Indie Truths II: Popularity Equals Lack of Talent

It’s the second installment of breaking down indie myths. One of the most common is that once a band becomes popular, they are no longer talented. Maybe they sold out, or compromised their sound. Any band who has been popular from the beginning must be talentless hacks that pander to the stupid masses.

Ask any hipster what they think about a very popular band and they will get visibly angry at worst, or laugh and pretend to like them ironically. No self respecting hipster can say they earnestly like the Pussycat Dolls unless they can construe their work as “societal commentary.” Just say the word Nickelback and see indie rockers become visibly angry. No, really! Look here, here, and here:

Sorry, Project Jenny, Project Jan, but this is elitist and unreasonable. I am sure most indie bands today would not think Michael Jackson, U2, Elvis or the Beatles were “a bunch of bullshit” pandering to “the lowest common denominator.” Those are former top 40 acts that pretty much everyone likes, or at least respects. They are musicians who have changed the world and are famous in most countries. You’d never say someone was stupid and uncultured for liking the Beatles. Any serious musician who dismissed the Beatles out of hand just because of their popularity would be laughed offstage. So why in indie circles is it so commonplace to jump to the defensive whenever a popular band is mentioned? What makes Bruce Springsteen (a top 40 icon) have cred despite his popularity, but Britney Spears be ridiculed based on it? Jealous, much?

I am not saying every top 40 song is a work of art just because it’s popular. But likewise, popularity doesn’t make it worthless either. Bands that can sustain top 40 status over decades tend to be those we deem “classic,” not “lowest common denominator.” The more appealing a song is to such a broad range of people, the more it is usually considered well written. If you don’t like Three Doors Down, that’s fine. But dislike them because of their music, not because they are popular. You’re not a better musician just because no one’s heard of your band, and you’re not a worse one just because you’re on the radio.