'Music Industry Works On Dumbing Down Principle', Says Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan
Wednesday, 08 August 2012
Written by Elliott Batte
Rock singer and guitarist Billy Corgan, frontman of the world-famous Smashing Pumpkins, has hit out at the music industry of today - and claimed that it ‘essentially operates on a dumbing down principle’.
Corgan achieved success with his band throughout the 90s, but is afraid that bands and artists of today are being forced to either ‘dumb down’ their act or face not being as successful as other artists - though he did add that a handful of bands have managed to find success with their brains intact.
“It's incredible to me how sophisticated people really are when you give them the opportunity to be sophisticated,” Corgan told GMA News. “The music business essentially operates on a dumbing down principle. How dumb do we have to go to sell this record to the most amount of people?”
He continued: “There are very few bands who are able to keep their intelligence on record, Radiohead are a good example. They have a very high message and are still very popular. But for the most part the charts are dominated by music that's essentially dumbed down in melody, style, tone, texture, and message because it reaches the most amount of people.
“'I think with where I am now I don't want to be dumbed down. I just think that's the worst thing for rock and roll.”
What do you think of the statement? Let us know in the comments section below.
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