I'm probably not getting this, but...

[silverthorne]

Somehow, these guys here seem to be missing the point; or else I am.

After all, without your fanbase, aren't you just another unpaid person with a cool artistic hobby? If your fans won't vote for you, who will?

Or...I dunno. Are the opinions of your peers more important than the people giving you their money?

What? I don't get it, but it seems kinda...disrespectful (if we're going to throw that word around) to turn your nose up at the people who put you on the map in the first place by being the ones that bought your music and are now 'standing up' for you by voting for you. I mean, really, are the people that listened to the stuff you put out that much less educated than a room full of older peers who have their own unfair rules in place for these sort of things?

...Or am I just too stupid to understand this one? (which is possible)

Comments

[rebl1969.livejournal.com]

I saw a similar article on CNN.com this morning, and thought the exact same thing.

"Thanks for voting me #1! But your opinion doesn't count for shit, because you all aren't really experts! Even though you all make my money for me by buying my CDs and attending my concerts! So don't disrespect me again by voting me #1!"

Well, FU KC. I'm not a Kenny Chesney fan anyway but you can bet I'll never buy one of his CDs now. If he feels so damn strongly about it, he should refuse the award.

[silverthorne.livejournal.com]

I think what got me was the apparent 'you all don't understand how hard it is to make a good song' attitude that came across.

Yes, granted, there are folks out there who think all you have to do is stand in front of a mic and wail out your woes...but in all honesty, anyone I've ever talked to who actually cared more about any song, group, or CD beyond the casual 'oh yeah, I heard that on the radio and it was cool', knows something about music, the process, and yes, just how hard it is to turn three or four starting notes or lyrics into something incredible.

And, correct me if I'm wrong, but even though the experts can tell you why that measure was innovative, or this riff just outdid anything (name very skilled guitarist of your choice here) ever did...doesn't make them an expert in what will last, and possibly outlast the artist or band who created it and performed it first.

Knowing how the music works is only one part of the whole reason a song or album is or is not good. There are these little things called playability and longevity with the audience that counts as well. And the best imput for that part?

Is the audience.

**Puts away soapbox**

[rebl1969.livejournal.com]

Well, he also homogenized the audience. While I guess that most of the people who voted for him are not professional musicians, surely some of them must be. I get the feeling by reading his comments that he thinks he was only voted for by waitresses and NASCAR fans.

I mean, for instance, every time we get a survey call at the house, when they ask if anyone in the household works in media or marketing, we have to say yes, and they thank us for our time but we're disqualified. I'm pretty sure that the ACM web site did NOT have a disclaimer that said if you work in the industry you can't vote. It must have been pretty equal-opportunity.

Basically, he dissed his fan base. Bad move.

[silverthorne.livejournal.com]

Way bad move.

It's one thing to be true to your art, even if your fans are not thrilled with it (most generally will give the 'new' stuff a try anyway and you learn from how well it does as to whether or not you should do it again).

It's another to so transparently tell them 'your opinion of my music does not matter'.

Sorry, pal, but really? It does. Because if no one likes it, you're not going to be making enough money for the media folks to be interested in voting you 'best' for anything....

[mephron]

I'm wondering if his issue is actually with the Internet voting. Back In The Day, you'd get your TV Guide, pull out the page, fill it out and actually mail it in; now, someone can set up a Click Army in a couple minutes. That might be what he's ranting about, but not wanthing to bash too much on people who could exterminate his so-called popularity.

[silverthorne.livejournal.com]

Could be, but if that's the case, he's better off being clear and to the point, because, as you cna see, something like that didn't occur to two people on this thread alone. So our 'understanding' amounted to 'oh, so your fans mean nothing'.

Better, I think, to spell that kind of concern out rather than generalize and risk being unclear.

(Also, back in the day, what was to keep folks from buying many TV Guides and/or simply pulling the voting cards from mags on the stand if they were that intent? Granted, it's still limited compared to a bot, but still...)

[mephron]

Why? Maybe he's just a dolt. I wouldn't put it past half the entertainers out there to just be too stupid to think about things like that.

Considering I appreciate Country music about as much as I appreciate zombie movies and mushrooms - to say, I react with revulsion at best - I don't know this guy from a hole in a tree, and can't say if he's a dolt.

[silverthorne.livejournal.com]

He has an ego; I know that much. :P

(As a defence to the music--some of it is pretty good. Just depends on the style and subject matter. I'm not very fond of the whiny-guitared 'my wife left me, my dog died, my best friend fucked my cattle' ones myself. Of course, by the same token, I do like the older ones like Kenny Rogers. My only excuse is they were there first, so it's okay when they do it. :) )

[silverthorne.livejournal.com]

(and it occured to me my tone may be a bit aggressive today. My apologies. It;s not meant to be, but I seem to be rather...er..blunt in words.)