What’s a Sellout?
But I do not mean to hold Raymer accountable for the lack of institutional memory or fact-checking skills that led to these overlooked points. This would be exactly as pointless as accusing bands of “selling out,” when “selling out,” as he rightly points out, means continued viability in the commercial market. (He does not describe the great number of bands that are dropping out of, or failing to enter, the commercial market in order to make interesting music.) Thus, “selling out” is not what’s going on in contemporary music.
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Selling Out: While the commercial metaphor still resonates, the autonomy implied in it does not. Certainly, one can “sell out” when one has a range of options from which to choose, a first guaranteed to bring integrity, another big bucks, and a third, perhaps, the ladies. But one cannot be said to be “selling out” if one’s options are narrowed to only one choice. And given the media representations by media monopolies, well-placed sponsorships and endorsements, cross-marketing deals, constant advertising, non-music companies’ musical releases, and articles such as Raymer’s, few bands entering the musical field today can find any evidence of musical creation beyond the commercial. Already, the industry has “sold out,” and what individual artists do within it is sort of irrelevant. (Except, of course, for U2. They’ve found a way to retain their integrity and…oh my god, I’m sorry. I can’t even finish writing the joke.)
Miles Raymer replies:
That doesn’t mean that the only way to make rent is to sell off their songs to Mountain Dew. If Ms. Moore opened her eyes she’d notice the wild array of music making its way to the public—partly through the pages of the Reader—without any marketers, publicists, or record labels involved, and without anyone asking permission.
As for a protest, I would suggest a multi pronged approach.
5.If you use Morgan Stanley for any services then STOP… and tell them why.
