The New Generation of Artists

No longer are we subjected to the same commercialized artists that record companies and management pour to the masses. In the 90’s the public was spoon fed their music in neat little packages. Each artist was labeled and categorized. Fitting into well-ordered groups, there wasn’t much room for the unique and truly talented. That was then. This is now. Ordinary and traditional artists are being traded in by the music biz for the unique and corky. From artists like; Lady Gaga, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Kid Cudi, to lesser knowns ; B.O.B, The Flobots, and The Roots, just to name a few, they are all rebelling against normality and trying to make it in the business by not falling into place, but standing out in the crowd. Normal isn’t normal anymore. Instead, consumers are looking for the abnormal. “Weird” for lack of a better word is in. The weirdness factor of an artist in today’s music world is being amplified and the normal all-American artist is being reduced and taking a backseat. I would like to think that the reason for this change is because the masses have realized that just because something is different doesn’t mean it isn’t normal but I’ll have to agree with what we had previously talked about in one of our lectures. I believe that the advertising companies have created an artist culture that seems to fit nicely with the hipster movement. They completely did away with the norm and made it “hip” to be weird. Is it a good thing? I think it could be if it opens peoples mind to different.