Are you concerned with popularity or originality?

JonahWayz

New member
This is a question for anyone trying to get their music in the hands of the masses - either by being an artist or a producer. When creating music, are you concerned with popularity or originality? In other words, do you go in with the intent to create music that is relative to what's hot/popular or, are you simply interested in making music that you feel and let everyone gravitate to it?
 
I am an artist and my chief concern is doing me as being anyone other than myself is hard. I have the Big Daddy Kane view on why trends shouldn't be followed: "The first thing I would try to teach them [aspiring rap artists] would be originality. Whenever you are following a trend, trends come and go, so when that trend is gone you’re gone. You’re basing your career on a bangin’ beat and a catchy hook. So you know what you just did? You just made your producer a star.”
 
I agree - following a trend is not a long term solution but, being original means the path is long... Very long. I've been at this music thing for awhile now and finding like-minded fans is a task.. In some ways, I'm envious of those who can simply jump on trap beat and make a song that has absolutely no meaning and have it go viral.. At the very least, their name is in someones conversation..
 
ya, a think a little bit of both can be ideal. It's good to ride the trend waves when they come, but also keep your own unique style. This way you can adjust and adapt when one trend ends and new trend begins, ...and you're also strongly independent and self-sustaining. The trends can boost hype around a particular sound in the short run (same year or two), but creativity with a unique style will maintain your art over the long run (6+ years down the road).
 
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i think theres a balance between creating something that expresses how you sound and on something everyone wants to here
 
i try to be original but it doesn't have to be totally original to me. It has to be something that i feel creatively.
 
This is a tough one, I know being original is "the right answer" but real talk - if you want to make money, you have to give people what they want. And it's funny that everyone says originality is most important but everyone still tags their beats with stuff like "Drake Type Beat" etc.

As for me, I think I aspire to have a mix of both. Its important to be able to follow trends, but also important to not lose yourself and your signature style/sound/etc
 
This is a tough one, I know being original is "the right answer" but real talk - if you want to make money, you have to give people what they want. And it's funny that everyone says originality is most important but everyone still tags their beats with stuff like "Drake Type Beat" etc.

As for me, I think I aspire to have a mix of both. Its important to be able to follow trends, but also important to not lose yourself and your signature style/sound/etc

This is #truth. There is a balance. It's not easy to find but, there is one. Can't neglect the fact you want to make a career out of this and also, can't turn your back on the artistic value you bring to the genre. Speaking from personal experience, I can say the value in artistry wears thin after awhile. It seems, if you don't already have a strong following (outside of family/friends), you will tend to lean towards what the current market is dictating.
 
This is a tough one, I know being original is "the right answer" but real talk - if you want to make money, you have to give people what they want. And it's funny that everyone says originality is most important but everyone still tags their beats with stuff like "Drake Type Beat" etc.

As for me, I think I aspire to have a mix of both. Its important to be able to follow trends, but also important to not lose yourself and your signature style/sound/etc

That's called "selling out". Giving up your artistic integrity to make a buck. There's an audience for whatever you create that comes from your heart. Think of someone like Flying Lotus. Dude make music he fucks with and he has an audience. He ain't in radio rotation, whomever the "hot rapper" of the moment is ain't looking for beats from dude, but he still has an audience and because of how he's pushed his music into other spaces (i.e. Adult Swim bumps) he can eat off his music.

Everybody wasn't fuckin with Dilla like that but dude has an audience. While all these cats was out there on their synth-driven EDM sounding trap shit in the mid 00's, Dilla was still makin beats HIS way, doing shows, and gettin his money but he never once changed his style to "get money".

Same for cats like DJ Premier, DJ Muggs, The RZA, and Pete Rock. They all have an audience for their music and at no time are they willing to change to fit what's popular at the moment to make money.
 
ya, I agree with that ^ 100% but he's produced music for kendrick lamar, earl sweatshirt, etc. so he is on the radio rotation...in a lot of cities. especially LA. and ya tho, his royally checks are coming in from adult swim fersure. but i agree 100%, keep original integrity, and be unique.
 
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An okay artist is concerned with popularity
A good artist is concerned with originality
A great artist is concerned with both
A legend is concerned with adaptation
 
I would want to be popular at first cause then you gain attraction. Then after that, I would try to create my own style and pray that everyone would still listen lol
 
The correct answer is in fact originality. This is because following a trend for popularity will lead them to follow, but originality blows minds, leaves impressions, creates a movement. Essentially, originality if you truly have it brings the most popularity.
See: Erykah Badu
all the way to, unfortunately I must say, 6ix9ine.
 
When NWA started talking about crime, drugs, etc., that had rarely been done before in hip-hop; it was original. After NWA, suddenly EVERY rapper was talking about how gangsta they are, a trend that still continues.

When Dr. Dre introduced synthesizers to hip-hop via "The Chronic", synthesizers had rarely been used in hip-hop (Afrika Bambatta and Whodini did this too, but that was before hip-hop's burst into the mainstream). After "The Chronic", an entire wave of copycat producers with synthesizers caused a 'G-Funk' craze trying to sound like Dre.

Rakim started rapping in '86, bringing multisyllabic rhymes and unconventional flows to the genre. Since then, Rakim's style has become a staple in hip-hop lyricism.

I could go through a plethora of other examples. In short, originality always shapes a genre. Those concerned solely with popularity are just desperately trying to copy others' originality. And considering people don't remember producers like Dirty Red or rappers like Kool Moe Dee, it's pretty obvious paying attention only to popularity is a downfall.
 
An okay artist is concerned with popularity
A good artist is concerned with originality
A great artist is concerned with both
A legend is concerned with adaptation

Facts. I make the music I want to make, and when an artist gets a beat from me, it's something know they will excel on. The whole "lets make a type beat thing" is because people aren't working with others in person. You can still be original and make something dope that people want to rap on. Just be real with yourself about why you're making music in the first place. If you want to be famous, be prepared to face the repercussions and understand the risks that are associated with it. Vice versa, if you want to make music purely out of self expression, that's awesome but you must also realize the market for that is smaller. Ultimately both ideologies require time and effort and investments in different areas.

I'd like to add that there's this mentality that you can't make popular music if you're being original, which is totally untrue. We're at an interesting time in music where everyone has a platform, even the not so talented artists. If what you're doing is honest and you spend time to actually work on your craft, you will receive what ever attention you deserve. Be realistic, you aren't going to be famous after 1 year of making type beats and if so, it'll be short lived. If you want the quick road to success, be prepared to make a joke out of yourself. Anything that's worth having is earned.
 
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