What is "commercial" music?

[DKMaester]

Some time ago I was at a fast food with one of my friends and I had my mp3 player with me. I had him listed to some of my music including "Disturbed-Land of confusion". He said it was different from most of their songs; that is was "commercial". When I heard that word, commercial, I immediately took a defensive stand and told him it was a good song and blah, blah, etc. The thing is that he then clarified what he meant. He said that "commercial" meant that most people would like it even if they weren't into the genre; something made for the liking of the general public. He also said that commercial songs were good.

Now, I have no will to discuss the particular song I named but the word “commercial”. What is “commercial” music to you? Is “commercial” music good? Why do people (me) think of “commercial” things as bad?

Any comment on the matter is appreciated.

P.S. Forgive me for my rather direct writing.

 

[cerbie]

It generally involves being catchy, having simple timing, an obvious beat...and being somewhat similar to craptacular pop, most of which exists to sell things. As such, it's bad. I mean, if you link a song from your favorite band X to Jojo's new single in styling...ew! Commercial music I would define as a work that is similar in sound to music that is not made due a desire to create art, but rather, has qualities of music that is created to sell products or itself.

It can be useful, though. It was a nothing-song with a catchy tune, that certainly has a pop sound, that shot Black Sabbath to being a huge band...yet, Paranoid (the song) really isn't much better than Changes, and while not bad by any means, is the weakest song on Paranoid by some stretch.

OTOH, there are those out there that do a decent job with it. Garbage intentionally kept it simple and catchy, sticking with a pop sound, yet is pretty good stuff. NIN comes to mind, too; though he manages to stay slightly less accessible.

 

[Nacher]

I'd say a song is commercial when it makes significant artistical compromises to appeal for a larger audience. Usually this means simplifying the song structure, relying on simple and instantly catchy hooks and strong repetition. In other words, music that wasn't created for the sake of art, but to make the artists popular and rich.

Still, almost every pop song is rather simple, but I wouldn't go as far to say that every catchy pop tune is commercial. One dividing factor would be originality of the lack of it. The best way of creating succesful pop hits quickly is simply copying existing patterns/songs, and slightly changing them so that they sound fresh for a while, but wear out quickly. Then repeat this process. Even though some Pink Floyd songs may be catchy and rely on hooks, they sure are original and really different from each other.

 

[Rempert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DKMaester He said that "commercial" meant that most people would like it even if they weren't into the genre; something made for the liking of the general public. He also said that commercial songs were good.

I think the more common word for this connotation is "accessible". "Commercial" is usually used by people who like {indie, underground, progressive, avant garde, etc.} to refer to certain qualities of mainstream music which they would consider negative.

 

[MayorSimpleton]

Quote:

I think the more common word for this connotation is "accessible". "Commercial" is usually used by people who like {indie, underground, progressive, avant garde, etc.} to refer to certain qualities of mainstream music which they would consider negative.

I'd agree with this. I think that there are two types of 'commercial' music. One type is created purely to sell - most 'pop' music would fall into this category, and then there is work by serious artists which doesn't pander to the mass-market but may happen to be embraced by the public at large, becoming a commercial 'success'. Not the best example in this context perhaps, but the first piece of music that springs to mind that falls into this second category would be Henryk Gorecki's Sympothy No 3.

I suppose you could argue that there is a third option, whereby an 'underground' artist will begin to produce music with a eye on the charts. This is the grey area that will cause all the arguments along the lines of:

a - "Modest Mouse sold out on that last album".
b - "**** no they didn't, it's just good music and the charts prove it".

Pluck

 

[MaZa]

Music that has sacrificed artistic originality for the sake of money and popularity, using simple hooks and catchy beats, or music/band that starts to make music with getting rich in mind. Read: conveyorbelt pop bands, rising "stars" that actually doesnt even make their own songs.


This has nothing to do with being comercially success though.

Good example in selling-out would be older In Flames vs. newer In Flames. Started with being very good gothenburgh metal band, but lately has turned to more mallcore-music. At first they had some very good melodies and twists, but now they are luring in numetal crowd, with angsty "aggressiviness" (read, braindead straightforward guitar powerchording) and fake-emotional dramatic clear vocals. Pure Sell-out if you ask me.

But a band that was comercial success in instant would be Metallica. They were original, and did what they wanted and were damn good at it, and for some reason or another it was sales hit without even mass-marketing and comercialism. They were on top of the charts for loooong time.
Unfortunately, now they are a mere shadow what they were, and in their last album they tried to linger in what made them good back then for the sake of bigger sales. Failed miserably if you ask me.

 

[antiant]

commercial music > pop/popular music > mainstream audience > majority would like it > status quo > end of story, pretty simple

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/commercial

 

[SickMouthy]

"Commercial" is the second most pointylessly useless and reductive term used in music discourse after "dull". If you are discussing it seriously, you are probably a little insane.

 

[Coltrane]

As has been said, commerical simply means music that is made for consumption, and not for art.

Disturbed is a great example. It is empty music created for undiscerning 14 year old boys. They are commerical in every sense of the word. They are music the way McDonalds is music.

 

[VicAjax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coltrane As has been said, commerical simply means music that is made for consumption, and not for art. Disturbed is a great example. It is empty music created for undiscerning 14 year old boys. They are commerical in every sense of the word. They are music the way McDonalds is music.

do their CDs come with a toy?

 

[FalconP]

My working definition of "commercial music" is like this:

1) The music emulates the elements (melody, instrumentation, arrangements, style, moans and groans etc) of another piece of music, one which has proven to be well received by the public. Emulation is the operative word here: I won't call every inexplicably overplayed hit "commercial". The songs Macarena and the Gypsy King's Volare may be irritating, but they are original enough to clear itself from my charge of being "commercial". The songs of Celine Dion and Christina Aguilea, on the other hand, are commercial, even both are pretty good singers.

AND

2) There is evidence that the music is produced with as little cost as possible. This entails, for example, allowing poorly-written, incomprehensible lyrics the green light, relying on studio wizardry to make the voice of an unacceptable singer more flattering to the ear, or the use of digitalised samples when real instruments are called for.

Under this definition, commercial music is automatically bad -- those involved in its making cut corners: during both the composition process and the execution of the music.

 

[SickMouthy]

Miles Davis wanted people to listen to his music, dudes. So did Stockhausen. Arguably Cage didn't, hence 4'33", but he certainly wanted people to know who the hell he was. Art IS commerce and always has been. Michelangelo got paid to paint the Cistene ceiling.

 

[pds6]

DKMaester asks:
Quote:

What is "commercial" music?

How about:
Oh I wish I were an Os-car Mayer Wie - ner
That is what I'd tru-ly like to be
'cause if I were an Os-car May-er Wie - ner
Ev-ery one would be in love with me.

Or:
My bologna has a first name it's
O-S-C-A-R
My bologna has a second name it's
M-A-Y-E-R
Oh,I love to eat it every day
and if you ask me why Ill say
cuz oscar mayer has a way with
B-O-L-O-G-N-A!

Can it get any better!

 

[Coltrane]

There is an ocean of difference between creating art and hoping people listen to it, and creating music for the purpose of selling massive quantities.

 

[rextrade]

To say that making music that a lot of people will like will always compromise the music is just nonsense. Sometimes it will, and sometimes it won't. A lot of great music has been made for commercial consumption--Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Pink Floyd, Miles Davis, etc. etc. Also, making intentionally underground or "difficult" music can lead to bad music as well.

[edit]

Coltrane said:
There is an ocean of difference between creating art and hoping people listen to it, and creating music for the purpose of selling massive quantities.

But can't you create music for the purpose of selling massive quantities that is also good? Some of the best songs in the American songbook were created for the purpose of selling massive quantities (or, massive by pre-rock standards).