I have a real hard time understanding just what the fuck the author is trying to say because of all the blustery words they're using. But from what I can make out, he seems to be saying that rock...
I have a real hard time understanding just what the fuck the author is trying to say because of all the blustery words they're using. But from what I can make out, he seems to be saying that rock music became more capitalistic in the 80s and there was a lot more fragmentation.
If that is what they're saying, I'm not sure whether I agree completely. (I couldn't get past the writing, so didn't finish the article, so I'm probably arguing against something they didn't say.) I think some things just became more obvious as listeners became more diverse. As the US gets less and less white, gasp!, the country's tastes as a whole change. In addition, music tastes change every few years anyway, as has always been the case.
There were tons of smaller acts in the 80s, just as in the 70s. They got some radio play and some record sales, but any business is going to maximize what's selling best because they want to make the most money possible. They poured a ton of money into Disco in the 70s, then dropped it like a steaming hot turd in the 80s and pivoted to New Wave. In the late 80s it was Glam Metal. Then Alternative Rock. Etc. It was the same move every time - pivot to the next big thing, and become more efficient at it.
I have a real hard time understanding just what the fuck the author is trying to say because of all the blustery words they're using. But from what I can make out, he seems to be saying that rock music became more capitalistic in the 80s and there was a lot more fragmentation.
If that is what they're saying, I'm not sure whether I agree completely. (I couldn't get past the writing, so didn't finish the article, so I'm probably arguing against something they didn't say.) I think some things just became more obvious as listeners became more diverse. As the US gets less and less white, gasp!, the country's tastes as a whole change. In addition, music tastes change every few years anyway, as has always been the case.
There were tons of smaller acts in the 80s, just as in the 70s. They got some radio play and some record sales, but any business is going to maximize what's selling best because they want to make the most money possible. They poured a ton of money into Disco in the 70s, then dropped it like a steaming hot turd in the 80s and pivoted to New Wave. In the late 80s it was Glam Metal. Then Alternative Rock. Etc. It was the same move every time - pivot to the next big thing, and become more efficient at it.