A Sell Out?

(By Guest Author Kate Hepner)
If you watch Much Music USA or the Fuse, MTV or MTV2, you may see bands appearing that were well known for years in the underground scene. Bands like AFI, The Donnas and even Taking Back Sunday are coming out with music videos and becoming ever so popular . . . But why? AFI, A Fire Inside, as been around for about a decade and now all of a sudden they are getting radio play . . . The same thing with The Donnas, after so many years of playing underground and having guess spots on certain panels, they all of a sudden become a mainstream commodity.

As some of the underground listeners know, AFI and The Donnas have been around for a long time. They have paid their debts to the underground scene. Both have been around for years. Finally, they are getting the recognition they�ve worked for and earned. The Donnas who have been around for years, they�ve played guest spots on movies like Drive Me Crazy. So technically, whatever luck they�ve gotten with the media has been for the best.

The question goes on further for long time fans… Do you think a beloved band you�ve listened to for a long time, sold out? Is all this fame and fortune a result of selling out? Okay, so what exactly is a sellout? Some say selling out is when a person, a group, etc. that buy into the �system� in order to get more money. When one �sells out,� they sometimes lose their artist vision and become another media friendly manufactured product. Most of the fans I have talked to say they are fully behind their favorite bands switching labels and getting more famous. Then again there are longtime fans of bands that feel the opposite when a band signs to a major label.

In the end, only the fan can decide. Many say that along with a label the artist�s credibility is lost. When a band that has been around for some time, being called, a new upcoming band can be pretty annoying. After a decade of making music, a band finally makes it and does a 180. Sometimes makes me feel like they�ve sold out, but on the other hand, I feel they�ve worked for it. It is a double-edged sword.