Hypothetical Situation
 

We live in a world where My Bloody Valentine never existed.

Bruno Mars has built up the reputation that he currently holds today. Now, he releases Loveless. What is the reaction of the mainstream listeners and Bruno Mars fans, and what is your reaction?

Change the examples around as you like. The idea is to have a current mainstream artist release something experimental. Maybe Justin Bieber just dropped Screamadelica.

I haven't got a clue what Bruno Mars or My Bloody Valentine sounds like and I have the feeling that's something to be proud of.

it would be interesting if Lady Gaga releases Reek of Putrefaction (Carcass)

that would sound like something she'd do

er... no (to the latter)

I understand what the OP means. The problem is that Bruno Mars has already caked his soul in sin, so it's hard to truly gain the same respect for him as My Bloody Valentine has conjured.

It would still be a great album, but looking back it would be seen as a copy of what has gone before (considering we still have Jesus and Mary Chain and bands like that in our history).

Perhaps using a more dated artist, say Vanilla Ice, would have been more appropriate.

Would any label hypothetically allow a pop artist to release something so controversial? The nearest example I can think of is Radiohead putting out OK Computer, but in fairness, it wasn't the same leap in genre or dumping of audience.

It would definitely limit the exposure to a potentially appreciating audience. Bruno Mars fans would revolt, and music fans like us would never care to listen to it because it's Bruno Mars.

All in all, it would flop.

I would listen to it if I heard what it was all about.

The problem I have with the mainstream is that they really could make an effort to put some good music out there, and people would listen to it. If people listened to it, bought the CD and requested it on radio stations, then the record companies would give them license to do what they wanted, and you would have more good music in the mainstream.

I think it is an idealistic view that may never really work, because of the limited nature of the "mainstream" audience.

See, and people **** on the Beatles so badly, when this hypothetical is EXACTLY what the Beatles did in the mid 60s.

I'd say, very few could get away with it. Katy Perry couldn't. Nobody would be paying attention if Bieber did, since his fans are more 14 year old girls who want to finger themselves to his posters.

Lady Gaga could potentially because to the uninformed mainstream audience she's 'weird'. Her imagery is very much in the same vain, but I think she's way too selfish to afford the effort. However, her 'monsters' would probably literally eat her **** on command, so possibly. Then again, she's clearly on the out.

Kanye definitely could get away with it, if he wanted to. I mean, he did release an extremely retarded song that was just Can's 'Sing Swan Song' with different lyrics. If anybody could get away with it unscathed.

Rihanna... Maybe. It's not impossible that she 'could' do it. Again, her fans are just creeps coming to get backstage passes to feel up her tits so... eh.

The Rolling Stones should release an album like XTRMNTR just to fuck with Bobby Gillespie's head.

The Beatles released Loveless in the mid-60s? Wow, I'd love to hear that!