Would you rather...

[53mph]

Quote:For the rest of your life only compose the most generic, safe songs and continue to have smash hits or would your rather write some of the most innovative, ahead-of-it's-time music in which only a small handful of people would ever realize the musical ingenuity?The only problem with this question is that lots of people believe they're making innovative music but only time can really tell if it's innovative.Many great innovators are such because they are immitated so much. For example, the Velvet Underground are known as innovators because they are so often imitated but in their time were relatively unsuccessful.But lots of innovative music is long forgotten.For example, there is an infinte thread on here about Sgt Peppers and how ground breaking it was. But does anyone remember a Van Dyke Parks (of Beach Boys fame) album called Song Cycle which came out around the same time. It was the most expensive album ever made at the time and one of the most innovative. It was suppossed to be the American answer to Sgt Peppers but ended up being one of the biggest flops ever.That was an example of when innovation and commercialism didn't work together. The label was hoping to reap the rewards by giving Van Dyke Parks free artistic rein after his ground breaking and commercial success with the Beach Boys.Another truly groundbreaking artist is Aphex Twin...but even he is now so imitated that he's become mainstream.The problem I have with your question is that you seem to suggest that innovation cannot be mainstream.In practise it's not so clear-cut because innovative can be remembered by everyone forever (Sgt Peppers, Beach Boys) or forgotten by most but remembered by few (Van Dyck Parks) or even swallowed and assimilated into the mainstream (Velvet Underground and Aphex Twin).I don't know if any of these artists originally started out intentionally wanting to be innovative and cult, or innovative and mainstream.Personally, I'd like to be innovative and successful but I also don't think I have the talent to be churning out "safe" (is it ever safe) generic music for cash. But I certainly don't look down on the people who can do that; it's a skill.

[soulwire]

Quote:Hmm...interesting. Is that a question that has relevance to most people? Just asking...not trying to say it doesn't.Haha. I don't know if there is any relevance to real life application, I thought it would provoke some interesting conversation. I think what it does do is allow us to look at our inner motivations and be able to share it, no matter what the answer is to this question or how we perceive it. Ever play Zobmondo? It's is a game that asks 2 questions and people have to choose one answer, but it's not to say that there will ever be a time where we are faced with this question in real life, nor that it would make sense. The question would be too one sided if I asked: Would you rather write ingenious, ground breaking music that appeals to the masses or would you rather write generic, half-hearted music that doesn't appeal to very many people. So again, this is more for introspection and fun than relaying this to practical application because I think we all know there are numerous hit songs that are innovative, ground breaking and amazing..just doesn't make for a challenging question.

[soulwire]

By the way, I think it is really interesting to read all of the thoughtful responses: from the ones that choose the first, second or the ones that don't want to answer it at all and question the question. I don't think there can be a right or wrong way to answer. Pretty cool and interesting.

[matto]

Quote:Haha. I don't know if there is any relevance to real life application, I thought it would provoke some interesting conversation.It is most certainly doing that...

[onoffon]

Lisa from the MORGo Music Group reviews ONOFFON -"One thing that certainly seperates this particular music group is simply the style in which they play. The combination of alternative, jazz, and rock, does indeed bring forth an original sound, and ONOFFON has emited that glow. With the smooth-relaxing atmosphere of 'Mardi Gras' and the angelic arrangement of 'Shadowglass,' this group has set their own standard. While still maintaining influences and comparisons to such bands as the Harry Connick Jr. New York Big Band, the Dave Matthews Band, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and their most likely to be rival Coldplay. In many ways this group distinguishes themselves from the others with the uniqueness of their sound. Songs like the jazzy intelligent 'Weekend In Montreal' and the odd rhythm of 'Surrender Now' leave them in their own category for now. All in all, ONOFFON, is an original sound in the shadow of the unsigned just waiting to explode."Interestingly, while she maintains that our sound is completely unique, she still has to compare us to other established groups - Harry Connick, Dave Matthews, the Chili Peppers, and Coldplay - talk about diversity!! Now, as many of you know, ONOFFON has inspired hundreds of reviews like this, that I continue to endlessly post on our obscene SSP thread.Unfortunately, the public defines success by how much bling you have and how many Billboard chart toppers you get, but, artistically speaking, as long as we continue to inspire these types of reactions from reviewers that basically do nothing but listen to new music, we couldn't be more successful...Von from NFNhttp://www.onoffon.com/

[jchitty]

Quote:For the rest of your life only compose the most generic, safe songs and continue to have smash hits or would your rather write some of the most innovative, ahead-of-it's-time music in which only a small handful of people would ever realize the musical ingenuity?Rephrasing in case people are misinterpreting the question: on one side, you aren't writing to your full capacity (which again is up to you how you want to interpret this) but it connects with the masses and on the other you are writing what you would consider your master work but it isn't well received by most.Nah, I want smash hits. Show me the money.

[onoffon]

In a recent USA Today article about America's youth, "eighty-one percent of 18- to 25-year-olds surveyed in a Pew Research Center poll released in January said getting rich is their generation's most important or second-most-important life goal; 51% said the same about being famous."81% - To get rich51% - To be famous30% - To help people in need22% - To be leaders in their communities10% - To become more spiritualWhen Oprah announced she was building an educational facility in Africa, she was criticized for not building it in America. She said that American kids think more about materialistic things than education. I think this poll backs up her claims.The media focuses so much attention on who is rich and famous - I mean, really, if Donald Trump wasn't worth millions, who would really care what he has to say?

[matto]

I'm 100% with you on this Von...

[prez]

Yeah. You hit it on the head here. Even Oprah did which is eerily surprising.

[edteja]

I love the section on "People in the News" in the newspapers. It is NEVER about someone who has done anything useful...almost 100% of the stories are about celebrities. Because that is who most folks care about. To me, the fact that even "reality" has become a commodity makes your point eloquently Von.