Sam Smith....evidence rock and roll may finally be dead

mwplum

How is this guy headlining music festivals? I'm 34, so not as old as a lot of PJ fans, but I feel like this is going to be a bit of an old man rant.

While different festivals have always catered to different demographics, I've always enjoyed the diverse genres represented at festivals like Lolla, ACL, Coachella, Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, etc. and while those festivals ebb and flow into hip hop or dance music from time to time (as may be the flavour of the day), they have always stayed the course of having a solid grounding in rock n roll.

However, this year (and last year to a certain extent with Bruno Mars), it seems that many of the festivals are starting to pander to the (evil) POP dollar. Sam Smith headlining festivals??? A guy styled after George Michael, who admittedly ripped off Tom Petty is headlining massive festivals?!!! Just because he has like a billion hits on youtube? I always felt like those festivals would never consider booking the likes of Bieber, but who knows? maybe that's fair game now. Oversaturation of festivals is part of the problem, but these are well established industry leading festivals booking the likes of Sam Smith, or Drake for that matter.

This is appalling, it makes the crowd lamer and it makes the experience lamer (cue to kids taking iPhone vids of his one song and uploading to various social media outlets). I can't imagine a festival being closed down by a dude with one song, one slow slow slow song.

Thoughts?

Tim Simmons

Why is pop evil?

Tim Simmons

I think it makes sense to book popular acts to sell tickets to festivals.

buck502000

wrong on so many levels

Tim Simmons

What is?

buck502000

this guy headlining music festivals

Of The Aggie

Rock has been dead for a while now. Pop is what's insanely popular so of course they're going to book whomever's going to sell tickets.

63schoefflin

Most festivals aren't geared towards people like us. The sooner you realize and accept that, the easier you will sleep at night. ;-)

badbrains

Did somebody say rock in roll is dead?

http://youtu.be/GqzzAyGl3zA

SD48277

badbrains said:

Did somebody say rock in roll is dead?

http://youtu.be/GqzzAyGl3zA

^^^Nice!
People have been saying rock is dead for ages. Don't see it happening.

Tim Simmons

Its not dead. It wont ever be dead. Its just not popular. Its what jazz was in the 60s.

63schoefflin

There's so much great music out there right now. It's hard to keep pace with it all.

2-feign-reluctance

Pop and rock need to stay in their fucking lanes.

Tim Simmons

No way. Mix it up. Make things interesting.

Tim Simmons

If Sam Smith does latch live like the Disclosure record, that's reason enough to make him headline.

Also if this is in reference to the V fest announcement, just go see Kasabian instead. They aren't very good, but there is your rock.

josevolution

Easy just don't go to these festivals , i won't attend any festivals at all i don't care who is headlining those days are way over give me a small act at a good club i enjoy that way more .....

weddingparade

josevolution is right. club shows are way better for rock n roll
edm is killing music worse than sam smith. imo

tempo_n_groove

weddingparade said:

josevolution is right. club shows are way better for rock n roll
edm is killing music worse than sam smith. imo

I got to see Skrillex and Diplo and they both killed it. Some of the better shows at ACL this year.

Tim Simmons

The only thing killing music is everything that Music is competing against for people's attention. No genre of music is making things worse for music.

DewieCox

Pop music seems to have more musical talent on display than what is popular with rock music. People like Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars are insanely talented musicians. The same can't really be said for the many rock acts that make a big splash.

I realize thats a little off topic, but as others have pointed out, festival organizers are trying to sell tickets first and foremost. It would be a revolving door of the same dozen or so names, most of them basically dinosaurs in this day and age, if festival organizers stuck to rock acts.

I'd like to see a resurgence of actual musicians on stage.

Red Lukin

mwplum, I totally agree with you. Amazing to see so many people on here with different opinions. I guess that's why artists like Sam smith are headlining festivals.

Rock and roll, however, is not dead. There are a lot of great smaller bands; we just have to search harder to find them. My last 3 live shows were antemasque, ty segall, and Sleater Kinney. Great shows

Of The Aggie

DewieCox said:

Pop music seems to have more musical talent on display than what is popular with rock music. People like Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars are insanely talented musicians. The same can't really be said for the many rock acts that make a big splash.

I don't care if Lady Gaga or Bruno Mars can play an instrument or write their own songs, their music is down right terrible to me.

Tim Simmons said:

Also if this is in reference to the V fest announcement, just go see Kasabian instead. They aren't very good, but there is your rock.

Kasabian are a very good live band. I like a lot of their songs and their show would be 1000X better than any pop act.

mwplum

Very interesting to see the range of opinions. And yeah, Red Lukin, I totally agree, I've seen Ty Segall a few times, and others from that scene like The Oh Sees, and there is some good hard stuff out there. Rock n Roll will never die, but it is certainly at a low right now in terms of headliners.

My reaction was more in response to the Squamish lineup but as I've heard Sam Smith rumoured for Lolla, and popping up on other major lineups like V, I just found it really surprising. Not only because his music is slow and does not have the energy level to close a festival, but because as I tried to communicate in that first email, sugar-coated pop has never been embraced by these types of festivals. You would never see Coachella booking a Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, or Keith Urban, despite how many tickets they could potentially sell. There still remains a line of integrity.

Although I don't like EDM or Hip Hip (anymore), I get their relevance. I can see why they work well for festivals and why the promoters book such acts to sell tickets. They are entertaining, and (in the case of hip hip, have substance/something to say).

However, acts like Sam Smith I see as being like Katy Perry. They sell a lot of tickets, but don't have any substance. It's really their stylists, choreographers, lighting guys, who deserve awards.

I don't buy "then don't go to festivals" argument. I love going to festivals, and have travelled a lot to go to Coachella, Lolla, ACL, Reading, Rock en Seine etc...One of my favourite things to do each year is to monitor festivals and read up on the rumours. I really look forward to trying to make at least one trip each year. I love finding out about new bands on the lower lines/afternoon slots, but I like having a big draw like Radiohead, PJ, Neil, or Paul McCartney as a big draw to warrant the travel.

This year, it's looking like we're going to the UK to do Blur/The Strokes/Beck in Hyde Park (where we'll also get to see smaller awesome bands like Temples and the Horrors)

63schoefflin

Shakey Knees is the best festival lineup by far this year.

Attaway77

63schoefflin said:

There's so much great music out there right now. It's hard to keep pace with it all.

This… Music is for everyone, there's some great music out there. Just have to let down your barrier of taste and go explore, you may be surprised. Every decade/generation has something to offer for us all. MUSIC4LIFE.

Tim Simmons

63schoefflin said:

Shakey Knees is the best festival lineup by far this year.

Your autocorrect messed up the spelling of Pitchfork Fest.

Tim Simmons

Also, I'd love to see Katy Perry headline a fest. So many great singles, it would be so fun.

mwplum

I agree Shaky Knees is really solid....Also think the Eaux Claire festival has a lot of potential.

lolobugg

http://youtu.be/yw8_5OYKQNA

oh man, the irony

vant0037

Wow. I get that pop isn't your thing (not really mine either). But give credit where it's due: this Sam Smith dude has an incredible voice.

PJ_Soul

Yeah, when I saw the lineup for the Squamish festival.and this guy was headlining I rolled my eyes. Wtf?? Everyone I know thinks the lineup is super lame. Fucking Drake, Sam Smith, and freaking Mumford & Sons are the headliners for arguably the biggest rock music festival in the province. What the fucking fuck?