The BBC has a list of so-called “tastemakers” who tell us the music that we’re going to be force-fed with over the next twelve months. Their 15 pundits are the A-list of all the people responsible for the utter crapness of the mainstream music scene with it’s wall-to-wall landfill indie and Asda-pop - the controller of Radio One, the appalling editor of the NME, the producer of “Later with Jools Holland”, they’re all there.
I wonder if the people who’s annual record purchases consist of 2 or 3 CDs a year from Asda don’t realise that all the music the mainstream will hear is pre-selected by such a small clique of people, and how cosy the relationship between the BBC, the major record companies and the music press has become. Do they know they’re sheep, or do they just not care?
Personally I think BBC radio and TV is failing to satisfy the public service remit of the BBC charter by it’s marginalisation of all but a narrow range of genres of popular music, and I find it hard to justify the existence of some BBC radio channels in their present form.
I can’t believe they’re hyping White Lies- hasn’t the Editors/Interpol/Rakes Joy Division-clone seam been mined to death already?
goes to show how the major labels can push things to the media.
Perhaps they’ll be this year’s Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong?
could well be. Joe Lean & co. have gone quiet- they were supposed to be re-recording their debut album. probably more like shopping around for another record label.
did you watch the Prog Britannia shows?
seems like Spinal Tap nicked a lot from that ELP programme.
other than the 6Music freakzone and the odd documentary on R2 and R6, and BBC4 I’ve given up on BBC radio & tv altogether.
From what I’ve seen, most people’s tastes — those with tastes, anyway — are shaped by peers they trust and not by “tastemakers” like this.
I think you’re right when you say people who rely on radio & TV for their music don’t realise how narrow a ‘choice’ they’re being given. It’s not necessarily that they are sheep or don’t care, they just don’t know where to start looking (listening!) for the alternatives.
For instance, I had a conversation at work this week with someone who would probably consider himself a fan of non-mainstream music, but he was asking me ‘where do you find all these bands…’ it was then I realised how unaware I have become of which bands ARE mainstream and getting the radio play etc (and how little I care!)
I realise that if people were THAT interested they would already be at gigs and on music blogs & last fm etc but some people lose touch & drift away - and then feel bewildered by it all - that’s why it’s ‘our’ duty to press cd’s on to them, tell them what other options there are out there and show them what they’re missing!