Celebrity and the marketing power that’s comes with it is nothing new, but what fans are doing with it can hurt music for decades to come. The culture revolving around artists today puts music in a position where personalities are more of a draw for artists than their art itself, celebrity is overtaking art.
With the music market moving further and further away from physical media, increased attention has been allotted to the world wide web for feedback and critique. With the increased influence of social media, lines are often blurred. I have personally witnessed albums with 5 star reviews before it has even been released for public consumption. The reviews are not based on the merit of the music itself, but more so the adoration of the star and a race to show one's appreciate for one said act. Celebrities have learned how to manipulate this by releasing singles in a way in which allows people to review portions of albums, but the consumer plays a part in this as well.
Celebrity does not assure a solid project, but the consumer keeps telling the music industry otherwise. Anytime we endorse a personality over a product we risk compromising the art. Music is not good or bad based on the celebrity behind it. As music fans,it is important to preserve the integrity of good songwriting, vocal performances, and instrumentation, rewarding such acts with the acclaim and recognition it deserves.
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