The other day in class, we talked about artists who "sold out" and didn't "keep it real". But someone brought up a great point when they said that just because some song/artist becomes popular doesn't mean they are "selling out." That is a really great point. 

It is definitely natural for people's likes and dislikes to evolve. My taste in music now is completely different than it was 6+ years ago so I understand why artists experiment with different sounds after being in the industry for awhile. Now let's say that the new sound of this band takes off and becomes really popular. They are getting a lot of airplay on the radio and people are loving it. Does this mean the artist has "sold out?" Are they not "keeping it real?" Another great point was brought up about hip-hop. As soon as a hip-hop artist started rapping about something other than selling drugs or being in jail (simply because they weren't living that lifestyle) they were considered to not be "keeping it real", but wouldn't they actually be "keeping it real?" They have altered their lifestyle, so shouldn't what they rap about be altered as well? "Keeping it real" is something the alternative and indie genre's are all about.. but is it really that horrible if a band wants to make a profit? I don't think so because after all, don't we all want to/try to make money for ourselves?