Just listened to Living Things again, and I think it's garbage.

I can tell you're in it for the long haul.

 

BANHAMMAH

 

/thread?

Please?

 

This guy. My god.

For the record, LT is my favorite LP album to date. LITE, COG, RU, IBG are incredibly awesome songs.

Also I love how this thread went from thrashing this guy to narwhals. I love this place lol.

 

When teh internetz gives you trolls, resort to Weebl's Stuff for hilarity.

 

Internet Rule #69

 

"Also stop twisting my words, just because something was successful financially doesn't mean it's amazing.
Sources: Justin Bieber, Jay Z, Katy Perry"

I really hate when people say stuff like this. Those people have sold millions of albums. So what because it's "mainstream"? People need to learn that if A LOT of people like it, of course it's gonna become mainstream. Wouldn't selling a lot mean that something was successful, because people enjoyed it? Also, are you gonna bash Jay Z, who created an album with Linkin Park (IMO, one of the best albums they've ever done)?

 

Katy Perry is actually really good. People don't give her and other music a chance simply because its considered mainstream.

 

What I've never understood is why selling out is a necessarily a bad thing. If an artist/band has proven to be successful to their sound, then "selling out" should be a great thing. It's what the artist does after they sold out and earned a name for themselves throughout their career that should define them. Whether they evolve/switch it up with their sound or stick to what they know, as long as it's honest work, then it really shouldn't matter.

What I love the most is some fans who say "Oh if Linkin Park became independent, their music will be better and less mainstream". Neither of those reasons really hold their weight because:
1. We don't know how good or bad their music will be if they fulfilled their contract with Warner, and decided to release music without a record label (HTEP doesn't count)
2. Just because you are independent, doesn't mean that you aren't mainstream. (See: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis)

 

I thought LIVING THINGS was a great album, but I wouldn't want LP to keep heading further in that direction. I just don't like all the insane electronic stuff. I think it's old and cliche at this point. It's not unique. It seems like LP is just becoming ''Mike Shinoda & Friends''. I know people in the LP community say that it's Mike's band and all that, but god damn, there are 5 other members of the band, and we hardly ever get any feedback from any of them, and we can't see any of the member's potential with all the crazy electronic stuff replacing it all. It doesn't make sense to me. So I guess some people may like this ultra electronic stuff, but I don't, and if the next album is even more electronic based than ATS or LT, I probably won't listen to the band much, and that sucks since I have been a fan since 2000 and stuck by them so far. Bands change I guess..

 

No, not necessarily. If you made the music to make yourself money, then selling a lot = success.

If you made the music to make an artistic statement, as in a work of art that expresses something you as an artist feel the need to get out there, then selling a lot wouldn't mean anything positively or negatively. A lot of people who consider music a passion think that music, which is an art form, shouldn't be made with the sole intention of making money. For example, when Trent Reznor describes what he was going for with the new NIN album, he talks about how he wanted to "find what he had to say" today vs. where he was in a rough time in his life 20 years ago. He never once mentions that it needs to sell a lot or that he even needs a lot of people to relate to it. That may sound too hippy or whatever you want to call it, but maybe it should sound that way.

Also, sales could be affected by things like promotion and name recognition. So even though the OP has proved to be an ass, I agree with him on this point.

 

The problem with that nowadays is that people automatically assume that something mainstream means the artist is a money whore, which is where I disagree. You're trying to tell me that just because Justin Bieber is a 19 year old millionaire means that he's only in it for the money? He's a singer, and that's where his strong point is. Music should be about what you're passionate about, not just solely about how good the lyrics are, or what kind of device is used to make the melody. I think you can apply this to LP's music too.