Last weekend Madonna performed the half-time show of the Super Bowl with special guests: LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, MIA, and Cee-lo Green. By far, it is the most widely watched television program in the United States. Madonna has entered her fourth decade of pop culture dominance. At 53, she still "strike[s] a pose" and is releasing a new album. She opened with "Vogue" and closed with my personal favorite, "Like a Prayer," as well as performing her new single, "Give Me All Your Luvin'" which has already made it into the top 10 on itunes.
My question is, does Madonna still have the music magic that first made her a star? Is the music she is releasing today as good as her music when she first emerged on the scene? To me, "Give Me All Your Luvin'" feels recycled and, frankly, boring. But I'm sure it will still be played to death on the radio and her new record will sell millions of copies. Why? Is the music good or do certain media icons carry so much pop culture clout that we are no longer consuming the products they produce, just their image. Do we buy and listen to Madonna's new songs because they are actually good? Or do we buy and listen to Madonna's new songs because they are "Madonna?"
The "hipster" anti-trend of the past few years, that is in fact a trend itself, emphasizes culture as anti-culture; music being a large part of that expression. The idea of relating to music because it is NOT mainstream; because you feel like you choose it for yourself instead of the media shoving it down your throat. These hipster bands have cult followings instead of broader success, but does that mean their music is good?
Where does the value of music come into play? Commercial value leans towards wide-ranging notoriety and records sales. Ethical value (not selling out) leans towards the artist creating music they are proud of. Considering the wide variety of personal music taste, it's hard to make a judgement on whether one type of music has more value than another.
What I have come up with is a two-fold argument: Just because social media has made it incredibly easy to put music out there, in various forms, doesn't mean that everyone with a guitar and a recording device should form a band. If you value indie band success, put out music that you will be proud of, that your loyal fans will be proud of when they are sharing with their friends who've never heard of you.
On the other hand, if you achieve worldwide fame and success with your music, take great pains to release music that you are proud of as well. Don't rely on your reputation as an artist to sell your records. Sell music that is new, is fresh, and has meaning.
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