musicians & money.

Is there any reason for a musician to be a millionaire these days? Especially when there are kids who have to struggle to save up allowances in order to afford cds and concert tickets to their shows?
Does anyone feel that musicians sometimes compromise their art because there are dollar$signs in their eyes? Has a band you've loved forever suddenly got signed to a huge label and there is a tremendous difference in their music? Does it seem more manufactured all of a sudden.... like, it's not the same band you fell in love with but a super poppy mainstream version of themselves?

Is someone like Beyonce even considered a 'musician' anymore or is she a cash cow for her label or whatever they are saying these days. I remember she used to sing about love and bills bills bills. Now she sings about love sometimes and name brands we cant pronounce (like audemars piguet) all of the time. What happened, B? We the people just cannot relate to that, bby.

Another thing: product placement in songs. Sell outy or sick nasty*? I mean in a video, SURE, everyone loves free stuff and if flashing a Nokia Slider phone in your music video means free service for life, by all means go for it! We won't hate you for that. But right in the lyrics of the song?

i c u kanye west 'ferrari'.... so subtle.

...and since when did certain musicians get cocky enough to charge $300 for a ticket to one of their shows? If your name isn't Michael Jackson, your concert should only be 12 dollars or less. And even then, Michael, I don't know...I might have to wait for that concert to come out on DVD.

Call me odd but I love the idea of the 'struggling artist'... the musicians who have no money and come up with clever ways to sell merch at shows! The ones who care more about making music and playing shows than about the fact they have yet to make enough gas money to get to the next show. The musicians who are on MySpace like 'we need a place to sleep in *insert city* so if you have room, hook us up'! The musicians who have friends and not just 'acquaintances' or people who are paid to hang out with them! (You can't pay for a BFF!) The ones who aren't too rich or famous to still speak to their fans like normal people. When is the last time you had a 'conversation' with Beyonce? Do you think you ever will? Now do you think it's possible to have a 'conversation' with like... Alex from All Time Low? Obviously you could. You feel more normal around bands like All Time Low. But around people like Beyonce and Jay Z you just feel like 'the little people'...they have to move along like they are too busy to speak to, wave or look at any of their fans. (Except they have to pretend to love you at concerts because you obviously paid $4,000 for a ticket!)

I know that once you become as famous as Beyonce, you aren't just a singer/musician anymore. You're basically a one person corporation. Your name isn't just your name anymore, it's a BRAND. Used and stamped on so many different things $$ it's hard to keep track $$. Even if the perfume you endorse (aka created?) smells like cow sweat $$ it's going on the shelves, right? $$

I would like to see Mariah Carey switch roles with All Time Low. For example, if it happened right now, All Time Low would travel by private jet to each show (sicknasty!) and would probably never be able to speak to another fan again (bummer!)...and Mariah Carey would be sharing a bus with Cobra Starship right now (bummer?) and having Singstar competitions with fans (Singstar= sicknasty! With a fan = bummer?)

Ugh, it's too much to wrap my mind around at the moment. It is 4am after all.

To all my favorite bands: unsigned, indie - You mofos all have the potential to take the music world by storm and I know you all will someday. And even if you do have to sacrifice yourself to the industry and become a cash cow or whatever (the horror!) at least never forget where you started. Keep your fans to yourself, don't sell us out for cash and fame! Play music that makes you feel something not just music that makes you money.

*I stole the sellouty/sicknasty phrase from All Time Low.

musicians + money - integrity + guitar hero + champagne - clothes = ?