Artists alienating fans by being too outspoken?

[Elite]

I never was a fan of Radiohead, but "Hail To The Thief" basically sealed the deal that they won't get a dollar of my money, nor a minute of my listening time ever again.  That wasn't reasoned political discourse; that was the typical snarky, "I'm right, I'm moral, you're a stupid, inept bigot" approach to debate that I can't stand.  The fact that Thom Yorke is seemingly oblivious to the rampant irony of "There There" ("Just 'cause you feel it, doesn't mean it's there") just shows a contempt that I can't get past.

I've read this paragraph a couple of times now and I don't get what you're saying. I wasn't around when the album got released (well, I was a child) so I discovered it years later. I enjoy Hail to the Thief and a few years ago would have named Radiohead among my favourite groups. I enjoy their songs, though I never really paid too much attention to (the meaning of) their lyrics, even though I know they're a huge part of their music. I feel like Radiohead has always had deeper messages in their songs, below the surface of the words. I also get that not everyone likes them, but I think that's mostly due to the 'artsy superiority' they elicit (for lack of a better term, I'm tired, can't think properly) or because of Thom Yorke's voice. Never have I heard of someone being actively turned off by the words themselves.

[Spiritus]

I don't have an issue with it as long as it doesn't take away from the entertainment.

I like how David Draiman from Disturbed does it. He usually has his "Brothers and sisters" speech, but it's more about unity and tolerance rather than "I disagree with XYZ".

and then he goes on social media

[Herrick]

Where I get frustrated is when fans (see: the Twitter mob) get pissy with a favorite artist for NOT saying something, as if they HAVE to get involved and say something.  If some want to stay far away from the abortion topic, or any other for that matter, I respect their right to keep quiet and focus on just their art when speaking publicly.

Agreed, Sir. I see this to a much lesser extent in video game reviews where the reviewer criticizes a game for having political stuff in the story but not going far enough. I'd rather that shit be kept out of games and music concerts because I have to listen to it all day at work, and see it on the fucking TV in the break room where Fox News, News Max, and MSNBC are on almost 24 hours a fucking day. But all in all I agree with the quote below.

Artists can do whatever they want, and I will decide whether to give them further air or not.

[cramx3]

I don't have an issue with it as long as it doesn't take away from the entertainment.

I like how David Draiman from Disturbed does it. He usually has his "Brothers and sisters" speech, but it's more about unity and tolerance rather than "I disagree with XYZ".

and then he goes on social media

I made a comment already about him in this thread.  He just seems to always pick the daily topic of divide to comment about.  A lot of the time it is very much about unity and tolerance, but it's like he just constantly wants to poke the monster and it comes off as very annoying to me.  Instead of maybe just staying out of it instead of provoking everyone to argue.

[Cool Chris]

Who is Halsey? The WWII Admiral?

I don't know what I find more amazing, that celebrities think people care how they feel about topical issues, or that people actually do care how they feel about topical issues. I have never once in my life cared about what a celebrity thought about anything.

[KevShmev]

Agreed, Sir. I see this to a much lesser extent in video game reviews where the reviewer criticizes a game for having political stuff in the story but not going far enough. I'd rather that shit be kept out of games and music concerts because I have to listen to it all day at work, and see it on the fucking TV in the break room where Fox News, News Max, and MSNBC are on almost 24 hours a fucking day. 

Agreed.  Granted, this stuff has always been a part of popular music (see: Dylan, the late 60s), so it is just part of the overall package with some artists, but, speaking for just me and myself, I go to concerts to have a great time and listen to music, not to be lectured at by the artist, again, talking pontificating to the crowd in between songs, not the song themselves.  I have long been a big fan of Bono's "fuck the revolution" speech in Sunday Bloody Sunday in the Rattle and Hum film, as that became part of the song rather than "listen to me talk for five minutes before we start playing tunes again," but if some hate it, I totally get it.

[Skeever]

I never was a fan of Radiohead, but "Hail To The Thief" basically sealed the deal that they won't get a dollar of my money, nor a minute of my listening time ever again.  That wasn't reasoned political discourse; that was the typical snarky, "I'm right, I'm moral, you're a stupid, inept bigot" approach to debate that I can't stand.  The fact that Thom Yorke is seemingly oblivious to the rampant irony of "There There" ("Just 'cause you feel it, doesn't mean it's there") just shows a contempt that I can't get past.

I've read this paragraph a couple of times now and I don't get what you're saying. I wasn't around when the album got released (well, I was a child) so I discovered it years later. I enjoy Hail to the Thief and a few years ago would have named Radiohead among my favourite groups. I enjoy their songs, though I never really paid too much attention to (the meaning of) their lyrics, even though I know they're a huge part of their music. I feel like Radiohead has always had deeper messages in their songs, below the surface of the words. I also get that not everyone likes them, but I think that's mostly due to the 'artsy superiority' they elicit (for lack of a better term, I'm tired, can't think properly) or because of Thom Yorke's voice. Never have I heard of someone being actively turned off by the words themselves.

Yeah I also think this is kind of a weird take. Like where Radiohead were going or not, "Hail to the Thief" is art. Yorke has said that the album was inspired by the Orwellian atmosphere they were feeling from both the UK and the US at the time of the War in Iraq. It's neither a snarky quip on twitter nor a "reasoned attempt at political discourse". It's meant to invoke a certain doomer mentality, and cynicism/fear of the world and the future. To feel victimized by it is to misread it or else feel so uncomfortable with the artistic expression of pessimism that it almost seems an objection to art itself.

[KevShmev]

I am on board with any and all praise of Hail to the Thief. 

[Stadler]

I think the only popular rock musician whose politics, but especially how they talk about them, that would turn me off is Ted Nugent, but luckily I don't like his music anyway, so I no dilemma for me. 

Funny enough, I met a guy last night who was Nugent's guitar tech for about 12 years.  He also worked for Rick Nielson (Cheap Trick) and Ace Frehley.  Said Nugent was the nicest guy he worked with.  Just thought that was an interesting coincidence (see the Kiss thread for more).