When mainstream becomes crap:

Sometimes I have an almost racist fervor when it comes to the mainstream. Not that the fringe could be any better since at the same time, their probably trying to see the profit margin appear. But I always wonder how or why when something good goes mainstream...that it almost instantly becomes crap? I can see two things, dilution of the message...make that only one thing.

This always stem from dillution of the message. To suddenly change something to induce mass appeal, sell the most toys and get the most licensing deals. You create this extreme that people weened in a world of short attention spans that even an 2 year old would get (yet at the same time parents don't). Of course for the select few (and not necessarily great) the new mainstream was already something something seen so clearly that there is no "other" attributes that made it good in the first place.

Yet how can some things like Elton John, Billy Joel, Nirvana, the Beatles, Madonna etc. still be "mainstream" and yet not dillute the message? Well the Beatles was kinda a no brainer due to their talent superceding hype and how the hype in effect shaped music in where-ever the hell they were going. Nirvana was mainstream in a time where teen-age angst was suddenly this silent rebellion behind doors as opposed to the punk era of the 80's. So not necessarily changing yourself to fit a society but more of the right place a the right time.

SO I guess that is my answer...to be at the right place at the right time and not necessarily "changing" un-awarely to fit society since society has instead fitted to you. Just like Weezer how their self imposed exile from the murk of alternative rock, through the horrid dredges of pop in the late 90's arrived near the end in order to take the crown as a leading institution of the current music scene. It was different enough for the next leaders of our society be it bosses, the cool ones or short order chefs to latch on because it was the only handle in a sea of doors.