As Taylor Swift launched her new album, Fame, we have been aware about the identical dialog we have been listening to since Pink and the complete-pop album 1989: “What occurred to the nation woman, the artist that Taylor Swift was?” As if the nation style is one thing magical that lives outdoors the timeframe of music. As if, when she was nation, Taylor Swift was one thing extra particular. Perhaps she was, however that is not the purpose right here. Taylor Swift feels the necessity to say, “the previous Taylor is lifeless,” however I do not assume the road must be that straightforward. Truly, I do not assume this dialog is about Taylor Swift in any respect.

When The Band Perry began releasing pop songs, they too have been met with criticism. One other sellout band — that is what they have been labeled as. No one appears to be listening to the lyrics of their track “Keep within the Darkish.” As an alternative, they’re fast to criticize the band for reaching out to one thing else as if all artists ought to stick with their lane, by no means department out, and all the time toe the road of their “model.” It is a protected guess, nevertheless it’s not very difficult.

On the one hand, we’ve got Ed Sheeran being championed for his seamless transition between style strains. Going from Gaelic people to a rock vibe to pop to an alternate sound — Ed seamlessly blurs the road of genres. There’s one thing there for everyone; his essence and artistic prowess is ready to shine, and god, does it shine. Ed Sheeran is Ed Sheeran as a result of he does what he loves and he does it properly. He does not conform to at least one type or one other; his type is no matter he is doing, and it is nice.

Once we put artists right into a style field, we could also be holding individuals from songs and artistry that they could in any other case love. If I informed you that Kesha might sing with Dolly Parton and sound superb, you is perhaps stunned. On her newest album, Rainbow, Kesha effortlessly strikes from rock to pop to nation after which a enjoyable boogie quantity that performs with an Elvis vibe. As an alternative of solely membership beats, Kesha exhibits that if you ignore style limits, you possibly can find yourself with an ideal album.

Fall Out Boy is one other group that has been mercilessly criticized for shifting away from their older sound as if the band members have not grown up, had youngsters, lived their lives, and advanced. You’ll be able to take pleasure in their older music and their newer music with out equating one with the opposite. Or, you would favor one over the opposite. That does not imply that Fall Out Boy has bought out; it merely signifies that they’ve modified, and that is OK. Artists are human beings, and their inspirations, their emotions, and their musical careers change. This criticism of musicians has gone additional than merely expressing distaste for an album.

After Fall Out Boy’s hiatus, Patrick Stump made a solo album. It wasn’t Fall Out Boy’s type, and followers responded by bullying him. Stump turned depressed and penned a weblog piece titled, “We Appreciated You Higher Fats: Confessions of a Pariah.” He defined the state of affairs and detailed the onslaught of bullying he confronted:

“What I wasn’t ready for was the fervor of the hate from individuals who have been ostensibly my very own supporters (or no less than supporters of one thing I had been a part of). The barrage of ‘We appreciated you higher fats,’ the threatening letters to my residence, the youngsters that paid for tickets to my solo exhibits to inform me how a lot I sucked with out Fall Out Boy, that wasn’t one thing I suppose I used to be or ever might be prepared for. That is dedication. That is actual palpable anger.”

Stump’s publish goes on to say, “There is no sum of money that makes you are feeling higher when individuals consider you as a joke or a hack or a failure or ugly or silly or morally empty.”

Picture Supply: Getty / Evan Agostini

It is OK to not like any person’s music and it is OK to love sure genres, however blatantly bullying artists, shaming them, and questioning their each choice just because it isn’t “your style” isn’t solely reprehensible, nevertheless it stops artists from artistic progress. It is necessary that we keep in mind that artists aren’t merely writing and performing for our profit; artists are often within the craft as a result of it’s their ardour. If we do not like a portray, we often pretend a smile and inform the artist that we’re glad that they are following their very own ardour, as a result of it is a recognized proven fact that artwork is subjective — until you are a musician. Then it is simply topic to large scrutiny.

Maybe the issue is that folks discuss with it not simply as music, however the music business. Labels are conveniently scraped into bins; artists are signed to their area of interest. Listeners are aware about a system telling them which artist teams belong collectively. In a world of MTV VMAs, Grammys, and CMAs, we’re advised who’s what and the place every artist or band conveniently belongs. Like items on the manufacturing chain, music has turn into business, and business is a gross sales machine. Some may say that style is not as essential these days as millennials proceed to draw back from the style tradition.

A survey by Ypulse concluded that, “Whereas millennials are keen about music . . . seventy nine% of thirteen- to 32-yr-olds stated their tastes did not fall into one particular music style. Simply eleven% stated that they solely listened to at least one style of music.”

So, if millennials are much less involved about style, why are we bullying The Band Perrys, the Taylor Swifts, the Miley Cyruses, and the Fall Out Boys of the world? Certainly most, if not all, of those acts are millennial period. I say we rejoice music in a music-by-track, artist-by-artist foundation. In my idealistic world, music can be consumed by private style and inspiration. Because the world of streaming continues to amass, I sit up for making an attempt on all types of flavors in a limitless world.