Title: The Integration of Revolutionary Potential: Music Artists, Metrics, and the Society of the Spectacle
[A new détournement experiment with GPT-4 after a day of email discussions with friends. Image: An example of integrated kitsch produced with Midjourney - the work of art in the age of its generative AI mechanical reproducibility]
Introduction: Following debates on social media and big tech industries, the integration of revolutionary potential within music artists and their lyrics has become a complex and multifaceted issue. The mainstreaming of music that carries emancipatory messages often leads to the absorption and dilution of their transformative impact. This document explores the relationship between music artists, radical lyrics, and the society of the spectacle, highlighting the challenges in maintaining unalienating revolutionary potential in the postdigital landscape.
The Mainstreaming of Disruptive Potential and the Role of Big Tech Industries: Talent hunters have long served as a means to mainstreamise disruptive potential, serving the belief that if a movement starts small and spreads organically, it possesses a greater danger to the status quo than reaching a larger audience through corporate channels. In the postmedia context, the control exerted by big tech industries encompassing new forms of influencer-oriented talent hunt through distribution platforms has limited the reach and impact of socially and politically charged music by turning such music and art into a product. Talent hunting does to artists what witch hunting did to witches - hot sales and "trends" instead of burning at the stake. When music is distributed by major corporations, it falls under their complete control, and the audience it reaches becomes carefully scrutinised and monitored. The example of the UK police using the names of famous black rappers and reggae artists as machine learning labels statistically associated with the recreational use and trading of marijuana to track potentially criminal behaviour is a stark illustration of this phenomenon. By promoting music that aligns with potentially illegal activities, these corporations aid in the surveillance and control of individuals.
Post-Facebook Revolutions and the Appeal of Authenticity: Following the advent of social media, so-called "post-Facebook revolutions" have emerged, led by movements such as Greta Thunberg's climate strikes and Extinction Rebellion. While these movements may appear transparent and inclusive, they are ultimately under the complete control of the platforms they utilise. Participants in these movements often support musicians and podcast producers through popular streaming platforms such as Spotify, YouTube, and Deezer, inadvertently contributing to the metrics-driven system that perpetuates the society of the spectacle. To counteract the mainstreaming and absorption of revolutionary potential, it is crucial to seek out music that is not mediated by big labels and corporate platforms. By doing so, we tap into the authentic energy present in music that remains outside the control of the mainstream. This energy is untamed, unfiltered, and has the potential to inspire true action and change. For a more detailed analysis on the functionality of this model of General Economy, please see The Accursed Share by Georges Bataille.
The Disappearance of Alternative Spaces and the Potential of "Minor Literatures" in Music: Unfortunately, alternative spaces for music and creative expression such as squats and free spaces have dwindled in recent years, in part by force and in part by strategic decline in the belief that direct action can be effectuated locally instead of a global direct action via the internet. With the rise of commercialised venues and the prevalence of surveillance, these once-thriving spaces for meaningful dialogue and action have been suppressed. However, there are still remnants of resistance, such as folk pubs or indie bars that continue to survive despite the challenges posed by alcoholism or cultural hypocrisy and thus lack of conducive environments for activism. Drawing from the concept of Bataille's, which explores the excess energy in society, music not mediated by big labels holds greater revolutionary potential. This "minor literature" of myriad small languages (see Deleuze & Guattari) functions outside the dominant mainstream language (or musical idiom), intentionally hidden or strategically obscured. By seeking out and supporting such music, we tap into the untapped energy that can fuel true transformation and rebellion.
The Paradox of Rejecting Corporate Deals – "They Also Serve, Those Who Become Famous by Denying Fame": A question remains open about the tactical refusal to sign with big labels and chose mainstream platforms instead. Paraphrasing John Milton's quote, "they also serve, those who only stand and wait," the above heading can be applied to artists who choose to forego mainstream fame via labels and strive for recognition via big tech companies. When artists turn down lucrative deals offered by major labels, they embody a paradoxical stance. On one hand, they reject the allure of mainstream success and the financial security (the what?) that often accompanies it. On the other hand, their decision to embrace seemingly independent platforms like YouTube enables them to reach a potentially vast audience and cultivate dedicated fan bases without compromising their artistic vision – or, at least, that is the impression given to their listeners and themselves, both of them alienated from their own production and revolutionary potential. This choice is supposed to set these artists apart from their mainstream counterparts and positions them as champions of artistic integrity, that has itself become a commodified product. Sartre, a prominent existentialist philosopher and writer, rejected the prestigious Nobel award on the grounds that acceptance would compromise his commitment to intellectual and political freedom. By declining the honour, he sought to maintain his independence from institutions that he believed could hinder his ability to challenge societal norms and speak truth to power. Sartre's refusal became a symbol of his unwavering dedication to his principles and ideals – which included passive complicity and counter-violence, such as the antiracist who never intervenes when witnessing a racist attack.
Platforms like YouTube have been promoted as vehicles for artistic expression and dissemination. Artists who reject corporate deals, instead opting to share their work on YouTube, leverage the democratising imaginary of the internet to bypass traditional gatekeepers and connect directly with their audience. By doing so, they are under the impression they retain creative control while potentially gaining global recognition and influence, while, however contributing to a larger apparatus of capture, through policing and metrics. This modern form of rebellion through pseudo-independent online platforms echoes Sartre's rejection of the Nobel Prize and demonstrates a similar desire to maintain artistic autonomy, while supporting the trading of “White Lives Matters” apparel distributed by Kanye West – the new Sartre. Their refusal to conform to the norms of the music industry highlights the commodification of the commitment to genuine self-expression and a rejection of the commodification of art.
Conclusion: The integration of revolutionary potential within music artists and their lyrics has become increasingly challenging in the postdigital environment. The control exerted by big tech industries and record labels often dilutes and commodifies the transformative impact of music. However, by seeking out and supporting alternative expressions of music, such as those found on platforms like Bandcamp, there may exist possibilities to resist the society of the spectacle and tap into the authentic energy that has the capacity to inspire structural change. In doing so, we retain the hope (regardless of Spinoza’s hopeless approval) that music and its revolutionary potential can still make an impact in an increasingly alienating world. Artists who embrace the independence offered by platforms like YouTube may have a chance in pushing the boundaries of artistic expression and inspire others to follow their own unconventional paths, but should also consider escaping the value chain of conventionalising unconventionalism. Their refusal to succumb to the allure of fame via label-based music distribution by succumbing to the allure of fame of platform-based music distribution serves as a powerful reminder of the enduring appropriation of artistic integrity and its potential for revolutionary impact.
