Major Labels

Music is a very important part of my life. I'm not in a band, I don't play an instrument, I don't study music, and I'm not a critic; I just know what I like, and I listen to it. I listen to music pretty much whenever possible — I don't think I ever drive in silence (much to the dismay of a friend of mine who enjoys quiet once in a while) — and I love going to shows. Take away music and bikes from my life, and I'd lead an even more pitiful existence than I already do...

I listen to whatever I like — no matter what label a band is on, or how popular they are. I can't stand some punks who have a high and mighty "punker than thou" attitude, where major labels suck (okay, so they do suck) and every band on a major is shit, while all indie bands are great. I hate when people dismiss bands who "sold out" and jumped ship from an indie as lame simply because of their label. If you're going to hate a band and/or not buy their albums, at least have a good reason.

A while back in MRR (#133) Larry Livermore gave some simple advice in his column: "If you don't like a record company, don't buy their records. If you're mad at a band for signing to a record company you don't like, don't their records either. End of story." If you don't believe in majors, fine. Don't buy Insomniac because Green Day is on Reprise and you don't want to give your money to a corporation — good enough reason for me. Don't buy it because you think the album is lame — best reason of all. But to love their Lookout! albums and say Green Day sucks now because they're on Reprise — well, that's just stupid, especially since (in my opinion) Insomniac is their best one. (Case in point: I don't like the Bosstones' or Bad Religion's latest albums — both on major labels — as much as their indie releases, not because they're on a major, but because the albums are less ska-core and punk (respectively) and more plain rock than their previous albums. Whether this is a result of signing to a major, or one of the factors that got them signed, or just a band's natural evolution, I don't know.) If you don't want to support a corporate label, more power to you; I respect that, but don't bring down a band whose music and attitudes haven't changed as a result of signing. (If they do develop a rock star attitude...well, that's different...)

I know that major labels are a business and are only in music for the money — only signing bands that will turn a profit, dropping those that won't. And I hate it just as much as you when a band is practically forced onto you (contantly on the radio and eMpTyV, no matter how bad they are — no doubt with some serious corporate dollars doing most of the pushing) in order to sell albums. I also agree that their tactics are pretty seedy, doing anything to control as big a portion of the market as they can, and often screwing their own bands out of money they deserve (though some indie labels will do this, too). I never want to see the day when a few major corporations own all labels and put out (and control) all the music (I highly doubt this will ever totally happen, though I know they're already trying), and it's unnerving to see indie bands, labels, and distributors becoming corporate subsidiaries. But if a successful indie band signs with a major (or an indie label teams up with a major), that's their choice; everybody these days (in the music industry, and even outside it) knows the risks involved in signing with a corporate label, and the sleazy schemes they'll often use in order to get a band they really want. If a band makes that choice (and goes for the "brass ring sporting the Bad Religion logo," as one MRR column put it), that's their decision. If you feel they sold out and don't want to support them, that's yours.

The notion that all major label music is bad is just wrong (though most of the music does suck — as do corporate attitudes and "ethics"). And not all indie bands are good; though their motives may be noble, sometimes the music is absolutely terrible. Personally, if I only bought indie releases, I'd be seriously limiting myself and missing out on a lot of good music. On the other hand, can I justify giving my money to an unethical corporation in the name of supporting a good band — who often won't see much (if any) of the money? Hmm...looks like I'm back at square one...

Originally appeared in Wire #7.