

As television (MTV and senseless sitcoms) and cinema have converted its direction toward young people, so has the music industry. Music has been degraded into programmable beats, trite lyrics, computerized rhythms and catchy choruses that can be done with the push of a button. It lacks the natural sound, instrumental talent and human involvement of previous musical eras. Barbie dollish teenagers have been transformed into celebrities for performing this music. Record industries have "song writers" write the music that will sell to young people. Then, they select a young, sexually appealing person to perform the music in order to gross further revenues. This young person, considered a "musician" or "artist," is instructed how to dance, sing and perform the music. Next, the record company spends millions of dollars posting the "artist's" music all over billboards, malls and on television.

More money is spent playing the "artist's" music on radio stations and television (MTV) channels. Once the identity and catchy music of the "artist" becomes ever-present and overbearing, naïve teenagers purchase the "artist's" albums. The record company makes ten fold or more on what they put in to advertise and produce the music. They make money off teenagers' desire to conform.

If a product becomes widely known or popular, young adults will buy it regardless of what the item may stand for or its quality. By mass-advertisement, record companies smother society with music, elevating that "musician" to a "popular" status. The abundant advertisements convince young people that the "musician" is well known. In the end , they buy the album strictly on the basis of popularity. Record companies understand this. They manipulate young people on their weakness to conform. Contemporary pop-music can be compared to the fast food industry; advertisements for fast food and pop music are similar. Both are colorful and catchy. Pop music and fast food are a quick, tasty fix that offers nothing. Fast food offers no positive health characteristics to the body and pop music offers no abstract meaning and few important messages. Even though people know that health food is better for them, many eat fast food because its cheap and tasty.

Even though many people realize that music based on talent is more skilled and creative, many people would rather listen to pop music because its popular and catchy. Pop music is happy music. It does not address issues that are intelligent or controversial. Pop music is based on romance (largely directed towards teenage romance). Love is an important topic to be sung about but pop musicians have lost the ability to do it creatively. Many of the same trite lyrics in a particular pop song can be found in many other pop songs. The dilemma that this causes is a lack of understanding and concern for other worldly issues. Proof of my assertion can be found in music of the Vietnam era. At that time, music was much more politically charged which ignited young people to be concerned about many issues and to be politically active.

Today, pop music is almost entirely absent of debatable issues. This has nullified young people's interests in politics, the environment and other controversial topics. I blame the pop music industry for the over-abundance of apathy in young people today. Through personal observation I have noticed that many young people prefer pop music because it is "cheerful" and "care-free" as opposed to other musical genres which address an entire spectrum of topics. Also, I have noticed many young people do not even understand the meaning of the a particular song. They enjoy the music for its catchy beat without even making an attempt to decipher its meaning. Pop music is an unsuccessful imitation of what music is all about.

The corporate elite have commodified music and corporatized its production and distribution. They have taken control away from musicians ability to create music. They have lionized untalented "artists" and marginalized skilled musicians. The music industry has taken away the dignity of popular music and is continuing on a decline. There is a threat to commercialized music; the growing interest in underground music. Many people are aware of the lack of genuine talent in mainstream music and they are seeking music that is not played on television or the radio. The interest is expanding but the pop music industry has attempted to combat this interest by commercializing underground music. Large offers of money have swayed many underground bands to sell-out to the pop industry. They have become puppets and the corporate record executives are their puppeteers. I admire anyone who promotes creative/genuine music. As long as commercialized music exists, there will be an equally powerful threat against it. Every note sung, every drum beat and every guitar riff is a coup d' etat against the industry.

[danielwang]

Overboard there, but I see where you're going. If you would tone that down and put in some examples, proofs, scholarly warrants (Assertation -> Example / Logic -> Warrant i think) maybe people would actually take this very seriously.

It happen in jpop too. I mean, a lot of Elvis's songs were written for him but the fact that record companies leech money off of this simply proves another flawed aspect of society (that wouldn't happen if people followed my ideas, aargh, internet free enterprise!). You think Britney Spears is it?

Visit Japan for a few months (on company-sponsored RSA convention), and you will soon figure out this is exactly what "Smap" is... it's in Europe too! Bofh help us!

[Cardinal.jpg]

a) My sig is how I have always felt
b) We get that here, but we mainly get your churned out shit and a bit of easy to manipulate aus bands, which means that our underground scene is still quite rich.

[fyrtenheimer]

Anti-Pop Manifesto

America is the indisputable music capitol of the world. Therefore, as citizens of this country, we need to unite against the pop-music industry for its crimes of marketing unesthetic blah blah blah backstreet


pop blah blah saggy titties


music industry blah blah john candy

i know you didnt write all that shit, because you're too stupid

M.I has always been like this, der, it's just asstards like you that finally see it, though you probably didn't see nething, cause it looks like some copy and pasted shit


OH HOY , DIOS ES VENIENDO bitches

[HellBlazer]

do you really think many ppl are gonna read all that shit?

Id be better off jackin off... right now.. in my computer class...

i swear some ppl....

[Wykith]

Thanx for the cut and paste.
I agree 100%.....now is there anything you plan to do about that?
It's a hopeless fight. The mindless masses will always outnumber people who actually care about what they are doing, listening to, seeing, believing, etc. They feed off people's need to be accepted by their peers to make their money. Get a good majority of people to say you're cool, and the sheep will all follow mindlessly. It's an airtight strategy. It's sad.....very sad.....but what can we do? Reverse the machine's direction? For what purpose. If people started listening to meaningful music, it would become pop. The corporations would commercialize and sell the concept "meaningful" "deep" and "insightful" You would have 8 year old nose pickers walking around with a T-Shirt of the new band "Politically incorrect" Without having a damn clue why. "Everyone at school is wearing it" would be your only response from these poor drones. The company will never lose. The only way they can lose is if humanity became a union of individuals and not a mass of sheep. That day however, is faaar, faaaar, away. /end rant.

[Farlo]

fyrtenheimer you fucktard

i NEVER said that i wrote it...however by your shitty spelling i can saftely assume that i am smarter than you are

[fyrtenheimer]

ok, i apologize for making you look like a moron
though ...i didnt play a big part in doing that

oh ...haha


yeah, got yah there bitch

[SSJVegita0609]

Topic Classification: Useless Revolt
Rating: Rant-o-rific
Intelligence: 6
Originality: 2
Chance for succeeding in getting a message across: 47%
Conclusion: Damn the system!

[fyrtenheimer]

Topic Classification: Useless Revolt
Rating: Rant-o-rific
Intelligence: 6
Originality: 2
Chance for succeeding in getting a message across: 47%
Conclusion: Damn the system!

oh that was awesome, seriously



btw, i love what ur sig says
i say that to everyone now, they so hate it
i so love it