Musical Moments #14

Not a concert summary? Oh man, I've actually gotta say something.

Today's rant:

"Mainstream" has got to be the single most useless attempt at a derogatory I've ever seen.
And I see it a lot. Everywhere. It's an excuse for people to hate bands, even hate -genres- of music.

But let's break it down, because mainstream has been applied to everything conceivable.
I've heard (in recent memory) Shinedown being called mainstream, In This Moment being called mainstream, Three Days Grace, Adele, Daughtry, Dream Theater (seriously?), and a whole host of others.
You know what they have in common? They play music. That's pretty much the sum of it.

Which means mainstream isn't in itself a genre, but rather a status. A status of being well-liked.
Which means in using the term as a derogatory, you are suggesting to me that you hate a band because other people like them.

Wait, what? Take your hipster trash elsewhere.

Isn't that what everyone wants for the music they enjoy? For it to be enjoyed by others?
Isn't that the whole point? To appreciate beauty?

I'll accept a laundry list of reasons not to like certain groups. Hell, just saying "I don't like them." is sufficient. I realize that taste is primarily - and if nothing else - subjective.

But refusing to give a band or an artist any credit because they are, at the absolute minimum, good at their jobs, is a sort of lunacy I can't really get behind.

I'm not saying there aren't "mainstream" bands that I don't like, mind you. But I don't like them because of their music, not their popularity. I thought - hoped - we'd get past garbage logic like that after graduating high school.

Disappointing to be wrong on that one.

Come on, people.

- C