I really don’t like Tumblr drama. It’s strange. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth. It’s weird to think that there are “problems” that kind of involve you online (and that you only realize when you get back home) but don’t have anything to do with you in real life. With that said, what’s your problem?

You’re really offended and I’m not quite sure why. You were offended that you were the only person that called me out on being upset over a review on Pitchfork. You claimed that Pitchfork changed and that they can’t be represented by their old image, blah blah blah, and that people always call Idolator “snarky” because you were once associated with Gawker, blah blah blah, and what? You’re upset that I didn’t respond? You’re upset that you were the only person who called me out? I’m sorry that I was so eager to create some sweeping generalization about Pitchfork because they’ve definitely totally changed and are so not the same site that they were before. Oh wait. What’s that? You mean they still overhype artists? They are still pretty misogynistic? And they still do really goofy things like posting pictures of pugs with the words “Sorry :(” as a form of a review? Guess I must have missed how much they’ve changed. Really though, get over it. You said, “I’m not really 100% sure why anyone takes her seriously in the first place,” and I’m wondering what Tumblr you’re reading and why my own makes you so angry in the first place. It’s…a blog. I’m…a college student. You’re…acting a fool.

Also, whoever this is…really though?

This is fucking ridiculous, you guys.  Please, if you’re so head-up-your-ass that you haven’t been paying attention to the stuff that Idolator talks about every goddamn day, try not to embarass yourself in public, OK?

Um, no, I don’t pay attention to the stuff that Idolator talks about every day. I don’t read Idolator. My rant was a response to an article written by someone from Gawker today. It was spur of the moment, although the thoughts have certainly been there for a while. Because this is a Tumblr and not a music site, my thoughts on music are coming from a completely personal stance. This is why I’ll geek out when I hear something really good and start posting things like “OMG” and “This song makes me wet.” I don’t claim to be the authority on anything, especially since I am a college student studying English and Philosophy (and not, say, Music Theory or Criticism). But I can say that I know what I like, and that, although I don’t work in the record industry, the situation as it stands affects me like it affects most music fans. There is something horrific and simultaneously outstanding happening in the music industry right now, and there is room for everyone to assess the situation and offer their own two cents. That comes from the freedom of the internet and the ability of anyone with half a brain to form an opinion. And what I wrote was just that, an opinion.

With that said, I’m not going to (what?) apologize for it or take back what I said. This is an exciting time for music. There are many different opportunities for musicians to break out around the world and I do believe that the musicians and the fans are finally being freed from their “record label shackles.” I interviewed a band a couple of weeks ago who talked about the fact that the musicians now have a chance to promote their work on an international market, that they would have never been able to tour abroad, let alone release an album with a distributor in Europe or in the states, and that despite the problems inherent in downloading music illegally, the strength of different platforms online means that perhaps, they are not really losing sales. Perhaps, their music is being introduced to radically different audiences across the globe who can now listen to an mp3 or two in the comfort of their bedroom, and then go out and purchase the album or tickets when the band goes on tour to their country, something they wouldn’t have been able to do ten years ago. It’s a complicated situation, yes, but an interesting one.

But to clear up a couple of points because I think you might have missed them when you skimmed over my original post in an angry huff, ready to pounce on the Black girl who thinks she knows everything:

I never said the major labels were frightened of the indie labels. I said the major labels were essentially afraid of the freedom the general public has in terms of finding their music. They don’t have to be force fed what to listen to. I also said that the major labels were afraid of the freedom artists have in distributing their music. Obviously, there are many layers to the situation (I’m not going to pretend that I know them or understand them) and this strategy only works for major, major, major music artists, but I do like the idea that many established acts are getting out of their major label contracts to do things on their own terms. It allows the musicians to be more creative with their music (if they so choose) and it gives more of your dollars to the musicians and not the random old white dude who doesn’t really like music in the first place.

Also, the Wrigley thing is not about musicians turning to big corporations for money. I have no problem when my favorite musicians sell their music to companies. I understand that they have to pay their bills and put food on the table like the rest of the world. What leaves such a bad taste in my mouth regarding the Wrigley/Chris Brown thing is that Brown was paid to update the Doublemint (correct me if I’m wrong) jingle. And then to create it into a real song. And then release the song without telling anyone about its original context. That’s shady. That’s weird. Chris Brown is no longer “that cute boy with the dimples who wants to be the next Michael Jackson, or at least Usher, by creating slightly wholesome pop songs about love.” He’s Chris Brown, “that cute boy with the dimples who creates songs about Wrigley chewing gum, secretly mind you, in order for you to purchase a product that shouldn’t really have anything to do with the music in the first place.” Mmkay?

Sidenote: Although I’ve clearly done this above, I hate it when people pick and choose what they want to respond to an in argument. Because I was responding to two people (who I suppose are from Idolator since both seem to have connections to the site?) I decided to not re-print everything that was originally written. Back to my original point, though, I believe picking and choosing what you want to argue against is pretty slimy. For example, when you excerpt a small passage of what I wrote and then respond with something that I later re-iterated in the original passage, it doesn’t reflect well. For the casual reader, it makes the original author look dumb (which I suppose was your original point) and for the more thorough reader, it makes the new re-blogger look dumber.