Comments on: The Music Fan’s Lament #3: Hype Overload http://songbytoad.com/2008/07/the-music-fans-lament-3-hype-overload/ Independent music from Edinburgh, Scotland - with added gin and swearing. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:23:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: The Music Fan’s Lament #2: Over Saturation « Song, by Toad http://songbytoad.com/2008/07/the-music-fans-lament-3-hype-overload/#comment-6147 The Music Fan’s Lament #2: Over Saturation « Song, by Toad Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:13:09 +0000 http://songbytoad.wordpress.com/?p=1914#comment-6147 [...] here are the other posts in the series: 1. Fragmentation 2. Over Saturation 3. Hype Overload 4. [...] [...] here are the other posts in the series: 1. Fragmentation 2. Over Saturation 3. Hype Overload 4. [...]

]]> By: Matthew http://songbytoad.com/2008/07/the-music-fans-lament-3-hype-overload/#comment-6172 Matthew Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:23:29 +0000 http://songbytoad.wordpress.com/?p=1914#comment-6172 Well, this is a danger. When the expectations are ratcheted up to silly levels then big labels do tend to invest, expecting, or even demanding, a blockbuster. Then when it (almost always) turns out that the band are just 'very good' rather than eye-wateringly brilliant they can act like the band have somehow failed to perform, rather than just recognising that they themselves were the ones who created these expectations, because it is rarely the band themselves. Well, this is a danger. When the expectations are ratcheted up to silly levels then big labels do tend to invest, expecting, or even demanding, a blockbuster. Then when it (almost always) turns out that the band are just ‘very good’ rather than eye-wateringly brilliant they can act like the band have somehow failed to perform, rather than just recognising that they themselves were the ones who created these expectations, because it is rarely the band themselves.

]]> By: Jon http://songbytoad.com/2008/07/the-music-fans-lament-3-hype-overload/#comment-6171 Jon Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:53:48 +0000 http://songbytoad.wordpress.com/?p=1914#comment-6171 The problem as I see it with hyping a band (whether it is through the blogs or more traditional radio/video/touring means is that it removes any element of discovery. Back when I went to shows more often the best part was almost always the opening act or acts who I may have not heard as much of as I had the main atttractio. Yo La Tengo, Pulp, Stereo MCs, Inspiral Carpets and countless others were brought into my world without any preconceived notions. Today, you already know everything there is to know before a single is even released. Which increases the pressure on these artists to develop faster and not take the time to craft a truly meaningful album. Take Arctic Monkeys. I have little doubt that two or three records from now we will be talking about a really good band but will they be given the chance to grow given that the hype and subsequent failure to sustain their buzz might kill them off before they even get the chance. So I guess this is a long winded response to say that hype is inehrently dangerous but we as consumers have to now when to listen and when to tune it out in order to find the true quality musicians. Or I could be wrong I'm kinda tired... The problem as I see it with hyping a band (whether it is through the blogs or more traditional radio/video/touring means is that it removes any element of discovery. Back when I went to shows more often the best part was almost always the opening act or acts who I may have not heard as much of as I had the main atttractio. Yo La Tengo, Pulp, Stereo MCs, Inspiral Carpets and countless others were brought into my world without any preconceived notions. Today, you already know everything there is to know before a single is even released. Which increases the pressure on these artists to develop faster and not take the time to craft a truly meaningful album. Take Arctic Monkeys. I have little doubt that two or three records from now we will be talking about a really good band but will they be given the chance to grow given that the hype and subsequent failure to sustain their buzz might kill them off before they even get the chance. So I guess this is a long winded response to say that hype is inehrently dangerous but we as consumers have to now when to listen and when to tune it out in order to find the true quality musicians.

Or I could be wrong I’m kinda tired…

]]> By: a tart http://songbytoad.com/2008/07/the-music-fans-lament-3-hype-overload/#comment-6170 a tart Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:18:58 +0000 http://songbytoad.wordpress.com/?p=1914#comment-6170 Honest to god, if there's hype around a band I rarely get turned on by the music. Now, don't get me wrong, I attribute that to my age, being surely older than C&B, (I'm 44 and still trying to figure out what happened to oldschool hip hop/rap - why doesn't *anyone* make music like Salt-n-Peppa anymore?). But most genres have simply run afoul of my taste expectations: indie has gone either too folksy or too drearily post-grunge; folk has lost it's politics; rock is so confused that on Billboard's charts this week we have everything from Coldplay to John Mayer to Kid Rock to Beck (?), and yes, Billboard is perhaps the worst place to try and cull information from but if we're talking hype, that's a major source folks. I've been out of the music scene for a few years (damn grad school excursion) and getting back in has been a mind blowing experience because hype is completely wasted on me lol. I'm old enough to listen to what I want to and not waste time or money on crap I don't like. But, an important thing to remember about hype in the economic sense is that if one band or artist is getting hyped another one isn't. Or is that true? Is hype a great big pie of accolades, divvied out thoughtlessly by bloggers and promoters and music labels who care not that more deserving or more talented or harder working musicians are left to starve? Hmmmm..... Honest to god, if there’s hype around a band I rarely get turned on by the music. Now, don’t get me wrong, I attribute that to my age, being surely older than C&B, (I’m 44 and still trying to figure out what happened to oldschool hip hop/rap – why doesn’t *anyone* make music like Salt-n-Peppa anymore?). But most genres have simply run afoul of my taste expectations: indie has gone either too folksy or too drearily post-grunge; folk has lost it’s politics; rock is so confused that on Billboard’s charts this week we have everything from Coldplay to John Mayer to Kid Rock to Beck (?), and yes, Billboard is perhaps the worst place to try and cull information from but if we’re talking hype, that’s a major source folks. I’ve been out of the music scene for a few years (damn grad school excursion) and getting back in has been a mind blowing experience because hype is completely wasted on me lol. I’m old enough to listen to what I want to and not waste time or money on crap I don’t like. But, an important thing to remember about hype in the economic sense is that if one band or artist is getting hyped another one isn’t. Or is that true? Is hype a great big pie of accolades, divvied out thoughtlessly by bloggers and promoters and music labels who care not that more deserving or more talented or harder working musicians are left to starve? Hmmmm…..

]]> By: Matthew http://songbytoad.com/2008/07/the-music-fans-lament-3-hype-overload/#comment-6169 Matthew Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:19:51 +0000 http://songbytoad.wordpress.com/?p=1914#comment-6169 Apparently there aren't as many snipers available in Washington as there used to be... Apparently there aren’t as many snipers available in Washington as there used to be…

]]> By: Campfires & Battlefields http://songbytoad.com/2008/07/the-music-fans-lament-3-hype-overload/#comment-6168 Campfires & Battlefields Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:29:22 +0000 http://songbytoad.wordpress.com/?p=1914#comment-6168 Y'know, one benefit of old age is that we have the financial wherewithal to retain hired killers. Y’know, one benefit of old age is that we have the financial wherewithal to retain hired killers.

]]> By: Campfires & Battlefields http://songbytoad.com/2008/07/the-music-fans-lament-3-hype-overload/#comment-6167 Campfires & Battlefields Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:29:02 +0000 http://songbytoad.wordpress.com/?p=1914#comment-6167 Oh you scamp! I'm gonna cry myself to sleep over that one. Oh you scamp! I’m gonna cry myself to sleep over that one.

]]> By: Matthew http://songbytoad.com/2008/07/the-music-fans-lament-3-hype-overload/#comment-6166 Matthew Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:01:45 +0000 http://songbytoad.wordpress.com/?p=1914#comment-6166 WHATAZING! That was brilliant! Haha! Sorry C&B old chap, just couldn't resist. WHATAZING! That was brilliant! Haha! Sorry C&B old chap, just couldn’t resist.

]]> By: Matthew http://songbytoad.com/2008/07/the-music-fans-lament-3-hype-overload/#comment-6165 Matthew Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:01:14 +0000 http://songbytoad.wordpress.com/?p=1914#comment-6165 It isn't aimed at you because you're old, mate. If you were cooler, they'd care what you listened to. It isn’t aimed at you because you’re old, mate. If you were cooler, they’d care what you listened to.

]]> By: Campfires & Battlefields http://songbytoad.com/2008/07/the-music-fans-lament-3-hype-overload/#comment-6164 Campfires & Battlefields Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:15:53 +0000 http://songbytoad.wordpress.com/?p=1914#comment-6164 I never feel like "the hype" is directed at me for some reason. I don't go out of my way to avoid it really, but it just never even occurs to me to pay attention to it. I don't watch MTV, I don't listen to the radio very often, I don't read mainstream music magazines, and of my handful of friends who are interested in music, none are particularly interested in "buzz bands." I had heard a couple of tunes by Black Kids last year and saw nothing to interest me, so I simply tuned them out, and until Matthew's review/rant last week I really hadn't given them another thought. So much for the hype. I'd hate to think it's my age, but as a matter of marketing, I guess hype tends to be directed at the 12-24 demographic because it's thought that people of that age spend money not so much to get value in return but rather as a means of signaling to themselves (and other 12-24 year olds) that they are hipsters. I never feel like “the hype” is directed at me for some reason. I don’t go out of my way to avoid it really, but it just never even occurs to me to pay attention to it. I don’t watch MTV, I don’t listen to the radio very often, I don’t read mainstream music magazines, and of my handful of friends who are interested in music, none are particularly interested in “buzz bands.” I had heard a couple of tunes by Black Kids last year and saw nothing to interest me, so I simply tuned them out, and until Matthew’s review/rant last week I really hadn’t given them another thought. So much for the hype. I’d hate to think it’s my age, but as a matter of marketing, I guess hype tends to be directed at the 12-24 demographic because it’s thought that people of that age spend money not so much to get value in return but rather as a means of signaling to themselves (and other 12-24 year olds) that they are hipsters.

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