Is it even possible not to follow the trend?
 

I recently read this in the one music magazine that I find worth getting a subscription to. I thought I would share:

"All of us do something that's part of a trend, some of us more so than others. Most of us do nothing unless it's been pre-approved by a gazillion other cookie-cutter scenesters. This continues to be the case as ideas are born and worn into the ground by drones too boring to have the ideas in the first place, thus setting individuality at an all-time-low. There are no true outsiders. What you are doing, creatively, is part of a big dumb movement, so don't get all high and mighty about what you incorrectly perceive to be original. There exists no more fertile ground for lemmings than the music industry."

^there's a whole article full of examples in the music industry that supports this statement. But i'm not up to typing the whole thing out.

Do you agree with what this guy asserts? Or is it a bunch of crap?

I think he has a good point to an certain extent, but there is room still of individuality.

But I know what I think, what do you think?

We all follow trends whether we like it or not. Not giving a shít about trends and forging ahead in the first place is what counts. Just by existing we are following a trend, so that statement is an oxymoron.

ok, taking out the point that by existence we are following a trend. But by saying we're not going to follow a trend is that following a trend of people who say they don't follow trends?

I'm more curious though if you can create music that is not trend following in some form.

I don't know. I just try and be myself. Maybe it's an age thing. I'm sure in some quarters I may be seen as following a trend, but to people around me I don't follow trends at all. I think you can only call it a trend when people follow it WITHOUT knowing exactly what it is.

you actually don't strike me as a trend-follower in any sort of the way. Maybe I was just frustrated at all the n00b posts about how different they think their music taste are when in reality they are standard musical tastes. Cause last time I checked indie was the trend, making a good portion of this website trendy.

Agreed, indie is so ridiculously trendy right now.

Billboard Top 20 Singles, 09.21-09.27
1. Kanye West "Stronger"
2. Soulja Boy "Crank That (Soulja Boy)"
3. Timbaland "The Way I Are"
4. Fergie "Big Girls Don't Cry"
5. 50 Cent "Ayo Technology (Feat. Justin Timberlake)"
6. J. Holiday "Bed"
7. Keyshia Cole "Let It Go (Feat. Missy Elliott and Lil' Kim)"
8. Nickelback "Rockstar"
9. Pink "Who Knew"
10. Plies "Shawty"
11. T-Pain "Bartender"
12. Matchbox Twenty "How Far We've Come"
13. Plain White T's "Hey There Delilah"
14. Kanye West "Good Life"
15. Alicia Keys "No One"
16. Colbie Caillat "Bubbly"
17. Rihanna "Umbrella"
18. Justin Timberlake "LoveStoned/I Think She Knows Interlude"
19. Fabolous "Make Me Better"
20. 50 Cent "I Get Money"

When you are into bands like SAXON, I can safely say that I'm not trendy! I think I am into some really good bands and I have an extremely eclectic taste in music. However I acknowledge that I do like some utter crap (according to general music ettiquette) like old school Metal and Ambient music. So do I follow a trend? I hope not. My advice has never changed in any situation in life. Do you like the music you listen to? Yes? Well fúck everyone else. I have to try and be true to myself. A thousand people can praise a certain band, but if I don't like them-I don't like them!

I believe that there's still room for individuality, regardless of whether one is following a trend or not. It resides in each person's reasoning on why s/he is following a trend. But that's where (I guess) lots (?) of people fall short, as they don't know why they follow, they simply do (but then again, why wouldn't they?)

that's a trend.



realistically, there is nothing that you can do that hasn't been done or thought of before. individuality consists mainly of doing/not doing what you want/don't want, regardless of the consequences or any outside influences.

So the whole thread is pointless, because if we reply we follow a trend? The answer is yes BTW.

ssshhh don't answer trendy!