Is Simon Cowell the cancer of the music industry

Lemegeton

as much as i despise simon cowell and louis walsh they are not the problem. if mindless drones and teeny boppers did not buy the records from trash like jls there would not be a problem. cowell and company make a fortune from selling garbage to the masses but we would all do exactly the same if given the opportunity. at least cowell is honest about it, he has regularly stated that he uses the music industry to make himself rich.

Jaxxy

elviscostello wrote: »

One thing I can't stand is music snobs. There are a lot on this thread by the look of things. Some posts have basically said "all pop music is shít". What a load of rubbish.

I enjoy a wide wide range of music. Some of that I have found all by myself (well done me). Some of that has been passed on through friends. Some of that has come from my Dads influence. Some of that has come from Simon Cowells influence. etc etc.

Big deal.

I like some pop songs. I think that S Club 7 "Don't Stop Movin' " is a great tune.

I think that people who go out of their way to throw names of obscure bands in my face are more fúcking annoying than Simon Cowell ever will be.

I love that song. And the "Never Had A Dream Come True" one where they're all dancing in the snow. Makes me feel nice.

But yeah I'd have to echo the above. There are decent bands and artists in every genre of music. If you don't like something, or if you don't like contemporary music then don't listen to it. Belittling someone because they enjoy pop or easy listening doesn't make you a music savant, it makes you a snob.

_feedback_

Laney Wrong Reaction wrote: »

I think people who go out of their way to throw the names of cheesy manufactured pop groups from 10 years ago in my face are fúcking annoying too.

Kitch value does not equate to good music.

Whether you the think it's snobby or not the vast majority of pop music is formulaic tripe dreamed up by a boardroom of accountants and marketing gurus.

I used that song as an example of a good pop song. If you want something more recent Eliza Doolittle "Pack Up" would be one. There are so many good pop songs. To say that "the vast majority of pop music is formulaic tripe" is just ridiculous tbh.

Just because I like a catchy tune - how does that make me a moron that sucks up whatever Simon Cowell <or insert other marketing guru name> throws at me?

Pace2008

JaxxYChicK wrote: »

If you don't like something, or if you don't like contemporary music then don't listen to it. Belittling someone because they enjoy pop or easy listening doesn't make you a music savant, it makes you a snob.

Cheapest argument ever; I absolutely hate it.

Due to the ubiquity of contemporary pop music it's not always possible to avoid it. I work in an office and due to popular demand the radio will always be stuck on Spin103/FM 104/Generic Station 100 . They play the same ****ty flavour of the month songs, on repeat, with only 10 or so tracks on the playlist. It's like Tellytubbies for adults and it makes my time in employment significantly less tolerable.

Walk into a shopping centre and I'm assaulted by the same crap, end up in a commercial club with my friends and there it is again. There is no avoiding it, and I can't help but slightly resent the people who aren't arsed to develop their own taste in music and so give it this undeserved platform.

_feedback_

Pace2008 wrote: »

I can't help but slightly resent the people who aren't arsed to develop their own taste in music and so give it this undeserved platform.

But I do have a taste in music. I also like good catchy tunes.

Having said all of that, I also dislike a lot of music. I put up with it though, and I've no problem with somebody enjoying something that I dont.

Jaxxy

Pace2008 wrote: »

Cheapest argument ever; I absolutely hate it.

Due to the ubiquity of contemporary pop music it's not always possible to avoid it. I work in an office and due to popular demand the radio will always be stuck on Spin103/FM 104/Generic Station 100 . They play the same ****ty flavour of the month songs, on repeat, with only 10 or so tracks on the playlist. It's like Tellytubbies for adults and it makes my time in employment significantly less tolerable.

Walk into a shopping centre and I'm assaulted by the same crap, end up in a commercial club with my friends and there it is again. There is no avoiding it, and I can't help but slightly resent the people who aren't arsed to develop their own taste in music and so give it this undeserved platform.

Cheap or not, it's true.

Why can't you approach your work colleagues and request that for maybe an hour or two a day you get to put on the radio station of your choice? Surely you're not the only one with "evolved" tastes and detest being "assaulted" by generic crap. If you like your classic rock, ask for an hour of Nova, country ask for Sunshine, easy listening Q102, etc etc.

It's really not that difficult and no reasonable person would deny you that. Or perhaps you're the type to suffer in silence and grumble about it on an internet forum instead.

Each to his own I guess. Personally if I don't like something that comes on the radio I turn it off, or if I'm out and about shopping and I don't like their background dirge I'll stick in the earphones. Especially at Christmas, only so much of the tis the season you can cope with.

checkyabadself

Is Simon Cowell the cancer of the music industry?

No. Simon Cowell is a businessman and knows how to market teeny pop to the masses. I would imagine he has a great taste in music, has a surprisingly good cd collection and treats the "artists" on his show with the right amount of contempt a businessman gives to any other commodity to make money.

It should be apparent to everyone at this stage that the xfactor is about the hunt and not the final product. It's the suspense generated by the long
pauses ( and heartbeat background music) that decide the fate of peoples futures, in much the same way as Caesar did with a thumbs up/down.

Popular music doesn't bother me in the slightest. I think if JLS are bothering you, then you might want to avoid trashy tv and radio channels, where their music is played.
These channels after all, have done plenty of research as to what their demographic listens to.

Also, I don't have a group or artist on my iPod that care about being universally popular. They're too busy making decent albums that they like and are happy if others also appreciate.

mikom

Forget Cowell.

The music industry is a cancer on music.

Pace2008

elviscostello wrote: »

But I do have a taste in music. I also like good catchy tunes.

Having said all of that, I also dislike a lot of music. I put up with it though, and I've no problem with somebody enjoying something that I dont.

I'm talking about people who view buying the X-Factor winner's Christmas realase as a matter of obligation, and whose iPod playlists look suspiciously like a compilation of the Top 10 for the last year. They don't even necessarily have a bad taste in music, they have absolutely no taste in music. Of course there's nothing wrong with liking come catchy commercial tunes, there are always a few likeable pop songs released every year.

But whilst you might personally be able to tolerate a non-stop rotation of what music executives want you to buy this particular month, I think having to hear that Alexandra Burke/Sean Paul post-stroke song five times in a day amounts to cruel and unusual punishment.

_feedback_

Pace2008 wrote: »

I'm talking about people who view buying the X-Factor winner's Christmas realase as a matter of obligation, and whose iPod playlists look suspiciously like a compilation of the Top 10 for the last year. They don't even necessarily have a bad taste in music, they have absolutely no taste in music. Of course there's nothing wrong with liking come catchy commercial tunes, there are always a few likeable pop songs released every year.

But whilst you might personally be able to tolerate a non-stop rotation of what music executives want you to buy this particular month, I think having to hear that Alexandra Burke/Sean Paul post-stroke song five times in a day amounts to cruel and unusual punishment.

I see what you mean more from that post. Thanks

I think a lot of the people you talk about are teenagers that haven't really developed a lot of aspects of themselves and X Factor etc. is just part of their life. It's something that most of us can't relate to, as this type of thing wasn't around in our day.

Marketing was there alright, and most of us sucked it up at that age. This is basically a marketing monster, so you can't blame them really.

KrazeeEyezKilla

nommm wrote: »

No he definitely isn't. He's not even that successful in terms of big acts as other people. Most of the people on his label only last a few months because he can't seem to get any longevity out of them. The only reason he is so rich is because of his TV shows.

Nobody ever seems to notice that. In the six years the X-Factors been running it's produced Shayne Ward, Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke & JLSh!te. He's hardly dominating the music industry. You'd never see a Lady Gaga or Eminem coming through his shows.

Sonnenblumen

I'd blame the general public, it's they afterall which support the entertainment industry. Simon Cowell is just another busker except he makes lots of money. He obviousloy knows more about idiots than most people.

The sad reality is that music died over 20 years ago, even legends like John Lennon would struggle (with new material) today.:(

Pace2008

elviscostello wrote: »

I think a lot of the people you talk about are teenagers that haven't really developed a lot of aspects of themselves and X Factor etc. is just part of their life. It's something that most of us can't relate to, as this type of thing wasn't around in our day.

Oh, **** taste in music amongst the young is nothing new, regardless of the presence of the monster marketing machine. My first music-related purchases were a Steps album and a Now! That's What I Call Music compilation, the latter of which I purchased religiously for several years Much of the music I'd rate these days would not be immediately accessible to many - certainly not to a 10-year-old kid - and mainstream/pop music is an obvious and acceptable platform from which one can begin to develop their tastes.

Thing is, a good deal of over 25's don't seem to have moved on from their first Boyzone CD. A quick foray into Copper's or McGowan's on a Saturday night will confirm as much.

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

The sad reality is that music died over 20 years ago, even legends like John Lennon would struggle (with new material) today.

Rubbish.

mikom

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

The sad reality is that music died over 20 years ago, even legends like John Lennon would struggle (with new material) today.:(

Well Don McLean said the music died on February 3, 1959.
It still didn't stop him from producing music.

And, you sir, are no Don McLean.

readyletsgo

Pop is for people who dont like music!

And Simon Cowell knows this and has mad a fortune doing it.

Einstein

lol @ people who think Cowell hasn't a clue, and only spurts out "crappy pop music"

The man's a genius. He plays some kind of instrument (shaker etc) on almost every track he's involved in and gets a royalty from that as a performer, as well as whatever other royalty he gets.

If rock music had the potential to make as much as the "here today gone tomorrow" artists...have no doubt, Cowell would be all over it. But the talent simply isn't really there.

One of the guys from American Idol, Chris Daughtry has been really successful since appearing on the show. Cowell gave one of his songs to Westlife to release. Simply because they are more popular this side of the world. If Daughtry had released it it wouldn't have had half of the success Westlife had with it.

I could say the same about some of the metal thats out there. Turn on Scuzz or Kerrang TV and half of em sound the same, surprise surprise, just like commercial pop music. Only difference is that more people in this side of the world are interested in the pop culture, and theres just no space for the rockier acts.

Any bands that have any genuine talent avoid Ireland and the UK like the plague because the industry is so swamped with JLS's and Shayne Wards...

People buy it because its there. Its in our faces on every station and TV show. It's in the background of soap operas and it's soundtracked on films.

If you don't like it turn on your CD player or listen to the radio apps from round the world on your smartphones. Problem solved!

ilovelamp2000

The OP has it wrong.

Cowell is the McDonald's of the music industry. He takes cheap, lower quality ingredients, over processes them and at the end produces some bland product that people with no sense of taste seem to like.

Copper23

gsxr1 wrote: »

I see bands in town,

in festivals like Knockenstocken ,

and so on and so on. Up and coming people who have devoted there life to music .

I went to Carlos Santana last week . Setting a standard of top class musicianship . Every member of the band picked from the best of the best.

The band only 2/3 fills the O2.

yet if JLS play. full house. Bunch of ijets who have no idea.

Whats wrong.... Its driving me nuts

While Santana is indeed a legend, it's this level of musical snobbery that makes me just not care about seeing bands/musicians like that with the thought of the type of crowd in attendance. Sorry.

readyletsgo

Santana, mahh, over-rated in mho.

Riccardo Zappa anyone?

I rememeber being in school and listening to a lot of good music and passing it on to my friends who would just buy now comp's etc and always got into it, its just people listen to what they are told to listen to instead of actually going out to a record shop, picking up an album they never heard of and giving it a little listen in the store for a few mins. Thats what i did in my teens and I now have a fountain of music but i dont be a d!ck about it (except for maybe here at this very moment LOL).


Ah, whatever your inta.

epgc3fyqirnbsx

Jesus, this thread reads like High Fidelity

Get over yourselves
If you dont like what's out there don't listen to it. And if you don't want anyone else to listen to it then come up with something better

phantom_lord

AgileMyth wrote: »

The current music 'scene' is holding back genuinley talented musicians. It'll come around, what we need is one brilliant band to lead the way.

That's such nonsense, as is the tripe spouted by the wannabe music snobs. If they actually knew anything about music they'd realise that's the far more talent behind the "pop rubbish" they deride so much than the music they seem so proud to listen to.

orourkeda

Not only is he a cancer of the music.

He's a nuisance to society and a boil on the arsecheek of TV

Donkey Oaty

Kellen Swift Industry wrote: »

Jesus, this thread reads like High Fidelity

Get over yourselves
If you dont like what's out there don't listen to it. And if you don't want anyone else to listen to it then come up with something better

Up to a point, Slasher.

My objections to Cowell et al are as follows:

1) The X-Factor presents itself as a meritocracy, although it is nothing of the sort. It is a cynical exercise in emotional pornography.

2) The public are effectively swindled out of money, because they are voting on rigged performances (autotune, editing sound, etc).

3) I believe that at least one key member of The X Factor should face charges of fraud. I won't say any more on that here, except to say that "And if you don't want anyone else to listen to it then come up with something better" shows a real naivety about how this disgusting business is run.

Sorry to sound like a pompous ass, but I want youngsters to be inspired by real musicians rather than McSingers, and they aren't even getting a look in.

Star Bingo

the music industry will eat its own arsehole out.

KLF have now left the music industry

gsxr1

Rosco1982 wrote: »

The OP has it wrong.

Cowell is the McDonald's of the music industry. He takes cheap, lower quality ingredients, over processes them and at the end produces some bland product that people with no sense of taste seem to like.

I dont have it wrong.

It was simply a question . Is he good or bad for the seen.

His show/circus has turned into an obsesation to other members of my household . And the X factor will be on MY Tv till Xmas because of it.

cheese TV.

epgc3fyqirnbsx

Donkey Oaty wrote: »

Up to a point, Slasher.

My objections to Cowell et al are as follows:

1) The X-Factor presents itself as a meritocracy, although it is nothing of the sort. It is a cynical exercise in emotional pornography.

2) The public are effectively swindled out of money, because they are voting on rigged performances (autotune, editing sound, etc).

3) I believe that at least one key member of The X Factor should face charges of fraud. I won't say any more on that here, except to say that "And if you don't want anyone else to listen to it then come up with something better" shows a real naivety about how this disgusting business is run.

Sorry to sound like a pompous ass, but I want youngsters to be inspired by real musicians rather than McSingers, and they aren't even getting a look in.

But who decides on all this, the taste police?
Look, I don't like any of that muck either but it's easy to part fools with their money and it's just another 'talent' show, which have always been popular.

No one has or ever will consider any of these people 'artists', some enjoy it as light hearted entertainment, plenty dont.
The ones who are really into it are freaks and if they weren't freaks about x-factor they'd be freaks about something else.

I dont know what you mean by fraud, he's creating a package, a product. Where do you draw the line between X-factor and it's auto-tune and sound engineering in a studio.

What about Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club, engineered to ****, couldn't be replicated on stage. Extreme example but it's just to highlight that they're both just using available technology

I couldnt give a two shítes about Cowell and I'm not going to hate him for giving some people what they want

I can't understand when it comes to music that some people are genuinely offended by other peoples taste or what they perceive to be lack of?

Donkey Oaty

Let's take Miss World as an example, and let's say that people wanted to win it, and were obsessed with watching it, and wanted to look like the winners because that's what the public wanted. And hey, say the organisers, it's all about celebrating beauty.

We could have opinions about that, and mine would be similar to the one you outlined about The X Factor - basically, it's how the world is: deal with it. Call that scenario "A".

Now, this has never happened in Miss World as far as I know, but let's say that it did:

1) Selected contestants were photo-shopped.

2) Polls, judges, etc, were manipulated.

3) Posters and calenders of particular girls were bought by shills to make them the "most popular" calenders and posters in the world.

4) All of the above were done for purely commercial reasons and lied about, while driving rival beauty competitions off the air.

Call that scenario "B".

I can live with scenario A because at least there's some element of truth in it.

I despise scenario B, because it's a commercially-driven, manipulative sham that actively works against the values it pretends to champion.

It's ugly, Slasher. Real ugly.

Donkey Oaty

Sorry, I didn't address this interesting point:

I dont know what you mean by fraud, he's creating a package, a product. Where do you draw the line between X-factor and it's auto-tune and sound engineering in a studio.

What about Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club, engineered to ****, couldn't be replicated on stage. Extreme example but it's just to highlight that they're both just using available technology.

In a talent show, they should make all the available technology available to all the contestants, not just the ones they have selected to make them appear better then they are. The X Factor does not do this.

However, the fraud I'm talking about is one of an entirely different kind, and I probably shouldn't have brought it up.

GLaDOS

phantom_lord wrote: »

If they actually knew anything about music they'd realise that's the far more talent behind the "pop rubbish" they deride so much than the music they seem so proud to listen to.

What do you base that on?

epgc3fyqirnbsx

Donkey Oaty wrote: »

Let's take Miss World as an example, and let's say that people wanted to win it, and were obsessed with watching it, and wanted to look like the winners because that's what the public wanted. And hey, say the organisers, it's all about celebrating beauty.

We could have opinions about that, and mine would be similar to the one you outlined about The X Factor - basically, it's how the world is: deal with it. Call that scenario "A".

Now, this has never happened in Miss World as far as I know, but let's say that it did:

1) Selected contestants were photo-shopped.

2) Polls, judges, etc, were manipulated.

3) Posters and calenders of particular girls were bought by shills to make them the "most popular" calenders and posters in the world.

4) All of the above were done for purely commercial reasons and lied about, while driving rival beauty competitions off the air.

Call that scenario "B".

I can live with scenario A because at least there's some element of truth in it.

I despise scenario B, because it's a commercially-driven, manipulative sham that actively works against the values it pretends to champion.

It's ugly, Slasher. Real ugly.

Ok, fair enough, I can really see where you are coming from. It just isn't something that bothers me because I don't take it seriously in the first place

google faps

Fair play to Cowell. He's realised that women and gays will watch any auld ****e. And it's made him a fortune.

Sonnenblumen

mikom wrote: »

Well Don McLean said the music died on February 3, 1959.
It still didn't stop him from producing music.

And, you sir, are no Don McLean.

You're right I hate red neck cowboy tunes. Get back in your barn.

Irish Guitarist

There was crap music before Simon Cowell came along and there will be crap music after he's gone.

Most of the people that have any interest in the type of music that Simon Cowell is responsible for will grow out of it. I used to listen to Bros and Kylie Minogue when I was a prepubescent kid back in the eighties.

To be honest I think rap music (including all that supposedly cool 'underground' stuff) is far worse than anything that appears on X Factor (assuming rap doesn't feature in X Factor, I wouldn't know because I never watch it).

phantom_lord

ScienceNerd wrote: »

What do you base that on?

Most people don't appreciate the wealth of talent behind modern pop songs/acts, there's a reason why someone like ryan tedder will earn more for writing or producing a single song than any of the the unsigned acts that gsxr1 is into will ever make, and there's a very good reason why they'll remain unsigned.

CorkMan

gsxr1 wrote: »

I see bands in town,

in festivals like Knockenstocken ,

and so on and so on. Up and coming people who have devoted there life to music .

I went to Carlos Santana last week . Setting a standard of top class musicianship . Every member of the band picked from the best of the best.

The band only 2/3 fills the O2.

yet if JLS play. full house. Bunch of ijets who have no idea.

Whats wrong.... Its driving me nuts

Go head, do it. I dare ya to.

Snowie

The lot of you have a read of this!

yes we all down load its free but its as good as stealing.
This is why the The music industry is dieing!

You consider your self fans of a band and then take money out of there pockets.

That is why music is going crap...

If I owned sony and i was loosing money like that. I wouldn't be, putting money into bands id milk each band dry of the music they had until the next big sound came along not investing more money to make well a loss.

Why take a chance on something when its a loss?

That's why music is so slow at the moment because so many people down;load ileagly which means they make a loss

Hence why you pay 90 euros to hear GnR play. That's where money is made now live gigs. Not on record sales.

Your all clueless on the affect s of down loading.
Is the main reason why music has gone sh!t and will continue to be.

Why go to the effort of making music when people will steel it because they cant be arsed spending 16 euros on a cd?

Its completely Inane to say oh cowell is the cancer of music hes not, those Xfactor contestants don't go very far after words genrally a shelf life of six month ...then they dissapear like a virgin on a prom night....

The Fans who down load albums for free are!

ilovelamp2000

http://www.unc.edu/~cigar/papers/FileSharing_March2004.pdf

Try again Snow Monkey.

Snowie

Rosco1982 wrote: »

http://www.unc.edu/~cigar/papers/FileSharing_March2004.pdf

Try again Snow Monkey.

That's dated 2004!
whats changed since then

Computer tec
Internet speeds.
File storage.....

ilovelamp2000

Snow-Monkey wrote: »

That's dated 2004!
whats changed since then

Computer tec
Internet speeds.
File storage.....

X Factor.

X Factor is the death of music.

gsxr1

CorkMan wrote: »

Go head, do it. I dare ya to.

sorry. I dont get it

Snowie

Rosco1982 wrote: »

X Factor.

X Factor is the death of music.

[Edit]

Your talking through your waste passage

Sonnenblumen

< 5,000 (less than 1/3 capacity :eek:) at the O2 last night for Jean Michel Jarre.

Lady Forgaga gets a full house.

Enough said.

ricman

HE does find some good pop singers eg leona lewis, for the general audience, if you want to find good indie, rock groups theres plenty of websites that
review them eg pitchfork ,rolling stone etc Theres have always been teens who buy cds, downloads because they see singer x on tv and find them attractive .And theres 20 music channels on sky for pop,rock, dance music so
theres no reason to watch the x factor if you don,t like it.
The music industry needs a show like top of the pops on itv or bbc ,because not everyone watches sky tv.
IF you look at american idol ,it has found some really good singers over the years that are still selling records at least in america.
I would not be watching xfactor to see the next bob dylan or radiohead ,its aimed at a general pop audience.

The Waltzing Consumer

Snow-Monkey wrote: »

The lot of you have a read of this!

yes we all down load its free but its as good as stealing.
This is why the The music industry is dieing!

You consider your self fans of a band and then take money out of there pockets.

That is why music is going crap...

If I owned sony and i was loosing money like that. I wouldn't be, putting money into bands id milk each band dry of the music they had until the next big sound came along not investing more money to make well a loss.

Why take a chance on something when its a loss?

That's why music is so slow at the moment because so many people down;load ileagly which means they make a loss

Hence why you pay 90 euros to hear GnR play. That's where money is made now live gigs. Not on record sales.

Your all clueless on the affect s of down loading.
Is the main reason why music has gone sh!t and will continue to be.

Why go to the effort of making music when people will steel it because they cant be arsed spending 16 euros on a cd?

Its completely Inane to say oh cowell is the cancer of music hes not, those Xfactor contestants don't go very far after words genrally a shelf life of six month ...then they dissapear like a virgin on a prom night....

The Fans who down load albums for free are!

I do not agree. There are loads of great bands/albums out, lots of them tour and do not charge crazy prices. It has little to do with illegal downloading.

Off hand, I know The National and Interpol both released great new albums this year, and are both playing in Ireland this year, charging pretty reasonable prices, even if they are sold out :mad:

We were ripped off for years when buying cds , and now record industries moan that we download instead, boo hoo. You ain't going to get much sympathy here I think. A piece of plastic should not cost 16 Euro.

As for the other argument about x-factor style music and the music industry, I think it is much better now then 10 years ago, there is a lot less pop and boy/girl bands, a lot more rock, indie, electronic and overall good music, more people have better taste. The x-factor is more about television and less about the music that follows, so I would not worry about that. The only good genres of music that have gone down the drain are hip-hop and metal (really awful these days)

celtic Liger

i wouldnt say he's the cancer, he's more like a tumor

KyussBishop

Isn't the music industry itself the cancer of the music industry?

Hank Scorpio

Like him.

Especially his America/Britain's got talent shows.

Some unreal talent out there!

In fairness most of the acts he ends up producing are incredibly talented and deserve some form of success

madtheory

Sonnenblumen wrote: »

< 5,000 (less than 1/3 capacity :eek:) at the O2 last night for Jean Michel Jarre.

Lady Forgaga gets a full house.

Enough said.

Yes, scary. Where'd you get that figure of 5000 actually?

Celly Smunt

CorkMan wrote: »

Go head, do it. I dare ya to.

did you mix up o2 with H2o?

Snowie

The Waltzing Consumer wrote: »

I do not agree. There are loads of great bands/albums out, lots of them tour and do not charge crazy prices. It has little to do with illegal downloading.

Off hand, I know The National and Interpol both released great new albums this year, and are both playing in Ireland this year, charging pretty reasonable prices, even if they are sold out :mad:

We were ripped off for years when buying cds , and now record industries moan that we download instead, boo hoo. You ain't going to get much sympathy here I think. A piece of plastic should not cost 16 Euro.

As for the other argument about x-factor style music and the music industry, I think it is much better now then 10 years ago, there is a lot less pop and boy/girl bands, a lot more rock, indie, electronic and overall good music, more people have better taste. The x-factor is more about television and less about the music that follows, so I would not worry about that. The only good genres of music that have gone down the drain are hip-hop and metal (really awful these days)

Of course you don't agree with me. you pobably wear pointy shoes and skinny jeans hats and blazer but thats ok how ever your taste in music isnt really of any interest..

So the National and Interpol are good bands? id rather grate my balls on a cheese grater then subject my self to a hole album of either of them....

Yep you were ripped of bye record company's... so here's just some of the costs....
So a band gets signed.
The label pays for recording studios. ( so the band can record ya know?
then there's the possibility of a producer, sound engineer who also have to be payed.
Then a graphic design agency get payed to design design the cover.
Then the cds have to be made printed and music put on to them then the
covers of the cds have to be printed.
that company has to be payed.

then there's the buyers like hmv or virgin or tower records. have to bye them important them to the country then they get stung with import tax and another silly import tax type thing.
Then they have to make money on the cds so they can pay there staff. and there electricity bills etc....Then on top of that they pay more tax

Oh and then the band may get payed depending on royalties etc.
Ive missed stuff out like shipping etc.... Oh and then the recording studio gets payed... after all those out goings.....

Let me get this straight you wont pay 16 euros for a cd yet you coould have 5 pints in one night that may cost you 20 to 25 euro.... But shore drinking isnt a waste, you get drunk go home,feel like sh1t in the morning and half the day.

And you wont have a cd for life either... Yes i still bye cds and lisen to them on my trusted disk man do you know why that is ?

because mp3 quality sucks.