[Jess]

"Then again I hate One Direction too" this gives me hope that there are other teenage girls that have respect for the music industry and not how 'pretty' people look 🙌

🙌 YAS! And I'm sorry but who do 'Union J' think they are? They literally came like fifth on a talent show and they think they're the next best thing with their annuals, posters, cringey merchandise. WHY ARE YOUNG PEOPLE SO BLIND TO GOOD MUSIC? (Yes I constitute Katy Perry as good

[benjo]

 well a lot of common sense spoken there
 from the generation that is the bulls eye of music

 its a murky world in my opinion

[Gallowglass]

Union J are literally trying to be One Direction. Same with The Vamps and Five Seconds of Summer - the industry's looking for a teeny-bopper replacement and none quite nail it.

Image is everything in modern music. My band's on a massive image-drive at the moment to get 'the look,' including a group diet and splashing virtually all our gig cash on new clothing and equipment. Music's like any other product in that if it's not packaged well it won't be sold. All the talent in the world only counts for so much.

[benjo]

 MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM,

 yeah I get that the look is so important

 what if union j came before 1D does timing count for anything
 like right time right place,

          its a tough sea to swim in

 

[Gallowglass]

They'd probably be where One Direction is now, the biggest band on earth. As pop acts they don't write their own songs or music, often, and live performance quality is secondary to headlines and recorded. It's image or bust. Sadly 

[Jess]

I always think though, because I always lose respect for artists that don't write their own music, but then if they DID write their own stuff where would people like us come in? Most people here that aren't writing for themselves are pitching to others, so in a weird way bands like 1D are a blessing...although Harry Styles REALLY needs to lose the hair

[benjo]

 hey gallowglass totally agree with you bud

 1D were lucky in the sense of time and place
 
 I'd love to see some one from the forum really make it big

 

[Sing4me88]

I always think though, because I always lose respect for artists that don't write their own music, but then if they DID write their own stuff where would people like us come in? Most people here that aren't writing for themselves are pitching to others, so in a weird way bands like 1D are a blessing...although Harry Styles REALLY needs to lose the hair

HUGE +1 to that (and about Harry Styles' hair too!). If 1D etc all wrote their own music then every songwriter would need to be a marketable entity with a great singing voice and every artist that was a marketable entity would need to be a great writer. Thankfully for people like me that are neither this theory goes out the window in the real world

[NicBDA]

in fact I lose a lot of respect for people that go on talent shows because most of the time they haven't worked for it, they've just turned up for an audition and got lucky. They are musicians but not ARTISTS.

This made me think of an At: Guitar Centre interview with Zakk Wylde, he said (and I paraphrase):
To be a doctor, you need to go to medical school. To be a welder to need certifications. To be a musician, you just have to show up.

(If I can find the original quote again, I'll amend the above) It kind of rings true though, you can get lucky and be in the right place at the right time. Most of these talent show winners make it big when the are in the top 3, but they have no idea how to stay there. Artists/musicians who had to get there by playing the empty bars, learning about promotion etc. are the ones who tend to last longer. Or if they are able to keep churning out the hits (be it their own, or recording other people's work).

That's why you get the Paul Potts and SuBo's of the world. They have talent they can perform, but as soon as all the media hype dies, so does their career. It's like riding a geyser. the water jet shoots you up 100 feet in the air, but then it stops and unless you've learned how to fly, there is only one way to go. the other 2 that spring to mind (and the last time i really watched one of those popfactory shows) was with Will Young and Gareth Gates. They both did well for a while, but soon they faded into the bargain bin.

[benjo]

 I do know what your saying BUT!!!!!!

 Simon Cowell always seems to have a go at the ones that have been around so long
 because they pick up such bad habits,

 and Susan Boyle is just starting a world tour
 Will young has done really well thinking about it too

 I think in todays music world its get in, hit em hard, get what you can, and get out

    funny old game

[Gallowglass]

although Harry Styles REALLY needs to lose the hair

Instant respect to any girl who doesn't crush on the guy because he hasn't discovered shampoo  He's really funny, though. He's been on TV a couple times, and though I hated him for what he did when he first started out he's quite likeable now.

I'd love to see some one from the forum really make it big

Challenge accepted 

[benjo]

 challenge accepted,  I will hold you to that

 and I wish you all the luck in the world with it,
 if your in a band,  what are they called?

       GOOD LUCK BUD