The Death of the 'Pop Star'

[OMonster 14,675]

The truth is, pop music as we know/knew it is a dying breed. Big names are simply not selling how they used to. They will remain iconic, culturally popular and will always have the highest grossing, global tours (as shown by The Joanne World Tour), but not necessarily always the highest place on the charts. Nowadays, the GP care more about the 'music' (unfortunately what constitutes 'music' however is conforming to a generic, 'cool' trend) and not about the name. It is a trend and a sound that charts now, not a pop star status. 

Spoiler

I really think Justin Bieber in particular is a good example of this. Just his name and his entire brand had become incredibly tainted over the years. He was very, very hated and a lot of his music was flopping hard. What saved his career (and made him re-peak) though, is how he essentially erased his own brand image and simply sold music that followed a 'cool' trend.  Suddenly, people who hated Justin were listening to his records... not for him, but for his songs. He created a detachment between himself and his music. It was genius but in many ways shows how being a star is not enough anymore. His name was not enough. 

The 'death' of the pop star, as we know it, is therefore before us. The years where Gaga and Katy (she's considered to have 'flopped' with her new lead single...) could put out a record and have their star power drive them to the top are gone. The years where being a 'big name' meant big sales are gone. The years where the entire music world would come to a halt because of Lady Gaga or Katy Perry or Nicki Minaj are... well, gone. 

Since around 2013, music has changed at a drastic measure. This is why big name, A-List pop stars do not have the same impact as they did before. Ostensibly, they are mainstream pop acts releasing music in a market where simply being so is seen as 'uncool'. The GP want something generic and 'cool', with just the right amount of edge. Popstars like Gaga, Katy and Taylor do not bring that anymore. What they do is no longer seen as 'cool'. 

Above all, streaming is perhaps the biggest reason for the death of the 2000's pop star. Fans of a pop star are more likely to download and buy a record than stream it. To spend money on a specific record is exactly what a stan does - it's part of our culture, part of how we 'commit' to who we stan for. In a world where streaming rules, this has meant that big stars are seen to 'flop', which really is not the case. 

I guess the point of this thread is really just to highlight how music consumption has changed so drastically, and how it isn't fair to brand Katy or Gaga a 'flop' for not selling a certain amount. It is a lot harder today for pop stars to have chart impact. But this isn't a reflection of their stardom. The pop girls that debut in the 2000s will always be 'iconic'. In light of all this change, they'll probably even be the last batch of big stars for a long, long time... the likes of Gaga, Katy, Nicki, Rihanna, Taylor ect will be big for as long as they're with us. A chart position is not what determines this, though. Not anymore.

One hit wonders will come and go, trends will come and go and different artists (*cough* chainsmokers *cough*) will come and go... and yes, they'll sell a lot of records and rake up a whole load of streams and YouTube views... but they'll never have the same lasting impact of true pop stars like Gaga and - love her or hate her - Katy. In today's music culture, the status of these artists is beyond a chart placing. But whilst this is true, it doesn't mean that they'll sell like they used to, or even sell as much as these fleeting 'stars' or have the same impact. It is their legacy that protects them I guess. 

So Monsters, we gotta stop dragging Katy right now. She's in the same boat as Gaga... a boat we know all too well. And besides, it's too early to tell what'll happen with Katy. With her new single, she is somewhat pandering to generic trends, and so she may do okay. We will see. Either way, it'll be interesting to see what happens this time for Katy and other big stars. They are putting their music into a very different machine. 

[Chelseaaaaaa 1,453]

This post made me wish Gaga had went through with the "Decay of The Pop Star" concept for ARTPOP.  Oh, what could've been!

[Leo Monster 83]

Gaga will always be in my heart 

[Bio 23,538]

It always happens. Most people are finding this period we're going through weird because they first met pop standom in 2010, a time where pop music was at very high popularity, especially pop divas. But before that all there was on the radio was one hit wonders, rappers, generic R&B and pop rock. Wait 6 or 7 years and it will turn around again.

[911 16,707]

Well said 

 

 

 

 

 

Glory who? 

[OMonster 14,675]

2 minutes ago, Leo Monster said:

Gaga will always be in my heart 

And mine, too. 

This post isn't about dragging her or any other pop star. It's really the opposite. It's about saying that they'll always be iconic, known and successful without having to top the charts. 

[Drin Lon 7,875]

I think at some point there will come another pop-star like Gaga or Britney to shook the industry up again 

[TSUNAMI 21,011]

14 minutes ago, Drin Lon said:

I think at some point there will come another pop-star like Gaga or Britney to shook the industry up again 

Yep. It happens every 10 years 

[Nemo 4,293]

I kinda think the pop star thing was already dead, just before Gaga came along and revived it.

It can happen again.

[Gaga Monster 13,001]

The next pop star is coming in 2018

1980's: Madonna/Michael

1998: Britney

2008: Gaga

[ComeToMama 4,351]

I agree that people dont care about who sings a song anymore, its all about the song itself, not the artist. And radio now popular music is just stupid viral hits. Its sad. 

[Guest]

56 minutes ago, Chelsea Symona said:

This post made me wish Gaga had went through with the "Decay of The Pop Star" concept for ARTPOP.  Oh, what could've been!

She kinda did though..

[Yo GagaGaga 6,541]

This is so depressing, before I saw Chained to the Rhythm not doing too well I didn't really care about it but its actually really sad to think about. Katy used to be such a force, with every single she released going straight to #1. I never thought I'd see the day where a Katy Perry lead single is considered a flop

When I first started paying attention to Pop music and knowing the artists on the radio was when Britney was making her comeback and brand new exciting names were going to #1 like Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry. Its so sad for the Music industry to lose that excitement and rush of when Pop Stars ruled. I really hope it makes a resurgence soon, I was not ready

[Sepsami 18,888]

People already calling Katy's new single a flop  It got released today 

[Werk 13,166]

1 hour ago, Bio said:

It always happens. Most people are finding this period we're going through weird because they first met pop standom in 2010, a time where pop music was at very high popularity, especially pop divas. But before that all there was on the radio was one hit wonders, rappers, generic R&B and pop rock. Wait 6 or 7 years and it will turn around again.

Agree