Where have the bands gone?
Interesting article by Ben Myers in the Guardian on December 02, BBC Sound of 2014: Where have the bands gone? Of this years shortlisted acts, 12 are solo artists with the remaining 3 being duos. As Ben states, “this list takes the middle path”. Following release of the list BBC News reported that “bands are out of fashion”. This is certainly not the case but with record labels cutting back on budgets it is easier for solo acts to be ‘developed’ rather than a 6 piece band.
As for the shortlist, is Ben’s conclusion correct: “That this list is the inevitable outcome of an ailing business wracked by years of bad decisions and wasted money, and a public who simply no longer want to pay for their art. In times of crisis all risky creative bets are off”. Or, is the list truly about the genuine talent out there or is it about artists signed to labels who are promoted for inclusion.
