The Sellout Thread

They all put out weaker material in the 80s... Who did they own?

lol they owned your ass obviously, because Rush released Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures in the 80's, both are classic albums. Van Halen put out consistent material until 1984, not very different at all from their early stuff, so it is safe to say that you are wrong. stfu.
 
You're right the early 80s stuff was still good... My bad...

After that they put out simple radio crap because they sold out....
 
I've determined that i despise the term sellout when it comes to musicians. I pretty much entirely agree with Frosties on this issue, but i'll comment on the whole In Flames thing. I made a thread talking about bands like In Flames and Soilwork, whose early music was great to me, but both bands then got much more commercial sounding and, to me, made shittier music. But the thing is, that doesn't mean those bands "sold out." It just means they felt like making different music that now doesn't appeal to me. The moment you are getting paid for music is the moment you "sell out," so pretty much every band you know has sold out.

The Dresden Dolls guitar player actually gave a great speech about the whole selling out ordeal at my school (Northeastern University). He pretty much said what i just said, that people like to say bands they used to like sold out once they start making music they no longer like/music that is more popular. If an artist wants to make something that would have more commercial appeal, why shouldnt they be able to? It's their music and they can do whatever they want with it... they shouldn't have to put up with a bunch of stupid fans that instead of just finding another band to like, will complain about how their favorite band sold out. If you dont like a band anymore because they changed their sound for whatever reason, find new bands.. don't whine about it.
 
its important to keep object separate from art. art is the product of its inspiration, whatever it may be.

i was watching an usher dvd with a few friends. as usher took the stage, and demanded the audience to jump, someone in the room said, "damn, it would be sweet to have that much power." i thought, "i'll bet that went through usher's mind when he wrote this song, and choreographed the dance. in fact, its quite clear." i concluded that usher is the epitome of a sellout, an egomaniac, blinded by his impure motivations. i kept my mouth shut and watched the damn thing, and watched my friends engage. i also watched usher engage. my smug judgment was put to shame.

the U.S. military uses an ambush tactic in which they blast heavy metal in order to shock and freeze their enemy....talk about a royalty check.
 
^Are you serious?

Metal bands do the same damn thing, whether they're popular or not. "Everybody get the fuck up!" "I wanna see a fucking circle pit from hell" (Mike actually said that once). Giving your audience their money's worth at a concert is not "selling out." And i highly doubt Usher was power hungry when writing his songs and choreographing his dances.
 
^Are you serious?

Metal bands do the same damn thing, whether they're popular or not. "Everybody get the fuck up!" "I wanna see a fucking circle pit from hell" (Mike actually said that once). Giving your audience their money's worth at a concert is not "selling out." And i highly doubt Usher was power hungry when writing his songs and choreographing his dances.

right, my smug judgment was put to shame....a judgment in the same nature of one that dubbs a sellout.
 
This thread is going to a happy place.

To take it back and answer the original question, the only thing that's ever really defined a sellout for me is somebody who compromises their artistic integrity in order to increase profits made through selling their 'art-product'.

It's a fairly vague statement and can encompass many scenarios, which I'm sure this thread will eventually explore, if it doesn't turn into a juvenile slanderfest first.
 
They simply changed their style a bit, they experimented, they took risks and didn't stagnate...doesn't mean they are sell outs just because the material was more radio-friendly, and that seemed like it was your definition. My bad if it wasn't.
 
Fair enough...

That wasn't a good definition if that's the way you understood it...

The music did change and to me the simplier form of music they started putting out was designed to get record sales... I don't blame them but I NEVER think of listening to any of those later discs when I want to listen to any of those bands....
 
It just seems like a lot of people consider selling out to be making music they don't like. Every time a band has sold out, you've stopped liking their style... perhaps they just dont' feel like making music like that anymore, and you dont like that. Selling out is such a bulltshit term; people aren't holding guns to their heads saying make this music.. its what they wanna do.. so i dont see the problem here.
 
There's music and there's the motives behind the music. If you enjoy the music, you're more prone to care less about any or all motives. If you dislike the music, motives become a weapon.

hey i'm tired don't read this post
 
I think Moonlapse put it best.

I used to listen to a lot of metalcore bands back in the day, then it seemed over a summer they all changed into screamo bands. It was a sad fall for me.
 
It just seems like a lot of people consider selling out to be making music they don't like. Every time a band has sold out, you've stopped liking their style... perhaps they just dont' feel like making music like that anymore, and you dont like that. Selling out is such a bulltshit term; people aren't holding guns to their heads saying make this music.. its what they wanna do.. so i dont see the problem here.

A-fuckin-men brother.:notworthy
 
I think Moonlapse put it best.

I used to listen to a lot of metalcore bands back in the day, then it seemed over a summer they all changed into screamo bands. It was a sad fall for me.

So you're pretty much saying.. they made music you dont like.. thus they sold out. Unless youre not claiming those bands sell outs.
 
At the time I thought they were all sell-outs, but now I see the bigger picture. Some were simply changing their sound as members left and were replaced, while others were selling out afaict. I'd say it is too hard to tell for sure, though.

I can't think of a band that has ever conducted an interview where they just come out and say "Yeah, we totally sold out with that album. Best damn decision we've made."