Is It Me, Or There Is A Disconnect Between The Albums And Their Misrepresentative Singles, And A Disconnect Between An Artist’s Music And His/Her Image? (A Rant)

Now, as you may notice that Taylor Swift is the voice of this generation. Not only that, Taylor Swift is hot. Why? Because she's hot. That's why.

As Taylor Swift told CMT about her first pop album, 1989, she said, “I never want to make the same album twice,” she continued, “I never want them to be the same. I think people like change. I think people like something fresh and new!”

Back in 2012, according to the CMT website, Taylor Swift can't describe her new album, Red, in just a few words.

“Every song sounds different from every other song, so you have a lot of country, you have a lot of pop, you have a lot of acoustic, you have a lot of really cool loops that these amazing producers have created,” she tells CMT Insider host Katie Cook.

“But, for me, this album was about making every song sound how it felt. And that was an interesting goal to achieve because it’s not as easy as ‘we need to put more fiddle on that. We need to make that bass more heavy.’ It’s really more about finding a feeling, so there are influences from every genre on this record,” she adds.

Rather than encapsulate Red into neat categories, Taylor Swift elaborated with Cook about all the emotions in the album, the honesty in the lyrics and the eagerness to share it.

This makes me wonder why Taylor Swift has to make pop music every time she makes a country album? I guess Taylor Swift has to use pop music and not country music which screwed up her crossover country-pop career. Then it got worse, she makes nothing but catchy pop songs like I Knew You Were Trouble and forget her mainstream country songs like Begin Again. I mean, why can’t country radio play Taylor Swift’s country songs like Red? Why radio only play Taylor Swift’s pop songs like Shake It Off? I guess country music don’t want Taylor Swift to play songs even with a crossover appeal and Taylor Swift has to be pop. It looks like the only way to bring back popular music playing Taylor Swift’s country songs like Tim McGraw is pop music stations like MTV Hits.

Then in 2014, Taylor Swift will only make pop songs and only pop songs. That’s it. No country songs. Worse, country music don’t seem to care about country women like Taylor Swift and country radio only play country men like Brad Paisley and bro country like Miranda Lambert (despite Miranda Lambert is a female country star). Country music don't care about women like Reba McEntire and Kellie Pickler and the only way is men like George Strait and bro-country like Florida Georgia Line. You know what’s sad? People listening to country music like Florida Georgia Line is better than Taylor Swift’s country music like Sparks Fly. It looks like country music has moved on.

That makes me wonder that she can't go back to the "Red sound" she said herself because she would never make the same album twice. I'm thinking her next album will be more experimental than anything she's ever done before.

But then it got worse, the music business don’t seem to care about country music like Toby Keith and Tim McGraw and music business only wants popular repeats like Meghan Trainor’s All About That Bass and radio like Kelly Clarkson. That’s all people listening to music in America does these days, repeat catchy songs like Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk and radio like Pink. America like Canada don’t care about country music like Luke Bryan or good music that people loved like Avril Lavigne. You have to use other places in the world like Japan to listen to music like Backstreet Boys. It seems that America like US don’t care about big diversity like rock music and RnB and America like Canada only listen to repeat populars like Britney Spears and Beyonce.

Why can’t America like US pay attention to big diversity of music in general like Backstreet Boys and MTV playing music videos? Whatever happened to America’s big diversity is mainstream like Pokemon? Now it’s just repeats and money like reality shows and superhero movies.

And you know what? Technology like computer is dominating big diversity like traditional animation and never stops. Not just music but everything in America. Why can’t America bring back mainstream goes by big diversity like anime? Now the only way is inventions. Internet doesn’t help either.

Here’s my thoughts. Today’s music, to me, are primates of today’s music. That’s right, labels control artists like primates. Today’s artists are the label primates of today’s music. If a country artist, like Carrie Underwood, should moved to pop music and be a pop artist, then that is what a music label considered to be a label primate. Pop artists nowadays like Britney Spears are now music label primates when it comes to collabos or listening to the radio. Why can't something like Avril Lavigne be a label primate when something like Max Martin is one of the owners of the label? To me, art is personal, artists are not exchanging being primates to major labels to now being primates to their supporters. Today's music is very much oriented to generate income. Forget about artistic risk in music. If is not going to generate rapid buzz is lazy. Today's artists like Nicki Minaj are merely primates of their music labels, self centered in vanal and vulgar ways to live. Why artists like Beyonce are controlled like label primates? Why people in the music business like Iggy Azalea act like label primates? Why can’t music be creative in America nowadays? Why can’t music in America acts like a big name place for music market? I really hate today’s America these days. Why, America, why?

Here’s what I’m saying about this problem: Is it me, or there is a disconnect between the albums and their misrepresentative singles, and a disconnect between an artist’s music and his/her image?

Take Avril Lavigne for instance: She used to be popular back in 2002 and 2003 thanks to her debut album, Let Go as well as her first three singles, Complicated, Sk8er Boi, and I’m With You. But in 2004, she went downhill when Avril Lavigne released her sophomore album, Under My Skin and since 2004, she lost her mainstream audiences. The only people loved Avril Lavigne left in 2004 is fans. Because of this, mainstream music don’t seem to care about her or if mainstream audiences thinks she is a fad rather than a big name artist like Taylor Swift did.

Forget about what Avril Lavigne did to lose her fans when she released her third album and Girlfriend in 2007 after her first two albums were successful - I think the second album, Under My Skin and its singles, Don’t Tell Me, My Happy Ending, and Nobody’s Home that followed is probably the main reason why Avril Lavigne did not survive the "sophomore curse" and aren't still popular today since 2004 as she was 13 years ago back in 2002. I'm not saying Under my Skin was a terrible album - definitely not! It was a very good album. But it didn't seem to have what Complicated, Sk8er Boi, I’m With You and, to a lesser extent, Losing Grip from her first album, Let Go did as well as the songs like He Wasn’t that followed this one. I think another thing that really hurt Avril Lavigne in 2004 11 years ago is that she released this song and album perhaps the time Arista don’t seem to care about Avril Laivgne after Let Go after Arista don’t seem to care about Under my Skin as Arista don’t have enough money to support Under My Skin in 2004 which is why RCA had to market Arista’s Under My Skin instead of Arista itself, while her first album was still doing well after 2003. All this being said, I really really wish Avril Lavigne had been around for many years and miss them as much as I do which is why she can’t compete well against other music artists from 2004-2014 like Rihanna and Taylor Swift. Blame RCA and sophomore curse ruining Under My Skin along with Girlfriend losing her fans and bratty songs ruined her post 2002 albums like RCA putting in What The Hell on Goodbye Lullaby and Hello Kitty.

That’s why Avril Lavigne is not popular from 2004-today as she used to be during 2002. Who listens to Avril Lavigne? You know what they say: Everyone went through an “Avril phase,” at least at some point in their life. But to be fair, this probably only applies if you’re of a certain age group, to be fair. But anyone between the ages of 15 and 35 can probably admit to this.

She was hugely popular between 2002 and 2007, but the last 7 years have been quite the opposite for the pop rock singer. Nowadays, it seems like no one listens to Avril Lavgine except for her remaining loyal fans. Most other people have moved on, for one reason or another. And most of them have one of two specific objections to her music now.

Both complaints seem odd to me. And they contradict each other: One half of people say that “her music never evolves” and she’s “stuck in the past and keeps putting out the same songs.” And the other half? “Avril has changed so much!” and “she doesn’t sound anything like what she used to – I used to like her music, but now it sucks!”

So how do these two contradicting criticisms make sense? They have the same root: There is a disconnect between the albums and their misrepresentative singles, and a disconnect between Avril Lavigne’s music and her image.

So why Avril Lavigne sucks since “Avril’s music never evolves” these days? I guess “Avril’s music never evolves”.

This is false for the first three albums. Listen to Let Go, a debut full of pop rock songs about teenage life and growing pains. It sounds innocent enough, but with a fair dose of confidence and staying true to yourself. Then listen to Under My Skin. This album is noticeably darker, with new instruments, heavier production, and a bit more anger and hurt. This was more like Evanescence goth rock – partially because Ben Moody played a role in it. And yet, RCA killed Under My Skin and its singles like My Happy Ending in 2004. Curse you, RCA.

Then go to her 3rd album, 2007’s The Best Damn Thing. If this doesn’t sound like a huge difference to you, you may need your ears checked. Whereas her 2nd album is dark and angry, her 3rd is the opposite: Bright and fun and overall cheery. You can tell just by looking at the album covers: Under My Skin is black and white with a simple red X; The Best Damn Thing is set against a white background and has girly pink and cute hearts and stars everywhere.

That’s quite the mood change. The music is also rather different: The 3rd album is pop punk combined with cheerleader pop. Raw instrumentation, but with high pitched heys and handclaps. See Girlfriend, for example:

And this is where the music stopped evolving – according to the argument, at least. This is also where the issue of perception comes up:

The gleeful cheerleader pop of The Best Damn Thing was really just meant for that album. Avril Lavigne was in a happy stage of her life, and wanted to have fun with her music. But when she was writing for her 4th record, she wanted to go back to a sound more like her earlier work. She had written all of these mellow acoustic songs. It wasn’t upbeat or fun. It was introspective, calm, and showcased vocals against minimal instrumentation. At least, this is what Avril Lavigne wanted to release.

Her record label didn’t like her new music too much. They wanted to recreate the success of “Girlfriend.” They needed a radio friendly pop hit. At first Avril fought for her album. She didn’t want to repeat “Girlfriend,” and she didn’t want to write fun pop hits. Furthermore, that would ruin the vision she had for her new album. But after a year and a half of delays and label fights, she finally recorded a couple of “pop hits” and Goodbye Lullaby was released.

And of course, those “pop hits” were the singles, and they completely misrepresented the album. The first two singles, What The Hell and Smile, sound like they could have come from The Best Damn Thing. So of course people thought she was making the same music in 2011 as she did in 2007. That’s where the first claims that she “never evolves” cropped up.

But anyone who listened to the album would tell you that it was completely different from The Best Damn Thing. Most of it was in line with Avril Lavigne’s original vision for the record – mellow, acoustic, introspective songs. But that’s not what the general public heard.

Compare the lead single What The Hell to Avril Lavigne’s personal favorite song on the album, Goodbye Lullaby, Goodbye.

The same issue arose with her 5th album. Avril Lavigne had initially written dozens of quality songs, and they sounded more like indie and alternative rock. But after she thought she had finished her album, of course her record label wanted those pop hits again. This time she didn’t fight it as much, perhaps because of the bad experience with Goodbye Lullaby. Instead of arguing for a year and a half and losing the fight, only to have a way delayed album, she went ahead and made those pop songs.

The album was led by singles like Here’s To Never Growing Up and Rock N Roll, songs that once again sound like something she could have put out in 2007. And once again, more people complained that “she always sounds the same” and “never evolves.” But then if you listened to her full self-titled 5th album, you would again hear the disconnect. The first half of the album is comprised of her newer “radio friendly pop songs,” and the second half contains the songs she originally wrote, the indie pop rock and ballads. Why, Epic Records, why?

Try the hilarious lead single Here’s To Never Growing Up vs. an album highlight called Give You What You Like, a fan favorite 5th album song from 2013.

It is in the non singles that one can hear Avril Lavigne’s musical evolution, but no one hears that except her fans. That's why she is a fan favorite mainstream artist. Let's continue.

“Avril changed so much”

The second complaint is more about The Best Damn Thing than anything else. That album was such a huge departure from Avril Lavigne’s first two that she lost a lot of fans. It was everything her first two albums weren’t: Pop, girly, and fun.

And as you can see, based on what you just read a few paragraphs ago, these “radio friendly pop hits” are the only songs nonfans are hearing from Avril Lavgine these days. This might be the reason why America hates fans and America only wants nonfans and radio just to make money and screwed over fans and try something news. These singles that she is basically forced to release sound like all the bratty pop from 2007. And yet these singles don’t represent the full albums. If you listen to Goodbye Lullaby and Avril Lavigne's 2013 self-titles album, you may be surprised to find plenty of songs that sound more like her earlier work. Songs that her original fans might actually enjoy.

And that’s why Avril Lavigne’s music “sucks”.

It’s all about perception and knowing all the music on an album – not just the two singles you heard. If all I heard from Avril Lavigne was bratty songs like What The Hell and Here’s To Never Growing Up, I’d be disappointed too.

But luckily, I have heard Avril Lavigne’s full albums, and found plenty of worthy gems to listen to instead. In my opinion, she has evolved, and she still makes amazing and inspiring music just like she used to in her career prime.

It’s fine if you still don’t like her music. But I only ask that you give her non-singles a chance before writing her off as a has-been that’s stuck in a bratty pop rut. So why can't non-singles be mainstream singles instead of catchy radio singles? If Avril Lavigne's non-singles that should work well as mainstream singles was played on rock radio, then her non-bratty singles can manage to top the rock billboard charts allowing rock music to get familiar with Avril Lavgine instead of bratty pop songs.

This applies to other artists too like Airana Grande, not just Avril Lavigne.

Avril Lavigne is absolutely not the only artist to have a problem like this. Essentially every singer or band has problems with the music they want to write (like Backstreet Boys and Rihanna), and the music their label wants to put out. This is probably truer of major labels than indie labels, and probably a bigger problem among pop singers than rock bands. But the fact still remains: Many of these artists are stifled creatively, and end up having singles that they never wanted to even record.

The music industry is like that, unfortunately. It’s still a business, and the creativity is secondary to the men in suits that just want to fill up their wallets.

Personally, I think artists should all be allowed to record and release exactly what they want. The music world would be that much more interesting and exciting. Unfortunately, I don’t see this idealistic change happening any time soon. But at least there are good album tracks to listen to when the radio singles all start to sound the same.

That’s why Taylor Swift was very lucky since she can’t make the same music from her 5 albums like 1989. She wanted to try something different unlike Avril Lavigne. If Avril Lavigne manage to try something new instead of bratty songs on the radio which radio don't want to listen to, then she's doing fine since 2002. Taylor Swift did a great job controlling her career between herself and her fans even when she's getting older after she change her music career from country music to pop music. Why can't Avril Lavigne do the same thing?

Thus, Taylor Swift is more important to Avril Lavigne in terms of albums sales and radio. I'll take Taylor Swift over Avril Lavigne any day. But still, if only Avril Lavigne follow Taylor Swift's footsteps. Why can’t other artists like Katy Perry do the same thing? I mean, Rihanna was lucky since she wants to try something different on her singles even on lead singles.

If Taylor Swift and Rihanna try something new like rock singles on their big names singles rather than going by radio singles, others like Demi Lovato should do the same thing. Why can’t America paying attention to singles goes by music videos and streaming? You need to pay attention to music in general like albums and internet, America. Just like Rihanna or Taylor Swift did.

Is Taylor Swift right? Will Taylor Swift trying different experiments of mainstream singles and mainstream album break away the people listening to catchy hit songs on the radio mold? Will people listening to music in America ever gonna bring back music videos like Vevo and websites like Spotify? Will good mainstream like rock ever gonna be popular in America again? Sound off below!