I think a lot of this comes down to sell-outs who are only trying to make money and artists who create things because they love to. If the former is true, the artist will focus on meeting the audience's wants and needs. That way, they will make more money because more fans will enjoy their work. A good example of this would be the Harry Potter series. Maybe it's just me, but it seemed like the entire seventh book was just J.K. Rowling giving the fans what they wanted. Her characters ended up in the couples that everyone was rooting for, none of the characters we were especially devoted to died, and good conquered evil once and for all. You can also find this problem a lot in the music industry. Avril Lavigne's song "Girlfriend," for instance. It doesn't have particularly good lyrics or any deep meaning, and the music itself isn't that intricate or amazing. However, it's a catchy beat and a relatable theme, so it gets stuck in people's heads and they request it more frequently on the radio and purchase the song and whatnot.
On the other hand, people who are creating art because it's what they love to do and they want to express themselves do just that--they express themselves. Art is a reflection of an artists' emotions, and I believe the best pieces are ones that come from such circumstances. Someone who has a broken heart would sing much more powerfully about it than someone who has never experienced true love or a breakup. I think too often feelings are manufactured and produced instead of just being FELT. I mean, how many fricking 12-year-olds are going to keep coming on the radio and singing about losing the love of their life?
My question in response to this topic is: Do you think famous artists produce better or worse work because of the pressures on them to keep being great?
I have responded to your post. ^_^
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